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Ford recalls trucks over seatbelt issue

August 19, 2015 admin Ford Recalls

Dearborn, MI — August 19, 2015 — In a new press release, Ford Motor Company recently announced a safety compliance recall that will encompass several thousand vehicles in the United States and Canada. According to this source, the seat belt anchorage defects in certain F-650 and F-750 stem from the Escobedo Assembly Plant where they were put together.

Only 417 of the recalled autos are in Canada: more than 25,940 of them are in the United States, and the model years include 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. The affected vehicles were produced between 2011 and 2015, and a proper remedy procedure is reportedly “still being developed” in the wake of the large volume of recalled vehicles.

Though the improper alignment of seat belt systems that prompted this recall has not led to any known incidents yet, the manufacturer stated that the current position in these vehicles does leave them liable for possible injury in certain situations.

“In these vehicles, the front passenger and center seat belts might not be anchored in the correct position relative to the seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash,” the statement reads. The Detroit News put this action into a greater context by noting that Ford has recalled nearly 4 million total vehicles in more than 20 different recalls. Ford is said to be shifting its production away from this plant.

This compares to the national statistics, which have encompassed 32.4 million vehicles within a series of “nearly 500 campaigns” this year so far. Last year, more than 800 campaigns were issued for a total of nearly 64 million.

Nissan recalls vehicles for door latch issues [Video]

August 13, 2015 admin Nissan Recalls, Video

A new safety recall from Nissan targets multiple models that might have door latch problems.

According to the recall report, nearly 7,000 vehicles with the model year 2015 are potentially subject to this action. Of these, the majority are Nissan Sentras, which make up over 5,000 of the total. Also included are 1,200 Versa Notes and 41 Rogues.

In these autos, the door locks on the driver and rear left side doors may not latch properly. This is because of an error from the supplier, Magna Closures, and leaves passengers at risk if the doors open while the car is in motion. Nissan dealers will solve the problem by inspecting recalled vehicles and replacing affected door locks, a process that is both free and can take as little as one hour to complete.

Thank you for watching, and please check back for the latest major recall news.

Thousands of Cadillacs Added to Sunroof Related Recall

August 4, 2015 Recall Masters Cadillac Recalls

Detroit, MI — August 4, 2015 — General Motors is adding to a recall for thousands of Cadillacs around the world as it addresses a possible sunroof switch issue.

The defect

We’ve covered similar types of defect before, and in this case the affected vehicles feature overly sensitive switches that close the sunroof too quickly.

This is an extension of an already existing recall launched earlier this year that now totals more than 82,600 Cadillac ATS sedans around the world: of these, 63,665 are in the Unites States.

Even though the recall now includes added numbers, the company has yet to identify any injuries related to this problem.

It might seem like a less severe threat than a problem affecting the engine or steering systems, but the sunroofs in these Cadillacs could close faster than expected and catch fingers in the cracks, as General Motors noted in a statement quoted by Edmunds.com.

The solution

To fix the problem, dealers will have to simply replace the switch trim plate.

According to this source, the switch problem also violates standards, putting the owners in possible danger. “The power-operated roof panel systems on these vehicles will auto-close when the non-recessed portion of the ‘slide’ or ’tilt’ switches are pressed and the roof panel is open,” the company said.

“Because these switches are not fully recessed, they can be actuated with less force than required to comply with applicable federal standards,” the company added.

Verifying what difficulties in vehicles constitute violations is part of the process of promoting better car care and awareness. Only when recall statements are released to the widest possible owner audience can dealers be sure that the right message is getting out.

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

Volkswagen recalls thousands of SQ5 vehicles

July 30, 2015 Recall Masters Volkswagen Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 30, 2015 — According to documents published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, Volkswagen Group of America has recalled thousands of Audi SQ5 vehicles that may suffer an defect that shuts down electric power steering for the driver during inopportune times. Although the source describes the 5,625 vehicles as having been “potentially affected,” it also states that 100 percent are estimated to have defect.

The recall action dates back to this February, when power steering warranty complaints were issued in regards to the cold weather, and concerns SQ5’s produced in two separate timeframes: between May 22 2013 to May 28 2014, and between May 20 2014 and April 14 2015. The recall was also spurred on after a vehicle inquiry issued from Transport Canada in March.

As the safety recall report describes, the steering failure poses a special threat in low speeds, in which it will be harder to control the vehicles. Fortunately, owners can count on some warning signs to preemptively take action.

“If a customer sees a power steering indicator light come on in the instrument panel and the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, they should immediately contact the nearest authorized dealer or qualified workshop in order to have the vehicle inspected,” the source states. The remedy will include an update to the power steering software in these vehicles.

When defects in vehicles only show themselves in certain circumstance, an owner can accidentally put themselves in danger without realizing it. Auto recall statements need to reach everyone at possible risk, and entrusting this task to professionals is one way to ensure it gets done correctly.

Subaru recalls thousands of vehicles for airbag sensor issue

July 27, 2015 Recall Masters Subaru Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 27, 2015 — Although there have been many reports of issues with airbag deployment systems themselves, several thousand Subaru Imprezas have suffered from a defect outside the airbag itself that makes it difficult to activate the airbags when they are needed. Sensors in these vehicles are overly sensitive and liable to be shut off during unexpected and seemingly benign situations.

Fortunately, the defect doesn’t come completely without warning signs. Top Speed’s Jonathan Lopez reports that an airbag warning light will appear on the dashboard if the sensor has been compromised. Affected Imprezas were built between 2011 and 2012, and featured poor calibration, making the vehicle sensors unable to respond in different conditions.

The manufacturer has, at the urging of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) begun contacting owners. While no injuries have been connected to this issue, the company has received 26 different complaints related to it.

Lopez describes some of the ways that the sensor might be accidentally deactivated during the drive.

“These conditions include a passenger touching an electrically grounded part of the car (like the metal seat adjuster), using an electronic device (like a phone) plugged into the accessory power outlet, or sitting with damp clothes,” he said. “It’s also reported that a cell phone left on the seat or a splash of water on the seat could trigger the failure.” He notes that this is a comparatively minor recall, especially considering the much-publicized Takata efforts.

Coupled with other measures for addressing recalls, the right marketing systems will generate a high level of engagement through accurate and comprehensive statements.

More than 1 million Chrysler vehicles recalled for hacking concern

July 26, 2015 Recall Masters Chrysler Recalls, Dodge Recalls, Jeep Recalls, RAM Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 26, 2015 — Vehicle recalls can occur not just because of faulty components, but out of fears for outside attacks on vulnerable systems. According to the Detroit Free Press, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) latest recall addresses cybersecurity issues within affected vehicles that could have massively damaging consequences for owners. Dodge Ram, Jeep Grand Cherokee and other vehicles from model years 2013 to 2015 reportedly have potentially dangerous software flaws in their “radios.”

While most of the recalls this blog has covered concern internal problems with defective autos, this issue is a concern because of the way it could potentially be exploited by hackers. The official recall acknowledgement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that outsiders could gain “unauthorized remote modification” of vehicle systems through these vulnerabilities.

As alarming as that may sound, there are some factors that mitigate the potential danger somewhat. For one, the manufacturer has already taken steps to prevent outsiders from accessing the vehicle, leading to real risk for only 3 percent of mobile hot spot subscribers.

The recall safety report issued for this action also emphasizes the unlikelihood that an exploit might take place, given how much knowledge is needed to put one into action. The remedy for this problem is a software update that can be downloaded to a USB drive.

“Some 2013-2015 MY vehicles equipped with RA3 or RA4 model radios have certain software security vulnerabilities which could allow unauthorized third-party access to some networked vehicle control systems,” the source says. “Exploitation of the software security vulnerabilities required extensive technical knowledge, physical access to a subject vehicle and a long period of time to write applicable code.”

Along with acknowledgment and government action, recalls should be supported through education and informative services that encourage drivers and owners to respond correctly.

Parking brake worries lead to new Ford recall

July 24, 2015 Recall Masters Ford Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 24, 2015 — Nearly 8,000 vehicles in North America are affected by a new Ford recall that looks to address parking brake concerns. The manufacturer is addressing a series of autos, including Explorers, Tauruses and Lincoln sedans. Carscoops reported on the action, which hopes to remedy a failure that would keep the parking brake from fully engaging.

Most of the vehicles included in this recall are in the United States, while around 800 are in Canada and one solitary vehicle is in Mexico. All of the defects originate from the same Chicago Assembly Plant where these models were first constructed earlier this year.

Though the company has said that no injuries have been reported from this fault yet, the affected vehicles will have their parking brake controls replaced for free after an inspection. In the official press release on the action, Ford provided the details on the individual vehicles being recalled. These include “certain 2015-2016 Ford Explorer, and certain 2015 Taurus and Flex, as well as Lincoln MKS and MKT vehicles.”

“In these vehicles, the parking brake might not engage fully, which is a compliance issue with FMVSS 135 regarding brake systems,” the statement continues. Earlier this month, Ford also issued a recall for hundreds of thousands of different vehicles, also with for the 2015 model year, due to an issue that prevents the engine from turning off, even after the owner has pressed the “stop” button.

All recalls are only as effective as the means of alerting customers and dealers to problems they need to address and the ways to do it. Proper systems for proliferating statements are a crucial first step to compliance and safety.

General Motors recalls small number of cars for inner tie rod problem

July 22, 2015 Recall Masters GMC Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 22, 2015 — While this blog has noted before that auto recall success is vital no matter large or small a recall is, General Motors has launched a recall that is relatively small by most recall standards. According to Transport Evolved, the manufacturer actually recalled eleven cars for a steering issue related to possible loose tie rods, but among these is what the source described as a “single solitary 2014 Chevrolet Volt electric car.” The recall also includes a lone Canadian-Market 2014 Chevrolet Cruze.

It isn’t just the small number of vehicles involved that makes this recall notable. Model years range between 2014 and 2015, with the Volt belonging to the former. The unsecured rod could detach from the steering gear entirely, due to a bolt that wasn’t fastened properly during assembly. Sometime this month, the company will notify owners as dealers replace the affected steering systems.

Writing for the source, Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield calls this action “a particularly good illustration of how automakers must notify the correct authorities of a manufacturing defect — no matter how small.” She also compares it to a similarly limited recall Nissan issued last year that only applied to hundreds of vehicles, as opposed to the sometimes millions included in major efforts.

“Both cases highlight how hard automakers and government agencies work to ensure that the car you drive is as safe as possible,” she says.”
In the same vein, dealers and owners need to trust the recall information they receive and also receive it in a timely manner. With accurate data and free related services, Recall Masters is an ideal assistant to any recall effort, major or minor.

Ferrari issues airbag recall

July 20, 2015 Recall Masters Takata Airbag Recalls

Maranello, Italy — July 20, 2015 — With so much being publicized about the Takata airbag inflator recall efforts, it’s become worth noting when a new manufacturer or model is added to the growing list of affected suppliers. Yet another major vehicle name involved with Takata-related airbag issues is Ferrari North America.

Although it’s only recalling a fraction of the number of autos recalled internationally, Ferrari has acknowledged a faulty issue, which may deploy the airbag incorrectly during impact.
While the affected airbags were supplied by Takata, this particular recall is different from the burn hazard associated with the faulty deflators in other models, and the manufacturer is insisting that this risk is due to improper assembly. To fix this, dealers are going to replace the Driver’s Side Air Bag Module starting at the end of this month.

A spokesperson for Ferrari told Agence France-Presse that the faulty airbags are limited to this recall action, to avoid confusion.

“The issue is a possible production defect in a component inside the airbags, which were fitted to around 2,600 cars,” this person said. “This issue is not related to the other recall made by other manufactures for Takata airbags,” they added. According to official documents submitted through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recalled encompasses “Ferrari 458 Italia, 458 Spider, 458 Speciale, 458 Speciale A, California T, FF, F12 Berlinetta, and LaFerrari” vehicles made for model year 2015.

By employing effective recall statement measures, auto companies have greater assurance that each action will be taken seriously and be distinguished when there are several other competing recalls for similar defects, especially those related to the same companies and manufacturers.

More recalls come from General Motors

July 17, 2015 Recall Masters GM Recalls

Detroit, MI — July 17, 2015 — Although this blog recently commented on a series of recalls from General Motors, more vehicles have been addressed in a new action from the same manufacturer. GM Authority reported on the issue which has spurred on this recall, which concerns the cables connecting the seatbelts inside them. Passengers and drivers alike may find themselves in danger due to wear and tear.

More than 47,000 vehicles may potentially be affected, and includes two different groups of make and models: Chevrolet Caprices from between 2011 and 2013 and Pontiac G8’s from between 2008 and 2009.

GM Authority notes that both of these models are based on the Zeta vehicle architecture. The seatbelt concern is especially important for police to observe, because Caprices are marketed largely to police departments.

The Authority piece details the fix that the company recommends for taking care of the cables, which could lead to injury for vehicle occupants if not addressed.

“GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt tensioner assembly which includes the steel cable, free of charge,” the company said. “These replacement parts reposition the tensioner cable out of the path of entry into the vehicle and uses a more flexible cable, set at a more upright angle.”

This problem may not be immediately apparent, which makes it all the more important that recall statements are processed correctly and issued in a way that successfully promotes the proper actions. Dealers need to have the resources ready to apply fixes and tend to the vehicles that pose any kind of danger, regardless of how visible or obvious it is to the user.