Category Archives: recalls

Ford Recalls Focus for Defective Windshield Wipers

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 140,000 Focus compact cars because the windshield wipers can fail. Model year 2012 Focus cars were built at the Michigan Assembly Plant without a proper seal on the wiring harness for the passenger-side windshield wiper motor. Continue reading

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NHTSA Investigating Chevrolet Cruze and Jeep Wrangler Fires

There are three steps in the NHTSA recall process. P.E. – Preliminary Evaluation, E.A. – Engineering Analysis – and then a so-called ‘voluntary’ recall or rarely a NHTSA forced recall. Continue reading

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Honda Recalls 554,000 CR-V and Pilot SUVs for Bad Headlights

This headlight recall apparently mirrors an earlier Honda headlight recall on 143,083 model year 2007 and 2008 Fit vehicles because of a bad headlight switch, which caused the low-beams to fail and possibly start a fire. Continue reading

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BMW Recalls all 2003 to 2010 Model 5 and 6 Series for Fires

BMW AG is recalling all BMW 5 and 6 Series models from the previous generation, built between 2003 and 2010 for possible fires. About 1.3 million vehicles worldwide are affected. Continue reading

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Porsche Recalls New 911 for a Possible Gasoline Leak

No fires have been reported, but the first gasoline leak was reported by a customer less than a week after taking delivery of the $110,000+ sports car. Continue reading

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A123 Recalls Lithium Ion Batteries Shipped to Fisker, Others

The $55 million recall comes after the well-publicized failure during testing of a Fisker Karma that was owned by Consumer Reports. A123, an investor in Fisker, lost almost $260 million in 2011. A123 received a $249.1 million grant from the Department of Energy to reopen plants in Livonia and Romulus, Mich., as well as money and tax credits from Michigan worth more than $100 million. The future of the company, which has never earned a profit, is not clear. Continue reading

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Honda Recalls CR-V Models for Suspension Failure

The latest Honda safety recall came a month after Consumer Reports said that Subaru for the first time has earned the top score in automaker report cards for 2012. Honda, the winner for the past four years, slipped to fourth place among 13 major automakers behind Mazda and Toyota. Continue reading

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Hyundai Recalls Some Sonata Hybrids for Seat Belt Defect, But Asks NHTSA to Ignore More than 13,000 in Customer Use.

NHTSA had no immediate comment on the request, which covers a center rear safety belt with a release mechanism that detaches both the lap and shoulder portion at the lower anchorage point. This design is legal for non-folding rear seats, but for the folding ones installed in the Sonata hybrid. NHTSA alerted Hyundai of the violation of federal regulations as part o its ongoing compliance testing. Continue reading

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Nissan Recalls Infiniti M45 for Bad Electronic Gas Gauges

In the pre-Toyota cover-up fines from NHTSA, it appears that Nissan ignored the safety problem and warranty data. In the post Toyota fine era at NHTSA, the number of recalls from Japanese makers, not coincidentally, has accelerated dramatically.

This is the sixth major Nissan recall since the fall. Earlier recalls involved Nissan and Infiniti gasoline leaks, oil leaks, sudden stalling on Sentra models, Juke turbocharger boost sensors, and defective Rogue electric power steering control computers. Continue reading

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Software Change Causes Regal Recall for Parking Lamps

Buick is recalling 2012 model Regal sedans because a software change was not adequately tested and it made the parking lamps inoperative. In either the headlamp position or the parking light position, the so-called body control module would not turn on the lights as is required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108. Continue reading

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Corrosion Recall Covers More than 265,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs

The suspension failure investigation was upgraded by NHTSA to a more serious engineering analysis covering 2004 and 2005 models last September. It appears from publicly available documents that Chrysler resisted the recall, doing so only after a meeting with safety regulators in February. The recall to replace all the suspension arms is expected to begin in April. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls Almost 700,000 Vehicles in U.S. for Camry, Venza and Tacoma Electronic Faults

The latest quality gaffs can cause vehicle no-starts, failed stoplights, stuck transmission gear levers as well as warning lights going off, and airbags not going off in three separate high-volume vehicle lines. Continue reading

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Nissan Recalls Juke, Infiniti QX, M Models for Gasoline Leaks

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing just posted inexplicably lists the recall under “diesel storage tank assembly.” Like diesels the Nissan models involved use a high pressure, direct injection fuel system. Unlike diesels, gasoline is the fuel used in the advanced technology engines. Continue reading

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Goodyear Recalls Light Truck Tires for Tread Separation

The recall results from the so-called early warning system that was put in place after the Ford Firestone tread separation fiasco of a more than a decade ago. Goodyear said there was an elevated level of returns and property damage claims for the tires, including stone drilling and other external damage to the tires. Continue reading

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Porsche Recalls Cayenne SUVs for Headlights Falling Out

Porsche is recalling more than 20,000 four-door Cayenne SUV models in the U.S. because the headlights can become loose and possibly fall out. Globally 100,000 Cayenne SUVs are affected. Letters are now being sent to owners of the affected vehicles, Porsche said in a required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The repair takes approximately 45 minutes. Continue reading

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