recalling Archives

Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury

When it rains, it pours. Toyota has announced a pair of separate but voluntary North America recalls covering approximately 235,000 vehicles built between 2006 and 2011. The larger of the two recalls targets Toyota’s hybridized crossovers, the Lexus RX400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. 133,000 units, including 2006-2010 Highlander and 2006-2008 RX crossovers are covered in the campaign. The other recall affects 102,000 IS350 sedans, IS350C convertibles and GS350 sedans built between 2006 and 2011.

With the CUVs, the faults in the parallel circuits of the transistors can cause heat damage in the inverter assembly, triggering an abundance of warning lamps and sending the vehicle into limp mode. The Lexus sedans are being recalled due to loose bolts on the variable valve timing controller. Detected by unusual underhood sounds on startup, the issue can cause the engine to stop while driving. The inverter issue is also triggering similar recalls in Japan and Europe.

At the moment, it’s unclear if any of these issues have caused any crashes or injuries. Toyota says it plans to notify owners of the recall via snail mail. Additional information for owners can be found on the recall sites for Toyota and Lexus or by calling Toyota’s customer service line, at 1-800-331-4331. Scroll down for the complete recall notice from Toyota.

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Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury

Continue reading Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford recalling 370,000 Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car models

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

2005 Ford Crown Victoria

The Detroit News is reporting that Ford will recall some 370,000 Crown Victoria (pictured), Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car vehicles from model years 2005 through 2011, for an issue regarding the lower intermediate steering shaft. 355,000 of the vehicles in question were sold in the US, with the other 15,000 sold in Canada.

The report indicates that corrosion of the lower intermediate steering shaft could cause a “loss of steering,” presumably because of a partial or complete failure of the part. The report points out the dealers will inspect and replace the offending steering component for recalled cars, and may also secure a lower steering column bearing and replace the upper intermediate steering shaft as needed. The company is unaware of any reports of the faulty part causing any accidents or injuries.

Ford helpfully lists states in which corrosion is more likely to have taken place, mostly in the Snow Belt, as you might guess. Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia are listed.

The Detroit News also quotes a Ford spokeswoman saying, “Customers located in other states who routinely operate their vehicles in one of these areas, or customers who have concerns regarding their steering, will also be able to have their vehicles inspected and repaired if necessary.”

Ford recalling 370,000 Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota recalling 342k Tacomas due to faulty seatbelt pretensioners

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

2008 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab front three-quarter

Toyota is voluntarily recalling 342,000 Tacoma Access Cab pickups, produced between 2004 and 2011. The wide-ranging recall is due to faults in the screws that attach the belt pre-tensioner to the belt retractor. There are concerns that the screws can loosen themselves over time, especially if the access door is opened and closed with too much force. It’s important to note that the recall only covers the driver and front passenger seat, and is limited to just the Access Cab trucks. Other body styles aren’t affected.

If the screws come loose, the pre-tensioner and retractor spring could separate from the belt entirely, which would be bad news in a crash. There’s no mention of injuries or accidents due to the faulty pre-tensioners. Owners affected by the recall will be notified soon, and asked to come in for recall service.

Continue reading Toyota recalling 342k Tacomas due to faulty seatbelt pretensioners

Toyota recalling 342k Tacomas due to faulty seatbelt pretensioners originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan recalling 13k Versa Note hatchbacks

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Nissan

2014 Nissan Versa Note front three-quarters

Nissan is recalling 13,000 of its new 2014 Versa Note hatchbacks due to an issue with various bolts used to assemble the vehicle. Considering the Versa Note was only recently put on sale, this news must be driving Nissan nuts (we couldn’t resist), but presumably the lion’s share of these vehicles are still at dealerships.

According to a report from The Detroit News, there are two separate issues. The first has to do with the latches for the rear seats, which include bolts that may not be strong enough to keep the seats upright in the event of a crash. The second relates to the bolts that attach the body to the undercarriage. Apparently they may not have been tightened properly, and in rare cases may be missing altogether. No injuries or accidents have been reported from either issue.

Owners are being told to report to dealers for the fixes, with notifications coming in mid-August.

Nissan recalling 13k Versa Note hatchbacks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jul 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi recalling 2013 Outlander Sport for suspension issue

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Mitsubishi

2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport - front three-quarter view, tan

Just 305 units of the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport are the subject of a recall over a potential suspension issue. Crossovers made from January 17-25 of this year might suffer from a bad weld on the front left strut’s stabilizer link. If it fails, damage to the brake hose or tire could result, in turn making steering or braking control of the compact CUV more difficult.

When the recall begins, owners can take their Outlander Sports to Mitsubishi dealers for inspection and replacement of the strut assembly if necessary. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration bulletin below has more information.

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Mitsubishi recalling 2013 Outlander Sport for suspension issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM reportedly recalling select 2014 Silverado, Sierra pickups over airbag issue

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2014 Chevy Silverado front three-quarter

2014 GMC Sierra front three-quarter General Motors is recalling 843 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Crew Cab pickups, due to a fault with the vehicle’s airbags. According to GM, the airbags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. There haven’t been any crashes or injuries associated with this recall, which is always good. Naturally, repairs will be free of charge, and GM will begin contacting affected owners soon.

GM has a lot hanging on the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Not only is it banking over $12,000 per vehicle on these trucks, as reported by Automotive News, but GM is counting on the Sierra and Silverado to take the fight to cross-town rivals Ford and Ram. The F-150 and Ram 1500 have been on a tear over the past few years, with fresh updates, advanced powertrains, and plenty of solid press while the GM trucks have been waiting for the 2014-model-year upgrades.

It’s still entirely too early to judge the Sierra and Silverado, particularly as those 843 recalled trucks make up barely two percent of the over 40,000 units moved so far. But, as AN rightly states, these trucks are the most important vehicles to come out of GM since bankruptcy, with about 60 percent of global profits relating to pickups and SUVs. Starting an introduction of such a big product with a recall, however small, is not the preferred way to do things.

GM reportedly recalling select 2014 Silverado, Sierra pickups over airbag issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jul 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz reportedly recalling 136,000 M Class models over cruise control problem

Filed under: SUV, Recalls, Safety, Mercedes-Benz

2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Mercedes-Benz is issuing a recall for its 2000-2002 M-Class and 2000-2004 M-Class AMG models after reports that hitting the brakes may not automatically turn off cruise control. The recall affects 136,751 vehicles built between August 1999 and June 2004.

The recall follows a preliminary investigation the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started in December, 2010. The root of the problem is reportedly a failed brake lamp switch, which can cause not only the cruise control issue, but also prevent the vehicle being shifted out of park and a failure of the brake lights.

Though the investigation by NHTSA is only a few months old, Daimler AG issued a technical service bulletin in May, 2005 to replace the faulty brake lamp switch. According to Daimler, the problem can be solved by pumping the brakes to disengage cruise, but the automaker admits that it may require an “unusually high” amount of pressure on the pedal.

Mercedes dealers will replace the switch for affected customers when the recall begins in September.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz reportedly recalling 136,000 M Class models over cruise control problem

Mercedes-Benz reportedly recalling 136,000 M Class models over cruise control problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM recalling 2,000 laid-off workers

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

UAW President Bob King

According to the United Auto Workers, General Motors will recall another 2,000 of its laid-off workers by September. The UAW told The Detroit News that most of the recalls will affect southern Michigan, where the economic downturn and subsequent cutbacks hit hardest.

While the General hasn’t specified its timeline yet, UAW officials say the workers will be back building cars by September. With laid-off employees back at work, GM will be able to start hiring again, though the company didn’t provide a timeline for new hires.

The recalls show that General Motors is making progress on its road to recovery after several dire years and the death of four of its brands. According to GM brass, they’re starting a third shift of 750 workers at the Flint, Michigan truck plant, 600 for a second shift to build Cadillacs in Lansing, and 1,550 to build small cars in Lake Orion, Michigan.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: GM recalling 2,000 laid-off workers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Continental recalling nearly 400,000 tires used on Ford F-Series pickups

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Ford

2008 Ford F-250

Due to some apparently shoddy rubber, Continental and Ford are recalling 2008-2009 F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks equipped with certain tires. The issue lies with nearly 400,000 Continental tires that are susceptible to uneven wear and, in certain situations, can experience tread belt separation. If that occurs, the risk of an accident will rise substantially.

This recall affects trucks built from May 6th, 2007 through September 20th, 2008. Approximately 390,657 units are faulty and the specific tires in question are:

Continental Contitrac LT275/70R18 125/122S (outline white letters, black sidewall)
Continental Contitrac TR BSW LT275/70R18 125/122S (black sidewall)
Continental Contitrac TR OWL LT275/70R18 125/122S

Click past the jump to read the full NHTSA bulletin. And yes, we clearly are all reminded that this isn’t the first foray Ford has had with not-so-great tires…

[Source: NHTSA via Consumer Reports]

Continue reading Report: Continental recalling nearly 400,000 tires used on Ford F-Series pickups

Report: Continental recalling nearly 400,000 tires used on Ford F-Series pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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