Recalls
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Tesla Motors announced this morning that it will conduct a partial recall of Model S electric sedans manufactured between May 10 and June 8 of this year to fix a potentially weakened left-rear seat attachment striker bracket. According to a post on the company's website and signed by CEO Elon Musk, "the attachment strength of the mounting bracket for the left hand latch of the second row seat could be weaker than intended." This came about due to factory adjustments in the alignment of the car's aluminum body-side pressings. The striker bracket in question is both glued and welded to the body...
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Mitsubishi Issues Second Recall For Outlander Plug-In Hybrid In Japan
Mitsubishi has recalled 4,313 of its Outlander Plug-In Hybrids in Japan to fix a potential defect that it identified last month. The company resumed production of the plug-in hybrid Outlander after discovering the cause of a fire in one lithium-ion battery pack at a dealership in Japan. The first...
John Voelcker -
Recall For Some 2010 Toyota Prius, Lexus HS 250h Models
Toyota said today it would recall some 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid cars in the U.S. due to a potentially faulty brake-pressure accumulator. The component, said the company, may develop an internal crack due to metal fatigue caused by vibrations over the course of the vehicle...
John Voelcker -
Buick eAssist, Chevy Eco Hybrid Recall For Control Module Check
General Motors announced today that it will recall more than 38,000 Buick and Chevrolet sedans fitted with its eAssist mild-hybrid system, to check for a possibly defective electronic component. The vehicles, from both the 2012 and 2013 model years, are the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Regal sedans...
John Voelcker -
NHTSA To Probe 2004-2009 Toyota Prius For Steering Issue
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into possible defects with 2004-2009 Toyota Prius steering shafts. No official recall has yet been announced, and will only follow if the NHTSA grants a defect petition claiming the steering column linkage was improperly...
Antony Ingram -
BMW ActiveE Motor Failures: The Price Of Leasing A Test Car?
It's become increasingly common for carmakers to solicit volunteers to lease new-technology cars for a year or two, to gather real-world data about how the cars are actually driven and used. But those cars remain development prototypes, not production-quality vehicles. And as BMW ActiveE drivers...
John Voelcker -
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is recalling 14,700 Mitsubishi i, or i-MiEV electric cars over a brake fault. The global recall will fix a component of the brake booster system. In normal operation, an electric pump sends air to the brake booster, which applies extra force to that generated by the driver when pressing the brakes. A fault with the electric pump may cause some examples to be improperly shaped or damaged, causing the car to travel a longer distance before coming to a halt, when the vehicle brakes. Mitsubishi reports no injuries or deaths as a result of the issue, and there is no fire...
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2012 BMW X5 Diesel Recalled Over Power Steering Failure
BMW is recalling certain 2012 model-year X5 diesel models, as well as some 2013 X5 and X6 models, over potential power steering failure. The recall affects 2009-2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d models built between September 1, 2008 and November 15, 2012. BMW estimates that 29,800 vehicles are affected in...
Antony Ingram -
Ford Escape EcoBoost Recall Roundup For 1.6-Liter Engine
Vehicle recalls happen with such frequency that it'd be alarming, if not for the fact that most are only for minor issues. But as the 2013 Ford Escape is recalled for the fourth time, owners might start wondering whether they've made the correct purchase. Ford has announced the recall of 89,000...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota Recalls Prius, Corolla Models For Steering Issue
Toyota has announced the recall of 2.8 million vehicles worldwide to correct a steering fault found on some models. 670,000 Toyota Prius and Corolla models in the U.S. may suffer from an issue in the steering column. The faulty component may cause a knocking or rattling from the steering column...
Antony Ingram -
2012-2013 Scion iQ Recalled For Safety System Flaw
Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of Scion iQ vehicles from the 2012 and 2013 model years. In all, some 11,200 vehicles are affected. The recall centers around the weight sensor cables located beneath the iQ's front passenger seat. According to a press release from Toyota, those cables "can...
Richard Read -
2013 Chevy Volt Software Update Required To Avert Delayed-Charging Glitch
Yesterday, General Motors announced it will be running a ‘customer satisfaction program’ for some 4,000 2013 Chevrolet Volts to fix a software glitch that could cause the car’s electric motor to power down while driving. In other words, GM is asking all 2013 Chevy Volt owners to...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Ford has announced it will recall more than 154,000 Ford Fiesta subcompacts to fix a fault with the side air bags. The company has found that in some cases, the side air bag won't inflate to protect passengers in the rear, if the front passenger seat is empty. The Associated Press (via Huffington Post) reports that the recall affects 2011-2013 model year vehicles. Models affected were built in the Mexico factory between November 3, 2009 to September 21, 2012. The recall affects a total of 154,604 vehicles. Vehicles affected can be repaired at their local Ford Dealer. Dealers will reprogram...
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2013 Chevrolet Sonic Recalled For Faulty Turn Signals
At the end of last week, Chevrolet posted an official recall notice for all 2013 Sonic cars after it discovered a fault in the system responsible for detecting a blown turn signal bulb. Under normal operation, the unit, called the Body Control Module (BCM) should detect when a turn signal lamp has...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Ford Escape Recalled Again For Engine Bay Fire Risk
It has only been on sale a few months, but the popular 2013 Ford (NYSE:F) Escape has just received its second recall relating to potential engine-bay fires. According to official recall documents posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website, the recall involves replacing a...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
GM Recalls 2012 Chevrolet Sonic For Faulty Windshield Washer System
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic, General Motors’ popular subcompact car, is being recalled to fix a potential fault with the windshield wiper hose. According to the official recall posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s SaferCar website, the recall affects 44,668 cars...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Coda Vehicles Recalled For Airbag Flaw
Coda is one of America's newest auto brands, and now, it's undergoing a time-honored rite of passage: its first official recall. According to a bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Coda recall stems from improperly installed side-curtain airbags. Although the...
Richard Read -
Fisker Karma Fire Due To Faulty Cooling Fan, Recall Underway, Factory Says
Well, that was quick. On Saturday, just eight days after a fire badly damaged a 2012 Fisker Karma, the company has completed its forensic investigation, announced the cause, and started a recall for the part in question. Fisker concluded that the fire was caused by an internal fault in a sealed...
John Voelcker -
This morning, Mitsubishi North America announced an official recall of certain 2012 Mitsubishi i electric cars after it became apparent that there may be an incompatibility between the air bag sensors and the car’s on-board diagnostics system. According to the official recall notice posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website , the problem affects some cars made between November 4, 2011 and December 22, 2011. In affected cars, the side and curtain air bags may be deactivated by the car’s self-diagnostic software, illuminating the SRS warning lamp on the...
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Lexus HS 250h Hybrid Car Recalled For Potential Loose Suspension Fault
Lexus is voluntarily recalling some of its now-discontinued HS 250h entry-level hybrid luxury sedans after it determined that incorrectly-adjusted components on the rear suspension arm could age prematurely and cause suspension failure. According to its official release, the safety recall only...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Ford’s Urgent 2013 Escape Recall Is Quick, Painless
Regardless of the reason behind them, official safety recalls can be frustrating for both automakers and car owners. But according to Gregory Skwira, copy editor for Automotive News (subscription required), his own personal experience of Ford’s urgent recall of the 2013 Escape crossover SUV...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2013 Ford Escape 1.6-liter EcoBoost Recalled For Potential Engine Fire Risk
Just one month after deliveries of the 2013 Ford Escape started, Ford has made a formal recall of all Ford Escapes fitted with its 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine. The recall is to replace an engine compartment fuel line, which is at risk of splitting and leaking fuel in the engine bay, potentially...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
BMW ActiveE Safety Recall For Possible Power Steering Failure
BMW is recalling its ActiveE electric cars to replace a potentially faulty component whose failure could leave drivers without power steering. According to the text of the recall, "variations in electrical current" may occur within the electric power steering, leading to a sudden loss of the power...
John Voelcker -
Lexus Recalls 2010 RX450H In Extended Floor Mat Recall
More than two years after Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus recalled the majority of its hybrid cars to stop the accelerator pedal sticking on aftermarket mats, yet more of its cars have just been recalled for the snip. This time, it isn’t Toyota’s Prius hybrid, but over 150,000 RX...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield