Pirelli Recalls Maserati Tires

Pirelli Recalls Maserati Tires

December 7, 2016 MotorSafety.org

Rome, GA – Dec. 7, 2016 – Pirelli Tire LLC has announced a recall of tires that were outfitted on certain Maserati cars. A defect in them increased the risk of cracking and air loss over time.

The Defect

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Pirelli will be recalling the P Zero All Season tire, which is used exclusively on certain Maserati cars. Tires of size 275/40R19 101W that were manufactured between Feb. 29, 2016 and Oct. 29, 2016 have faulty carcass components, which may cause cracks to develop in the lower sidewalls as the tires reach the end of their tread lives. This leads to air loss, which could then make the affected vehicles harder to control. Pirelli believes that nearly 3,400 tires suffer from this defect.

Timeline of Events

Oct. 27, 2016 – During a routine test, one Pirelli tire did not meet internal specifications. Additional examination found that it contained incorrectly sized components, which led the manufacturer to conduct a check of all the others being produced that week. Inspectors were then able to determine the production range that had been affected by the defect.

Nov. 8, 2016 – All tires were subjected to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and passed. However, Pirelli decided to conduct a recall anyway, due to the possibility that tires in the field could have more significant problems.

Resolution

Pirelli will work with Maserati to have new tires installed on all vehicles currently being held in dealer inventory. In addition, the manufacturer and the dealer will identify all owners and send notifications to them so they can determine if they were affected. Customers may visit a Pirelli dealer to have their tires checked and obtain replacements free of charge if theirs are defective.

MotorSafety.orgPirelli Recalls Maserati Tires

Chevy police cars recalled [Video]

December 6, 2016 admin

Chevrolet is in the process of recalling more than 6,000 Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicles that were manufactured between May 15, 2013, and March 3, 2016, according to Auto Blog. The police department in La Grange, Illinois, first reported the problem in September of 2015.

An investigation into the matter revealed that corrosion in the power steering and torque sensor can lead to a loss of electric power steering. To fix the issue, dealerships are replacing the steering gear assembly.

The new parts have gold-plated terminals to prevent future corrosion. Fortunately, there have been no reported deaths or injuries from the defect.

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Toyota Recalls Minivans For Sliding Door Malfunction

Toyota Recalls Minivans For Sliding Door Malfunction

December 5, 2016 admin

Nov. 22 – Torrance, California – Toyota recently announced a recall of Sienna minivans in response to electrical problems that may affect the operation of power sliding doors.

The Defect

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem appears to have affected Sienna vehicles from the 2011-2016 model years – specifically, those manufactured between Jan. 4, 2010 and Aug. 12, 2016. The issue can arise when something impedes the normal operation of the power sliding doors, such as ice in the winter. When this happens, the motor stalls, generating current and operating the fuse for the door motor. There is a chance that this can cause the door to open unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving.

Timeline

January 2014  – April 2015 – Toyota first received reports of a malfunctioning door from a dealer. While an initial inspection found that the door cable was not attached to the latch mechanism, the parts still functioned normally when reattached and no abnormalities in the cable installment process were found. At the time, Toyota concluded that this was an isolated incident.

November 2015 – April 2016 – Toyota received more reports of similar issues. In some vehicles, the sliding doors refused to latch. Two reports indicated that doors opened while the vehicles were moving. Further investigation determined that these problems tended to emanate from cold climates.

May 2016 – November 2016 – Toyota determined that freezing could cause the sliding door motor to stall, leading to further malfunctions down the road. The company then announced its voluntary safety recall campaign.

Solution

Toyota will mail notices to affected vehicle owners by Jan. 21, 2017. This letter will include instructions for those owners who have already paid for repairs and wish to apply for reimbursement from the automaker.

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Daimler Vans Recalls Vehicles For Faulty Brake Lights

Daimler Vans Recalls Vehicles For Faulty Brake Lights

December 1, 2016 admin ,

Atlanta – Nov. 11, 2016 – Daimler Vans USA has announced a recall of Dodge and Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vans due to problems with brake warning light illumination.

The Defect

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Daimler will recall vans from the 2003-2006 model years – specifically, those manufactured between June 30, 2003 and Aug. 31, 2006. The problem is that the brake warning lamps located on the vehicles’ instrument clusters are failing to illuminate during startup.

This initial illumination is a good way to let the driver know that the light is functioning as intended. After that point, as long as the light remains off, drivers can be reasonably confident that they do not have any serious brake issues to address. The purpose of the lamp is to warn occupants of low brake fluid, which could severely impact their ability to stop on command.

Timeline of Events

April 2015 – Fiat Chrysler reportedly asked Daimler Vans for support with Dodge vehicles that failed the bulb check during New York State inspections. Daimler Vans examined numerous vehicle models from different years, as well as different instrument clusters, to locate the problems. This was a challenging process that required the manufacturer to study instrument cluster coding and analyze each system to determine the underlying cause. At first, Daimler Vans did not have access to all of the information necessary, forcing it to use other methods to replicate the problem.

October 2016 – Daimler Vans received more information about the faulty bulb, including the proper instrument coding. This allowed the manufacturers to determine exactly which vehicles were being affected.

The Solution

Daimler Vans will conduct a voluntary recall to examine each vehicle’s instrument cluster coding and fix any problems that can be found. This will be done free of charge. A schedule has not yet been announced.

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Takata Airbags A Problem For Chevrolet

Takata Airbags A Problem For Chevrolet

November 14, 2016 admin

General Motors has announced a recall of Chevrolet Malibu vehicles from the 2016 model year. These cars are suffering a defect in their Takata-manufactured airbags – marking yet another problem for the embattled company.

The Defect

General Motors will recall 2016 Chevrolet Malibu models manufactured between Nov. 18, 2015 and June 7, 2016, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. The cars have defective modules in their seat-mounted side-impact airbags that may cause the fabric of the airbag cushions to tear during deployment. This increases the risk that the airbags will not perform as designed, threatening the safety of the vehicles’ occupants.

Timeline

  • June 13, 2016 – Airbag supplier Takata discovered the fabric tear during a routine Lot Acceptance Test. Takata informed General Motors and then quarantined the entire shipment of supplies to confirm that the module was the cause of the problem. Specifically, the inflator may have been loaded with more propellant than necessary.
  • June 24, 2016 – General Motors opened an investigation into the issue after a report was filed on its Speak Up for Safety System.
  • July 13, 2016 – General Motors assigned a product investigator to look closely into the module issue.
  • Aug. 11, 2016 – General Motors learned that other inflators not included in the original quarantine may have similar problems, requiring further testing. The company’s Open Investigation Review then sought more data regarding the inflators.
  • Aug. 26, 2016 – Takata told General Motors that it found 18 modules with inflators that were heavier than they were supposed to be – meaning they could contain too much propellant.
  • Oct. 19, 2016 – General Motors decided to conduct the safety recall.

Resolution

Chevrolet dealers will inspect side airbags and replace them at no charge if faulty inflators are detected. Buyers are encouraged to contact their dealer as soon as possible.

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Isuzu Faces Accelerator Problems

Isuzu Faces Accelerator Problems

November 10, 2016 admin

Isuzu Technical Center has recently announced the recall of NPR and NPR HD vehicles, as well as the Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 3500 and 4500, due to faulty throttle pedals. These components have flaws that could prevent vehicles from decelerating as expected.

The Defect

Isuzu will recall vehicles from the 2014-2016 model years. The throttle pedals on these cars may get stuck under steel stopper bolts, causing the pedal to remain in the full-throttle position, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This makes it difficult for drivers to safely stop their vehicles and maintain control while on the road.

Timeline

  • July 2016 – Isuzu learned about a driver of a Model Year 2015 N-Series Gas vehicle who struggled to slow down when letting off the gas. The driver had to hit the brake in order to lose speed.
  • August 2016 – Isuzu received a warranty claim for another vehicle of the same model. Further investigation uncovered that some accelerator pedals may be susceptible to additional lateral force. In addition, the company reopened several prior investigations to see if there was a larger trend that had been missed. One pedal assembly was missing a fastener, while another had an excessively deformed bracket.
  • October 2016 – Isuzu issued the recall for all model years where similar issues have been reported.

Resolution

Isuzu will remove stopper bolts and replace them with flanged plates that will be bolted to the floor. This will prevent lateral movement and lessen straining on the components. This will be done free of charge, and any customer who has already paid for a replacement will be reimbursed.

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