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Category Archives: quality
GM Recalls 15,000 SUVs for Sudden Stalling
Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge as required by US law. Analysis of field data and returned warranty-replaced parts indicates that the condition was caused by a supplier manufacturing issue by Vitesco Technologies in Seguin Texas. Continue reading
No Surprises in J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Initial Quality Study
“Owners are caught in the middle when vehicle and phone technologies don’t properly connect,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power. “This year there are many examples of smartphone technology not working as intended in new vehicles. With more vehicles being fitted with the wireless technology owners want, the study reveals an increase in connectivity problems between smartphones and vehicles, leaving many owners unhappy.” Continue reading
Bridgestone Recalls Alenza, Dueler, Ecopia, Turanza and Firestone Destination Tires for Leaks
A Tire Laser Marking System which uses laser light to mark certain information on tire sidewalls, malfunctioned. The malfunction caused the laser to remain stationary and burn a pinhole into the tire sidewall near the first digit of the Tire Identification Number date code – the last 4- digits of the TIN. Continue reading
What Car? Britain’s Most and Least Reliable Cars
“Our latest study also shows that a high price tag isn’t always a guarantee of reliability, because some of Britain’s cheapest cars are among the most reliable,” said What Car? editor Steve Huntingford. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, quality
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, What Car?
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Chinese Junk Watch – Six More Recalls from CPSC
CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years. However, in AutoInformed’s view, Chinese products remain a problem both in their design and manufacturing quality control. Herewith are some of the latest in Chinese Junk. Continue reading
Confirmed: General Motors to Recall more Bolt EVs at $1B Cost
General Motors is expanding the current Chevrolet Bolt EV recall to cover the remaining 2019 and all 2020-2022 model year vehicles, including the Bolt EUV. With this expansion, all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles are now recalled due to the risk … Continue reading
Mercedes-Benz USA Recalls Rear Seatbelts on 2021-22 Models
The rear seatbelt automatic locking retractors may “deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.” These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.” Continue reading
Recalls – Roof Rail Air Bag Shrapnel on 410,019 GM Pickups
A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash from what is in effect shrapnel. Continue reading
Wheels Falling Off Ram Trucks. More Than 446,000 Recalled
In an unusual statement FCA said: “routine customer data analysis led to an FCA US investigation that discovered certain service and owner’s manuals contain incorrect lug-nut torque instructions. Accordingly, the corresponding vehicles may have had their lug nuts over-torqued, a condition that could conceivably compromise studs and lead to wheel separation.” Continue reading
Toyota Recalls 280,000 Venza Models for Defective Side Airbags
The Venza models are equipped with an airbag sensor installed in the driver- side front door. The sensor is connected to the Supplemental Restraint System Electronic Control Unit by a pair of twisted wires in a Yazaki North America supplied harness routed from the door to the vehicle body through a grommet. Because of a larger difference between the wire harness length and grommet length, there is a tighter bending radius for the wire harness inside the grommet. Continue reading
Tesla Recalls 135,000 S and X Models for Display Blackouts
NHTSA prompted the recall when it started an investigation of last June*. The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE20-010 to investigate incidents of media control unit (MCU) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera in model year (MY) 2012-2015 Tesla Model S vehicles equipped with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with an integrated 8GB eMMC NAND flash memory device. The eMMC NAND flash devices have a finite lifespan based upon the number of program/erase (P/E) cycles. Continue reading
Nissan Establishes Carbon Neutral Goal for 2050
The company’s electrification and emissions reduction efforts support the aims of the U.N. Paris Agreement on climate change and global progress toward carbon neutrality by 2050. Continue reading
VW Beetle Ensnared in Takata Airbag Recall
VW maintains that the Takata SDI-D driver frontal airbag inflators installed in the recalled vehicles currently do not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety to drivers of affected vehicles. “Based on its prior conversations with NHTSA, Volkswagen understands that the Agency is concerned that after additional time, the airbag inflator may not perform properly in the event of a crash,” VW said. Continue reading
Operator Error – Ford Recalls 2021 Bronco for Bad Airbags
Further review of the supplier’s test data found test anomalies were completely associated with bags folded by one of the six associates assigned to the airbag fold operation. It was eventually determined that this distinct associate began introducing an extra fold operation when reassigned to this fold operation in late June. Continue reading →