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March Ford Recalls Tackle Air Bags, Heaters, Brake Connector Clips

April 13, 2016 admin Ford Recalls

Dearborn, MI — April 13, 2016 — A trio of auto recalls signaled the end of March for Ford Motor Company. In a single press release from the manufacturer, Ford described three different recalls that affect various vehicles with the 2015 and 2016 model years.

In total, the new Ford recalls concern approximately 48,205 vehicles across the United States and Canada, and no accidents have been connected to any of these problems. Potentially affected units include vehicles from various company assembly plants, including locations in Chicago, Louisville and Kansas City.

The first recall includes 37,066 Ford Transits in the United States. These low-roof models could have lackluster airbags that threaten occupy safety. In addition, 5,536 Lincoln MKC and Ford Explorers are recalled for block heater updates. Of the three recalls, this one seems to have led to the most notable reports of related incidents, with two underhood fires occurring in Canada.

“The engine block design, coupled with the particular block heater installed in these vehicles, causes the unit to be susceptible to overheating when the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in – increasing the risk of an underhood fire,” the source said. The final recall listed 4,764 F-650 and F-750 models that could feature weak parking brake connector clips.

In all instances, Ford dealers will replace the offending parts or adjust them as necessary. Previously, the manufacturer issued another press release addressing multiple recalls at once on February 26. That statement concerned issues with seat belt buckles and occupant classification systems.

All of the vehicles included in this February release fell under the 2015 or 2016 model years, much like those in the March recall. Both announcements also addressed issues across North America, although the previous one also encompassed some potential defect in Mexico.

Volkswagen Recalls e-Golfs for Battery Issues

April 12, 2016 admin Volkswagen Recalls

Auburn Hills, MI — April 12, 2016 — Some motors in Volkswagen vehicles may accidentally shut down as part of an electrical malfunction. According to a Part 573 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this problem concerns 5,561 e-Golf vehicles, with “stalling events” related to this defect traced back to early last year. The power systems in these vehicles could potentially deactivate the battery.

The report further described this as a case of “oversensitive battery diagnosis,” where the system switches off due to a perceived surge. Normally, this feature is a safety precaution, but when there’s no power surge occurring, the shutdown is a risk for occupants. Though it does occur with a “high voltage system warning,” the deactivation can directly impact the vehicle’s motor.

Stalling events related to this issue only seem to have affected models on the U.S. market. The source said that dealers will address the problem by adjusting the included battery management software, reflecting a February update.

“Battery management software will be updated to contain a less sensitive diagnostic routine, which is robust against minor current peaks/surges and does not lead to inadvertent emergency shutdown of the high voltage battery,” the report added.

A recent Wall Street Journal article put this action in context with Volkswagen’s other recalls. In addition to the ongoing attempts to fix vehicles tainted by the emissions cheat scandal, the manufacturer is also dealing with a brake pedal issue in approximately 800,477 cars. These include Porsche Cayennes and Volkswagen Touaregs.

Because the new action solely concerns electric vehicles, it could undercut the company’s attempt to focus on this sector instead of the diesel-powered autos, the article added. The diesel recall impacts 11 million vehicles and the related corrections have a April 21 deadline.

GM Recalls Malibu Vehicles for Air Bag Stud Concerns

April 11, 2016 admin Chevrolet Recalls

Warren, MI — April 11, 2016 — Approximately 3,137 vehicles are subject to a possible fault that would leave occupants in danger during a collision. According to an official report submitted on March 11, this new recall applies to 2016 Chevrolet Malibu autos, which may feature fracturing on the side air bag weld studs. This could destabilize the airbag and reduce its effectiveness. Though the cause of the defect is currently unknown, the Part 573 report for this issue stated that the weak weld bonding in affected vehicles may be responsible.

The first weld fractures connected to this recall were observed earlier this year, in February. The report clarified that the manufacturer announced the recall after its Safety and Field Action Decision Authority received studies on the studs’ torque and angle. Dealers are expected to fix this issue, when it exists, by replacing all of the affected side airbag modules.

“Vehicles built after March 5, 2016 are manufactured with side airbag modules produced after additional lot acceptance testing and process check criteria were implemented at the supplier,” the source stated. Without these repairs, the offending models could violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 214.

A Stop Delivery Notice, also distributed on March 11, warned dealers that the Global Warranty Management system won’t display the correct status or release date until the repair is ready. Dealers were also instructed to keep all potentially affected vehicles out of circulation, which included “new or used vehicle inventory, GM Certified Used, courtesy transportation vehicles, dealer shuttle vehicles” and others.

None of these vehicles were asked to be used for any purpose, which not only means sale to customers, but other purposes, such as demonstration and auction. The side airbags in need of replacement could be located in the rear, left, right and front.

Power-steering in Police Vehicles Leads to GM Recalls

April 4, 2016 admin Chevrolet Recalls, GMC Recalls

Warren, MI — April 04, 2016 — Though no accidents have yet been detected, General Motors will recall 6,280 Chevrolet Caprice Police Pursuit vehicles, with production dates ranging between 2013 and 2014. The official Part 573 Safety Recall Report, submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on March 16, noted that these vehicles could be subject to a power steering assist failure that could leave drivers struggling to properly steer.

This source stated that the components associated with this recall come from the Mando corporation, based in the Republic of Korea. This specific hazard comes as the result of normal police work, as systems within these vehicles are affected during use.

“Subject to the extended idling times and elevated temperatures experienced in typical police applications, these vehicles may experience loss of electric power steering (EPS) assistance while driving or idling as a result of fretting corrosion on the connector between the EPS module and the torque sensor,” the report asserted.

The repair instructions address both those vehicles already in the field and those en route: the latter will get epoxy to support the connector, while dealers replace the steering gear assemblies in the former. The newer gears will better resist corrosion.

The Associated Press mentioned the 20 hour periods that police cars often run in its coverage of this recall. Drivers in affected cars won’t lose control of steering completely, and the NHTSA Report noted that drivers will see a malfunction indicator light and hear a warning chime if the issue is present.

General Motors first detected this issue through complaints submitted as part of the Speak Up for Safety program in 2015. The vehicles were assembled in Holden, Australia, and impacted cars with model years between 2014 and 2016.

New VW Recall Concerns Brake Pedals

April 1, 2016 admin Volkswagen Recalls

Herndon, VA — April 01, 2016 — Currently, the most well-known Volkswagen recalls concern the many vehicles affected by the diesel emissions scandal. However, the manufacturer has another issue on its hands involving non-secured brake pedal pivot pins.

According to a statement from Volkswagen, included in a post on Autoblog, 46,700 Volkswagen Touaregs are included in this action. A similar issue also affected 409,477 North American Porsche Cayenne vehicles, with the majority (88,300) in the United States.

With both manufacturers, the suspect vehicles could be missing a vital securing clip that will affect braking performance. No accidents in North America have yet been connected to this issue, but eventually the brake pedal itself could be displaced if users and car dealers don’t take further action.

“If the clip is missing, the pedal pivot pin could start to move and the pedal could lose guidance,” the statement read. “If this remains undiscovered, the pedal hinge could fracture after continued operation, allowing the pedal to dislodge. A customer may not be able to properly actuate the brakes with a dislodged brake pedal.” Dealers can replace the clip to fix the problem.

Last year, 91,800 Volkswagen vehicles were involved in a different recall concerning braking issues, as a Part 573 Report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. These vehicles, which included Passat Golf and Beetle models, among others, were potentially subject to “unexpected, reduced engine power.”

This was because of the way camshafts could deteriorate, leading to a greater difficulty in braking. The first reports of camshaft failures related to this recall were detected in February 2015, the report said, and the decision to recall came after several months of analysis, with October 16, 2015 the official “date of determination.”Drivers may have noticed an increased effort in braking with this issue.

Nissan Recalls Vehicles for Fuel Pump Plating [Video]

March 31, 2016 admin Nissan Recalls, Video

Franklin, TN — March 31, 2016 — Last December, Nissan recalled more than 30,000 Nissan Rogues for transmission issues that could see the vehicle shift gears unexpectedly. A new recall for the same model concerns a totally different issue involving faulty fuel pump materials.

A safety recall report notes that some of the cars included in this recall may lose nickel fuel pump plating, putting engine functionality at risk. The vehicles involved were produced between February and June of 2014, and could suffer serious fuel pump problems if plating particles get into the wrong area.

The company decided a recall would be necessary on March 3, after processing warranty data. To fix this problem, the manufacturer will include a new component that uses a different kind of coating for the pump.

Check out our blog for more information on Nissan recalls.

New Recall Looming for Ford F-150

March 30, 2016 admin Ford Recalls

Dearborn, MI — March 30, 2016 — On March 8, Equipment World reported on a government investigation that could lead to a new series of Ford recalls in the future. According to the source, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 420,000 Ford F-150s.

A document from this agency denoted four collisions traced back to a brake failure issue, with 33 complaints registered in total, 20 of which occurred within seven months. The main issue concerns brake fluid leaks within the master cylinders of these vehicles.

As of February 29, the Office of Defects Investigation had opened a preliminary evaluation. The loss of brake fluid means the drivers could find it more difficult to stop successfully during an emergency. According to this report, the complaints included a “complete loss of brake effectiveness” as well as low levels of brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir. The vehicles included in this investigation make up 36 percent of the 2013 and 2014 model year F-150s sold, all of which may possibly signal the brake issue with a warning light indicator.

The Kansas City Business Journal received an email from Safety and Sustainability Communications Manager John Cangany. He affirmed the manufacturer’s commitment to working with the government as the matter develops.

“We take the safety of our customers very seriously, and we will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do,” he said.

The source also stated that Ford has until April 20 to respond to the Administration’s requests for vehicle and warranty information, or risk a multimillion dollar fine. Furthermore, the NHTSA is interested in mechanical design data that could inform their investigation, since this might give them greater insight into the way the brake systems in these vehicles worked.

No Seat Belt Warning for Some Hyundai Santa Fe Vehicles [Video]

March 29, 2016 admin Hyundai Recalls, Video

Fountain Valley, CA — March 29, 2016 — In most Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles, passengers get a warning chime when their seat belts aren’t buckled. However, the manufacturer has issued a new recall for models in which a faulty alarm could leave passengers at risk. This action affects approximately 34,200 vehicles produced this year.

According to an official report, vehicles with damaged wiring could fail to alert occupants to undone seat belt buckles. On the other hand, the same defect could leave the alarm on after a seat belt is buckled. Each of these could represent a serious safety violation.

The defect was first discovered through an audit this February. Dealers will replace seat belt buckle harnesses if they detect damage.

Learn more about the latest Hyundai recalls by visiting our blog. Be sure to check out our March 8 story about another recent Hyundai action involving windshield wipers.

Some Buick Regals Subject to Power Steering Recall

March 23, 2016 MotorSafety.org Buick Recalls, Uncategorized

Warren, MI — March 23, 2016 — One of the most recent GM recalls in February concerns steering assembly faults in the 2016 Buick Regal.

Although the first signs of this failure were discovered in another car during vehicle tests last November, the recall only began on February 12, with dealers notified a week later.

According to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the affected vehicles may have been manufactured as recently as the date the recall started.

The defect

This report noted that bad circuit boards in these vehicles could lead to power steering failure, which could put additional steering pressure on the driver.

The defect was only thought to be in 74 units, signaled by a noticeable malfunction alert when present. The replacement circuit boards include stronger circuit boards.

Timeline of events

The NHTSA also featured a recall bulletin released this month, which explained that the recall parts needed would start shipping on the week of March 14. The bulletin lists 12 parts, including steering knuckle nuts, knuckle bolts and gear nuts.

“Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the power-steering assist system can fail while driving,” the bulletin stated. “If this occurs, the vehicle will lose power-steering assist.”

It also added that “Steering control can still be maintained, but will require increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash.”

Automotive News grouped this recall in with several other GM recalls issued around the same time. These include actions for other vehicles with the 2016 model year, including Chevrolet Malibu, Colorado and Camaro autos.

The source said that these recalls included nearly 2,000 vehicles total, with the highest coming from a 1,750 unit group of Colorado, Malibu and GMC Canyon vehicles in Canada and the United States.

Check your car’s recall status using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Some Nissan Vehicle Brakes Could be Harder to Use in cold Weather [Video]

March 15, 2016 admin Nissan Recalls, Video

Franklin, TN — March 15, 2016 — Though spring is approaching, cold weather-sensitive vehicle issues may still affect Nissan owners and dealers alike.

A Safety Recall Report noted that the manufacturer recalled 47,000 Nissan LEAF hybrid cars last month in the United States. If the brake relays freeze, these vehicles could be more difficult to stop in cold temperatures, even if the braking system itself stays functional.

In a special bulletin, Nissan stated that affected owners have already been notified, and that dealers can fix this issue by updating vehicle software.

Last October, the same company recalled thousands of Sentras for a door latch issue. Learn more about this and other Nissan recalls by visiting our blog.