Hoovey689

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Chrysler recalling 2009-2010 Ram 1500, Dodge Dakota pickups over axle pinion nut

Chrysler is issuing a recall for the 2009 and 2010 Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota pickup trucks due to improper installation of the rear axle pinion nut. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 44,300 trucks are affected by the recall, and there have been 12 confirmed incidents including one crash.

The issue on both trucks is that the pinion nut is loosening on some trucks due to a lack of thread adhesive, and it is causing the rear axle to lock up resulting in loss of vehicle control. NHTSA's recall notice says that eight incidents occurred at speeds over 35 miles per hour and most also exhibited driveshaft failures as well since the loss of the pinion nut would cause the gear to separate from the driveshaft. In one complaint, the driveshaft separated from the rear axle and punctured the gas tank.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/08/c...-pickups-over/

Hoovey689

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Honda recalls 268,000 CR-V models over window switches

Honda has issued a recall on certain CR-V crossovers from the 2002 to 2006 model years over faulty driver-side power window switches. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the window switches in these affected vehicles may fail and could possibly cause a fire.

A total of 268,655 vehicles are affected by this recall, all of which were built between February 19, 2002 and July 28, 2006.

NHTSA states that if the window switch fails, it could "overheat, smoke and cause a fire," and such an instance can even occur if the vehicle is not in use. That said, NHTSA is advising owners to park outside until the recall repair has been completed.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/09/h...ndow-switches/

Hoovey689

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Mercedes recalling 2013 SL-Class over air conditioning issue

Last week, Daimler announced that it would be sticking with R-134a refrigerant in its cars due to some tests it conducted that showed the newer, more environmentally friendly R-1234yf ignited in certain crash tests. Apparently, this R-134a replacement had already been installed in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, so the automaker is electing to issue a recall for a small number of SLs to replace the refrigerant. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall, this worst-case scenario crash was only verified by Daimler, and the refrigerant recall is not yet affecting any other automakers.

Since the two refrigerants are interchangeable, all Mercedes-Benz dealerships will have to do is replace the R-1234yf with R-134a and swap out the A/C lines. Mercedes-Benz will be notifying owners this month whose cars were built between December 19, 2011 and May 31, 2012; NHTSA states that only 432 cars will be affected.

Currently, General Motors is the only other automaker in the U.S. using the R-1234yf (in the 2013 Cadillac XTS and 2013 Cadillac ATS in addition to the European-spec Chevrolet Malibu), and it has responded with a statement of its own regarding this matter:

"The safety of our vehicles and our customers is GM's highest priority. The new vehicle refrigerant, called R-1234yf, was evaluated and tested over many years through industry-wide cooperative research programs with organizations such as SAE and other independent engineering organizations and involved 10 major global automobile manufacturers including GM. We believe these tests demonstrate that R-1234yf is a safe, effective and environmentally beneficial motor vehicle air conditioner refrigerant for our future vehicles. However, we are trying to learn more about the Daimler test experience and will, of course, make any decisions and take any actions with our customers' safety in mind."

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/09/m...tioning-issue/

GS69

Toyote to Recall 7.4 Million Vehicles Globally on Power Window Glitch

Toyota Motor Corp. announced the biggest single automotive recall since 1996 to fix malfunctioning power window switches, saying it will pull back 7.43 million vehicles worldwide, including 2.47 million in the United States.

About 1.4 million vehicles in China and 1.39 million in Europe are also affected, said Joichi Tachikawa, a Tokyo-based spokesman. The Corolla and Camry are among the 14 models subject to inspection and repair, he said. The company hasn't received any reports of injuries or accidents because of the issue, he said.

The scale of the recall, equivalent to 93 percent of its vehicles sold last year, comes as President Akio Toyoda pushes to rebuild the company's reputation for quality. Toyota, which recalled more than 10 million units in 2009 and 2010 for defects associated with unintended acceleration, took 2 years for its premium Lexus brand to regain the top spot on J.D. Power & Associates' new-car quality survey in 2011.

Toyota didn't provide estimates on the cost of the recall. The power window switches can be repaired in about an hour depending on the dealer's work schedule, the company said in a statement.

"The process to repair (the power window switch) is not an extensive 1," spokeswoman Monika Saito said.

There is a possibility that the malfunctioning switches could emit smoke, she said. The company said it's conducting the recall to inspect the vehicles and apply special fluorine grease to the switch.

The 1st time the problem was reported was in September 2008 in the United States, Saito said.

Other countries

The firm is also recalling 650,000 vehicles in Australia and Asia, 490,000 vehicles in the Near and Middle East, 240,000 vehicles in Canada and 330,000 vehicles elsewhere, said Shino Yamada, another spokeswoman for Toyota.

The U.S. action covers various 2007 through 2009 models of the Yaris, RAV4, Tundra, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Scion xD, Scion xA, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Corolla and Matrix.

"The volume is big, and doesn't look good," Satoru Takada, an auto analyst at Toward the Infinite World Inc., a securities research company, said by telephone in Tokyo today. "Even if you calculate the cost in a very simple way, it's going to be significant. What comes with standardizing platforms and parts is that these recalls become immense."

The move comes a day after Toyota reported that its sales fell 48.9 percent year-on-year in China in September. Japanese car brands have suffered as a result of an outbreak of anti-Japan sentiment in China in response to a territorial dispute between the two countries.

In 1996, Ford Motor Co. pulled back 8 million vehicles to replace defective ignition switches that could have caused engine fires.

GFerg

Damn, the media cant report a story about Toyota without mentioning the unintended acceleration thing. Why bring up China's sales issue (due to reason's Toyota can't control) when its pretty much up everywhere else?

spwolf

yes... it seems pretty simple issue - stuck switch needs some recommended grease, yet everywhere i look, articles about bad Toyota... heh.

Not easy to be the biggest in the world.

Hoovey689

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Aston Martin and Lotus each issue recalls

A pair of head-turning high performance cars are catching some attention off a different kind, in the form of safety recalls. Aston Martin and Lotus have issued recalls for the V12 Vantage Coupe and Evora, respectively.

Aston Martin's affects 169 examples of the 2009-2012 V12 Vantage Coupe. It concerns the tire-pressure monitoring system, and is less a malfunction than it is a compliance issue. The TPMS does not alert the driver until the front tire is more than 25 percent below the recommended cold tire pressure. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138 states that the alarm must sound when tire pressure is "equal to or less than either the pressure 25 percent below" the recommended cold inflation pressure. To address the issue, Aston Martin will notify owners and reprogram the software, free of charge.

As for Lotus, 80 supercharged Evoras have been recalled, all built between February and September, 2011. The problem involves an engine-mounted oil feed pipe, which could rupture, causing loss of engine oil or a possible fire if the oil sprays onto a hot engine.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/14/a...issue-recalls/

Hoovey689

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NHTSA opening safety probes into 2005 Honda Pilot, 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe

Honda and Hyundai have both had some pretty big recalls recently, and according to a The Detroit News, there could be more on the way. The report indicates that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the 2005 Honda Pilot and the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe for unrelated safety issues that could affect braking and/or steering.

So far, the article says that NHTSA has received 185 complaints on the 2005 Pilot for unexpected heavy deceleration or steering pull during braking. The cause is said to come from faulty software controlling the brake assist that is supposed to aid the driver in panic stops, but in the case of an estimated 87,000 Pilots, it is incorrectly detecting a panic stop during normal braking and causing the vehicle to stop harder than the driver expects. In about 20 cases, the hard braking is also causing a steering pull since the brake assist is integrated with Vehicle Stability Assist that also controls anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control. It sounds like a quick software update could be the fix for this concern.

As far as problems related to the Santa Fe, NHTSA has received a single complaint about a steering column shaft failure that could potentially affect around 70,000 of the crossovers. The one incident involved a Santa Fe with relatively low mileage where the steering column failed causing the driver to lose all ability to steer. The report seems to indicate that Hyundai reported an instance where a bolt could loosen causing the steering column to separate, but it's unclear if this is the same issue that affected the customer's vehicle.

Right now, both vehicles are just being investigated for these issues, but if you own one of these popular crossovers, keep an eye out for a recall.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/15/n...-2011-hyundai/

Hoovey689

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Ford recalls 150k Fiestas over airbag concern

Ford has issued a recall for a segment of 2011 to 2013 model year Fiesta subcompacts that concerns improper deployment of the side curtain airbags. Cars recalled were manufactured between November 3, 2009 and September 21, 2012 – 154,604 units in total.

The Fiesta models affected by the recall will not deploy their side curtain airbags, which cover both front and rear passengers, during a side impact collision if the front passenger seat is empty. This means occupants in the rear on the passenger side won't be protected by the side airbag in a collision if the front passenger seat is empty. These side curtain airbags were actually designed not to deploy in a scenario where the front passenger seat was empty (why that is is unclear), but that information was not properly presented to Fiesta owners in the manual.

Ford is currently notifying Fiesta owners whose vehicles are covered under this recall, and reprogramming the vehicle software to allow the side curtain airbags to deploy during the aforementioned side impact situations.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/f...irbag-concern/

Hoovey689

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NHTSA to probe 2011-2012 Jeep Patriot over stalling fears

After receiving a dozen complaints about stalling Jeep Patriots, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has decided to launch a formal investigation. The probe will look at about 112,000 Patriots from the 2011 and 2012 model years.

NHTSA says some owners report their vehicles' engines are completely shutting off at speeds above 65 mph. In at least eight cases, the drivers could not restart the vehicle, and in at least one incident, the stall involved a crash that injured two people.

If the investigation turns up enough cases, the agency will issue a recall of the vehicles. A Jeep spokesman said the company is looking into the issue.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/n...talling-fears/

Hoovey689

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Nissan recalls thousands of 2012 and 2013 Altimas over loose bolts

Do you know what a transverse link bolt is? Well, if you own either a 2012 or 2013 Nissan Altima, the seemingly inconsequential piece of hardware may concern you. A recall has been issued regarding over 13,000 Altima's built between May 10 and July 26 of 2012.

The warning is in regards to said transverse link bolts as well as rack bolts in the power steering system. These bolts were apparently not torqued to the proper specification. The fallout from carrying on without addressing this issue? These elements could become loose, and actually may lead to loss of control of the vehicle.

Nissan is notifying owners of affected vehicles. These models will have the involved blots tightened to the recommended specifications. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the recall will take effect on, or about October 29 and owners are encouraged to contact either Nissan or NHTSA.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/n...ver-loose-bol/

Hoovey689

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Maserati recalls GranTurismo, Quattroporte for faulty tire pressure monitoring

As proof that no automaker is immune to the recall bug, Maserati announced a recall for its entire lineup – both the GranTurismo and Quattroporte – due to a software issue with the tire pressure monitoring system. According to the recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released earlier this month, affected vehicles could have low air pressure in a tire that is not alerted to the driver properly.

Of course, if the car is driven on a tire with low pressure, severe damage could be caused to the presumably very expensive tire, and to fix the problem, Maserati is replacing the TPMS control unit on affected cars. A total of 485 Quattroportes and GranTurismos (including convertible and MC models) are being recalled, but it does not appear there have been any complaints or accidents for this problem. The recall goes into effect next month.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/m...ty-tire-press/

Hoovey689

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2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe recalled for bad curtain airbags

Owners of certain 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupes will need to make an unscheduled trip to the service bay soon, as the automaker has just announced a recall due to faulty side curtain airbags. A total of 499 E350 and E550 models are affected, all of which were built between April 2 and June 29, 2012.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the stitching on the "right side window curtain airbag" – the passenger side – may cause the bag to not deploy properly. NHTSA states that this airbag may deflate more quickly than it's supposed to, reducing the overall level of protection.

The official recall will kick off in November.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/2...urtain-airbag/

Hoovey689

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NHTSA probing 2000-2003 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable models over throttle issue

A potential issue with the speed control cable collar has got the 2003-20003 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable under the spotlight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If the collar breaks it can cause the throttle to be stuck open.

The issue is limited to vehicles with the 3.0-liter V6 Duratec. There are just 50 complaints so far out of 310,000 cars, but the NHTSA has begun an investigation into whether a recall should be issued.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/29/n...le-models-ove/

Hoovey689

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BMW recalling 7 Series over inadvertently opening doors

There are 7,485 BMW 7 Series sedans involved in a recall over a software glitch that can cause the sedan's doors to open unintentionally "due to road or driving conditions or occupant contact with the door." The issue was discovered in Japan in 2007, covering cars from the 2005 to 2007 model years, and it led to a recall there that same year.

Just after the Japanese recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked about the matter in the U.S., to which BMW responded that it would issue a service bulletin and that during a general software update for the car, the code dealing with the door issue would also be rectified. Four years on, in 2011, when NHTSA asked about the matter again, BMW said that up to 80 percent of the cars had got the new software. After meeting with the German company earlier this year over the door matter and others, a recall is being made official.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/29/b...opening-doors/