Category Archives: quality

Kia Recalls 2024 Tellurides for Sudden Engine Failures

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Kia America  (Kia) is recalling 2024 Telluride vehicles because the engine valve springs may break while driving, which can result in a sudden loss of power and possibly create a hole in the engine block, which is a fire hazard. Abnormal engine noise, check engine light illumination, and a rough running engine are warning signs that the driver may notice before the engine fails. Tellurides are made in Georgia at a non-unionized plant.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released the required recall filing. Kia told NHTSA that “The engine valve springs may break while driving due to fatigue cracking as a result of damage to the springs during manufacture by the supplier. A broken valve spring may result in a loss of motive power. In rare cases, a hole in the engine block may occur due to a broken valve entering the combustion chamber.” Continue reading →

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Nissan Recalls Leaf EVs for Bad Rearview Cameras

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling ~58,000 model-year 2018-2022 LEAF electric vehicles because damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, “Rear Visibility.” If the rear view image is not available, rearward visibility may be reduced, potentially increasing the risk of a crash. The recalled Leaf models were made at the non-unionized Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant. Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz Recalls GLC models for Headlight Glare

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling more than 15,500 vehicles because the headlights may be incorrectly adjusted too high during production and create a glare for oncoming traffic. As such, these luxury vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

The recall was made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Th recall appears to have been set in motion by an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rating of GLC (253 platform) vehicles more than one year ago, including their headlamp adjustments. Continue reading →

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Honda Recalls 750,000 Vehicles for Bad Airbag Deployments

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

“Due to a natural disaster at the manufacturing plant of a tier-2 supplier, the tier-1 supplier temporarily changed the base material in the printed circuit board of the seat weight sensor, which was not sufficiently verified for its intended use. The alternative base material could allow additional strain to the printed circuit board that can lead to a capacitor cracking and an internal short circuit,” Honda said in the required recall filing with NHTSA. Continue reading →

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Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra Pickup Recall for Bad Tailgates

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Only 2500 and 3500 (HD) series vehicles that are equipped with the manual gate with power lock and release (RPO QT5) are affected by this recall. HD series vehicles with other tailgate configurations are not affected by this recall, GM said in the filing. GM has also stopped delivery of the vehicles. It is a violation of federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment until the defect is remedied. If the driver does not manually close the gate before beginning a drive, cargo in the bed of the truck may exit the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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J.D. Power – Vehicle Dependability Down Again

Posted on 8 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Owners are experiencing lower levels of vehicle dependability after three years, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM released today. The large number of tech-ache problems owners face indicate a decline in long-term vehicle dependability, with increased levels of problems reported for nearly two-thirds of brands in the study. The industry average has increased 4 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) year-over-year to 190 PP100 from 2023. The rate at which problems have increased between 90 days and three years of ownership has increased to 17%, up 5 percentage points from 12% in 2023.

“Historically, VDS model results mirror the results of the respective model year in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, so a deterioration of vehicle dependability is unusual,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. Continue reading →

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Kia Recalls Niro EV and EV6 Models for Driveshaft Failures

Posted on 5 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Due to a manufacturing error by the supplier, Hyundai WIA, the left hand drive shaft in the subject Niro EV vehicles and rear inner drive shaft in the subject EV6 vehicles may have been improperly heat-treated. An improperly heat-treated drive shaft may break under load resulting in a sudden, unexpected loss of motive power, thereby increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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Tesla Recalls 2.2 Million Vehicles Covering 13 Model Years

Posted on 5 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Tesla is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, “Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems” and 135, “Light Vehicle Brake Systems.”

A visual warning indicator whose letter font size is smaller than 3.2 mm (1/8 inch), as prescribed in FMVSS Nos. 105 (105 – Hydraulic and electric brake systems) and 135 (135 – Light vehicle brake systems), could reduce the driver’s detection of it when illuminated, increasing the risk of a collision. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls 1.88 Million Explorer SUVs for Trim Detachment

Posted on 24 January 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~1,880,000 (~2.2 million globally) model-year 2011-2019 Explorer SUVs because the A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged. This allows the trim to detach creating a safety hazard for other vehicles, which Ford initially maintained was not a safety problem. Continue reading →

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Volvo Cars Recalls 2024 XC40 Hybrids for Bad Software

Posted on 15 January 2024 by Ken Zino

Volvo Car USA is recalling ~17,409 2024 XC40 hybrid SUVs. A diagnostic error in the Central Electronic Module (CEM) software may cause the left rear turn signal indicator to not function, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a filing made public today. What is characterized as “a diagnostic mis-detection of short to ground of the left-hand rear turn indicator will result in no function of the left-hand rear turn indicator.” Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls EcoSport and Focus Models for Engine Seizures

Posted on 15 January 2024 by Ken Zino

A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine damage or seizure, which can result in a loss of motive power and a loss of the mechanical vacuum pump required to provide power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash. The engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt material may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure, according to the NHTSA filing. Continue reading →

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Lucid Motors Recalls Air Sedans for Defroster Failures.

Posted on 12 January 2024 by Ken Zino

The HVCH supplies warm air for both cabin heat and defrosting capability in Lucid Air vehicles. If an HVCH fails, coolant cannot be heated and the windshield cannot be defrosted. Loss of adequate windshield defrost capability could lead to restricted driver field of vision and an increased risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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Ford Airbag Recall – 2023 F-150, F250, F350, F450, F550, F600

Posted on 2 January 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling 2023 F-150 and Ford SD F250, F350, F450, F550, and F600 vehicles. The steering wheel clock spring from supplier BCS Automotive Interface Solutions may have an bad weld, causing a loss of electrical connection to the driver’s frontal air bag. The customer may notice loss of illumination and function of switches on the steering wheel, such as radio controls, inoperative horn and an airbag warning light. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Maverick Pickups for Defective Software

Posted on 26 December 2023 by Ken Zino

In the required recall documents just made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said the Mexican built Mavericks contain rear tail-lamps with two turn signal lamp bulbs on each side. The body control module will not provide an outage notification to the driver if only one of the two rear turn signal lamp bulbs has failed. Continue reading →

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Porsche Fires – Cayenne, Panamera, Taycan Charging Cables

Posted on 26 December 2023 by Ken Zino

Porsche Cars North America is recalling various models and model years of its Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan hybrid models because the 220V/240V compact/portable charging cable can overheat causing the risk of fires. More than 41,000 Porsches are involved. According to documents just released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Porsche is blaming the home wiring of affected customers for the safety defect. Continue reading →

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