GM Recalls Pickup Trucks for Seatbelt Problems

Detroit, MI — May 11, 2016 — A new General Motors recall will include hundreds of thousands of domestic pickup trucks. A press release published by Autoblog detailed the seat belt structure issues that could exist in 895,232 trucks, including thousands of newer vehicles that need to be stopped on their lots. The international recall will account for slightly more than 1 million vehicles in countries across multiple continents, including Latin America and the Middle East.

The problem in these vehicles comes from weak cables in the bodies that could eventually sever over time. Drivers can cause wear to the cable as they move in and out of the front seat. Dealers will solve the problem by inspecting and fixing the tensioner. This will require them to either add a pusher bracket or replace the tensioner assembly altogether, as need be.

The recall affects two different models: the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra 1500. For both, the model years of concern are 2014 and 2015, with these same years also holding true for the related stop-sale notice.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the GMC 1500 is the source of other recent owner complaints from across the country. On April 5, a consumer in Port Byron, Illinois, noted exterior lighting problems that made it difficult to see while driving at night. An earlier issue, observed in Hiram, Georgia, concerned the abnormal vibration in the vehicle’s cabin. This persisted even after the rear suspension and tire were replaced on advice of the dealer.

Both Silverado and Sierra trucks, from the same years as this recall, were involved in a different one launched last October. In that case, the company and the NHTSA noted that the ignition lock actuator could keep keys stuck forward and make it difficult to remove them.

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Chrysler Recalls Ram Vehicles for Power Steering

Auburn Hills, MI — May 04, 2016 — Earlier this month, Fiat Chrysler announced a new recall centered around a series of Ram trucks. These vehicles were built between last January and September, and represent a possible threat to occupants due to power steering circuit contamination.

The investigations officially began in August 2015: A chronology document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that was when electronic power steering systems appeared in user complaints. It started tracking possibly affected parts January 11, 2016.

The contamination issues could impact a total of 442 Ram 1500 DS or DX vehicles. The affected circuit boards may have been constructed during a single day at the production plant. A Part 573 Report listed with the NHTSA cited the Nexteer Automotive Corporation, also based in Michigan, as the supplier involved in this case. They helped the manufacturer trace suspicious EPS units.

Drivers that see a lit up Malfunction Indicator Lamp may want to proceed with caution, the report added. If the control circuit components suffer a short, the power steering function may permanently and suddenly shut off. Alternately, the power steering could fail intermittently, or the steering wheel could simply become more difficult to use. The remedy involves fully replacing the affected EPS.

This voluntary recall comes after no official notice of accidents or damage, although the manufacturer did receive three field reports as of March 11, the chronology stated. This source also noted that the suspect production period varies slightly depending on the plant location: The Saltillo plant’s suspect period begins on January 22, 2015, but only extends just under a month to February 17. The longer period belongs to the Warren plant, which is under suspicion from January 23 to September 13.

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The New Nissan Recalls More than 1,550 Frontier Vehicles

Franklin, TN — May 03, 2016 — According to a recent National Highway Traffic Administration report, March 7 found saw an accident at a Nissan plant that would later lead to a recall. Further investigations revealed that a starter wire harness terminal had been installed incorrectly on a 2016 Nissan Frontier. After further inspection, the manufacturer officially launched a voluntary recall action, including 1,554 Frontier pickup trucks.

Because of the way these harnesses were installed, the report states, affected Frontiers with a V6 engine could experience an electrical short, eventually causing a possible “thermal incident.” To fix the issue, dealers will reorient the harness to meet safety standards. Only 18 percent of the recalled vehicle population is believed to have the defect present. A short could lead to a possible fire in affected vehicles.

In a bulletin for dealers, the manufacturer provided more specific instructions on the repair procedure. The remedy does not require additional parts, but it does demand that dealer staff look closely at the motor wire area to improve harness alignment.

In particular, the wire eyelet needs to be facing the correct position: If not, the person conducting the repair has to reposition the wire so it’s at the right angle before reconnecting the battery. The original owner notification date was listed as some time in early April.

On the other hand, if the eyelet is already in the recommended position, no further action may be necessary. What’s more, mechanics only need to replace the heat shield if there are signs of damage. The same document also stated that the recall has expanded to now include 1,680 Nissan Frontier vehicles. Out of this number, the majority (1,543 vehicles) were in the United States. Other countries/territories included in the new action are Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam and Saipan.

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Multiple Bugatti Recalls Issued at Once

Dorlisheim, France — May 02, 2016 — Three different issues have prompted multiple recalls for different Bugatti Veyron cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration listed two different recalls on April 7 for the same model, albeit for varying model years. Neither of these have any incidents or damage reports associated with them, and the manufacturer has not issued a set recall date for any of them to begin.

The first of these involves a group of 13 Veyron vehicles, produced between October and December 2006 for model years ranging between 2006 and 2008. The protection on the B+ Cable in these vehicles could corrode, leading to a possible fire if flammable material is present. The problem comes from water exposure to the cable, and the fix will prevent this from happening.

Bugatti’s second recall concerns 72 Veyron and Veyron Grand Sport recalls split into two groups: those produced between 2006 and 2010, and those produced between 2009 and 2010. Both of these sets have faulty sensors that may lead to incorrect fuel tank readings . This is dangerous for drivers, who could mistakenly believe they have more fuel than they actually do, based on this signal. The solution requires a replacement for the fuel tank control unit.

A press release on Autoblog mentions a third, slightly older Bugatti recall, this one impacting Veyron, Veyron Grand Sport and Veyron Super Sport autos. The oldest of these model years dates back to 2006, and the newest is 2013.

While this recall also concerns corrosion, this time the aluminum reference plates on the underside of the vehicle are the areas that could be affected. With enough wear, these plates could detach from the vehicle entirely, leaving the occupants at risk while also posing a road hazard. Dealers will solve this problem by riveting the plates to the body of the vehicles more securely.

A series of GM recalls for police vehicles with power steering problems also involved corrosion. The NHTSA recorded this action on March 28.

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