MotorSafety

Maserati Recalls Luxury Vehicles Over Improper Seat Wiring

Maserati Recalls Luxury Vehicles Over Improper Seat Wiring

February 27, 2017 MotorSafety.org

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. – Feb. 27, 2017 – Maserati has recalled more than 39,000 vehicles due to improper seat wiring. The recall affects Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans and Levante crossover sports utility vehicles produced between 2014 and 2017, according to documentation from the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration.

The Defect

The seat-wiring layouts in these vehicles interfere with internal adjustment motor housing, grinding against associated various metal fixtures. This wears down cables over time and causes seat-adjustment features to cease operation. In some cases, this constant friction can lead to electrical shorts and possible vehicle fires.

Timeline of Events

  • In December 2015, Maserati launched an investigation after an owner in Korea reported seat harness damage. The inquiry focused on the parts supplier Lier, which fabricated the seat wiring and adjustment motor assemblies.
  • In January 2016, Lear offered an explanation: The wiring layout was contacting the motor assembly and causing damage. Throughout the month, Maserati received nine additional complaints.
  • During the following month, another complaint came in – this one included the occurrence of an electrical fire. The automaker and its parts provider analyzed the issue and confirmed the cause.
  • By the close of April 2016, Maserati had developed a solution. Technicians for the company were ordered to install felt strips and clamping devices to separate seat wiring and adjustment motor components.
  • In September 2016, a Levante owner filed a seat malfunction complaint. Maserati added the vehicle to its list of affected models.

The Solution

The car manufacturer has agreed to install new seat wiring layouts in affected vehicles. Dealers are to make the repairs free of charge. Maserati will begin notifying impacted owners March 21, 2017. Every customer should receive an official communication within 60 days of this date. Parts will be available within 90 days of the schedule contact date.

MotorSafety.orgMaserati Recalls Luxury Vehicles Over Improper Seat Wiring
Software Issue Plagues Maserati

Software Issue Plagues Maserati

January 20, 2017 MotorSafety.org

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. – Jan. 20, 2017 – Maserati North America, Inc. has announced that it will recall certain Levante S vehicles due to an engine software issue that could lead to transmission problems or even a sudden shutdown.

The Defect

Maserati will recall model year 2017 Levante S cars manufactured between July 1, 2016 and Dec. 13, 2016, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These vehicles all contain software bugs that may cause the transmission to shift to neutral or stop altogether when the car is traveling at 2 miles per hour. This significantly increases the risk of a crash, especially in heavy traffic scenarios.

Timeline of Events

  • Oct. 18, 2016 – Maserati received a complaint from China regarding a sudden, unexplained transmission shift during heavy traffic. Several tests were performed in an effort to replicate and isolate the problem.
  • Nov. 9, 2016 – The company successfully reproduced the issue and conducted follow-up tests to determine that it was indeed a software glitch.
  • Dec. 9, 2016 – A software re-flash solution was developed and tested to ensure that it could resolve the glitch without affecting other aspects of performance, such as emissions numbers.
  • Dec. 14, 2016 – Maserati issued its safety recall.

Resolution

Maserati made the software available to fix this bug in December 2016. Customers were notified by letter and advised to contact their local dealers to set up appointments for repairs. The new software upload is expected to take approximately one hour to complete.

MotorSafety.orgSoftware Issue Plagues Maserati
Tesla Recalls Charging Adapters

Tesla Recalls Charging Adapters

December 13, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Palo Alto, Calif. – Dec. 13, 2016 – In response to an overheating issue, Tesla has announced the recall of a small number of charging adapter connectors commonly used by owners of the Model S or X.

The Defect

Tesla announced on its website that the recall will affect about 2,000 NEMA 14-30, 10-30 and 6-50 adapters due to the possibility of overheating. This was in response to two separate customer complaints of overheating, which Tesla claimed did not result in injury or property damage. The recall was taken “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the post on the company website.

The company noted that the affected adapters are not standard pieces of equipment that come with every vehicle, but are instead sold separately to those who want to connect their charging cables to 240-volt outlets.

Timeline of Events

January 2015 – Tesla stopped selling NEMA 14-30 adapters.

August 2016 – Tesla re-released the NEMA 14-30 adapter due to increased demand.

November 2016 – Two customers reported NEMA 14-30 adapters overheating during use, prompting the recall. The recall also affected the 10-30 and 6-50 adapters, as they share some elements with the 14-30. No incidents involving those two models have been reported, according to Tesla.

Resolution

Users of the NEMA 14-30 can expect to receive a replacement from Tesla within the next few weeks. Users of the 10-30 and 6-50 may have to wait about three months for the company to develop and manufacture alternatives. However, Tesla told customers that since these two models have not exhibited any problems, they may be used to charge vehicles if no other option is available.

MotorSafety.orgTesla Recalls Charging Adapters
Pirelli Recalls Maserati Tires

Pirelli Recalls Maserati Tires

December 7, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Rome, GA – Dec. 7, 2016 – Pirelli Tire LLC has announced a recall of tires that were outfitted on certain Maserati cars. A defect in them increased the risk of cracking and air loss over time.

The Defect

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Pirelli will be recalling the P Zero All Season tire, which is used exclusively on certain Maserati cars. Tires of size 275/40R19 101W that were manufactured between Feb. 29, 2016 and Oct. 29, 2016 have faulty carcass components, which may cause cracks to develop in the lower sidewalls as the tires reach the end of their tread lives. This leads to air loss, which could then make the affected vehicles harder to control. Pirelli believes that nearly 3,400 tires suffer from this defect.

Timeline of Events

Oct. 27, 2016 – During a routine test, one Pirelli tire did not meet internal specifications. Additional examination found that it contained incorrectly sized components, which led the manufacturer to conduct a check of all the others being produced that week. Inspectors were then able to determine the production range that had been affected by the defect.

Nov. 8, 2016 – All tires were subjected to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and passed. However, Pirelli decided to conduct a recall anyway, due to the possibility that tires in the field could have more significant problems.

Resolution

Pirelli will work with Maserati to have new tires installed on all vehicles currently being held in dealer inventory. In addition, the manufacturer and the dealer will identify all owners and send notifications to them so they can determine if they were affected. Customers may visit a Pirelli dealer to have their tires checked and obtain replacements free of charge if theirs are defective.

MotorSafety.orgPirelli Recalls Maserati Tires
Takata Air Bag Recall Expands to Include More Jaguar Vehicles

Takata Air Bag Recall Expands to Include More Jaguar Vehicles

September 12, 2016 MotorSafety.org , ,

Mahwah, NJ — September 12, 2016 — Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors (NYSE:TTM) is expanding two recalls. A Jaguar recall will now cover 20,107 XF’s, and a Land Rover recall will now cover a total of 34,738 Range Rovers. The recalls include the following models:

  • 2009-2011 Jaguar XF
  • 2007-2011 Land Rover Range Rover

Recall summary

The vehicles in question are equipped with potentially dangerous Takata airbags. In both cases, the problem comes from the degraded air bag inflators, which could trigger a dangerous rupture and combustion. The risk is higher in hot climates, which is why these areas are the priority for the recall.

A June 1 acknowledgment document said that 20,016 Jaguar XF vehicles were affected, while the corresponding Land Rover document cited 34,334 units. The XF vehicles in this recall were manufactured between 2007 and 2011, while the Land Rover manufacture years fell from 2006 to 2011.

The Part 573 Safety Recall Reports for each of these Jaguar recalls include comments from Takata on the exact way this problem could affect drivers.

“The propellant wafers in some of the subject inflators may degrade over time, which could lead to over-aggressive combustion in the event the air bag is activated. Overly aggressive combustion creates excessive internal pressure when the inflator is activated, which may cause the inflator body to rupture.”

NHTSA also keeps a running list of recall progress by make. As of July 15, a total 9,348,948 air bag inflators have been repaired across all models. Jaguar and Land Rover were not mentioned on the completion page, and each was noted as having only a single range of vehicles involved by this time frame.

The repair

Jaguar and Land Rover dealers will replace the passenger front airbag, free of charge. Both recalls began in March 2017.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 54,000 vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 37,592 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

MotorSafety.orgTakata Air Bag Recall Expands to Include More Jaguar Vehicles
Software Problems Part of New Fiat Chrysler Recall

Software Problems Part of New Fiat Chrysler Recall

August 12, 2016 MotorSafety.org , , ,

Auburn Hills, Mich. — August 12, 2016 — Some relatively recent model year FCA vehicles could leave passengers in danger because of a wire harness problem. Autoblog recently featured a press release from the manufacturer of the 323,361 U.S. vehicles involved in the recall. These include the 2014 and 2015 Chrysler 200, Jeep Cherokee and other vehicles.

According to this source, affected vehicles were produced before Sept. 23, 2014. Though the vast majority of these are in the U.S., a total of 43,927 are outside of the NAFTA region, with thousands more in both Canada and Mexico.

The issue itself involves a wire-crimping problem, which could be temporarily fixed if drivers turn their vehicles on and off. The newer versions of these models will benefit from an updated harness manufacturing system.

Crimping a wire can require the right hardware. including a crimp cap or an appropriate crimping tool. The quality of the wire makes a difference, too, as it needs to match the appropriate engine system.

Last year, the 2015 Cherokee was part of multiple Jeep recalls. One of these was in December and involved a possible short circuit in the power liftgate module that may have left drivers at risk of fire. Dealers were instructed to add a water shield in an acknowledgement statement dated for December 17.

Another recent recall with the same make and model was reported in October. That action concerned Jeeps with air conditioning hose issues that could have also left the occupants at risk of fire. The solution involved replacing the hose after inspection to keep it from contacting the exhaust manifold.

MotorSafety.orgSoftware Problems Part of New Fiat Chrysler Recall
Lock Issues Affect Several Aston Martin Recalls

Lock Issues Affect Several Aston Martin Recalls

August 8, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Gaydon Warwick, U.K. — August 08, 2016 — Several Aston Martin vehicles may not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requirements, according to a recent press release.

The manufacturer will recall 6,076 vehicles with model years ranging from 2010 to 2016 to address ineffective door locks. While the manufacturer’s initial investigations began last year, owners will not be notified until August.

The defect

Using the locks in affected models could accidentally prevent occupants from being able to unlock the car from the inside. This is intended to be a security precaution, but could instead go against FMVSS No. 206, which specifically concerns “door locks and door retention components.”

As much of a risk as this could pose, owners have some resources at their disposal. First of all, the release said that the horns inside would still work, allowing users to warn others and avoid being trapped.

Certain vehicles will also come with an alarm system that sounds off if it detects an occupant.

Finally, the company explained its remedy in a Part 573 Safety Recall Report submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last month.

This source said that reprogramming the system software in the affected vehicles will disable the double locking mechanism and fixed the problem. Most of the cars targeted in this recall (5,845 exactly) are said to be with customers, while 231 remain with the dealers.

Timeline of events

The report listed the owner notification date as July 1 and the owner notification period as the days between August 1 and 15. The assertions of noncompliance date back to a recall meeting on December 11, 2015.

In 2014, Reuters reported on a 17,590-Aston Martin recall because some parts contained counterfeit plastic. Around three quarters of the right-hand drive models built since May 2012 were affected, as well as left-hand drive vehicles dating back to 2007.

Check your car’s recall status using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

MotorSafety.orgLock Issues Affect Several Aston Martin Recalls
May Maserati Recall Includes Thousands of Vehicles

May Maserati Recall Includes Thousands of Vehicles

July 8, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Englewood, N.J. — July 8, 2016 — Last month, a Maserati recall took on two different brands of vehicles. In a press release, the manufacturer stated that a suspension issue in the vehicle could put occupants at risk.

The recall, which is scheduled for July 1, requires dealers to examine the hub assembly for bolts that have possibly not been tightened correctly. If these bolts are loose, the source said, vehicle tie-rods can separate from hub carriers entirely.

This recall affects Quattroporte and Ghibli autos with model years from between 2014 and 2016. The press release stated that a total 26,464 units are potentially affected by this action, all of which were manufactured between February 2013 and September 2015.

The Part 573 Safety Recall Report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration went into further detail about the danger from this auto hazard. It said that the safety risk is specifically impacted by intense acceleration or deceleration cornering, with rear oversteering possibly occurring as a result.

According to this report, the issue itself is caused by an incorrectly torqued attaching bolt. If the bolt has started to come undone, drivers may notice a noise from the rear of the vehicle while it’s in motion. This was the only indicator of the condition listed in the report. The faulty component originates from Maserati SpA in Italy.

Depending on the conditions of the tie-rod joints, the exact remedy may vary, and could take as long as a whole day to finish. The report said that dealers will replace the rear hub carrier, tie rod and attaching bolt if the joint is loose, but just the bolt if the joint remains intact.

MotorSafety.orgMay Maserati Recall Includes Thousands of Vehicles
Some Buick Regals Subject to Power Steering Recall

Some Buick Regals Subject to Power Steering Recall

March 23, 2016 MotorSafety.org ,

Warren, MI — March 23, 2016 — One of the most recent GM recalls in February concerns steering assembly faults in the 2016 Buick Regal.

Although the first signs of this failure were discovered in another car during vehicle tests last November, the recall only began on February 12, with dealers notified a week later.

According to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the affected vehicles may have been manufactured as recently as the date the recall started.

The defect

This report noted that bad circuit boards in these vehicles could lead to power steering failure, which could put additional steering pressure on the driver.

The defect was only thought to be in 74 units, signaled by a noticeable malfunction alert when present. The replacement circuit boards include stronger circuit boards.

Timeline of events

The NHTSA also featured a recall bulletin released this month, which explained that the recall parts needed would start shipping on the week of March 14. The bulletin lists 12 parts, including steering knuckle nuts, knuckle bolts and gear nuts.

“Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the power-steering assist system can fail while driving,” the bulletin stated. “If this occurs, the vehicle will lose power-steering assist.”

It also added that “Steering control can still be maintained, but will require increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash.”

Automotive News grouped this recall in with several other GM recalls issued around the same time. These include actions for other vehicles with the 2016 model year, including Chevrolet Malibu, Colorado and Camaro autos.

The source said that these recalls included nearly 2,000 vehicles total, with the highest coming from a 1,750 unit group of Colorado, Malibu and GMC Canyon vehicles in Canada and the United States.

Check your car’s recall status using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

MotorSafety.orgSome Buick Regals Subject to Power Steering Recall
Airbag Module Concerns Lead to Lexus Recall

Airbag Module Concerns Lead to Lexus Recall

February 8, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Washington, D.C. — February 08, 2016 — Thousands of vehicles are part of a new recall effort in response to airbag concerns in certain Lexus vehicles. Though owners won’t be notified until March, Toyota recently announced the recall effort in a January 27 press release in its official online newsroom.

“This recall specifically affects RX 350 and RX 450h models.”

According to this statement, the manufacturer is recalling “approximately 5,000” 2016 Lexus vehicles that could contain badly-manufactured airbag modules. The company has called for dealers to inspect these faulty assemblies and replace them as necessary to avoid putting operators at risk.

This recall specifically affects RX 350 and RX 450h models, and comes in the same month that Lexus announced the LC 500 luxury coupe. So far, no injuries have been traced to the RX Lexus recalls, and it does not appear to be related to other similar issues like the Takata airbag recalls.

“The involved vehicles are equipped with a driver’s knee airbag module that may not have been properly manufactured,” the most recent statement says. “This could affect the performance of the airbag and increase the risk of injury in a crash.”

With a new death linked to the Takata airbag inflators, Toyota is still involved with the ongoing recall effort, one that has expanded to include millions of cars.

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that this auto manufacturer had worked with Takata to test some of the recalled vehicles for ruptures. Results revealed three RAV-4 airbag inflators ruptured during the test, triggering a recall for those that use these and similar systems. Ford also tested 1,900 inflators for defects and found none.

MotorSafety.orgAirbag Module Concerns Lead to Lexus Recall
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