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BMW Recalls MINI Coopers for Cushion Issues

December 22, 2015 MotorSafety.org Mini Recalls

Woodcliff Lake, NJ — December 22, 2015 — A problem with seat cushion replacement parts in some recently-produced MINI Coopers could interfere with safe airbag use. According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last month, nearly 40 vehicles suffer from a Capacitive Interior Sensing (CIS) system that could place front seat passengers at greater risk during a crash.

This is because the sensors could improperly register the occupant in the front seat, either activating or deactivating the air bags incorrectly. While a Part 573 Safety Recall report on the issue states that 53 vehicles were originally thought to have received the possibly faulty mats, the number has since been adjusted to 38. There are currently no reports of accidents related to this concern, and vehicles owners will still be able to use the “passenger airbag off lamp.”

The remedy for this recall requires replacing the front passenger seat. Both the report and a “Q&A” document available through the NHTSA explain the reasons behind the defective CIS system.

“The CIS mat is designed to differentiate between an installed child restraint system and an adult occupant,” they state. “In affected vehicles, incorrectly calibrated CIS mats may have been installed in the front passenger seat cushion replacement parts. Occupant classification could be impaired, leading to inappropriate air bag activation/deactivation.”

The Q&A clarifies that owners may still drive their vehicles, as long as they follow instructions from letters prompting them to get service done. Passengers should also avoid sitting in the front seats of vehicles when the “airbag off lamp” turns on.

Affected models in these BMW recalls include MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S autos produced between 2014 and 2015.

BMW Recalls Mini Coopers For Impact Risk

September 29, 2015 MotorSafety.org Mini Recalls, Video

Washington, D.C. — September 29, 2015 — More than 30,000 MINI Coopers will potentially be affected by a recent recall. Earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that some MINI Coopers do not meet government structural regulations established by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. Specifically, the low side impact rating in these cars would put rear seat passengers in danger. The recall will officially start on September 12.

The affected vehicles have model years between 2014 and 2015. Fixing this problem will involve installing special material into the exterior of the vehicle to absorb the shock of collision. According to the NHTSA, some vehicles will also receive a small foam patch as part of the update.

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Takata recall now includes hundreds of thousands of Pontiac cars

June 30, 2015 MotorSafety.org Pontiac Recalls, Takata Airbag Recalls

Detroit, MI — June 30, 2015 —Toyota (NYSE:TM) now includes over 243,000 Pontiacs, which it co-designed with General Motors (NYSE:GM), in a Takata airbag recall. The airbags are at risk of exploding and injuring vehicle occupants. The recall of over 1.9 million vehicles includes the following models:

2002-2007 Lexus SC
2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe
2003-2007 Toyota Corolla
2003-2007 Toyota Corolla Matrix
2002-2007 Toyota Sequoia
2003-2006 Toyota Tundra

Recall summary

Major manufacturers have been adding more vehicles to the recall numbers in light of the dangers of Takata airbag inflators. As with the other Takata recalls, the reason for this one remains the same: airbag inflators could explode, sending dangerous shrapnel into the vehicle’s interior that could hurt vehicle occupants, perhaps fatally.

The repair

Toyota and GM will notify respective owners about the recall, and dealers will replace the front passenger airbag for free. The recall begins on July 13, 2015.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 1.9 million vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 1,243,940 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Software flaw in electric cars leads to further Fiat Chrysler recall

June 22, 2015 MotorSafety.org Fiat Chrysler Recalls

Detroit, MI — June 22, 2015 — A total of more than 9,000 electric vehicles from Fiat Chrysler have now reportedly been affected by a recall involving electric cars. Earlier this year, the manufacturer took action to address a systems problem that may affect the transmission functionality of Fiat 500 Battery Effective Vehicles (BEV). Transport Evolved reports that the company is expanding the original recall, the inaction of which will take effect “on or around” this upcoming July 5.

Fiat Chrysler has issued similar recalls since the car was first produced in 2013, the source notes. The fault itself traces back to an inconsistency within the vehicles’ speed monitor, which could go unnoticed until too late.

The source cites the official Safety Recall Report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which says the Elective Vehicle Control Unit in some cars may shift into neutral unexpectedly, posing a risk of a crash.

As this document further elaborates, the problem was investigated this April, with errors attributed to flaws within vehicle software.
“Due to software updates, the internal vehicle speed monitor was incorrectly changed to ‘mph’ from ‘kph’ while the System Torque Monitoring Ring (‘STMR’) was not,” the report states. “This created a math error and a subsequent trouble fault code error state due to implausible torque readings.”

The manufacturer’s remedy will include both the voluntary recall and update to software in the affected vehicle systems. A planned dealer notification is scheduled for June 27, and owners will be notified soon.
Ensuring an effective recall, especially one that includes more vehicles than originally planned, lays out a path for dealers and owners to follow as potentially hazardous features are corrected and consumers kept safe, no matter how long the entire process ends up taking.

More than 330,000 trucks part of new GM recall [Video]

June 8, 2015 MotorSafety.org Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GMC Recalls, Pontiac Recalls, Video

General Motors is recalling hundreds of thousands of trucks as the fallout from the Takata air bag investigations continues.

[marker] According to the NHTSA, the manufacturer is recalling more than 374,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks around the world, the majority of which are in the United States. This is yet another response to concerns over airbag inflator mechanisms produced by Takata Corporation.

[marker] The manufacturer announced that it is banning the use of ammonium nitrate in inflators in the future. The risk centers around the potential for improper inflators to explode during a crash and possibly harm occupants.

Thank you for watching this video, and be sure to check back often for the latest auto recall news.

Fiat limp home problem could lead to stalling

April 15, 2015 MotorSafety.org Fiat Chrysler Recalls

Detroit, MI — April 15, 2015 — Electric cars are attractive to some consumers because they are energy efficient, but owners need to be on the lookout for important messages about possible flaws. One recent recall from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles attempts to respond to a software-related issue in thousands of its Fiat 500 electric vehicles that concerns the associated “limp home mode.”

For those that don’t use an electric car, limp mode is a special setting designed to give a car with low energy enough power to get to a safe place where the battery can be recharged. The problem addressed in this recall arises in certain models that can’t process the limp mode command due to software compatibility issues.

Instead of switching modes, the afflicted cars, manufactured between 2012 and 2014 could suddenly shut down, leaving drivers vulnerable to an accident if they are on the road at the time. The Car Connection reports that this fault doesn’t affect other important vehicle systems, like steering and brakes, and that cycling through the ignition multiple times should reset the system to normal.

A total of 5,600 vehicles were addressed in this recall, and dealers will fix the chance of a sudden shutdown by updating the relevant software. Although the recall has been announced, it won’t officially take place until halfway through next month, which is when owners can expect to stop receiving notices from the manufacturer.

On the surface, a software problem could sound relatively innocuous, but in the wrong circumstances they may be far more dangerous to the consumer. Recall notices that are effectively distributed give every link in the chain, from dealer to owner, some idea of what the effects of an untended flaw will be and why immediate service is necessary.