Section: Recalls/TSBs
Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 10th, 2008 11:00 AM
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Toyota and General Motors are issuing a joint recall for more than 660,000 vehicles built for the 2003-04 model years. The recall is due to defective side window hardware on roughly 540,000 Toyota Matrixes and Corollas, and some 123,000 Pontiac Vibes.
Dealers will be asked to replace bolts that hold door glass in place for models featuring power windows. Federal officials have been investigating complaints about the windows, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that some became inoperable, made popping noises, and occasionally shattered.
The NHTSA and the automakers together collected over 500 complaints from owners, including 36 who had reportedly been injured, and one who had reported a crash.
+ Automotive News: Toyota and GM recall 660,000 cars for window defect (subscription required)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
March 1st, 2008 3:00 PM
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Honda Motor Co. has issued two separate recalls for its Acura TL sedan. The recalls stem from a problem with the windshield wiper motor and a faulty power steering hose – which due to high temps can melt and leak power steering fluid, which can leak onto the catalytic converter and cause a fire.
The power steering hose recall encompasses 273,000 2004-2008 Acura TLs. The recall involving a circuit breaker failure in the wiper motor involves 129,600 2004-2005 TLs.
No accidents have been reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
+ Detroit News: Acura TL recall addresses fire, wiper problems
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 27th, 2008 5:30 PM
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Ford’s recalling, again. This time it’s recalling 470,000 Mustangs from 2005-2008 model years due to the passenger-side air bag deploying.
Ford spokesman Wesley Sherwood said that internal testing showed that the air bag deployed with too much force and could injure a small, unbelted passenger. He said there have been no injuries reported in relation to the problem.
Owners can expect a recall notice in the mail by early March.
+ Forbes: Ford recalls 470,000 Mustangs
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 24th, 2008 1:00 PM
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation to determine whether the front side windows of the Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Matrix and Corolla are prone to shattering, a defect during normal use.
The vehicles being investigated were, mostly, the 2003 and 2004 models. Over 900,000 vehicles were built those years, although most were Corollas, according to Automotive News. The NHTSA has received 503 consumer complaints about the windows – including 36 injury reports.
Toyota said the problem may stem from loose window regulator bolt or interference of the side window glass with a part of the door hinge. The Matrix, Corolla, and Vibe are all built, on the same platform, at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. in Fremont, Calif. in a joint venture between GM and Toyota.
+ Automotive News: NHTSA investigates Pontiac, Toyota cars for shattered glass
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 9th, 2008 1:00 PM
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You can never be too safe. Evenflo has announced a recall on 1 million of its Discovery infant car seats.
Seats with the model number 390, 391, 534, and 552 are affected by the recall. You can find the model number on the white label on the bottom of the seat.
The recalls come after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration lab test shows that the seat can separate from its base in a high-speed side impact. Evenflo is offering, gratis, a supplemental dual-hook fastener that is said to correct the potential failure.
+ Evenflo (via Autoblog)
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Written By: Dustin P. Walsh
February 1st, 2008 8:30 AM
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Ford has begun to recall vehicles again with the previous wire harness problem. Ford began contacting dealers this week about the problem – which affects 225,000 vehicles.
Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Moore told Automotive News, “The action we are taking does deal with a new issue related to a previous recall.” The previous recall apparently only covered a small portion of the previous problem.
Ford intends on notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the wiring problem on eight models built between 1992 and 2003. The harnesses are not compatible with the current circuit polarity according to Ford. The harnesses have an improperly placed fuse causing an electrical short.
In a statement to dealers, Ford will not be notifying owners until the NHTSA has been properly informed and the dealers have received the service repair information – which they’ll be receiving next week.
(Check out which models are affected after the jump)
continued →
Written By: Seyth Miersma
November 21st, 2007 4:45 PM
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Nissan has issued a recall for 650,000 Altimas and Sentras from model years 2002, and 2005-06. Recalled vehicles are only those equipped with Nissan’s 2.5-liter four, which may, apparently, just stop running.
Reportedly the problem is with the crankshaft position sensor, which, when overheated, can stop sending a signal to the car’s ECU. When this signal is lost, the ECU may not be able to diagnose the problem, and may respond by shutting down the whole operation; otherwise known as your engine.
Owners of the troubled Nissan’s should get themselves down to the dealership, where a simple reprogramming should right the ship with very little bother. Nissan, of course, will be picking up the tab. Safe driving.
+ Autoblog: Nissan recalling 650,000 Altimas and Sentras
Written By: Seyth Miersma
September 15th, 2007 9:50 AM
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Recalls seem to be more in vogue than usual for automakers these days.
Just a few hours after the news broke that Honda was recalling almost 200,000 Civics due to problems with wheel bearings, reports have surfaced that Chrysler is sallying forth with a massive recall of their own.
Almost 300,000 Chrysler SUVs including Jeep Cherokee, Commander, and Wrangler, as well as the Dodge Nitro are being recalled for potential problems with braking while driving uphill.
It seems that Chrysler has received about 20 complaints of vehicles not stopping immediately after the brakes were applied while coasting uphill. While coasting up a hill may not occur daily for many drivers, we tend to think that braking on any part of a hill is vital.
As with any recall, certainly one regarding a system as important as a vehicle’s brakes, we would recommend that effected owners have service preformed on the quick. Safe driving.
+ Detroit Free Press: Chrysler recalls nearly 300,000 SUVs over brake problems
Written By: Seyth Miersma
September 14th, 2007 3:48 PM
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Owners of Honda Civics from model years 2006-2007 might want to pay a visit to their local dealership soon.
American Honda Motor Co. is issuing a recall that covers more than 180,000 Civics due to the potential failure of rear wheel bearings.
After investigating two incidents of wheels coming off cars in Canada, Honda has isolated a faulty O-ring on a wheel speed sensor that can allow water and road salt to reach the bearing. This infiltration of the bearing can eventually allow the bearing to loosen, overheat, and fail.
A separate recall covering 20,000 Civic sedans and Civic Hybrids from model year 2006 is also pending, with those vehicles slated to receive new brake light switches with protective coverings.
We at WINDING ROAD believe the joys of motoring are best enjoyed safely (in most cases with four wheels), and encourage all Civic owners to check their cars ASAP.
+ Automotive News: Honda recalls 200,000 Civics (subscription may be required)
Written By: Chris Paukert
August 23rd, 2007 9:33 AM
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What’s going on over at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? New York Times correspondent Christopher Jensen has been eager to find out, but the government agency’s policies on communicating with reporters is apparently making it all but impossible.
According to the Times story, NHTSA officials must now have “special permission” to information on the record. Beyond that, they can discuss matters on a “background basis” with no attributed spokesperson. Jensen says that the net effect of the no-attribution policy, adopted under George Bush appointee Nicole R. Nason, is that:
“The agency’s new policy effectively means that some of the world’s top safety researchers are no longer allowed to talk to reporters or to be freely quoted about automotive safety issues that affect pretty much everybody.”
This policy is evidently an about-face from at least two decades marked by openness between NHTSA and the media.
Does this concern you? Sound off in ‘Comments.’
+ New York Times: What’s Off the Record at N.H.T.S.A.? Almost Everything
Written By: Chris Paukert
August 4th, 2007 10:03 AM
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Ford has announced that it is recalling 3.6 million vehicles due to potentially faulty cruise control modules that could result in a fire. The recall, which covers more than one dozen different models built from 1992-2007, comes after the Blue Oval recalled almost 6 million vehicles over similar cruise control woes back in January of 2005. In fact, this is the sixth such recall action by the automaker, with a total affected in excess of 10.4 million units overall.
(Click through to the jump for more details, including a complete list of vehicles covered under the recall)
+ Associated Press: Ford recalling 3.6 million vehicles (via CNNMoney)
Written By: Chris Paukert
July 10th, 2007 9:05 AM
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Nissan has announced that it is recalling 140,582 of its 2007 Altimas equipped with 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines. The action stems from a faulty air filter that can ignite if a “hot object” gets trapped within it. Apparently, four Altimas have caught fire due to debris like cigarette ash entering the fresh-air intake valve.
Nissan says it will install a deflector in the air intake that will stop debris from getting trapped near the filter.
The automaker began informing owners of the recall on July 3, and it expects to complete the notification process by October 1.
+ Bloomberg News: Nissan recalling 140,582 Altimas (via Newsday)
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