Aston Martin recalls sports cars with faulty software

Aston Martin recalls sports cars with faulty software

June 21, 2017 admin

Warwick, U.K. – June 21, 2017 – Aston Martin Lagonda of North America has recalled more than 300 sports cars with faulty software, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The campaign affects 2011-2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage sports cars manufactured between Nov. 25, 2010 and Aug. 16, 2012. The car maker estimates that approximately 2 percent of the vehicles mentioned in the recall contain the defective software.

The defect

Vehicles named in the campaign could be equipped with engine control and transmission software that is incompatible automatic clutch settings. This can cause the transmission to miss gearchanges in some throttle positions.

The clutch can also slip and overheat, prompting the vehicle to switch to clutch protection mode. In this instance, the Malfunction Indicator Light will illuminate and gearchanges will become abrupt.

The defect is detrimental to overall driveability, putting drivers and passengers at risk. However, Aston Martin has not received reports of any collisions or injuries connected to software issue.

Timeline of events

In 2012, Aston Martin released an update for engine control and transmission software in the V8 Vantage.

After installing the updated software, technicians were supposed to delete existing automatic clutch settings and input new configurations to comport with the update. However, this did not happen.

More than five years later, in April 2017, the car manufacturer received multiple reports from V8 Vantage owners who were experiencing driveability issues.

Aston Martin immediately launched an investigation to determine the root cause. Engineering teams were able to replicate the issues in internal tests and quickly discovered the existing automatic clutch settings were incompatible with the updated software.

Aston Martin’s Critical Concerns Review Group recommended the Recall Committee take up the matter June 15, 2017. The group met that same day and decided to conduct a voluntary recall campaign.

Dealers received notification of the action June 23, according to the NHTSA.

The solution

Aston Martin has ordered dealers to reinstall the engine control and transmission software on vehicles named in the recall and configure automatic clutch settings to match the updated systems.

Dealers are also required to replace clutch systems in V8 Vantage models with transmission damage stemming from the incompatibility issue. Technicians are to perform these repairs free of charge. Aston Martin is expected to notify owners between July 7 and Aug. 7.

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

adminAston Martin recalls sports cars with faulty software
GM Recalls Buick Sedan Due to Power Steering Defect

GM Recalls Buick Sedan Due to Power Steering Defect

March 24, 2017 Sean Reyes ,

March 24, 2017… General Motors Co. has recalled more than 2,000 Buick sedans due to a serious power steering defect.

The recall impacts LaCrosse models produced between August and November 2016, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The defect

Affected vehicles include electric power steering connector cables that may not be properly sealed. These unprotected features are vulnerable to corrosion and could fail due to extreme oxidization or the development of high resistance, which can cause melting.

This poses a serious risk to drivers, as the sudden loss of power steering can hinder vehicle operation and lead to crashes. No accidents or injuries have been attributed to the defect…

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

Sean ReyesGM Recalls Buick Sedan Due to Power Steering Defect

More than 4,900 Cadillacs Recalled for Brake Hose Corrosion Risk

April 30, 2015 Recall Masters

Detroit, MI — April 30, 2015 — A recall notice from General Motors posted on GM Authority announced an action that will affect 4,907 Cadillac CTS-V vehicles.

The defect

According to this statement, models produced between September 2003 and June 2007 may have a defect that could hurt the brake system. The recall notes that only cars registered or originally sold in a selection of 21 states across New England and the Midwest are subject to this action.

Timeline of events

Although there is currently no recall notification schedule in place, the statement encourages owners to contact GM, Cadillac customer service and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for more information, as well as the dealer to have the fault fixed.

As it elaborates, the problem is exacerbated by the presence of road salt, still a possible concern as snow melts.

“In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the front brake hose fitting at the caliper,” the statement reads.

“Corrosion may cause the brake system to leak, which could lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.” Both brake hose assemblies will be replaced by dealers to prevent leakage.

According to the latest information, this recall is an expansion of a similar recall originally announced in 2010. In that case, the NHTSA identified more than 139,000 “potential units affected” on its website and addressed the same 21 states as possible sources of affected vehicles.

When recalls are issued, the amount of information they contain should be easy to read through, even when a long list of states are involved. Arranging the data in a readable way will give owners a greater chance of identifying whether or not they should be concerned.

The solution

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

Recall MastersMore than 4,900 Cadillacs Recalled for Brake Hose Corrosion Risk

Recent Posts