Category Archives: quality

Drowning Risk – Body Glove Tandem Inflatable Paddle Boards

Surf 9 is recalling  Body Glove Tandem and ULI Inflatable Paddle Boards because of a drowning risk. The paddle boards were sold exclusively at Costco (Costco item# 2622049), The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said today in a release. Continue reading

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Chevrolet Bolt EVs Recalled for Fires

In the required National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing made public today, GM said, “This recall will be launched in two phases, under bulletins N222383790 and N222383791. Notification to owners of vehicles that require only installation of the foil barrier is estimated to begin January 30, 2023.

Owners of vehicles that also require installation of the pretensioner cover will begin receiving interim notification on January 30, 2023. GM will provide an owner notification estimate for this second phase once availability of the pretensioner covers can be estimated.” Continue reading

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Ford Motor Recalls Bronco and E-Series Vehicles

Ford Motor Company is recalling some 2021-2022 Bronco vehicles. The right or left side impact sensors may not be properly secured to the vehicle. Ford is also recalling 2022-2023 E-350, E-450, and 2021-2022 F-59 vehicles. The paint along the weld seam of the fuel tank may peel and lead to corrosion of the exposed metal, which can result in a fuel leak.

Both of the latest recalls were made public this morning by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading

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NHTSA Verifies Additional Chrysler Takata Fatality

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning verified another Takata rupture fatality, bringing the total of number of Takata fatalities confirmed this year to five. One person died in a recent crash in a 2010 Chrysler 300 where the Takata driver’s side air bag inflator ruptured sending shrapnel into the interior.

This brings the total of Takata fatalities to 24, and the third confirmed this year in a Fiat Chrysler sedan. Continue reading

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Ram Recalls 1.3 Million Pickups for Sudden Tailgate Openings

Chrysler (FCA US, part of the Stellantis mega-merger) is recalling  more than 1.3 million  2019-2022 model year Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate may not latch properly due to misaligned tailgate strikers, which could result in the tailgate opening while driving. Misaligned tailgate strikers may cause a failure to properly latch the tailgate. An improperly latched tailgate may result in an unintended tailgate opening while driving or stationary.

Customers, however, will not be notified until January 2023. Stellantis advises owners to secure cargo in the beds. Vehicles equipped with Ram’s multi-function tailgate and Ram 1500 Classic pickups are unaffected. Also excluded are vehicles equipped with sensors that alert drivers to insecure tailgates. Continue reading

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Ford Expands Escape, Bronco Sport Engine-Fire Recalls

Ford in the required filing made public today by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the safety defect concerned prior under-hood fire reports from oil separator inspections associated with NHTSA Recall 22V-19. Ford reviewed two under-hood fire reports from a 2022 model-year Escape and 2022 model-year Bronco Sport vehicle with the 1.5-liter ‘Dragon’ engine. Continue reading

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Ford Recalls 2021-22 F-150s for Wiper Motor Failures Again

Some of the vehicles recalled were previously recalled for the same problem. NHTSA appears to have played a strong part in the latest recall because of complaints from people to NHTSA* The newest NHTSA Campaign Number is 22V842000. Continue reading

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Loss of Steering Latest Tesla Model S, X Recalls

The latest recall was made public in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public today. Teslas built in Fremont CA and in use in North America, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Macau and New Zealand are covered by this safety defect. Continue reading

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New Ford Recalls: 2022 Model Explorer, Ranger, F-Series

On some 2022 Explorer and Ranger vehicles equipped with 2.3-liter engines, the fuel line may be loose due to improper tightening of the fuel line connection. There is a potential for fires. On some 2022 F-150 vehicles. The right-side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag to not deploy as intended. During air bag deployment, the air bag cover my break and project fragments into the vehicle, or the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Continue reading

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Ford Fires: 200k Expeditions and Navigators Recalled

No cause of the Expedition and Navigator fires has been identified to date. Ford “believes they originate in the blower motor, which is located on the passenger side interior behind the glovebox.” Ford was alerted by NHTSA of the potential fire problem during October of 2020 because of consumer complaints to the Federal safety Agency. Mailing of owner notification letters is expected to begin September 12, 2022 and is expected to be completed by September 16, 2022. The supplier of the defective part is the ironically named Detroit Thermal Systems of Romulus Michigan. Continue reading

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New 2022 Jeep Gladiators Recalled for Rollaways

An improperly crimped parking wheel could become loose and move towards the rear of the transmission housing and potentially compromise the engagement with the parking pawl. Compromised engagement of the parking wheel to the parking pawl could result in a loss of park position which may result in inadvertent vehicle movement, which could cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. Continue reading

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Air Travel Consumer Complaints Up 2.7X Pre-Pandemic levels

DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules. Judging by DOT’s own data, clearly its so-called rules from its Office of Aviation Consumer Protection are ineffective to laughable in AutoInformed’s view. However if you are in the automobile business, it’s an incentive to use vehicles for your transportation needs. Free marketing from the Airline industry and the US Government. Continue reading

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Fires! Park 2020-22 Hyundai Palisades, Kia Tellurides Outside

Hyundai Motor America and Kia America are telling owners of some Model Year 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles park their cars outside and away from homes and other structures until their vehicles have been repaired, due to new recalls for the risk of fire. More than 280,000 SUVs are potentially involved. Continue reading

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GM Recalls 500,000 2021-22 SUVs for Bad Seat Belts

“The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left- or right-side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed,” was the defect cited in a mandatory NHTSA filing made public today. GM had reports of the problem going back to October of 2020. Workers at GM supplier ZF Occupant Safety Systems manufacturing plant in Mexico may have not properly followed processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation. Continue reading

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Ford Recalls 2022 Maverick Pickups for Bad Airbags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered the problem in June of 2022 during a FMVSS 226 compliance audit on a 2022 model year Maverick. The displacement results for the front lower primary target were 111.9 mm, which exceeds the federal regulation of 100 mm. Side curtain air bags that may not meet the displacement requirements of FMVSS 226 S4.2.1 Ejection increase the risk of injury in a crash. No warning of the existence of potential deadly problem occurs before an accident. Continue reading

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