Recalls

BMW joins massive airbag recall list

More than 1.5 BMW 3 Series vehicles from 2000 to 2006 are being recalled to replace passenger-side front airbags, the luxury carmaker announced. The manufacturer said the recall is a “voluntary precautionary measure” aimed at minimizing the risk of faulty airbag activation. This issue is airbag supplied to BMW by Tokyo-based Takata Corporation. The airbag could rupture under certain circumstances, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. If the rupture occurs, shards could fly out and cause injury. Several other automakers since 2009, including Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota, have recalled 10 million vehicles affected by the same problem. About one-third, or 574,000 of the BMW cars recalled, are in the United States. BMW said it

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GM spiralling, recalls another 7.55 million cars

General Motors is further scrambling in its massive safety issue, this time announcing new safety recalls in the United States involving another 7.55 million vehicles from the 1997 to 2014 model years. According to the Wall Street Journal, GM reported it’s aware of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities in the latest round of recalled vehicles. The fatalities occurred in older model full-size sedans being recalled for inadvertent ignition key rotation. The latest round of recalls may increase GM’s financial cost to $1.2 billion in second quarter of this year in repairs. The tally included a previously disclosed $700 million charge for recalls already announced.   This year, GM has also detailed plans to recall more than 20 million

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Recall madness: Honda, Nissan, Mazda . . . airbags

Honda, Nissan and Mazda combined are recalling about 1.3 million cars in North America and more than 3 million globally for faulty airbags manufactured by the Takata Corp. Honda is recalling 1.02 million Civic, CR-V, Odyssey and Element models manufactured between April 2000 and October 2002. Nissan is recalling 228,00 vehicles. Mazda is recalling about 15,000 of the RX-8 and Mazda6. Takata airbags were last involved in a recall in 2013 when Japanese automakers recalled 3.4 million vehicles worldwide because of faulty airbags. In early June (2014), Toyota recalled 844,277 with similar problems. The exact cause of the airbag issue has not been determined. One theory is that defective inflators can explode when deployed because of the propellent’s sensitivity to

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GM nailed again, this time $10 billion lawsuit

As if the recall of 20 million cars and a new CEO isn’t enough turmoil, GM is now being sued for $10 billion. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, details GM hurt its customers by concealing defects. The result: devaluation of many late-model vehicles by about $500 to $2,600 in resale value. The news agency, Reuters reported the plaintiff is Anna Andrews, a California resident and GM customer. Andrews is seeking class-action status for people who owned or leased GM vehicles sold between the company’s bankruptcy and April 1, 2014 It’s the first legal claim that GM owes customers some compensation for damaging its brand and reputation — a total exceeding $10 billion, to be paid to

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General Motors: low spark in massive recall rate

The latest chapter in the omnipresent woes of General Motors revealed that four months after the company began recalling 2.6 million small cars to fix ignition switches, only seven percent of the vehicles have been repaired. The reason: Switch maker Delphi has had delays in making the part for cars that are no longer being produced. General Motors reported through June 12, nearly 177,000 cars have been repaired and another 423,000 parts kits have been shipped to dealers worldwide. Spokesman Kevin Kelly said Delphi had only one assembly line building replacement switches, which slowed parts distribution. Kelly added the company now has two lines and a third will be running in late July or early August. General Motors expects to

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Ford recalls 1.4 million vehicles dating to 2006

Ford has joined General Motors in a dubious recent honors contest with the announcement of a recall of 1.4 million cars in a variety of brands and manufactured between 2006 and 2013. The biggest percent of the recalls, according to the Detroit News, involves 915,216 Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Ford-built Mazda Tribute CUVs. The vehicleating firm 2008 to 2011, for faulty torque sensors. The issue could could lead to sudden power steering failure. Manual steering would still be available, though. The recall includes 736,000 of the above brands built in the United States and the majority of the rest in Mexico and Canada. While suffering with a similar issue, the manufacturer is also will recall 195,527 Ford Escapes, with

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General Motors slammed with $35 million recall fine

General Motors has been fined a record $35 million in civil penalties for its inadequate handling of a recall of more than two million vehicles with ignition switch problems. The Department of Transportation said GM violated federal safety laws and its decree said GM should change how it handles review of safety issues. The GM recall includes the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. The fine stems from an investigation into the Chevrolet Cobalt and other GM cars that were found to have faulty ignition. The problem can allow an ignition switch to move out of the “run” position. It can cause air bags to fail

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Massive GM recall oddity: 1.4 million cars still unfixed

The 10-year delay in the massive General Motors ignition switch recall is being investigated by Congress and the Justice Department. But the story has a second oddity. None of the cars among the five brands recalled have been repaired. The cars involved include: Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, Saturn Sky and Ion and Pontiac G5 and Solstice. General Motors said it sent letters to the owners of cars from model years 2005 through 2007 involved in the problem. But owners haven’t been asked to schedule repairs because there aren’t enough parts available to fix all of the 1.4 million vehicles affected. General Motors has reported it will have the parts and will begin repairs in April. The repair will take an

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General Motors recall lapse could cost carmaker millions

General Motors could face millions of dollars in civil penalties as the aftermath of publicly apologizing for responding quickly enough to a safety issue linked to 13 deaths and 31 accidents. The financial ramifications could occur if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determines the automaker neglected to inform regulators. The NHTSA is also facing criticism for not demanding GM act more quickly to recall more than 1.6 million vehicles, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The recall is linked to the cars’ ignition switches, which GM says can be accidentally turned from the “run” position to the “accessory” position while the car is being driven. When this happens, the engine shuts off and safety systems

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Toyota on hot seat, shuts down production

Toyota sold more cars than any other carmaker worldwide in 2013. But the Japanese manufacturer’s vehicles also had the most problems in 2013. For 2014, it’s worse. Because of a potential fire hazard in seats via seat heaters, Toyota has stopped sales of nearly all of its new cars and trucks. Included in the stoppage: Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra vehicles equipped with seat heaters. According to Toyota, in some the carmaker’s best-selling cars a portion of the seats were not manufactured with materials that met flame-retardant standards. Toyota said that a small portion of the seat assembly failed to meet a provision of U.S. motor vehicle safety standards requiring materials to retard flame

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AUTO RECALL: 2013 Ford Escape — eighth time

For the eighth time since it was redesigned and debuted in early 2012, the Ford Escape sport utility vehicle is being recalled. This time, the recall is to fix oil leaks that could cause engine fires. The recall will affect more than 161,000 Ford Escapes from the 2013 model years with 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engines. The oil leaks can occur, according to the carmaker, when the cylinder heads overhead and crack. Additionally, approximately 12,000 of the recalled Ford Escapes have incorrectly installed fuel lines that could chafe and leak gas. Many of the problematic fuel lines were repaired under a previous recall. Ford reported the oil leaks caused 13 fires but no injuries. There haven’t been any fires from the fuel

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Toyota Camry, Avalon, Venza halted for airbag, steering woes

The Toyota Camry and Camry hybrid as well as the Avalon and Avalon hybrid and Venza will combine for 803,000 vehicles being recalled in the United States for faulty airbags or power steering problems. The Camry and Camry hybrid, Avalon and Avalon hybrid and Venza from the 2012 and 2013 model years are affected. According to Toyota, water from the air conditioning condenser can leak onto the air bag control module and cause a short circuit. That could illuminate the air bag warning light, disable the air bag or cause the air bags to deploy inadvertently. The power steering assist function could also become inoperable if the air bag control module is damaged, making the vehicles harder to steer. Two

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Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan recall 2.3 million cars, vans

Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai combined are recalling 2.3 million cars dating to 2004 and for reasons varying from defective shift levers to faulty sensors to brake light issues. The Toyota recall involves 694,000 Sienna minivans, from the model years of 2004-2005 and 2007-2009, because of the risk of rolling away while parked. The Detroit News reported the minivans have defective shift lever assemblies that could be moved out of park without the foot on the brake pedal. As a result, the minivans could rollaway. Twenty-one minor accidents and two minor injuries have been reported. The Toyota recall covers 615,000 vehicles in the United States, 56,000 in Canada and 23,000 in Mexico. Hyundai is recalling 760,000 vehicles in North America because

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Chrysler relents, recalls 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokee, Liberty models

Chrysler has long promoted the Jeep Grand Cherokee as a rugged off-road vehicle with a practical side as a family people mover. But the influence of the NHTSA and public pressure have provided obstacles tougher than the enduring SUV. More than a week after refusing to comply with an NHTSA request to recall 2.7 million vehicles, Chrysler has relented. The carmaker announced a campaign to inspect and repair Jeep Grand Cherokee models from 1993-2004 and Jeep Liberty models from 2002-07. Chrysler Jeep recall dates to 1993 models The recall was prompted following an independent report fuel tanks in the Grand Cherokee can explode in rear-end collisions. The NHTSA requested a recall, but Chrysler refused. Chrysler believes the cars do not

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Toyota Prius recall worries continue with braking issues

The ever-lingering recall of Toyota vehicles has continued with a voluntary safety recall of  Toyota Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles from 2010 because of potential braking issues. The total of 87,000 vehicles from 2010 models in the two brands being recalled are equipped with a brake pressure accumulator that may develop a fatigue crack on an internal part due to vibration. There have been no report of accidents of injuries via the Toyota Prius recall, but it occurs about two month after one of the largest recalls in the carmaker’s history. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi combined will recall more than three million vehicles dating to 2000 and for an often-repeated, recent-year auto industry woe — defected safety equipment.

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Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda in massive global airbag recall

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi combined will recall more than three million vehicles dating to 2000 and for an often-repeated, recent-year auto industry woe — defected safety equipment. The latest crisis involves airbag inflators made by Takata, the Japanese safety gear producer. Takata made the products from 2000 to 2002. It’s the biggest recall involving Takata since 1995, when several automakers called back a then-record almost nine million vehicles to replace faulty seat belts made by the Japanese company. “It looks like the cost of the recalls may be pretty big,” Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at Toward the Infinite World Inc., referring to Takata, told Reuters. “It doesn’t seem like something that would be easy to identify and fix.

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