Toyota Recalls Multiple 2018-2019 Vehicles Due to Air Bag Deployment Issue

Toyota Recalls Multiple 2018-2019 Vehicles Due to Air Bag Deployment Issue

October 12, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – October 12, 2018 – Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles due to a programming error that could affect air bag deployment.

The Defect

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, Toyota has determined that due to inappropriate programming of the air bag electronic control unit (ECU), a fault may be erroneously detected and disable a front or side supplemental restraint system (SRS) sensor.

If this were to occur, the air bag ECU may not appropriately identify a crash condition, the air bags may not deploy as intended, and as a result, this could lead to an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Timeline of Events

Toyota received reports describing illumination of the SRS warning light accompanied by a warning buzzer, master warning light illumination, and a message on the multi-information display, and began an investigation in June 2018.

A review of the Airbag ECU software identified that parameters for a routine self-check were not correct for the type of satellite sensors used in this system. This can result in a failure of the self-check, which will disable only the sensor which failed for that key cycle. Factors such as heat can affect whether the sensor will pass this check using the incorrect parameters.

Based on the results of the investigation, Toyota decided that the subject vehicles may not meet certain mandated requirements and issued a recall.

The Solution

All known owners of the subject vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota dealer. The dealers will update the software of the Airbag ECU at no cost to owners. As the owner notification letters will be mailed out well within the active period of the Toyota New Vehicle Limited Warranty, all involved vehicles are assumed to be covered for this repair under Toyota’s Warranty.

The recall is expected to begin October 22, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota’s number for this recall is J0X. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The NHTSA number for this recall is 18V-685.

Sean ReyesToyota Recalls Multiple 2018-2019 Vehicles Due to Air Bag Deployment Issue
Jaguar Land Rover Recalls Nearly 100 Vehicles for Malfunctioning AEB Software

Jaguar Land Rover Recalls Nearly 100 Vehicles for Malfunctioning AEB Software

October 8, 2018 Sean Reyes ,

Laguna Hills, CA – May 26, 2022 – Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) has remedied 83 vehicles including the 2018 Land Rover Range Rover dealing with brake system problems. Additionally, 3 of these Jaguar Land Rover models were categorized as unreachable and 0 were removed from the recall. These 2018 Range Rover models with brakes issues were remedied in three groups during 2018, 4 groups in 2019, and one group during 2020.

Laguna Hills, CA – October 8, 2018 – Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2018 Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles due to malfunction of the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system. The defect is believed to only affect small batches in each vehicle group, totaling less than 100 vehicles.

The Defect

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, concern has been identified on certain 2018 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery vehicles where the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) feature will not be available. A warning message will not be displayed on the instrument cluster to inform the driver AEB is unavailable. If the AEB system is disabled both in function and in respect to warning the driver that the system is not functional, it could lead to an increased risk of a crash.

Timeline of Events

The Jaguar Land Rover’s Product Safety and Compliance Committee (PSCC) became aware of the potential issue in June 2018 following an Electronic Product Quality Report (EPQR) from an approved repairer. The report stated that the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) feature was not operating as designed. Engineering subsequently collected and researched claims of a similar nature, which showed after an upgrade to the vehicle software, the AEB failed to continue to operate correctly on 2018MY vehicles. A Field Service Action (FSA) released to the market had caused a corruption of the AEB functionality.

Approved repairers were contacted to suspend the use of the FSA at the end of May 2018, but a number of 2018 MY vehicles had already received the FSA since it had been released early in the month. Engineering requested a change to the software to be developed. The Jaguar Land Rover Recall Determination Committee (RDC) determined that vehicles in this condition with no obvious related warning message displayed to the driver on the instrument cluster represented an unreasonable risk to safety. This led to the voluntary safety recall being conducted. Jaguar stated that there have been no reported accidents, injuries or fires as a result of the AEB malfunction on affected vehicles.

The Solution

Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837, Option 9. Land Rover’s number for this recall is N227. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The NHTSA’s number for this recall is 18V-625.

Sean ReyesJaguar Land Rover Recalls Nearly 100 Vehicles for Malfunctioning AEB Software
Mercedes-Benz Recalls Nearly 400 Sedans for Rear Window Defect

Mercedes-Benz Recalls Nearly 400 Sedans for Rear Window Defect

October 4, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – October 4, 2018 – Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300, C300 4MATIC, C63 AMG, and C63S AMG vehicles due to incorrect bonding of the rear window.

Daimler AG (“DAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018 C-Class (205 platform) vehicles, the bonding of the rear window might not meet current production specification. This defect was caused by an error during production, during which the rear window bonding activator may not have been applied correctly.

The recall is thought to potentially have occurred in just 387 vehicles, which has been determined through production records. Vehicles not affected by the recall have correct rear window bonding.

The Defect

Incorrect bonding of the rear window may lead to decreased long-term adhesion of the rear window. As a result, the rear window could loosen and detach from the vehicle, creating a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash for following traffic.

Timeline of Events

In mid-June 2018 DAG conducted initial investigations based on previous findings in the assembly plant. The investigation determined there had been an error during rear window installation, resulting in a potential incomplete rear window bonding process.

Further investigation determined that the glass activator on the rear window was not applied as required, and further analysis performed in July 2018 determined that the missing glass activator could impact the long-term adhesion of the rear window.

In August 2018 the range of potentially affected vehicles was identified, and in September 2018 DAG determined that the potential safety risk could not be ruled out and issued a voluntary recall.

The Solution

MBUSA will notify owners, and an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will rework the rear window bonding as a precautionary, free of charge. MBUSA does not plan to provide notice about pre-notice reimbursement to owners since all involved vehicles remain covered under the new vehicle warranty.

The recall is expected to begin November 2, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The assigned NHTSA Recall Number is 18V-608.

Sean ReyesMercedes-Benz Recalls Nearly 400 Sedans for Rear Window Defect
2018 Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG C-Class: Recall Alert

2018 Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG C-Class: Recall Alert

October 4, 2018 Sean Reyes

2018 Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG C-Class: Recall Alert

Vehicles Affected: Approximately 400 model-year 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300, C300 4Matic, and Mercedes-AMG C63 and C63S convertibles, coupes and sedans

The Problem: Incorrect bonding of the rear window may cause the window to loosen and detach from the vehicle, which can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

The Fix: Dealers will rework the rear window bonding for free…Read more on Cars.com

Sean Reyes2018 Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG C-Class: Recall Alert
Mercedes-Benz Recalls 22 Vehicles for Front Passenger Seat Adjustment Issues

Mercedes-Benz Recalls 22 Vehicles for Front Passenger Seat Adjustment Issues

October 3, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – October 3, 2018 – Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz E63S AMG 4MATIC vehicles. Daimler AG, (“DAG”) the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2017 E-Class AMG (213 platform) vehicles, the adjustment range of the front passenger seat might not be limited correctly, which allows it to be adjusted beyond its intended limit.

The recall is believed to only affect 22 individual units, according to a recall population that was determined through production records. Vehicles not affected by this recall will have seats with sufficient mechanical limitation and correct seat software calibration.

The Defect

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, due to an insufficient design of the front passenger seat mechanical limits and seating software calibration, the adjustment range on affected vehicles was not limited to meet current production specifications.

This defect can lead to the occupant load for certain seating positions on the front passenger seat being increased, leading to an higher risk of potential injury for the front passenger during a crash.

Timeline of Events

In December 2016, DAG launched an initial investigation based on the failure of internal certification crash tests in the development phase. This investigation indicated an incorrect limitation of the front passenger seat adjustment range as the root cause of the test failure, and further analysis was initiated.

The necessary front passenger seat updates and changes in the seat control unit software to correctly limit the seat travel were subsequently defined, and in February 2017 the introduction of an updated seat control unit software was implemented. Furthermore, in March 2017 the passenger seat design as updated with the addition of a mechanical adjustment range limitation.

Vehicles produced before installation of mechanical adjustment range limitation were slated to be reworked during vehicle production or in the vehicle preparation center prior to sale, but in July 2018 it was determined through routine monitoring that reworking to correct this issue was not completed for all vehicles in the vehicle preparation center.

As a result, a range of 22 units were confirmed to be in the hands of drivers, with the range of potentially affected vehicles in the field being determined in August 2018. At the beginning of September 2018 DAG determined that a potential safety risk could not be ruled out and voluntarily announced a recall for the 22 units to allow reworking to be completed.

The Solution

As a precautionary measure an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will check the adjustment range of the passenger seat on the affected vehicles, and, if needed, install the mechanical adjustment range limitation or update the seat control unit software respectively. This process will be free of charge to the vehicle owner as these units are still under new vehicle warranty.

The recall is expected to begin October 19, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY1-800-424-9153). The NHTSA Campaign Recall Number is 18V-609.

Sean ReyesMercedes-Benz Recalls 22 Vehicles for Front Passenger Seat Adjustment Issues
Honda Recalls Nearly 1000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak and Fire Risks

Honda Recalls Nearly 1000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak and Fire Risks

September 28, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – September 28, 2018 – Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Acura NSX vehicles due to a faulty coupler that increases the chance of fuel leaks and engine fire.

The recall population was determined based on manufacturing records. A total 949 units are potentially affected, within a sequential VIN range of 19UNC1B00HY000000 to 19UNC1B00HY000952. The VIN range reflects all possible vehicles that could potentially experience the problem.

All vehicles built from the start-up of production through March 5, 2018 are affected. Vehicles built after March 5, 2018 are equipped with fuel tanks produced by the supplier after the supplier adjusted its manufacturing process to improve production quality.

The defect

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, due to an improper manufacturing process, the couplers for the crossover inlet pipe that connects the left and right fuel tanks were insufficiently welded.

Over time, vibration and heat cycling can cause the couplers to separate from the fuel tank, resulting in fuel leakage. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

According to an Acura Service Bulletin, drivers or passengers may notice a strong fuel smell if a leak occurs. If this happens, drivers are urged to stop driving their vehicle immediately and contact their nearest Acura dealer for roadside assistance.

Timeline of events

In December 2017 Honda received a claim of a fuel leak. The failed fuel tank was returned to the supplier. An investigation was launched to determine the root cause of the failure.

Over the months of February and March 2018, Honda received three additional claims of a fuel leak, and in April 2018 the fuel tank supplier informed Honda that the weld specifications for melt depth and pressed-in amount could not be appropriately controlled and could be the source of the issue.

Further investigation was conducted to determine what was causing the variation in weld specification and how it was affecting the fuel tanks.

In May 2018, the investigation confirmed that the heater which was being used to weld the coupler was set at a slight angle. This resulted in insufficient welding and thin welds to certain sections of the fuel tank.

In August 2018, the fuel tank supplier further informed Honda that the jigs used during fuel tank welding were found to be incapable of properly securing the fuel tanks during the welding process, adding more inconsistency and instability to the welds and resulting in additional welding variations.

Honda continued their own investigation of the potential consequences of inappropriately welded fuel tanks and sought to determine the precise range of potentially affected vehicles.

In late August 2018, Honda officially determined that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists and decided to conduct a safety recall. Honda notified NHTSA of this decision and supplied the information needed.

As of late August 2018, Honda has only received three warranty claims. There have been no field reports or reports of fires or injuries related to this issue.

The solution

According to the manufacturers statement, Acura is announcing these recalls to encourage owners of affected vehicles to take them to an authorized dealer for repair as soon as they receive notification from Acura.

Due to the relatively small number of affected vehicles, where possible, Acura will attempt to contact owners by phone to schedule repairs.

Honda will notify dealers, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel tanks, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 6, 2018.

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.

Sean ReyesHonda Recalls Nearly 1000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak and Fire Risks
Ford Recalls Over 50,000 Electric and Hybrid Models Due to Faulty Charging Cords

Ford Recalls Over 50,000 Electric and Hybrid Models Due to Faulty Charging Cords

September 28, 2018 Sean Reyes

 

Ford is issuing a recall for approximately 50,000 120-volt convenience charge cords originally provided with select 2012-15 Ford Focus Electric, 2013-15 Ford Fusion Energi and 2013-15 Ford CMAX Energi vehicles.

According to the FORD Media Center, affected vehicles include: 2012-15 Ford Focus Electric vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, Sept. 15, 2011 through March 14, 2015 2013-15 Ford Fusion Energi vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Sept. 4, 2012 through March 5, 2015 2013-15 Ford C-MAX Energi vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, April 13, 2012 through March 14, 2015.
There are approximately 50,524 vehicles in North America with accompanying charge cords relating to this concern, with 49,197 vehicles in the United States and its federalized territories and 1,327 in Canada.

The Defect

The 120V convenience charge cord originally provided with the affected vehicles, when used in combination with a home AC outlet that is not on a dedicated circuit or is damaged, worn or corroded, could become susceptible to increased contact resistance at the convenience charge cord plug and home AC outlet interface.

Timeline of Events

According to the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, in December 2013 and May 2017, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) opened investigations on 120V convenience charge cord allegations of heat damage. However,m neither investigation was able to identify a manufacturing or quality defect. Subsequent to the CCRG investigation Ford inspected four fires alleged to involve C-Max vehicles, and although the exact cause of the fires was not determined, it was noted that in three of the four fires, extension cords between the wall outlet and convenience charge cords were identified.

In June 2018, in response to an NHTSA request,  Ford reviewed additional information and subsequently completed an additional comprehensive data review and analysis of vehicles that use the same or similar 120V Convenience charge cords.  An elevated rate of melting/ fire reports on 120V Convenience charge cords designed without a thermistor led to an equipment recall, which was upgraded to a vehicle recall in September 2018.

Ford is aware of some fire reports, and has identified an elevated rate of allegations of melting and fire involving the 120V convenience charge cord that did not include a thermistor. Ford’s investigation revealed that an increased resistance at the plug/outlet interface was resulting in some cases in increased temperature and could potentially lead to a fire. Incomplete or slow charge cycles, or inability to charge have been identified as early indicators, as well as visible melting damage of the area surrounding the charge cord plug and/or odor.

The Solution

Owners will be notified by mail and reminded of the requirements for adequate wall outlets, and that extension cords should not be used under any circumstance to charge their vehicles. They will be instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford dealer to have the factory-equipped 120-volt convenience charge cord replaced with the latest version of the 120-volt convenience cord that includes a thermistor, free of charge. The thermistor can identify over-temperature conditions at the plug/outlet interface and will discontinue charging until the temperature decreases to an appropriate level.

The Ford reference number for this recall is 18S24. Notification to dealers occurred in August 2018. Mailing of owner notification letters occurred in September 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Sean ReyesFord Recalls Over 50,000 Electric and Hybrid Models Due to Faulty Charging Cords

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