Some 2016 Hyundai Tucson trailers may have turn signal problems [Video]

Fountain Valley, CA — April 29, 2016 — Some SUV trailer turn signal lights may be in trouble, according to a recent Hyundai recall. Last month, the manufacturer targeted thousands of Tucson vehicles produced within the last two years for issues that could affect drivers with trailers.

The problem comes from the trailer hitch wiring harnesses. These products, from Mobis Part America, may interfere with the turn signals used in trailers. Drivers could find that these signals either stay on for too long or turn off entirely. Either way, the problem could represent a safety violation.

Owners and dealers were both notified on March 6. Dealers were instructed to fix this difficulty by updating affected harnesses.

Read more about Hyundai recalls by visiting our blog, and thanks for watching.

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FCA Recalls Vehicles with Bad Brake Calipers [Video]

Detroit, MI — April 27, 2016 — Some Fiat Chrysler vehicles may have faulty brake calipers, according to a new recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began this month with reports on this latest action.

The recall includes more than 14,700 SUVs from the 2015 and 2016 model years. The left front caliper in these vehicles can fracture, the source said, making it harder for drivers to stop quickly. This can also lead to loss of brake fluid.

The manufacturer did not include a recall schedule in the original March 23 report. However, it did state that the remedy will replace calipers that may be made of weak material. The recall affects both Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.

You can read more about Jeep and Chrysler recalls on our blog. Check out out archives for other stories involving this manufacturer. Thanks for watching!

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Volkswagen Passat Recalls Concern Possible Fires

Auburn Hills, MI — April 26, 2016 — In an action unrelated to previous diesel emissions Volkswagen recalls, the manufacturer is focusing on vehicles with a potential underbody fire risk. Though the chances of this happening may be rare, the company addressed this problem in a statement published on Autoblog. This source stated that a group of 91,000 Passats could gradually suffer underbody sensor corrosion.

Over time, exposure to water could gradually wear down the sensor connectors, eventually triggering a short that overheats the sensor. The statement clarified that the affected autos bear the 2012, 2013 and 2014 model years. Corrosion would be possible due to bad wire seals. As of March 24, no notification schedule was given.

In addition, a Part 573 Safety Recall report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration listed the series of events that led to this recall. Last November, “the production plant reported events with overheated electrical connectors and isolated underbody vehicle fires to Volkswagen’s product safety committee. Additional analysis of detailed cause was assigned,” before further action was taken, the report stated.

Two months later,the company began a field survey before the defect was officially determined on March 16. The impacted vehicles do have diesel engines, even though this case does not involve the “cheats” established in other recalled Volkswagens that have triggered international concern.

To remedy this issue, dealers will inspect and replace the connector. Owners might see an MIL indicator if the issue is present in their vehicle, and could use this as a sign to take action. The engine associated with the possible seal failure has reportedly been discontinued, but the replacement connectors will have well-seated seals that prevent the potentially dangerous wear in the older ones. No component manufacturer was reported.

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Steering Assist Failure Leads to Hyundai Sonata Recall

Fountain Valley, CA — April 25, 2016 — Hyundai Motor America is recalling 173,000 Sonata sedans produced between 2009 and 2010, all with the 2011 model year. The cause comes from power steering concerns which could alter the driver’s steering ability while the car is in motion. Though the issue won’t completely stop steering control, it will shut off the assist in some cases, forcing drivers to put more effort into manning the vehicle.

If the circuit board connected to the affected autos’ electronic power steering is damaged, drivers may unexpectedly have to work harder. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report for this problem described the way electronic power steering systems receive multiple inputs from the vehicle, including steering wheel torque and position data. Every owner of a potentially affected vehicle will be instructed to seek out a dealer for EPS replacement.

Drivers should pay attention to the instrument warning lights and specifically look for the red EPS signal. Although the report was submitted on March 31, the planned dealer and owner notification date isn’t until May 31. According to an accompanying vehicle recall chronology, the first investigations date back to last year.

“The investigation revealed the manufacturing process for the printed circuit board (PCB) in the EPS Control Unit was modified in October, 2010 by revising the protective coating to the circuit board to help improve the PCB’s resistance to potential environmental effects,” it said.

Last month, investigators from Korea came to the U.S. to observe possible steering problems in these vehicles: Mobis, the listed component supplier, is based in Korea. As the chronology stated, the recall grew out of these investigations. The power steering system has been a part of the Sonata since it was introduced to the U.S. market in 2009, seven years before the current Hyundai recalls.

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Mercedes-Benz Recalls Unpredictable Vehicles

Montvale, NJ — April 19, 2016 — A single defect in hundreds of Mercedes-Benz vehicles could impact drivers in harmful ways. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, 888 Mercedes-Benz vehicles may have steering column wiring harness issues that could manifest in several different unwanted situations: the document lists turn signal failure, airbag deployment and engine stalling as possible consequences of this problem.

This same report noted that the early examples of this issue were noticed last August. The recall concerns Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 and GLC-300 4-matic vehicles produced between June, July and November 2015. While a driver might get warning indicators in the case of some of these issues , the notice specifically said that airbag deployment would not come with a warning.

“Authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers will check the wiring harnesses on the affected vehicles and repair it, if necessary, and the wiring harness will be correctly routed,” the notice asserted. It also stated that the component supplier, DR XLMAIER Group, began “immediate countermeasures” including “starting on-site training at the wiring harness manufacturing plant” and “conducting specific checks for correct assembly.” This took place in August 2015, a day after the defect was discovered at the plant itself.

Left Lane News reported on a different Mercedes-Benz recall in March, this one concerning the C300, which could accidentally eject its sunroof while the vehicle is in motion. This posed an obvious safety threat, but the recall only affected 53 vehicles in the United States, and the problem seemed to be easily remedied with the right bonding and glass panel attached. The source also said that the problem was caused by improper labeling, in which panels were installed in cars before they had received the right priming.

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Three Toyota Brands Featured in Stability Recall

Torrance, CA — April 18, 2016 — Toyota’s new recall will address problems in more than 12,800 vehicles, as the company looks to correct brake actuator assemblies in the affected units. Owners can expect a first-class mail notification, and dealers should be prepared to inspect the suspect vehicles for serial numbers. Because the possibly faulty system could affect multiple functions, solving the problem may restore multiple functions to drivers, including vehicle stability and traction control.

All of the recalled vehicles are from the 2016 model year: they include the RAV4, RX350 and ES350. According to a press release from the company, distributed through Autoblog, the affected vehicles might prove unstable to a hazardous extent. The actuator represents a major single point where multiple systems can be affected all at once.

“There is a possibility that a component inside the actuator could have been damaged during manufacturing, preventing the actuator from operating properly,” the statement read. “This could cause a loss of vehicle stability control, increasing the risk of crash.” A company representative quoted by the source denied the chance to explain whether or not there were any incidents connected to this recall.

Cars.com reported on a different recall from earlier this year also involving the RAV4. In this effort, the model years showed greater range, from 2006 to 2014. Car occupants were in danger from lap belts that could separate during a crash, due to a seat belt defect.

Although this earlier recall only included two models, the RAV4 and the RAV4EV, the volume of vehicles was greater, accounting for more than 1 million. The source stated that dealers would solve this issue by placing resin covers on the seat cushion frames.

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Subaru Vehicles from 2015 and 2016 Could Suddenly Stall

Cherry Hill, NJ — April 15, 2016 — Both Subaru Forester and WRX vehicles are part of a recent recall action. According to an official report, the automaker believes some of these units with the 2015 and 2016 model years were assembled with the wrong material in the “turbocharger air intake duct.” As a result, the company is recalling 18,200 vehicles which may contain components from the DaikyoNishikawa Corporation. A crack in this duct could possibly stall the vehicle.

The source traced the first report of a related stall to December 2015. Though this problem could lead to a sudden, unexpected loss of power, there are some possible warnings: drivers may want to look for the “Check Engine” light, as well as indicators of lower engine power or a “rough idle.”

As the report further described, the parts causing the recall contain a specific lot number that factors into the planned remedy.

“Subaru will inspect the lot number molded on the engine turbocharger air intake duct to determine if it was produced with incorrect material,” the source said. “If a specific lot number is found, the duct will be replaced. If a different lot number is found, replacement is not necessary.”

A press release from the company republished in Autoblog stated that there was no official recall schedule released as of March 21. However, the March 17 Part 573 report claimed that the planned dealer recall date was March 21.

In a separate repair procedure document, the same company noted that only some of the vehicles in the Subaru recalls will require a full replacement. Specifically, the repair order only applies to ducts produced in April 2015. Those that were built on this date will require three separate parts: the air intake duct, gasket and O ring.

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March Ford Recalls Tackle Air Bags, Heaters, Brake Connector Clips

Dearborn, MI — April 13, 2016 — A trio of auto recalls signaled the end of March for Ford Motor Company. In a single press release from the manufacturer, Ford described three different recalls that affect various vehicles with the 2015 and 2016 model years.

In total, the new Ford recalls concern approximately 48,205 vehicles across the United States and Canada, and no accidents have been connected to any of these problems. Potentially affected units include vehicles from various company assembly plants, including locations in Chicago, Louisville and Kansas City.

The first recall includes 37,066 Ford Transits in the United States. These low-roof models could have lackluster airbags that threaten occupy safety. In addition, 5,536 Lincoln MKC and Ford Explorers are recalled for block heater updates. Of the three recalls, this one seems to have led to the most notable reports of related incidents, with two underhood fires occurring in Canada.

“The engine block design, coupled with the particular block heater installed in these vehicles, causes the unit to be susceptible to overheating when the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in – increasing the risk of an underhood fire,” the source said. The final recall listed 4,764 F-650 and F-750 models that could feature weak parking brake connector clips.

In all instances, Ford dealers will replace the offending parts or adjust them as necessary. Previously, the manufacturer issued another press release addressing multiple recalls at once on February 26. That statement concerned issues with seat belt buckles and occupant classification systems.

All of the vehicles included in this February release fell under the 2015 or 2016 model years, much like those in the March recall. Both announcements also addressed issues across North America, although the previous one also encompassed some potential defect in Mexico.

adminMarch Ford Recalls Tackle Air Bags, Heaters, Brake Connector Clips

Volkswagen Recalls e-Golfs for Battery Issues

Auburn Hills, MI — April 12, 2016 — Some motors in Volkswagen vehicles may accidentally shut down as part of an electrical malfunction. According to a Part 573 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this problem concerns 5,561 e-Golf vehicles, with “stalling events” related to this defect traced back to early last year. The power systems in these vehicles could potentially deactivate the battery.

The report further described this as a case of “oversensitive battery diagnosis,” where the system switches off due to a perceived surge. Normally, this feature is a safety precaution, but when there’s no power surge occurring, the shutdown is a risk for occupants. Though it does occur with a “high voltage system warning,” the deactivation can directly impact the vehicle’s motor.

Stalling events related to this issue only seem to have affected models on the U.S. market. The source said that dealers will address the problem by adjusting the included battery management software, reflecting a February update.

“Battery management software will be updated to contain a less sensitive diagnostic routine, which is robust against minor current peaks/surges and does not lead to inadvertent emergency shutdown of the high voltage battery,” the report added.

A recent Wall Street Journal article put this action in context with Volkswagen’s other recalls. In addition to the ongoing attempts to fix vehicles tainted by the emissions cheat scandal, the manufacturer is also dealing with a brake pedal issue in approximately 800,477 cars. These include Porsche Cayennes and Volkswagen Touaregs.

Because the new action solely concerns electric vehicles, it could undercut the company’s attempt to focus on this sector instead of the diesel-powered autos, the article added. The diesel recall impacts 11 million vehicles and the related corrections have a April 21 deadline.

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GM Recalls Malibu Vehicles for Air Bag Stud Concerns

Warren, MI — April 11, 2016 — Approximately 3,137 vehicles are subject to a possible fault that would leave occupants in danger during a collision. According to an official report submitted on March 11, this new recall applies to 2016 Chevrolet Malibu autos, which may feature fracturing on the side air bag weld studs. This could destabilize the airbag and reduce its effectiveness. Though the cause of the defect is currently unknown, the Part 573 report for this issue stated that the weak weld bonding in affected vehicles may be responsible.

The first weld fractures connected to this recall were observed earlier this year, in February. The report clarified that the manufacturer announced the recall after its Safety and Field Action Decision Authority received studies on the studs’ torque and angle. Dealers are expected to fix this issue, when it exists, by replacing all of the affected side airbag modules.

“Vehicles built after March 5, 2016 are manufactured with side airbag modules produced after additional lot acceptance testing and process check criteria were implemented at the supplier,” the source stated. Without these repairs, the offending models could violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 214.

A Stop Delivery Notice, also distributed on March 11, warned dealers that the Global Warranty Management system won’t display the correct status or release date until the repair is ready. Dealers were also instructed to keep all potentially affected vehicles out of circulation, which included “new or used vehicle inventory, GM Certified Used, courtesy transportation vehicles, dealer shuttle vehicles” and others.

None of these vehicles were asked to be used for any purpose, which not only means sale to customers, but other purposes, such as demonstration and auction. The side airbags in need of replacement could be located in the rear, left, right and front.

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