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Ken Boyd is a five-time Dummies book author, including Accounting All-In-One for Dummies, and a frequent contributor at QuickBooks.

Chevrolet Corvette Vehicles Recalled for Faulty Hood Latch Software

September 28, 2020 Ken Boyd Chevrolet Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – August 18, 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 7,071 Chevrolet Corvette vehicles whose controls fail to prevent them from developing high speeds despite an unlatched front trunk.

The trunk may then open while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes 2020 Chevrolet Corvette vehicles.

Recall summary

Due to the lack of safety controls, these vehicles can develop high speeds despite having the front trunk unlatched.

The cause is multifold. First, thanks to a design flaw, drivers can accidentally press the front trunk release button on their key fob.

Second, the cars’ internal controls fail to limit the speed – allowing the vehicle to reach up to 82 miles-per-hour (mph) – despite detecting that the trunk is not securely closed.

Drivers will still receive audible and visual alerts telling them that the trunk is open.

What happens when the driver speeds up?

As the car reaches a higher speed, air resistance may force open the unlatched hood, blocking the driver’s front view.

Risks

Not being able to see in front of the vehicle creates a very high risk of a crash. The driver may not see traffic down the road and hit a vehicle from behind.

To prevent that from happening, drivers should pay attention to their warning system. When the hood is not properly latched, the driver will receive two different types of warnings.

They will first see an icon indicating an open hood on the instrument panel and hear a chime. Once the vehicle is put in drive and moves faster than 3 mph, the chime sounds repeatedly.

In spite of the warnings, the vehicle can be driven up to 82 mph with the hood unlatched. As the driver speeds up, air resistance may force open the unlatched hood.

The repair

GM’s upcoming software update will limit the affected vehicle’s speed to 26 mph when the hood is not latched.

The manufacturer is also going to re-design both the key fob and the “door trim switch and release button” inside the hood to reduce the risk of a driver inadvertently opening the hood with the fob.

The repair is expected to begin October 3, and is free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 7,000 vehicles are included in this Chevrolet recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Chevrolet Corvette Vehicles Recalled for Faulty Trunk Release Button

September 21, 2020 Ken Boyd Chevrolet Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – August 6 2020 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 5,141 Corvette vehicles with trunk release buttons that are not working correctly.

When the vehicle is shut off for ten minutes or longer, the release button inside the front trunk compartment will not open the trunk. The recall includes:

2020 Chevrolet Corvette

Recall summary

On July 30, General Motors determined that certain Corvette models should be recalled to repair the front trunk compartment release button. The button is installed so that someone inside the front trunk can open the trunk lid.

Risks

If a person – especially a small child – climbs inside the trunk and shuts the lid, he or she might not be able to get out and is at risk of injury from a lack of oxygen, or extreme heat or cold while in the trunk. It’s important to monitor children who are near cars, or sitting in a parked car without a seat belt in place.

The repair

The dealer will install a software update, so that the release button works correctly. The repair should take 45 minutes, depending on the dealer’s service department schedule. Owners have been notified of the recall, which will begin on September 21. The repair is free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 5,000 vehicles are included in this Corvette recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Volvo Cross Country vehicles recalled for faulty seat belts

September 18, 2020 Ken Boyd Volvo Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – June 30, 2020 – The Volvo Group (NASDAQ:VLVLY) has recalled 307,910 Cross Country vehicles with seat belts that are not properly closing. The recall includes:

2008-2016 Volvo V70 and XC70 vehicles
2007-2016 Volvo S80 vehicles
2011-2018 Volvo S60 and V60 vehicles
2016-2018 Volvo S60CC vehicles
2014-2020 Volvo S60L vehicles
2009-2015 Volvo S80L vehicles
2009-2016 Volvo XC60 vehicles
2015-2018 Volvo V60CC vehicles

Recall summary

On July 9, Volvo determined that certain Cross Country models should be recalled to repair seat belts in the front seats, on both the driver and the passenger sides.

The need for repair is caused by a faulty steel cable that connects the seat belt to the occupant’s seat. Due to an undisclosed issue, the cable may fatigue over time, especially when bent over the seat cushion. The fatigued cable may weaken or break and not fully restrain the occupant in the event of a crash.

Risks

Seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017. If the belt is not securely fastened, the car occupants can be injured by inflating air bags or thrown from the vehicle in the event of a crash. As such, out of 37,000 people killed in car crashes in 2017, close to half were not wearing seat belts.

The repair

To fix the issue, your dealer will replace the seat belt cable for both front seats. The repair will be free of charge and is estimated to take an hour.

However, that replacement is not available until at least December. In the meantime, Volvo recommends that drivers and passengers fasten the seat belt “in a vertical position,” parallel to the backrest, without bending it over the seat cushion. This is set to minimize the damage to the cable.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 307,000 vehicles are included in this Volvo recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Toyota Tundra trucks recalled for faulty turn signals and hazard lights

September 16, 2020 Ken Boyd Toyota Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – July 15 2020 – Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) has recalled 183,397 Toyota Tundra trucks with front turn signals and front hazard warning lights that do not flash brightly enough, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes:

2018-2020 Toyota Tundra trucks

Recall summary

The turn signals and hazard lights operate using LED headlights. A wiring error on the part of a supplier resulted in signals and lights not being bright enough.

Federal law requires that signals must be bright enough for other drivers to notice and understand that the vehicle is signaling a turn. In July, Toyota determined that the signals did not meet the standard and began the recall on August 17th.

Risks

Hazard lights are often used when the vehicle is not moving or has mechanical problems. Other drivers, particularly those in oncoming traffic, must be able to clearly see both turn signals and hazard lights. If the lights are not noticeable, there is a high risk of a crash.

The 2020 Tundra has no other safety recalls, but both the 2018 and 2019 models have had various issues – including those with the fuel pump and the airbags – that have resulted in separate recalls.

The repair

The affected trucks need the wiring that connects to the lights to be replaced. The repair takes 45 minutes but Toyota advises owners that it may be necessary to leave the vehicle for a longer period of time. The repair is available now and is free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 180,000 trucks are included in this Toyota recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Land Rover vehicles recalled for faulty door latches

September 9, 2020 Ken Boyd Land Rover Recalls, Range Rover Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – July 2 2020 – Tata Motors (NYSE:TTM) has recalled 6,211 Range Rover vehicles with door latches that are not properly closing. The door latches may open when the car is moving, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes:

2013-2016 Range Rover vehicles
2014-2016 Range Rover Sport vehicles

Recall summary

On July 9, Tata’s subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover North America determined that certain Range Rover models should be recalled to repair door latches. This follows on the heels of another recall for the same issue last year. The recall did not fully address the problem.

The culprit of the recall is the Keyless Vehicle Latching System (KV Latch), which allows entry to the vehicle without a key. After using the system, the doors may appear fully shut while in fact being unlatched. This may lead to the doors opening while the vehicle is in motion.

Risks

It is very risky to have a door open while the car is in motion. The occupants may fall out of the car; you could hit a nearby cyclist or be hit by another vehicle. It is not a minor problem either – falls from cars, for example, caused 75,000 injuries between 2011 and 2012.

The repair

The dealer will disable the KV latch system and install a software update. The latch system may be reactivated if, after the software update, it is determined that it is functioning properly.

The first repair should take between 20 minutes to 3.5 hours, depending on the number door latches that must be repaired. Owners have been notified of the recall and the repair is free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 6,200 vehicles are included in this Range Rover recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Kia Sedona minivans recalled for potential fire hazard

September 7, 2020 Ken Boyd Kia Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – July 1, 2022 – Kia Motors America (OTC:KIMTF) has remedied issues with 4,078 2020 Kia Sedona that were dealing with electrical issues caused by an alternator failure. Additionally, 54 of these 2020 Kia Sedona have been deemed unreachable, and 20 have been removed from the recall. Two groups of these Kia Sedona models with alternator failures were remedied in 2020, four groups in 2021, and 1 group during the first quarter of 2022.

Pleasanton, CA – July 8, 2020 – Kia Motors America (OTC:KIMTF) has recalled 5,385 Kia Sedona vehicles because a nut on the generator of the electrical power in the car was not sufficiently tightened during assembly. The nut may loosen over time, which creates an extreme risk of fire. Affected vehicles include:

2020 Kia Sedona

Recall summary

In July, Kia announced that a nut on the alternator was not properly tightened when the car was in production. The alternator converts energy generated by the engine into electricity, which charges the vehicle’s battery and powers the electrical system.

The nut in question maintains the electrical connection between the battery wire and the alternator terminal. If it is loose, a resulting electrical arc may cause a fire.

Risks

A loose alternator terminal nut creates an extreme fire risk. In February of 2020, Kia received a customer complaint which alleged that a 2020 Sedona caught on fire. The manufacturer investigated and found that an alternator terminal nut was missing. Kia inspected a group of Sedona vehicles and determined that some terminal nuts were not properly tightened.

What to do in case of a fire

Car fires are extremely dangerous. If your vehicle catches fire, here is what you should do:

Pull over to a safe location as soon as possible
Turn off the engine
Immediately get yourself and your family away from the vehicle
Call 911

If you think that there is a fire under the hood, do not open it to avoid feeding the fire oxygen.

The repair

To eliminate the risk of fire, the B+ alternator terminal nut must be inspected and tightened, if necessary. The update itself should take less than half a day.

There is no charge for this repair, and the recall is expected to start on August 14, 2020.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 5,300 cars are included in this Kia recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Honda minivans and SUVs recalled for faulty rear view camera

August 28, 2020 Ken Boyd Honda Recalls

Pleasanton, CA – July 28 2020 – Honda (NYSE: HMC) has recalled 499,342 Pilot, Odyssey, and Passport vehicles that have a delayed or inoperative rear view camera display. This issue can reduce the driver’s view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes:

2019-2020 Honda Odyssey Minivans
2019-2020 Honda Passport SUVs
2019-2021 Honda Pilot SUVs

Recall summary

In July, Honda announced that there is a glitch in the vehicles’ software responsible for controlling the instrument panel and the audio system. Due to the error, the backup camera image may not display or may be delayed so when the vehicle is started, the display audio and rearview camera both stay off. 2018 Honda Odysseys may also experience this issue and will be provided with the same fix as the vehicles above.

All of the above vehicles are also subject to several additional recalls for issues with speedometer display and sliding doors that do not latch properly in freezing conditions.

Risks

Rearview camera systems are designed to prevent backover crashes by displaying a 10-foot to 20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle.

If the driver is in the habit of using the camera when the car is in reverse, the software problem creates a high risk of an accident. A driver may back over an item on the ground or hit an individual behind the car.

As of August 4, Honda notes that there have been no reports of crashes related to these actions. Passports and Pilots have an additional issue with the rearview camera. When these two vehicles are shifted into reverse, the rearview camera may not display.

The repair

The remedy is a free software update that the vehicle owners can be installed directly by the vehicle owners or their dealers. Dealers were notified in July, while the vehicles owners will be made aware of the issue in late September. It is not clear when the update will be available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Close to half a million vehicles are included in this Honda recall. To see if your car is one of them, use 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.

Chevrolet Volt vehicles recalled for battery charging issue

June 25, 2018 Ken Boyd Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls

Warren, MI – June 14, 2018 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 4,606 hybrid vehicles, due to a battery charging issue. Low voltage may cause the vehicle to lose power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes Chevrolet Volt 2013 sedans.

Recall summary

Due to a faulty software update, the recalled vehicles have a defect that may prevent them from properly charging the battery cells. This may cause the vehicle to operate at lower speeds and with less acceleration. If the car continues to be driven in this reduced power mode, it will stall, increasing the risk of an injury or a crash.

The software in question runs on the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2), which “controls almost everything the engine does” and ensures that each cell receives the proper amount of charge.

Risks

If the Volt loses power, the driver will not be able to accelerate to merge into traffic or get out of the way to avoid collision. The car may block traffic and get hit by other vehicles.

This may result in the car occupants, other drivers and pedestrians injured or killed.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to reprogram the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2. The repair is free of charge. This Chevy recall began on July 24, 2018.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

As of April 2020 – the last date for which information is available – over 4,000 cars have been fixed in this Chevrolet recall. To see if your Volt is among those that still need to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Note: March 4, 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.

BMW recalls luxury cars with defective air bags

February 22, 2018 Ken Boyd BMW Recalls

Westwood, N.J. – Feb. 22, 2018 – BMW of North America has recalled a handful of vehicles potentially equipped with defective head air bags, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost luxury sedans produced between Nov. 24, 2017, and Dec. 7, 2017.

BMW estimates that just 4 percent of the recalled models actually contain the defective components.

The Defect

Affected vehicles may include damaged head air bags that might not inflate properly upon deployment due to out-of-specification headliner installation. This poses a serious risk to passengers as the defect could leave the vulnerable to head trauma in the event of a crash. However, BMW has not received any reports connecting the defective safety features to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

BMW quality assurance personnel on Jan. 23, 2018, learned that engineers had discovered a damaged air bag during assembly. The British automaker immediately quarantined and blocked shipment of potentially effected vehicles.

In the days following the initial discovery, BMW conducted several tests to determine the root cause of the damaged air bag and eventually learned that the headliners on the the problematic sedans had been installed incorrectly, interfering with the operation of the safety feature. The car company also reviewed production records to ascertain just how many vehicles might contain nonfunctioning head air bags.

On Jan. 31, 2018, BMW decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall. The organizations notified dealers of the action Feb. 7, 2018.

The Solution

BMW directed dealers to inspect and replace the head air bags in affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. None of the models involved in this recall have been sold to customers. Therefore, BMW will not be sending out customer notifications. However, any owners with related concerns can contact BMW customer service personnel at (877) 877-3735. They can also reach out to the NHTSA directly using its toll-free vehicle safety hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Recall summary

What happens when the driver speeds up?

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

What to do in case of a fire

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Warning signs

Subaru Forester recalls

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Recall summary

Risks

The repair

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

The Defect

Timeline of Events

The Solution

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