March 2019 | Page 3 | MotorSafety.org

Chrysler recalls 8,933 Fiat Spider 124 vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions

March 11, 2019 Sean Reyes Fiat Chrysler Recalls

Laguna Hills, CA – March 11, 2019 – Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Fiat Spider 124 vehicles equipped with Aisin Rear Wheel Drive automatic transmissions. Because of incorrect programming within the transmission control module, certain conditions may cause the vehicle to downshift without warning and abruptly slow down.

The Defect

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Recall Report on this issue, incorrectly programmed transmission control modules may cause vehicles to unexpectedly downshift and suddenly decelerate under certain conditions. Electrical noise in the range signal may be detected while driving in Drive mode (including “Manual” mode). Due to inappropriate control logic of the clutch control software in the transmission control module, this signal noise may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift, causing an abrupt deceleration of the drive wheels. This would negatively affect directional stability, increasing the risk of lost control and potentially causing a vehicle crash without prior warning.

Timeline of Events

On Jan. 22, 2019, Chrysler first became aware of another automaker encountering a comparable issue with its vehicles. Mazda had announced its intention to announce a voluntary safety recall on a similar vehicle, and subsequently conducted a field action to remedy the problem.

Chrysler had not received any field reports or warranty claims as of Jan. 29, reporting that it was unaware of any accidents or injuries potentially related to this issue. Nevertheless, on that date, Chrysler’s Vehicle Regulations Committee decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall of the affected vehicles.

The Solution

Beginning March 27, Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the transmission control module software free of charge.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is V20. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V068000.

Honda Recalls 4,455 Acura ILX Vehicles

March 8, 2019 Sean Reyes Acura Recalls

Laguna Hills, CA – March 8, 2019 – Acura (American Honda Motor Company) is recalling 4,455 model year 2014-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. The vehicles may have a deformed fuel tank, resulting in the raised height of the fuel pump causing the fuel level float to stick. This could lead to inaccurate fuel levels displayed on the fuel gauge.

The defect

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Recall Report, an improper manufacturing process produced deformities in the bottom of certain fuel tanks, which could raise the fuel pump height, decreasing the clearance between the fuel float and the inner wall of the tank.

Fuel movement in the tank can then cause the float to stick along the inner wall, leading to incorrect gauge readings. In a worst-case scenario, the vehicle could run out of fuel and stall, potentially increasing the risk of a crash.

Timeline of events

Honda received the first report of an inaccurate fuel gauge in February 2018. At that time, troubleshooting did not result in tank replacement.

Following additional reports of inaccurate fuel gauge readings, investigation continued from October 2018 through January 2019. Recreation tests by the supplier confirmed the problem, and revealed that an inappropriate cooling jig adjustment setting was used during a specific production period, resulting in the deformed tanks.

Further review also showed an inadequate cooling water flow rate during another phase of production, separate from the one in which the original fuel tank problems occurred. Records from this time confirmed that the tanks shrank and deformed due to the improper flow rate of cooling water.

On January 17, 2019, Honda determined that a motor vehicle safety defect existed, and decided to issue a safety recall. As of that date, Honda had received 621 warranty claims and 264 field reports. However, no reports of crashes or injuries related to this issue have been received.

The solution

In a statement issued Feb. 8, Acura announced that it is voluntarily recalling 4,455 model-year 2014-2019 ILX vehicles in the U.S. for inspection and, if needed, complimentary replacement of the fuel tanks, free of charge.

Acura is encouraging owners of affected vehicles to bring them to an authorized dealer for repair as soon as they receive notification from Acura. Notification will occur by mail, beginning in early March 2019.

MotorSafety.org can help you determine whether your vehicle is subject to a government-mandated recall or whether there is some factory notice that you should be informed of.

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

Subaru vehicles recalled for brake light issue, loss of safety functions

March 7, 2019 Ken Boyd Subaru Recalls

November 18, 2021 UPDATE – Subaru Corporation (OTCMKTS:FUJHY) has remedied 993,791 Subaru vehicles with brake light issues such as the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek. 974 vehicles have been deemed unreachable with an additional 34,370 vehicles removed from Subaru’s brake light recall.

Camden, NJ – February 19, 2019 – Subaru Corporation (OTCMKTS:FUJHY) has recalled 1,303,530 vehicles, due to faulty brake lights. If brake lights do not illuminate as designed, other vehicles will not be alerted when the vehicle is slowing or stopping. This issue increases the risk of a crash. This mirrors a 2021 Nissan Recall of 807,376 Nissan Sentra vehicles with malfunctioning brake lights. The recall includes:

2014-2016 Subaru Forester SUVs
2008-2016 Subaru Impreza sedans
2012-2016 Subaru Impreza station wagons
2008-2014 Subaru WRX sedans (including STI)
2013-2017 Subaru Crosstrek SUVs

Recall summary

The brake light switch is built inside of a housing and turns the lights on and off. In recalled vehicles, contaminants may seep into the switch housing and disable it. The brake will still work even if the light switch is not operating correctly.

But depending on the model, the failure may also result in the inability to start the Subaru Forester, Impreza, WRX, or Crosstrek or shift out of “Park” when trying to go somewhere. In some cases, it may also disable the anti-lock brake (ABS) system and some important safety features, including EyeSight driver-assist and vehicle dynamics control (VDC).

Warning signs

The vehicle should display an appropriate warning light if any of the above systems malfunction.

Subaru Forester recalls

The Forestor platform was involved in a December 2019 recall when the 2019 Subaru Forester struggle with stalling issues and earlier that year for Forester’s loss of electric power assist.

Risks

Trailing vehicles must be alerted when the driver applies the brakes. If the brake light is out, the risk of a rear-end collision greatly increases.

If the vehicle’s ABS fails, the brake pedal may become unresponsive. Both this and the loss of other essential safety features – such as EyeSight driver assist, which helps the driver to stay in his or her lane – augments the risk of crash and subsequent injury or death to the occupants of the car and other people on the road.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to replace the brake light switch. The repair is free of charge and is available now. The Subaru brake light switch replacement is expected to take 30 minutes, but your dealer may need to keep your vehicle longer, depending on scheduling.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 1,300,000 vehicles were originally included in this Subaru recall. As of October 2020 – the last date for which information is available – close to a million have been fixed or removed. To see if your car is amongst those that still need to be fixed, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle recall lookup tool.

Note: February 16, 2021

We have noticed a large number of readers are interested in this recall. For that reason, we have rewritten it to include the best, most up-to-date information.

Audi Recalls 22 Vehicles with Loose Shock Absorbers

March 6, 2019 Sean Reyes Audi Recalls, Video