Ford recalls vehicles with defective Takata air bags

Ford recalls vehicles with defective Takata air bags

January 24, 2018 admin ,

Dearborn, MI. – Jan. 24, 2017 – Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has recalled more than 2,700 vehicles believed to contain defective Takata air bag inflators, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The recalls involves 2006 Ford Ranger pickup trucks. The automaker is unsure how many of the recalled vehicles actually contain the defective air bags, which are at the center of a multiyear automotive safety scandal involving more than 46 million vehicles worldwide from over two dozen brands. The flawed safety features have claimed 20 lives, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Recall summary

Affected models may include front air bag assemblies with defective Takata inflators that are prone to rupture upon activation, sending metal shards throughout the cabin of the vehicle. These features pose a serious safety hazard to occupants. Two Ford Ranger owners have been killed in crashes involving the defective Takata air bag inflators, the second of which occurred this past July, according to the car company. As a result, Ford has advised owners to discontinue operating their vehicles.

In May 2015, Ford recalled more than 361,000 vehicles after Takata notified the NHTSA of an impending safety action surrounding its passenger-side air bag inflator models, documents submitted to the government agency showed. The Ford recall involved 2004-2006 Ranger pickup trucks produced between March 24, 2003 and May 4, 2006. Ford began replacing the Takata inflators in with stopgap parts in July 2015.

In December 2017, Ford launched another recall involving the same vehicles due to the development of permanent repair components, which did not contain phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate propellant, according to the NHTSA. Ford sent notification letters to owners Dec. 12 and began the inflator replacement process. Approximately 11 days later, the automaker received an accident report detailing a fatal crash that had occurred in West Virginia July 1. The tragic incident involved a 2006 Ford Ranger with Takata driver-side air bag inflators that had ruptured upon deployment. This was confirmed during a physical inspection of the vehicle Dec. 27.

Takata engineers reviewed the ruptured air bag inflators and found that others from the same production population had been involved in an accident in 2006. The belonged to a propellant lot that had not appeared in previous recalls.

Ford reviewed its production records and narrowed down the vehicles that included inflators from the same lot. On January 8, 2018, the Ford Field Review Committee decided to launch a voluntary recall to address the dangerous parts. The car manufacturer recalled 3,902 vehicles worldwide – 2,712 in the U.S. market and 190 in the Canadian market.

The repair

The automaker has directed dealers to replace the front air bag inflators in affected vehicles free of charge, according to a recall acknowledgement document from the NHTSA. Ford notified dealers of the recall on Jan. 10 and contacted owners on Jan. 16 via first-class mail.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 2,700 vehicles were originally part of this recall. Since then, the recall has expanded to include 28,365 vehicles. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 21,775 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

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Audis Recalled Due To Potential Air Bag Explosions

Audis Recalled Due To Potential Air Bag Explosions

January 23, 2018 admin ,

 

Auburn Hills, MI – Jan. 23, 2018 – Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAGY) recently announced a recall of more than 10,000 of popular Audi models produced between the 2009 and 2011 model years, over concerns that the front passenger air bag could explode, according to a filing made with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Audi vehicles in question include:

  • 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet
  • 2009-2011 Audi A6
  • 2009 Audi S4 Cabriolet
  • 2009-2011 Audi S6

Recall Summary

Specifically, the problem with the passenger frontal air bags relates to the inflators that could degrade over time if left exposed to high humidity or dramatic temperature changes. That, in turn, could lead inflators to rupture and potentially explode in the event of a crash during which the frontal passenger air bag is deployed. This issue is related to the broader Takata air bag recall.

In the event the inflator were to cause the air bag to rupture and potentially explode, metal fragments could launch into vehicles’ cabins, which could result in serious industry or death. This issue would likely arise only after several years of exposure to the adverse conditions described above, per Takata testing of the faulty air bags. The likelihood of a rupture could, however, increase due to a number of other factors.

Unfortunately, it would be impossible for owners to determine whether their vehicles are likely to be affected by this issue, or if their air bags had already ruptured.

As part of the Takata recall, three “zones” were set up to describe regions where affected vehicles were sold or registered. In this case, A6 Avants and Sedans, as well as S6 Sedans – all from the 2010 and 2011 model years in Zone B. So too were, certain 2011 A6 Avants and Sedans and S6 Sedans.

As for vehicles in Zone C, recalled vehicles include model year 2009 A4 and S4 Cabriolets, A6 Avants and Sedans, S6 Sedans, as well as model year 2010 and 2011 A6 Avants and Sedans, and S6 Sedans.

This filing was made in early January 2018 at the request of the NHTSA, as part of a Coordinated Remedy Order.

The repair

Drivers who own the affected vehicles will be notified by mail about the issue, and asked to take their cars to authorized Audi dealers to have their frontal air bag inflators replaced at no cost. Due to the size of the Takata air bag recall, Volkswagen is working with the NHTSA to stagger its announcement and planning of the recall efforts as part of the coordinated remedy program.

As such, owners and dealers alike will officially receive notification of the recall on or around March 3, 2018.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 10,000 vehicles were originally part of this recall. On June 22, 2018, This recall was rolled into a larger recall of 237,947 vehicles. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 116,835 airbags from the recall. had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

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FCA recalls vehicles with defective fire extinguishers

FCA recalls vehicles with defective fire extinguishers

January 22, 2018 admin , , ,

 

Auburn Hills, Mich. – Jan. 22, 2017 – Chrysler Fiat Automobiles has recalled more than 62,000 vehicles believed to contain defective fire extinguishers, according to documents submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Per an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document, the campaign affects numerous models across multiple brands, including:

  • 2018 Chrysler Pacifica minivans.
  • 2014-2016 Chrysler Town and Country minivans.
  • 2007 Dodge Caliber sedans.
  • 2009 Dodge Challenger sports cars.
  • 2017 Dodge Charger sports cars.
  • 2015-2016 Dodge Dart sedans.
  • 2004 Dodge Durango sport utility vehicles.
  • 2014-2016 Dodge Caravan minivans.
  • 2014 Dodge Journey sport utility vehicles.
  • 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicles.
  • 2017 Jeep Compass sport utility vehicles.
  • 2011 Jeep Patriot sport utility vehicles.
  • 2012 and 2015 Ram 1500 pickup trucks.
  • 2013-2018 Ram 2500 pickup trucks.
  • 2012-2018 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 pickup trucks.
  • 2014-2017 Ram Promaster and Promaster City pickup trucks.

FCA believes 100 percent of the vehicles named in the action contain the defective parts.

The Defect

The models referenced in the action come equipped with miniature fire extinguishers prone to clogging or breakage due to defective lever and valve assemblies. These items pose a serious threat to owners, especially those involved in accidents where gasoline ignition is likely to occur. That said, FCA has yet to receive reports linking the defective components to any injuries.

Timeline of Events

On Nov. 3, 2017, the FCA Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance group learned that fire extinguishers supplied by Walter Kidde Portable Equipment were defective. The FCA Global Regulatory Compliance compared the items to a roster of Kidde fire extinguishers involved in an earlier U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall and found multiple matches. The automotive conglomerate then retrieved samples of the defective products and sent them to specialists at FCA U.S. Engineering and Mopar, an FCA-owned autoparts organization.

Between Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, analysts at Mopar reviewed the parts and found that production teams were installing them in multiple models across a number of brands. At the same time, the VSRC group launched an investigation into the parts and began evaluating the vehicle populations containing them. On Nov. 10, FCA initiated a yard hold in an effort to stop the production and shipment of vehicles equipped with the Kidde fire extinguishers. Ten days later, an investigator with the VSRC group started combing through historical parts and production information with timestamps dating back to 1973.  Over the next three weeks, employees for FCA U.S. Engineering, Mopar and the VSRC group reviewed individual part identification codes and associated vehicle identification numbers to understand the breadth of the impact of the defect.

On Dec. 18, the FCA Vehicle Regulations Committee decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

FCA intends to swap the defective fire extinguishers installed in affected vehicles for new models with metal valves that prevent clogging. The automotive company plans to notify both dealers and owners Feb. 2, 2018. individuals in need of more immediate assistance can contact Chrysler customer service at (855) 271-0773. Callers should use the internal recall identification code T82. Owners can also reach out the NHTSA directly using its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

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Mazda recalls vehicles with defective air bags

Mazda recalls vehicles with defective air bags

January 22, 2018 admin

Washington, D.C. – Jan. 22, 2017 – Mazda North American Operations has recalled 2,205 vehicles potentially equipped with defective, Takata-brand air bag inflators, according to documents submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2006 Mazda B Series pickup trucks. 

The Takata air bag inflators involved in this action are at the center of one of the largest automotive recalls to date. Numerous brands have recalled more than 49 million vehicles worldwide believed to contain the problematic devices, which have claimed the lives of approximately 21 drivers and injured at least 184 others, Car and Driver reported.

Recall summary

Affected models feature Takata front air bag inflators that are prone to rupture upon deployment. This poses a serious safety risk to occupants, as the instantaneous degradation of the device sends shards of metal flying throughout the cabin. In light of this possibility, Mazda has advised owners to discontinue use of their vehicles until repairs can be made.

On May 18, 2015, Takata informed the NHTSA and its production partners that certain air bag inflator models were defective and prone to rupture, according to the NHTSA. Ford Motor Company, which had long partnered with Mazda to create B Series pickup trucks, reviewed the supplier’s submission to the NHTSA and determined that an immediate safety recall was necessary. Mazda engineers agreed with the assessment and initiated a joint recall action with Ford involving nearly 20,000 2004-2006 B Series pickup trucks. Between September 2015 and October 2017, the Japanese automaker replaced the air bag inflators found in recalled vehicles with temporary like-for-like components.

In December 2017, Mazda informed the NHTSA that permanent replacement parts were available and launched two separate follow-up actions.

On Jan. 2, Ford received a report detailing a fatal accident involving a 2006 Ford Ranger pickup truck – the vehicle off of which the B Series model is based – equipped with Takata air bag inflators. The American automotive company reviewed production records with officials from Takata and found that Mazda had installed the same problematic inflators in some of its B Series trucks. Ford gave Mazda a list of the models that were potentially affected Jan. 9. Two days later, the Mazda Quality Audit Committee met and decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall.

The automaker notified dealers Jan. 16.

The repair

Mazda has directed dealers to replace the front air bag inflators in the recalled vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The company intends to notify owners via first-class mail Jan. 19.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 2,000 vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 1,533 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

adminMazda recalls vehicles with defective air bags

Mercedes recalls vehicles with defective seat belts [Video]

January 22, 2018 admin

Hello and welcome to another Recall Masters video blog.

Mercedes-Benz U-S-A has recalled more than one thousand two hundred vehicles possibly equipped with defective seat belt assemblies. The campaign affects 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, GT C, GT R and GT S coupes produced between October 25, 2016 and December 11, 2017. The automaker suspects one hundred percent of the vehicles referenced in the action include the defective components.

The recalled models are likely to contain seat belt assemblies prone to binding within the restraint guidance loop. This creates extra slack, leaving occupants loosely restrained and vulnerable to injury during accidents.

Mercedes-Benz plans to notify dealers this month and owners in February. The car manufacturer plans to replace the defective features free of charge.

Thanks for watching and be sure to stop back by for more recall updates!

adminMercedes recalls vehicles with defective seat belts [Video]
2018 Alfa Romeos Face Recalls over Brake Fluid Contamination

2018 Alfa Romeos Face Recalls over Brake Fluid Contamination

January 18, 2018 admin

Auburn Hills, Michigan – Jan. 16, 2018 – Chrysler Fiat America recently announced a recall of more than 300 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedans, citing concerns over contaminated brake fluid that could degrade over time, according to a filing made with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Specifically, the brake fluid in these vehicles may have come into contact with a type of oil that is not compatible with it, which could cause it to degrade over time and reduce braking performance. That, in turn, could lead to an increased risk of accident or injury.

All 307 of the Giulia sedans in the recall are expected to carry this defect, and were produced from Nov. 14 to Nov. 23, 2017.

The Defect

The brake fluid in affected vehicles were limited to the 10-day period in question, before and after which point the contaminated barrels of oil were not present in the factory where the vehicles were put together.

When the brake system is affected by the contaminated fluid, its components will likely be damaged and lead to a decline in overall performance of the vehicle’s braking capabilities. There would be no way for drivers to determine that this was happening, and could therefore result in a crash before the problem could be addressed, unless there was a brake failure during operation. In that case, a warning light in the dashboard would come on to alert the driver about the issue. However, the recall report called this warning “limited.”

Timeline of Events

Two vehicles being tested as part of a Customer Product Audit failed a routine examination on Nov. 23 when they suffered a loss of clutch pressure. This prompted a small population of vehicles to be put on hold. On Nov. 28, Alfa Romeo officially opened an investigation into the issue, and conducted further lab analysis on the vehicles that failed the audits. This analysis found the contamination of the brake and clutch fluid that led to the recall, and determined through internal records that they had both been manufactured at a time when a pallet of brake and clutch fluid, as well as oil, had been used starting Nov. 13. The next day, all vehicles at the plant were held and tested for oil contamination.

Alfa Romeo was able to create a bypass to only use uncontaminated barrels in further production starting Dec. 5.

Then, on Dec. 13, FCA Italy finally decided to issue the formal safety recall.

The Solution

FCA is encouraging owners to get their vehicles’ brake systems inspected and replaced as necessary, as part of the recall. It will fully reimburse owners who incurred any associated costs with repairing the issues.

Consequently, the automaker asks that owners send original receipts or other proof of payment to confirm the cost of the expense.

Fiat Chrysler will notify owners and dealers about the recall starting on or around Feb. 8, 2018.

admin2018 Alfa Romeos Face Recalls over Brake Fluid Contamination
Toyota Recalling Many Vehicles for Incorrect Load Labeling

Toyota Recalling Many Vehicles for Incorrect Load Labeling

January 18, 2018 admin

 

Plano, Texas – Jan. 18, 2018 – Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing recently issued a recall of nearly 650 vehicles across a number of its most popular models over concerns that a software error led to incorrect information being printed on capacity labels, according to a filing made with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall includes the following types of Toyota vehicles:

  • 4Runner light SUVs produced in the 2017 and 2018 model years, produced from July 11 to Oct. 6, 2017.
  • Highlander SUVs from the 2018 model year produced between Oct. 24 and 26, 2017.
  • RAV4 light SUVs from the 2018 model year produced from Sept. 11 to 25, 2017.
  • Sienna minivans from the 2017 model year, produced on Oct. 12, 2017.
  • Tacoma trucks from the 2017 model year, produced from July 11 to Nov. 2, 2017.
  • Tundra trucks from the 2017 and 2018 model years, produced from July 11 to Nov. 4, 2017.

The recall also includes Lexus GX460 SUVs from the 2018 model year, produced from Aug. 9 to Oct. 20, 2017.

The Defect

Due to the programming error, which led to incorrect accessory weight calculations, labels about the vehicles’ load-carrying capacities were printed with the incorrect information. That issue, in turn, means the vehicles do not meet basic Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements. Moreover, drivers who overload their vehicles based on the inaccurate information could increase their risk of a crash.

All vehicles in the recall are expected to carry this defect, but not all of them were sold in the U.S.

Timeline of Events

In late November, Toyota received information from a vehicle processing center that indicated a number of trucks and SUVs had been given load-carrying capacity labels with inaccurate information, and the issue was quickly tracked back to a software error that was corrected in short order.

The company then determined that the affected period in which the incorrect information was being printed lasted from Sept. 7 to Nov. 17, 2017 and conducted a review of affected vehicles based on their vehicle identification numbers to determine the extent of the issue and find out whether the software error resulted in noncompliance with the FMVSS.

On Dec. 14, 2017, Toyota noted that the incorrect labels did put the vehicles outside FMVSS requirements and initiated the recall.

The Solution

Toyota has already begun mailing replacement labels and instructions to owners of affected vehicles via first-class mail. Because all these vehicles were still under their New Vehicle Limited Warranties, the company would have covered any associated repair costs free of charge.

The automaker notified dealers of the recall on Dec. 20, 2017, and planned to mail the replacement labels and instructions to vehicle owners from Jan. 15, 2018 to Feb. 18, 2018.

adminToyota Recalling Many Vehicles for Incorrect Load Labeling
Mercedes recalls cars with defective brake components

Mercedes recalls cars with defective brake components

January 16, 2018 admin

 

Jacksonville, Fla. – Jan. 16, 2018 – Mercedes-Benz USA has recalled more than 430 vehicles potentially equipped with defective brake components, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects Mercedes-Benz G 550 and G 550 4×4 sport utility vehicles produced between April 3, 2017, and May 31, 2017. The automaker is unsure what percentage of the referenced models actually contain the defective parts.

The Defect

Affected vehicles could contain braking systems with defective brake booster vacuum hoses that were not produced to meet design specifications and are prone to collapse as a result. These fixtures may feature hose layers that suffer delamination over time and are therefore likely to deteriorate entirely, leading to brake booster failure. In such scenarios, drivers must exert considerably more effort when depressing the brake pedal. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of a collision. However, Mercedes-Benz has yet to receive any reports connecting the defective brake booster vacuum hoses to accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

In August 2017, Daimler AG, the international conglomerate that oversees the Mercedes-Benz brand, received a field report detailing an instance of brake booster failure. One month later, the automaker launched an internal investigation in collaboration with multiple suppliers. The parties involved reviewed production records and field reports, and requested parts for examination. Investigators quickly determined that the vacuum hose mentioned in the initial field report came from a particular batch produced by the German supplier ContiTech Schlauch GmbH over the course of a single day.

In October, DAG began working with ContiTech to understand the events that led to the production of the defective hose and its identical cousins. Engineers for the parts supplier eventually discovered that an instance of production line maintenance had resulted in widespread oil contamination and the sullying of existing product. By the end of November, DAG and ContiTech had ascertained the extent of the impact of the defective parts via logistics data.

On Dec. 18, 2017, officials for DAG determined that owner safety was at risk and called for a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

DAG intends to replace the defective vacuum hoses in affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The automaker plans to notify both dealers and owners this month. However, vehicle service requests are not scheduled to begin until February when replacement parts are expected to become available. Owners in need of more immediate assistance can speak with Mercedes customer service representatives by calling (877) 496-3691. They can also connect with the NHTSA via the organization’s toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

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Mercedes recalls vehicles with defective headlamps

Mercedes recalls vehicles with defective headlamps

January 16, 2018 admin

 

Jacksonville, Fla. – Jan. 16, 2018 – Mercedes-Benz U.S.A. has recalled more than 8,100 vehicles believed to be equipped with defective headlamps, according to documentation submitted to the National Highways Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2016-2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300, GLC 300 4Matic and GLC 43 4Matic sport utility vehicles produced between Oct. 9, 2014 and Nov. 19, 2016. The automaker suspects just 1 percent of the models referenced in action actually contain the defective parts.

The Defect

Affected vehicles include skewed LED headlamps with reduced low beam ranges, putting the parts in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, which stipulates that such features “must be aimed vertically so that the cutoff is on the left side, at .4 degrees down from the H-H line, or on the right side, at the H-H line.” according to the Government Publishing Office. In addition to being in violation of FMVSS 108, the defective headlamps pose a serious risk to owners, as they could reduce the drivers’ fields of vision and increase the likelihood of accidents. That said, Mercedes-Benz and its parent company, Daimler AG, have yet to receive reports connecting the problematic features to any collisions or injuries.

Timeline of Events

In November 2016, engineers at an American Mercedes-Benz assembly plant discovered recently constructed vehicles with incorrect illumination distribution readings. DAG quality assurance personnel immediately launched an inquiry, performing additional tests and collecting the resulting data for analysis. The investigation team ultimately reviewed information dating from the beginning of production to November 2016.

DAG ended the inquiry in mid-2017, concluding that headlamp adjustment equipment in the assembly plant had been configured incorrectly and caused the defect. The automotive conglomerate launched two additional investigations to explore the breadth of the problem. Engineers working on the first initiative found that the problem affected only GLC-class vehicles, while the team managing the second inquiry established that the defective lighting features reduced driver field of vision but did not create glare issues when used with oncoming traffic present.

In December 2017, DAG wrapped up these investigations, confirmed that the defective fixtures violated FMVSS 108 and launched a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

Mercedes-Benz will direct dealers to adjust the headlamps on affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The automaker intends to notify both dealers and owners sometime this month. Individuals with vehicles referenced in this recall who need more immediate assistance can contact Mercedes-Benz customer service personnel at (877) 496-3691. They can also connect with the NHTSA directly via its toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

adminMercedes recalls vehicles with defective headlamps

Mazda B-Series Trucks Recalled for Airbag Problem [Video]

January 16, 2018 admin ,

Hello and welcome back to another recall update.

Mazda recently recalled nearly 20,000 of its B-Series trucks from the 2004 to 2006 model years.

All affected vehicles are made with Takata driver side frontal air bags, which could rupture in a crash due to propellant degradation.

Based on the air bag supplier’s investigations, this risk only arises after several years of exposure to extreme conditions.

In affected vehicles, it’s possible that an inflator rupture would launch metal fragments through the air bag at high speeds in the event of a crash, greatly increasing the risk of driver injury.

Owners of the affected B-Series trucks will be informed of the recall in mid-January, and can return the vehicles to a Mazda dealership for free replacement.

Thanks for watching, and be sure to check back again for more recall updates.

adminMazda B-Series Trucks Recalled for Airbag Problem [Video]
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