Category Archives: recalls

Toyota Recalls More than 1 Million Corolla and Lexus IS Cars

Bad airbags and windshield wipers are forcing the recalls of 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix models and 270,000 Lexus IS cars by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S. The two separate safety recalls are the result of a defective airbag control module … Continue reading

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More Than 17.8 Million Safety Recalls During 2012 in U.S.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that manufacturers conducted 650 safety recalls, affecting more than 17.8 million vehicles, child seats and equipment during calendar year 2012. Toyota at 5.3 million vehicles recalled, Honda at 3.4 million, General Motors at 1.5 million, Ford at 1.4 million and Chrysler at 1.3 million have the dubious distinction of leading the recall list. The record year for recalls remains 2004 when almost 31 million safety actions were taken. Continue reading

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GM Recalls 2013 Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC SUVs for Rollaways

GM is recalling certain 55,000 2013 SUVs for rollaways because the vehicle can shift out of “Park” by itself because of a defective steering column. Continue reading

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Subaru Recalls 634,000 Legacy, Outback and Tribeca Models for Fires

Subaru is recalling 634,000 Legacy, Outback and Tribeca models because the “puddle lights” in the running boards of the crossover SUVs can short, melt and possibly start a fire. Continue reading

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GM Recalls Colorado and Canyon Pickups for Missing Hood Latch

GM is recalling more than 118,000 model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks because they may be missing the secondary hood latch. As a result, the hood can open unexpectedly during driving and block the driver’s view of the road. Continue reading

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Toyota Settles Lawsuits for $1.1 Billion and Will Modify Millions of Vehicles with Electronically Controlled Gas Pedals to Stop Runaways

In an engineering lapse of monumental consequences that included several deaths, the computer programming on affected vehicles when confronted with both brake and accelerator inputs did not favor the brake input for its electronic engine controls. Such over-ride software is in widespread use at other automakers. Continue reading

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Another Ford Recall – 2013 Fusion Models have Hazy Headlights

Ford Motor is recalling 2013 Fusion sedans because of defective headlights. Due to a faulty manufacturing process affecting more than 19,000 of the Mexican-built sedans, the headlights can become hazy in use, reducing the brightness of the low-beam lamp. Continue reading

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Another Ford Fire Recall on New Escape and Now Fusion Models

Ford Motor Company is recalling 2013 Ford Escape SE and SEL models equipped with the 1.6-liter engine and 2013 Ford Fusion SE and SEL models equipped with the 1.6-liter engine because of engine fires. Almost 90,000 of Ford’s latest models – both redesigned for 2013 – are affected. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Recalls Mexican Built Beetles for Defective Airbags

Volkswagen is recalling model year 2012-2013 Beetles equipped with leather seats because the airbags may not deploy properly in an accident. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls 150,000 Tacoma Pickups for Rust and Corrosion

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is recalling 150,000 Tacoma pickup trucks from the 2011 to 2004 model years because corrosion can suddenly jettison the spare tire from under the bed. While U.S. Tacoma sales for those years are much higher, only vehicles originally sold or currently registered in 20 cold climate states and the District of Columbia will be inspected and have the spare tire carrier assembly replaced if need be. Critics of such limited actions maintain they do not fix all the potentially unsafe vehicles. Automakers use them to cut down on the costs of a full recall. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls 2.7 million Cars for Sudden Stops, Steering Failures

Toyota is recalling almost three million cars including Prius hybrid and Corolla models around the world because the hybrid engine can shut down suddenly or steering can fail completely. The gigantic recall is caused by a bad cooling pump in the hybrid system and a defective steering shaft in hybrids and other cars. More than 1.5 million vehicles are being recalled in Japan, with at least another 1.2 million in other parts of the world. Continue reading

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NHTSA Forces BMW 7-Series Recall for Electronic Shifter Rollaways

BMW is recalling 2005-2008 7-Series vehicles equipped with the so-called Comfort Access option because the electronic key and shift by wire system can put the transmission in Neutral rather than Park. The recall, which affects more than 45,000 BMWs, came after NHTSA ungraded a preliminary inquiry to an engineering analysis last August. At that time NHTSA said that at least 14 accidents and five injuries had been reported with the start/stop “shift by wire” system in BMWs. Continue reading

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Ford Recalls All of the New Fiesta Models for Bad Airbags

Ford is recalling all of its new subcompact Fiesta models built since 2011 because the passenger side-curtain airbag won’t blow up in some cases, and the owner’s manual incorrectly describes the logic of the airbag control module. More than 150,000 Fiesta models are affected and dealers have been instructed to stop the sale of cars in inventory. Continue reading

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NHTSA Prompts Toyota Power Window Switch Recall for Fires

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. will recall 2.5 million vehicles – 7.5 million units worldwide – because a defective power window switch can cause fires. The latest Toyota safety problem was discovered by NHTSA earlier this year after it opened an investigation about an unusual number of consumer complaints – 32 – alleging a burning electric window switch on the driver’s side door. Toyota and NHTSA have known of the problem for years. Continue reading

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New “Eco Friendly” Refrigerant Can Burn in Accidents Says Mercedes

Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. Environmentalists have forced the use of a new air conditioning refrigerant in Europe, saying it is better at cutting down on global warming, but it turns a out that the latest concoction from DuPont or Honeywell can go up in flames during an accident. Continue reading

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