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Software Glitch and OCC Problems Inspire Infiniti Recalls

July 19, 2016 admin Nissan Recalls

Franklin, Tenn. — July 19, 2016 — Vehicle owners around the world could be affected by the new Nissan recalls affecting thousands of Infiniti vehicles.

Reuters reported on this new effort, which could affect vehicles in China and Canada as well as the U.S. A steering-related software glitch could reportedly trigger a malfunction, resulting in more difficult handling for drivers trying to use the adaptive steering functions.

At the time of this writing, few official details about the recall have been released. The manufacturer will include around 60,000 Q50 vehicles in the total from all impacted countries, as the company works to address the risk level.

Reuters spoke to Roland Krueger, president of Infiniti Motor Company, Ltd. and senior vice president of Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., about upcoming plans for new steering systems. Nissan and Infiniti apparently want to integrate autonomous driving functions at some point in the future.

“With this (steering) function, we can offer what we call partial autonomous drive already, so the car above approximately 60 kilometers per hour on the highway can be driven hands free,” Kreuger said.

While no remedy was listed, Autoblog guessed that the concern could require a software update at dealerships as the manufacturer starts notifying owners.

Previous recall: Occupation Classification System issues

It’s the most recent recall to affect the brand, months after an unrelated concern prompted a different action. On April 26, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted information about a wide-reaching Nissan recall concerning the Occupant Classification System. According to the Safety Recall Report, the OCS could potentially wrongly suppress the airbag by misidentifying whether a seat is occupied.

Although the report described this case as “rare,” it did say that the misclassification could stay in place until up to 13 seconds after the vehicle has stood stationary. The system could misread a seat occupied by an adult as either containing a child or not occupied at all. In the latter case, the Passenger Airbag Indicator light will not turn on, leaving owners with no way to determine if the glitch has occurred.

The preliminary information in this report said that 2.6 million vehicles were potentially involved in this recall. In addition to 2014-2016 Infiniti Q5 models, the action also included two other ranges of Infiniti models: the 2013 Infiniti JX35 and the 2014-2016 QX60.

Another Q50 recall for steering problems

Reuters also mentioned another recall including the Infiniti Q50, this one from 2013. Other NHTSA documents confirm that the company recalled 23 model year 2014 Q50 autos, also for an adaptive
steering problem.

The Defect Information Report on this action said that freezing temperatures could disrupt the normal flow of electrical current within the steering setup. Vehicle occupants could then be at higher risk of a crash, since the mechanical backup system would take longer than usual to engage.

Nissan’s investigations into this problem dated back to 2013, when it started identifying the possibly affected Q50 vehicles. Within six days, it had decided to submit a report to the NHTSA in response to the safety defect. A later Quarterly Report showed that all of the remedies for this recall were completed by Q2 of 2014.

The future of adaptive steering

Other manufacturers are paying attention to the future possibilities of adaptive steering. Last September, Ford announced that the 2016 Ford Edge would harness this technology for both low and high speeds.

The system is said to be housed in the steering wheel, a press release from the company said, though it also adjusts the turn ratio based on the vehicle’s speed and the current conditions. The maker’s Edge Sport and Titanium were slated to use this feature, as well as the Ford S-MAX and Galaxy in Europe, before expanding to other Ford brands.

Several Models Included in New BMW Recalls

July 18, 2016 admin BMW Recalls

Westwood, N.J. — July 18, 2016 — A pair of BMW recalls are addressing two separate issues in several of its models. According to Autoblog, the combined actions involve 210,161 potentially impacted units, with manufacture years spanning from 2010 to the present.

Report receipt dates for both of these recalls occurred this May, and are expected to begin this July. The company announced each recall with a corresponding press release. Neither of these problems are known to have caused any injuries as of June 15.

The first recall: Driveshaft joints

Of the two recalls, the earliest refers to a possibly ineffective driveshaft joint. As the release stated, the front driveshaft universal joints in affected vehicles could fail if outside debris enters, possibly impacting vehicle traction or other components. As such, there are multiple possible occupant risks attached to this single concern.

Both the press release and the Part 573 Safety Recall Report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said this recall will affect 21,493 possibly impacted units from the 2011 model year, with 1 percent of these estimated to have the defect. The report went even further and broke the autos down into four groups. All of these are light SUVs.

The first and largest of these includes about 13,728 BMW X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M vehicles. The second group consists of around 4,436 BMW X5 xDrive35d autos, the third involves approximately 3,300 BMW X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M units. The final of these concerns approximately 29 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid hybrid electric vehicles. Specific manufacture dates for each group vary, but all range between April and November 2010.

Despite the differences among these models, the hazard described in the report is essentially the same. Drivers should be aware of possible noises or vibrations in the front drivetrain area, since this could indicate corrosion or possible debris under the joint seal. The risk of a crash or accident is even higher in some traffic conditions, the source said.

Initial investigations into this issue started in April 2014. In July, the manufacturer began working with the NHTSA. After a rise in related consumer complaints, the company decided to officially initiate a recall in May. The original report didn’t explain the details of the remedy program, although it did state that it would involve replacing the driveshaft.

The second recall: Child restraint systems

This recall involves 188,668 potentially affected vehicles, most of which (approximately 172,984) are BMW X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i units produced between July 2, 2010 and April 14, 2016.

The other two remaining vehicle groups include about 4,032 2015-2017 BMW X3 xDrive28d vehicles and approximately 11,652 BMW X4 xDrive28i, X4 xDrive35i and X4 xDriveM40i units. Production dates range between March 10, 2014 and March 31, 2016 for the first of these groups, and March 3, 2014 and April 15, 2016 for the second.

In these SUVs, “excessive stresses” may damage the lower anchor bars needed child restraint systems. Users may notice the damage themselves, according to the report. If it’s present, this kind of damage could possibly lead to injury for any child passengers. To remedy the issue, the NHTSA report calls for welding a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars. Owner notification is planned for July 12.

The report did emphasize a possible difference in vehicles that could impact them in this recall: LATCH-based child restraint systems may be less likely to damage vehicle anchor bars over time as part of this concern.

Since most of the child restraint systems in the U.S. use this flexible connector, the majority of drivers may feel protected. Instead, the source connected the “European-ISOFIX-type rigid-style connector child restraint system” with this risk. This may not be the dominant model in the U.S., but it is still available here.

Loose Latches Lead to Hyundai and Kia Recalls

July 15, 2016 admin Hyundai Recalls, Kia Recalls

Fountain Valley, CA — July 15, 2016 — Two brands of vehicles are part of a pair of recalls for similar concerns. In certain Kia Sedona or Hyundai Tucson autos, a secondary hood latch could release the hood in certain circumstances after the primary latch has already been released. Drivers who aren’t expecting this could find themselves at risk of a sudden interruption or a crash.

Although the concerns are similar, each of these recalls comes with its own specific conditions.

The Hyundai recall

This action involves Tucson cars manufactured between May 19, 2015 and March 14, 2016. All of the recalled Tucsons have the 2016 model year.

Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall acknowledgment is dated June 10, the manufacturer’s report date is listed as May 23http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM524200/RCAK-16V348-3508.pdf. This statement said that the recall could potentially affect 81,000 units and that the recall itself, currently listed as number 145, is scheduled to begin July 15.

While the primary latch still needs to be triggered for this to pose a concern, the remedy focuses on replacing the secondary latch. As owners wait for the official notification, the manufacturer has encouraged them to contact the customer service line for help.

The Kia recall

For Kia customers, the suspect models represent a wider model year range, from 2006 to 2014. All are Kia Sedonas and the manufacturing dates also reflect a long time span, from June 15, 2005 to April 4, 2014. The NHTSA posted documents for this action, including a Part 573 Safety Recall Report submitted May 27, 2016. The dates reportedly come from manufacturing records.

According to this document, 219,800 vehicles are possibly involved in Kia’s latch recall, although just 1 percent of these are estimated to have the defect. This report revealed more information about the source of the problem, stating that the secondary hood latch could undergo mechanical binding that prevents it from closing. This stems from corrosion on the latch that could keep it from operating correctly.

No recall history was given, though the report did mention that the components originated from Pyeong Hwa Automotive in the Republic of Korea. The dealer notification date is planned for July 21, four days before owners are notified.

Kia’s remedy depends upon how serious the case is. Dealers can simply lubricate the secondary latch if they don’t need to perform a full replacement. In addition, vehicles sold in several states, including Alaska, Illinois, Wisconsin and all of New England, will need an improved latch.

This replacement will have an enhanced coating to protect against corrosion.

Other hood latch recalls

These are not the first hood-latch-related recalls announced this year. In January, Nissan announced a recall for 856,000 possibly impacted 2013-2015 Altima vehicles, also with secondary latch issues. A press release announced that this company would also replace the affected latches. This builds on two previous recall remedies.

A service bulletin included on the NHTSA website described the technique needed to remove and replace the latch. The source recommended that dealers use a flathead screwdriver to remove the plastic stop from the lock assembly as part of the process.

After the latch is replaced, the source advised dealers to shut the latch, then use the interior mechanism to open it again. This is so they can test the new latch by closing the hood again and pulling up on it.

In February, Subaru also addressed a hood latch concern affecting as many as 77,000 units. This didn’t center around the secondary latch specifically, instead focusing on the hood safety and lock systems as a whole. As such, the prescribed remedy required dealers to undertake a two-phase solution.

Brake Light Switch Issues Cause Multiple Problems in New Nissan Recalls

July 6, 2016 admin Nissan Recalls

Franklin, Tennessee — July 6, 2016 — Some Nissan owners may notice a problem with the brake lights in their vehicles. Because a switch in certain 2013 and 2014 Pathfinder vehicles may not have been properly installed, the lights could stay on when the owner isn’t currently activating the brakes.

As an official report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted, this could inadvertently lead to a crash if other drivers mistakenly assume that the affected Pathfinder is slowing down. As of June 1, no crashes were yet attributed to this issue, though there were also no specific indications listed for owners to look out for.

In addition to this concern, the same recall addresses a related problem in the same vehicles. A badly installed brake light switch could also disrupt the shift interlock and accidentally move the vehicle out of park when it is left stationary. As such, the remedy will address both the brake lamp switch and the stop lamp relay.

Nissan officially decided to conduct this recall May 19, more than six months after it addressed the possible problem in a December 2015 Technical Service Bulletin. A total 79,853 units are potentially affected, although only 2 percent are estimated to have the defect.

Last month, a similar concern prompted a different recall, this one from Fiat Chrysler. According to the Detroit News, that manufacturer recalled 2,185 trailer light modules because of a possible software error. The article stated that these units could potentially fail to light up when the driver presses the brake pedal, also creating the chance of a crash.

Suspension Concerns Prompt Toyota Yaris Recalls

July 5, 2016 admin Toyota Recalls

Torrance, Calif. — July 5, 2016 — In approximately 3,106 Toyota Yaris brand vehicles, difficulties with the front shock absorbers could lead to a greater risk of crash. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the units were produced between January 13 and February 27 in 2015. This is reportedly the only Toyota or Lexus model in the United States using the affected system.

The report noted that high loads and sudden movements in the affected vehicles could impact the front shock absorbers, perhaps destabilizing the Yaris to a dangerous degree. Owner notification is scheduled for July 24, and recipients should expect a first class mail message directing them to their dealership.

Though the report didn’t list any specific indicators, it mentioned an “abnormal noise” as a potential sign of the problem. The risk increases for vehicles where the strut rod has separated. To remedy this situation, Toyota dealers will replace the defective strut mounting bearing with a more secure unit.

The first field report related to this issue was submitted in October 2015. According to a Defect Information Report from the manufacturer, this first field notice led to further investigations. Four months later, in February 2016, a review connected the fault to a resin cap for strut mounting bearings. The voluntary safety recall campaign began May 19, after Toyota confirmed that resin cap rings could eventually affect the strut bearing.

Some of the data used to guide this recall come from specific Toyota tests. The manufacturer used a speed bump to determine the severity of the defect. The supplier of the problematic part was identified as SKF France, based in Montigny le Bretonneux.

Ferrari Recalls Thousands of Vehicles Due to Takata Inflator Concerns

June 29, 2016 admin Takata Airbag Recalls

Englewood Cliffs, NJ — June 29, 2016 — Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) is recalling 2,820 vehicles that may be equipped with dangerous Takata airbags. The recall includes the following models:

2009 – 2011 Ferrari California
2010 – 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia

Recall summary

As with the other vehicles in the Takata recalls, the problem comes from the non-desiccated ammonium nitrate used in the airbag inflators. Exposure to humidity or changing temperatures increases the risk that this chemical will degrade and cause an explosion.

With each month, more vehicles are connected with the Takata air bag recalls. While the latest expansion includes models from several manufacturers, much of the coverage for this new round centers on the Ferrari recalls. It is the first time the famous automaker has taken part in the ongoing action.

According to Car and Driver, though Ferrari has recalled cars for issues with Takata air bags before, they were reportedly unrelated to the larger inflator concerns.

Safety concerns

A Part 573 Safety Recall Report from the organization described the hazards in these cars. As with other Takata inflators, the units in the Ferrari vehicles could potentially rupture and release metal shards dangerously close to occupants.

The repair

Ferrari dealers will replace the passenger front airbag, free of charge. The automaker will continue to use risk assessments to help guide its recall actions.

The recall began on October 30, 2017.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 2,800 vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 2,449 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Some Chevrolet Malibu Vehicles Could Suffer Brake Module Failures

June 28, 2016 admin Chevrolet Recalls

Warren, Mich. — June 28, 2016 — Among the most recent GM recalls is an action centered around brake module issues in Chevrolet vehicles. The manufacturer is recalling 66 Malibu cars from the 2016 model year, in an attempt to correct possible Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard compliance problems. The electronic brake modules could suffer a potential failure that would affect multiple aspects of the car’s standard braking functions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that memory chips in these modules would impact both the anti-lock brake and electronic stability control systems. Although the driver will still be able to operate the brakes, the loss of support systems could make normal driving more difficult.

According to the official Part 573 Safety Recall Report from the organization, owners can check the driver information center for a possible indicator of electronic brake control module failure. This system could display multiple warning lights and messages, including a “service brake system” message.

The faulty component was manufactured by ZF TRW. The first indications of this issue came March 8, after several vehicles showed a loss of electronic braking systems. The remedy requires dealers to replace the electronic brake control module with a new unit that has “accurate voltages written to memory,” as the report stated. In addition, this feature will be present in all Chevrolet Malibu vehicles built after March 12.

While the dealer notification date was listed as May 4, owners are not scheduled to be notified until June 10. In the meantime, GM is directing owners to official channels, including its own recall website and customer support service.

The 2016 Malibu has been a part of other GM recalls this year. This includes a March action that affected 3,137 vehicles, as described in an official NHTSA acknowledgment.

Toyota Recalls Vehicles That Could Overload [Video]

June 24, 2016 admin Toyota Recalls, Video

Torrance, CA — June 24, 2016 — A recall first initiated in April concerns almost ninety-five Toyota light vehicles. According to an official report from the NHTSA, affected vehicles could carry the wrong load capacity information, a problem with serious potential consequences.

Vehicles with inaccurate load labels risk misleading consumers as to how much they can carry. Too much weight onboard will strain a vehicle’s capacity and make it more likely to crash. This issue also represents a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 S10.

The report said that the problem came from a miscommunication. Owners will be able to perform the remedy themselves by placing a correct, vehicle-specific label.

You can learn more about Toyota recalls by reading our blog. Check out our April 6 story on a stability issue that affect multiple vehicle brands.

Fiat Chrysler Addresses Two New Issues in a Pair of Recalls

June 23, 2016 admin Jeep Recalls

Auburn Hills, Mich. — June 23, 2016 — Two new voluntary Fiat Chrysler recalls will target issues in a range of different vehicles. In a pair of press releases published May 18, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles explained the conditions leading to each recall. Neither of these are connected to any known injuries or accidents, and both of them have repercussions outside of North America, although the majority of vehicles in each case are within the United States.

The first recall: Clockspring assemblies
This action concerns the systems that may prevent some Jeep Wrangler SUVs from deploying their air bags correctly. The statement said that exposure to contaminants could weaken the clockspring and interfere with the circuit that controls air bag function. Drivers are particularly at risk, since the driver-side air bag is the one that could be disabled through this action.

The SUVs featured in this recall have model years between 2007 and 2010, with an estimated 392,464 of these vehicles inside the United States. Owners may see a lit air bag warning lamp in their vehicles if the clockspring has been compromised. This condition could be especially prevalent inside vehicles used for off-roading, the source said.

Dealers will resolve the issue by modifying the steering wheel, installing a new steering-column shroud and back cover. Though no schedule was listed, the release did say that customers will receive notification once the recall progresses.

The second recall: Clutch release updates
The other recall centers around gradual changes that could hurt vital transmission functions in Fiat 500 cars with model years between 2012 and 2016, but only the models that don’t use turbocharged engines. The statement mentions that approximately 39,217 vehicles are affected by this.

Unlike the other recall, this one has some reports of damage to the vehicles involved. The source said that .01 percent of the affected cars have been damaged, according to recent investigations, and that the recall notices sent out will give customers the necessary guidance for updating their vehicles as necessary.

If left unchecked, these affected vehicles can potentially see a moving clutch, which prevents the driver from using standard manual transmission functions. No specific remedy was described in this statement.

Previous related issues
In addition to these recalls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration features some information about other issues that could also affect the same vehicles. One complaint about a 2016 Fiat 500 filed in September 2015 stated that a vehicle suddenly shut off while the drivers were in the middle of the highway. The anonymous driver stated that the parking brake, service engine soon and transmission lights all turned on at once after the vehicle stalled.

The Jeep Wrangler has also been subject to previous recalls similar to the most recent one. A report from May 2013 described a clockspring issue in Wrangler right-hand-drive vehicles manufactured between February 2007 and October 2011. Investigations associated with that case found that dust contamination led to circuit fatigue, a condition that may have caused steering column problems and also triggered air bag warning lights.

The initial recall acknowledgment letter for this issue referenced 5,400 potentially affected vehicles. As with the newer actions, these vehicles were at risk of air bag circuit issues that could have left occupants less safe. The chronology of this action dated back to May 2011, when the NHTSA opened its investigations. The decision to conduct an official safety recall was made that October, after months in the wake of the safety issues.

Originally, the remedy for this problem involved a steering wheel dust shield and a new clockspring, both of which the dealer was slated to replace beginning in May 2013. There were no accidents or injuries traced to this condition, either.

Vehicles in GM Recalls May Not Warn Drivers When Key is in Ignition

June 20, 2016 admin GMC Recalls

Warren, Mich. — June 20, 2016 — An important alarm feature may not work properly in some Chevrolet vehicles, as a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently stated. General Motors is taking measures to address a security fault that could allow drivers to leave their keys in the ignition slots for several vehicles with model years ranging from 2013 to 2016.

Three Chevrolet models, (the Sonic, Spark and Trax vehicles) are part of this action, which extends to 317,572 units. The relatively subtle flaw may go undetected by motorists but could still fail Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 114, the report stated, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to theft.

The source said that the warning chime that should play when a driver leaves the key in the ignition may not do so, depending on how and when he or she opens the door. This only applies to vehicles with the Bring Your Own Media feature: In affected vehicles, the radio isn’t able to receive the command to exit sleep mode and prompt the proper alert.

Taking proper action
Though there is no official recall schedule yet, the report stated that dealers can update the included radio software to function correctly and execute the right key chime. The software in Sonic and Trax vehicles built after this April 13 and April 17, respectively, are already fixed, and the radio has been discontinued in Spark models altogether.

In addition, Autoblog’s article on this recall advised owners to take extra care to bring car keys when exiting a vehicle and not rely on the chime, in case it doesn’t work. The report lists two specific circumstances in which the chime could fail: if the driver takes more than 10 minutes to open the door after turning the vehicle off and leaving the key in the ignition, or the driver takes more than 20 seconds to open the door a second time after closing it.

The latter case could prove especially tricky, since the owner might hear a noise, but only a shortened version of the one he or she should. This is still possible evidence of the defect.

Calibration specifics
Since the official recall submission, the NHTSA has posted a pair of safety bulletins describing the necessary measures for reprogramming the systems. This notice specifically warned dealers not to program the affected control module without instruction or an updated programming tool. Other necessary precautions include reducing battery voltage fluctuations and putting the ignition switch in the correct position, as described by the Service Programming System.

Using a USB device and the vehicle’s own “infotainment display”, staff will update the necessary software and wait the required time for the changes to take effect. This same bulletin requires dealers to address all vehicles that arrive in their facility, ensuring completion for any models that might appear in dealer inventory.

FMVSS 114: A closer look
The text of this standard involves language that makes this recall a serious concern. As of 2016, FMVSS 114, which addresses “Theft protection and rollaway prevention,” requires a starting system to respond if the key is removed.

The subsections of this document allow for different possible deterrents, but removing the key must prevent the engine or motor from being activated as well as the vehicle’s steering and/or forward mobility.

While there are some exceptions, vehicles must, under this standard, feature “an audible warning” to alert the driver whenever the nearest door opens while the key is still left in the ignition. The audio alert does not need to play in certain situations, such as if the key cannot turn from its position within the starting system, though this just applies to mechanical systems.