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Mercedes-Benz recalls nearly 5,000 vehicles for possible loss of steering

April 14, 2021 Rebecca Rand Mercedes-Benz Recalls

Jacksonville, FL – April 14, 2021 – Daimler AG (NASDAQ:DDAIF) – which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand has recalled 4,992 vehicles with a flaw in the steering shaft, which links the wheel and steering gear. This flaw may make it harder to steer or result in a complete loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes:

2017 – 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45
2017 – 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG
2017 – 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA250
2017 Mercedes-Benz B250E
2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250

(2018 CLA 250 models are not included in this recall). The affected part is the steering shaft with multiple part numbers, including A0009909118 and A2464600409.

Recall summary

The recall stems from an issue in a joint attached to the steering shaft. The connection between the two may be slightly loose and allow for increased “play” between the two parts over time. Initially, the issue could cause noises when steering or steering that is less “precise” than usual. If left unrepaired, the steering shaft could separate from the joint entirely, causing the driver to lose the ability to steer the car.

Risks

This kind of break is most likely to occur at lower speeds, such as while parking, as this is when the greatest force is required to steer the car. Even at low speeds, however, loss of steering ability is unsafe and increases the risk of a crash.

So far there has been only one known instance of the shaft separating from the joint. It did not cause any crashes or injuries.

The repair

Mercedes-Benz dealers will check the car’s steering shaft and replace it, if necessary. All repairs will be provided for free. Owners who already repaired their drive shafts on their own dime may be eligible for reimbursement. Notifications with more information about this, and about when and how to seek repairs, will be sent out on April 30.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

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

GM recalls Chevrolet and GMC vans for fire risk

April 13, 2021 Rebecca Rand Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI – April 13, 2021 –General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 10,154 cargo and passenger vans whose batteries may short-circuit, which could cause a fire under the hood. The recall includes:

2021 Chevrolet Express vans
2021 GMC Savana vans

The affected part is the positive battery cable, with multiple part numbers, including 84911210 and 84911211.

Recall summary

The recall centers around the vans’ battery cable terminals, which connect the car’s electrical system to its battery. Certain tabs on the terminals could touch other parts of the car, causing the battery to short out. If that happens, drivers may get a “low battery voltage warning or experience a dead battery.” It can also lead to a fire.

The affected cars are equipped with 6.6-liter gasoline engines.

Risks

Car fires can pose a serious risk to drivers, passengers and nearby people and structures. GM has received at least three reports of fires related to this issue. To read more about the risks of vehicle fires, check out this article about a recent Kia Stinger recall.

Safety tips

Just like in the recent Chrysler and Hyudai recalls, the manufacturer and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend to NOT park the car close to structures and “flammable materials” – such as houses, garages and “vegetation” – until the issue is resolved. If you do not feel comfortable driving the car and it is still within warranty, contact your dealer to arrange for courtesy transportation.

Other GM recalls

2018-2021 Chevrolet Express vans are part of a recent recall concerning tires that were left to “cure” for too long, making them brittle and prone to breakage.

The repair

GM dealers will trim away part of the tab on the battery cable terminal so that it is no longer at risk of touching other parts of the car. However, if the tab has been trimmed down too much in a prior repair, the whole battery cable will be replaced. Both of these services are free of charge. Recall notifications with more details about when and how to seek repairs will be sent out to owners starting May 3.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 10,000 vehicles are included in this Chevrolet/GMC recall. To see if your van is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Mercedes-Benz recalls cars for fly-away sunroofs

April 12, 2021 Rebecca Rand Mercedes-Benz Recalls

Jacksonville, FL – March 20, 2022 – Mercedes Benz has remedied 1,856 coupe models including the 2015-2020 C300 and 2016-2020 GLC300 dealing with panoramic sunroof problems. None of these models have been deemed unreachable as well none were removed from the recall. In total Mercedes remedied the sunroof problems in one group all during 2021.

Jacksonville, FL – April 12, 2021 – Daimler AG (NASDAQ:DDAIF)– which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand – has recalled 15,096 vehicles whose sunroofs could fly off while the car is in motion, creating a road hazard. The recall includes 76 models that have previously had the sunroof repaired:

2017-2020 Mercedes Benz C300 Coupe
2017-2020 Mercedes-Benz C43 Coupe AMG
2017-2020 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG
2015-2020 Mercedes-Benz C300
2016-2018 Mercedes-Benz C350e
2016-2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 Coupe AMG
2015 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
2015-2019 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
2016 Mercedes-Benz C450
2015-2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG
2016-2020 Mercedes Benz GLC300
2017-2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC43 AMG
2017-2019 Mercedes Coupe AMG GLE43
2016 Mercedes Coupe GLE450

For a complete list, please visit the following page.

The affected component is called the “Cover OSR” and has multiple part numbers, including A1177800022 and A1567801200.

Recall summary

The sunroof in these vehicles is bonded to the car with a front roof panel that is adjacent to the windshield. Dealers did not attach the panel to the car correctly during a prior repair, making the panel and sunroof prone to falling off the vehicle while it is moving. Back in 2017, Mercedes recalled thousands of vehicles, including the GLC 300 with a similar sunroof issue.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received seven complaints concerning the “the detachment” of the panel while driving.

Complaints

A driver of a C-class vehicle complained last year that the sunroof no longer closed and was shaking and rattling, creating a potential “safety issue during a possible rollover.” Another said that his or her car got wet after a piece of sunroof “flew off.”

Warning signs

Before the panel detaches, the driver may notice “excessive wind noises in the area of the sunroof while driving” or notice that the panel is partially separated from the vehicle.

Risks

The flyaway roofs pose a safety risk to the driver and other motorists, who may crash as they try to avoid the debris or if the panel hits them. You can read more about the dangers of road debris in our recent article about Land Rover’s fly-away spoiler recall.

The repair

Mercedes-Benz dealers will replace the front roof panel with a new one, using the correct process and chemicals to adhere it to the car. Owners who already paid to have their roof panels re-attached may be eligible for reimbursement. More information about when and how to seek repairs will be sent out to owners in the week of May 14.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 15,000 vehicles are included in this Mercedes Benz recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ford recalls Lincoln Aviators over faulty backup camera display

April 9, 2021 Rebecca Rand Ford Recalls, Lincoln Recalls

Dearborn, MI – April 9, 2021 – Ford (NYSE:F) – which owns the Lincoln brand – has recalled 34,952 luxury SUVs whose backup camera displays may stop working. The recall includes the 2020 Lincoln Aviator and the 2021 Lincoln Aviator.

The affected part is called the “Image Processing Module – B” and has multiple part numbers, including LC5T-19H423-AF and LC5T-19H423-AG.

Recall summary

The image processing module helps process everything the backup camera is “seeing” behind the car, displaying it on the screen up front. Due to a software issue in the recalled Aviators, the module might fail to transmit the video feed to the car’s display screen.

As a result, the driver may see a “blank” or “distorted” image.

Risks

A rearview camera that fails to display what is behind the car reduces the driver’s rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

All cars built after mid-2018 are required to have functioning backup cameras. Read more about backup camera safety in this article about malfunctioning cameras in Nissan cars.

Other Ford backup camera recalls

In September, Ford recalled over 600,000 vehicles for a similar issue, as reported. The recall included Lincoln Nautilus crossovers and Lincoln Corsair compact SUVs.

The repair

Ford and Lincoln dealers will update the image processing module’s software for free. Ford will send owners notification letters with more information about when and how to get the repair starting May 19.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 35,000 vehicles are included in this Lincoln recall. To perform a Ford recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Stellantis recalls Ram trucks that may catch fire

April 8, 2021 Bojan Popic Chrysler Recalls, Dodge Recalls, RAM Recalls

Auburn Hills, MI – April 26, 2022 – Chrysler has remedied issues with 12,919 vehicles including the 2021 RAM 2500 that was dealing with electrical issues caused by a short on a relay. Additionally, 193 of these models have been categorized as unreachable and 24 have been removed from the recall. All these 2021 Ram 2500 models with these electrical issues were remedied in three groups during 2021.

Auburn Hills, MI – April 8, 2021 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Dodge brand, is recalling 19,214 vehicles with a faulty relay, or a switch, inside the engine compartment that may cause fire. This recall includes the following Ram pickup trucks :

2021 Ram 2500
2021 Ram 3500
2021 Ram 4500
2021 Ram 5500

Recall summary

The recalled cars are equipped with Cummings 6.7L diesel engines that have an electric heater that warms up the air coming into the engine and helps it reach running temperatures faster. The operation of this heater is controlled by a so-called solid state relay, which is an electric switch that turns electrical power on and off. This switch may be defective and can short circuit, which may lead to fire in the engine compartment. This may occur regardless of whether the ignition is on or off.

The defect is caused by a supplier error.

Risks

A fire can be a serious safety concern if it happens while driving. Potential hazards range from failure to stop and evacuate the vehicle in time to increased risks of collision. In addition, a burning vehicle on the road is a threat to other drivers and their passengers.

Safety tips

Chrysler does not explicitly say this, but in the case of other recent recalls because of an increased fire risk, manufacturers like Hyundai have recommended to park recalled vehicles outside and away from structures, such as houses and garages.

For tips on what to do if your vehicle catches fire, please read this article about a Hyundai recall.

Other Chrysler recalls

In November, over 19,000 Ram 1500 and Ram 2500 pickup trucks were part of a recall due to the driver-side mirror issue, where the mirror glass detached from the backing plate and no longer showed a reflection of what w a s behind.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will install a protective barrier around the relay. If it short-circuits, the barrier will act as a thermoresistant capsule, which will contain the spread of heat and prevent the fire. The repairs are free of charge. The recall begins on April 30.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This Ram recall includes over 19,000 pickups. To see if your Ram is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

General Motors recalls over 94,000 SUVs for damaged seat belts

April 7, 2021 Aleksandra Snesareva Cadillac Recalls, Chevrolet Recalls, GM Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI – April 7, 2021 – General Motors (NYSE:GM) has recalled 94,641 vehicles whose seat belts may become damaged or trapped, increasing the risk of injury. The recall includes the following SUVs:

2021 Cadillac Escalade
2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2021 Chevrolet Suburban
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
2021 GMC Yukon
2021 GMC Yukon XL

Recall summary

The third-row seat and third-row seat belts in these vehicles may have been installed incorrectly. Therefore, they may become “entrapped” or damaged, making them difficult to use or latch .

Risks

In the event of a crash, the seatbelt might break, amplifying the risk of injury. As stated in this article about a recent General Motors recall, seat belts saved about 15,000 lives in 2017 alone.

Other General Motors recalls

In December 2020 General Motors recalled over 600,000 vehicles, including the 2021 Yukon XL, due to the seat belts being “loose or detached from the seat frame.” In 2021, Chevrolet Tahoe was part of a 33,000-strong recall due to defective Continental tires.

Repair

GM dealers will inspect and replace damaged seat belts for free. Owners will be contacted about this recall on May 3.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Approximately 95,000 vehicles are part of this General Motors recall. To perform a General Motors recall check, use Motor Safety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Honda recalls over 600,000 cars that may stall

April 6, 2021 Rebecca Rand Acura Recalls, Honda Recalls

Torrance, CA – April 6, 2021 – Honda (NYSE:HMC) has expanded a previous recall to include 628,124 of additional vehicles with faulty fuel pumps that may cause the car to stall. The pumps are manufactured by Denso, (OTCMKTS:DNZOY) – an auto parts maker that forms part of the Toyota Group – that is behind this and other recalls by major car manufacturers starting last summer.

This recall includes:

2019 Acura ILX
2019 – 2020 Acura MDX
2019 – 2020 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid
2019 – 2020 Acura RDX
2019 – 2020 Acura TLX
2019 – 2020 Honda Accord
2019 Honda Accord Hybrid
2019 – 2020 Honda Civic
2019 – 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback
2019 Honda Civic Type-R
2018 – 2019 Honda CR-V
2019 Honda Fit
2019 Honda HR-V
2019 – 2020 Honda Insight
2019 Honda Odyssey
2019 Honda Passport
2019 Honda Pilot
2019 Honda Ridgeline

Recall summary

The Denso fuel pumps at the center of the recall have a small plastic component, called an impeller, that sucks gas from a car’s fuel tank to pump it into the engine. Some of the impellers were manufactured in a way that can cause the plastic to weaken and become misshapen, causing the whole fuel pump to malfunction. Without a pump moving fuel into the engine, the car might not start or could stall while driving.

Background of the recall

The original Honda recall was announced in May of last year and included some of the model and model years listed above. Overall, Denso had manufactured over two million defective pumps which has caused Toyota. Honda and Subaru to recall their cars starting last summer.

Warning signs

The driver may be alerted to the fuel pump malfunction if he or she notices that the malfunction indicator light (MIL) or the master warning indicator come on. Additionally, the engine may run “rough” when the car is started or idled. This means that you may hear weird noises or feel the car vibrate or shake. Take the car in for repair as soon as you notice these signs to keep the situation from getting worse.

Risks

You can read more about the risks posed by these faulty fuel pumps in our article about Toyota’s Denso fuel pump recall.

The repair

Honda and Acura dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly for free. Notifications with more information about when and how to seek repairs will be sent to owners starting on May 18.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 628,000 vehicles are included in this Honda and Acura recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Volkswagen recalls over 153,000 Audis due to airbag malfunction

April 2, 2021 Rebecca Rand Audi Recalls, Volkswagen Recalls

Auburn Hills, MI – April 2, 2021 – Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAGY), which owns the Audi brand, has recalled 153,152 Audi A3-generation cars whose passenger-side airbags may deactivate while someone is sitting in that seat, increasing that passenger’s risk of injury in a crash. The recall includes the following convertibles, sedans and crossover SUVs:

2015 – 2020 Audi A3
2016 – 2018 Audi A3 e-tron
2017 – 2020 Audi RS3
2015 – 2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet
2015 – 2020 Audi S3

The component in question is the “repair kit for passenger seat occupant detection,” part number 8V0898522.

Recall summary

This recall addresses an ongoing problem with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS), which senses when there is a passenger sitting in the front seat. The PODS is supposed to deactivate the passenger airbag when the seat is empty, but in the case of recalled cars, the airbag “turns off” even when the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of an injury to the passenger in a crash.

The deactivation may occur sporadically and “for a limited amount of time.”

Previous recall

A previous recall for this issue was conducted in 2019 but failed to fix the issue as the manufacturer kept receiving reports that some repaired PODS have continued to malfunction.

Recent customer complaints about this issue highlighted that this was a “known problem” for “many Audi models, not just A3 and S3” and that, in addition to the airbag issue, some of these models also experienced a seat belt malfunction. The seat belt warning kept going off even though there was no one in the seat.

Risks

Data shows that airbags reduce crash fatalities by 11%, but they can only protect people if they actually deploy. Deactivated airbags cannot protect passengers in a crash.

Safety tips

Vehicle occupants need to pay attention to the airbag indicator light, which will illuminate if the airbag system has been deactivated. Along with the light, the occupants should also hear a chime and see an error message in the instrument panel. If the warnings come on:

Have the front passenger sit elsewhere in the car.
Do NOT use the front passenger seat going forward.
Take the car to the nearest dealership as soon as possible.

The repair

Audi is still investigating the problem and has not determined what the repair will be. Owners will receive letters in the mail with more information about the recall on May 21.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 153,000 vehicles are included in this Audi recall. To see if your Audi is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Nissan recalls Murano SUVs for loss of steering, falling off wheels

April 1, 2021 Suhas Ramachandra Nissan Recalls

Dearborn, MI – April 1, 2021 – Nissan (OTCMKTS:NSANY) is recalling 15,223 vehicles whose defective suspension may cause the driver to lose control of the car. It may also result in the front wheels of the vehicle falling off.

The recall includes Nissan Murano 2020 crossover SUVs.

The affected parts are the right hand transverse and the left hand transverse links, with part numbers 54500-5AA0C and 54501-5AA0C, respectively.

Recall summary

Transverse links – also known as control arms – are part of the car’s suspension that keeps the wheels of the car in line with its body. They are connected to the rest of suspension by ball joints. Because of a manufacturing error, these Murano 2020’s links are defective.

As a result, they can get disconnected from the ball joint. This may result in the driver losing ability to steer and getting into an accident. In some cases, it may even result in the front wheels falling off.

Safety risks

Losing control of the car while driving and having the front wheels fall off may result in an accident that may turn fatal not only for the occupants of the car but also pedestrians and other motorists.

Warning signs

Nissan indicates that there are no warning signs. However, at least in some cases, the driver may be able to determine that there is a problem with the links if you notice the following signs:

Tires wear unevenly.
“When driving over bumps,” the steering vibrates or you can hear a “banging noise.”

Other Nissan recalls

In 2017, Mazda had recalled RX-8 sports cars also because of pertaining to defective ball joints. Read more on the same here.

More recently, Nissan recalled 127,000 2018-2021 Nissan Titan and 2019-2021 Nissan Altima in search of seven defective tires linked to the Continental tire recall.

The 2020 Murano has previously not been the subject of any recalls.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will inspect and potentially replace the links. They will also carry out a vehicle alignment procedure if the links are found to be defective. The Nissan recall begins on April 21.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 15,000 vehicles are a part of this recall. To perform a Nissan recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Hyundai recalls Kona and Ioniq vehicles that may catch fire

March 31, 2021 Ken Boyd Hyundai Recalls

Fountain Valley, CA – May 26, 2022 – Hyundai North America has remedied issues with 3,159 vehicles including the 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric dealing with short-circuit problems caused by their lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, 62 of these Hyundai Ioniq EV’s have been categorized as unreachable and 9 have been removed from the recall. Three groups of these 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric with Lithium-Ion Battery Issues were remedied during 2021 and one group in 2022.

Fountain Valley, CA – March 31, 2021 – Hyundai North America (NASDAQ:HYMTF) has recalled 4,696 vehicles equipped with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The batteries may short circuit and potentially cause an engine fire. The recall includes Hyundai Kona 2019 and 2020 Electric vehicles (EV) and 2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV sedans.

Recall summary

Due to a manufacturing error, the Li-ion batteries in these Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Hyundai Kona EVs may short-circuit and lead to an engine fire.

The U.S. recall is being conducted as part of a global recall announced by the manufacturer last month. Among the included countries is South Korea that recently launched its second recall on the back of at least 11 Kona EV fires.

Fire reports

In 2019, three parked Hyundai Kona EV sedans caught on fire in Korea, two in Canada and one in Europe. In each case, the parked vehicle had a full battery charge. Seven more fires were reported in 2020. In each case, Hyundai suspected that the fire was caused by an electrical short in the Li-ion battery. The cause of the issue was identified earlier this year and turned out to be incorrectly folded battery cells.

South Korean recall and subsequent fire

In October of last year, the manufacturer issued a recall South Korea for more than 25,000 Kona Electric vehicles due the risk of fire. After a recalled and repaired Kona caught fire, Hyundai issued another recall in the country.

Warning signs

The electrical short may take place when the vehicle is parked or while driving. The driver may smell smoke or a burning/melting odor when a battery fire occurs. Additionally, the malfunction indicator (MIL) or the battery lights may come on.

Risks

A fire can injure occupants and a crash due to a fire may injure other drivers or pedestrians. For tips on what to do in the event of a fire, please refer to this recent article about a different Hyundai recall.

The repair

The recall is set to begin on April 30. In the short-term, the repair is a software update that the owners can conduct themselves or through their dealer.

The long-term repair is for dealers to replace the Battery System Assembly (BSA). This work will be performed once parts are available. It is important to note that the recalled Kona EV that caught fire in South Korea only received a software update, but not the battery replacement, according to press reports.

Until the repair is completed, do NOT park your car inside. Instead, park it away from structures, including your home, garages and carports.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 4,600 vehicles are included in this Hyundai recall. To perform a Hyundai recall check, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

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