Category Archives: Lemon Alert

Engine Stall From Insufficient Fuel Supply

Posted on by

General Motors will be asking the owners of certain 2020 GM automobiles to return to their dealerships to fix a problem affecting the fuel supply system in their vehicles. The vehicles affected include 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia.

According to the defect report, the fuel pump assemblies in these vehicles may have been produced with burrs inside the mixing tube. Over time, these burrs could prevent the transfer of fuel from the secondary side of the fuel tank to the primary side. At low fuel levels, the engine may not receive enough fuel and the engine could stall unexpectedly. A stall without warning, especially at high speeds, could increase the risk of an accident.

Dealers will correct the problem by replacing the fuel pump module. GM’s number for this recall is N202314760 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-639.

Chevrolet Bolt Investigated For Battery Fires

Posted on by

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have opened an investigation into certain 2017-2020 Chevrolet Bolt electric cars after several complaints of vehicle fires. The NHTSA says it was contacted by two owners who reported that their Bolt EVs caught fire while parked and unattended. In one case the vehicle was plugged into a charger in the owner’s driveway when it caught fire. The second vehicle was parked but not plugged in approximately 20 minutes after being driven, before it caught fire. Additional research by the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) found a third vehicle, a 2017 Bolt EV with a similar burn patterns.

In all three cases, fire damage appeared to come from the battery compartment with fire passing into the passenger compartment from under the rear seat. The root cause of the fires is unknown and the ODI is opening a “preliminary evaluation” into the matter. If the investigation results in a vehicle recall, approximately 78,000 Chevy Bolt EVs would be affected.

GM Infotainment Problems

Posted on by

A class action lawsuit has been filed against General Motors for problems affecting its IOR 7 inch infotainment system installed in certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles. The lawsuit alleges that GM’s infotainment system problems are a dangerous threat to drivers and passengers.

According to vehicle owners, GM dealers refuse to replace or repair the faulty infotainment systems. The automaker has not released a recall, although they have issued a technical service bulletin acknowledging there is a problem. (NHTSA-TSB-PIT572)

The class-action lawsuit claim that certain GM vehicles with IOR 7 inch infotainment systems are prone to experiencing a range of different issues. Some owners say that the ringer never shuts off with incoming Bluetooth calls and the vehicle operator must turn off the ignition, open and close the vehicle door, and restart the ignition to stop it. Some say the rear view camera’s display image will stay on for up to one minute after shifting out of reverse. The biggest complaint reported involves the the system’s audio volume which will suddenly spike to max volume, distracting drivers while they are behind the wheel.

Vehicles Affected Include
2019 Chevrolet Colorado
2019 Chevrolet Equinox
2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020 Chevrolet Blazer
2020 Chevrolet Camaro
2020 Chevrolet Colorado
2020 Chevrolet Equinox
2020 Chevrolet Sonic
2020 Chevrolet Trax
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020 Chevrolet 2500HD
2020 Chevrolet 3500HD
2019 GMC Canyon
2019 GMC Sierra 1500
2020 GMC Canyon
2020 GMC Terrain
020 GMC Sierra 1500
2020 GMC 2500HD
2020 GMC 3500HD

The California lemon law provides a solution for California consumers who have repeated problems related to the use, value, or safety of their vehicle. It applies to all new and many used vehicles, whether purchased or leased, for personal and most small business use. If you think your vehicle could be a lemon, fill out the “Free Lemon Law Case Review” form at the top of this page.

2019 Ford F-250 And F-350 – Steering Pulls To The Left Or Right

Posted on by

Ford Motor Company will be contacting the owners of certain 2019 F-250 and F-350, single rear wheel and dual rear wheel 4X4 trucks, because the front axle could have a problem which makes it difficult to control the vehicle.

According to the defect report, the affected vehicles may have been manufactured with front axles with a wheel end yoke that was not properly welded to the axle tube end. An improperly welded axle yoke attachment could affect vehicle control, including:

1. pulling to the right or left
2. mis-alignment of the steering wheel
3. change in steering sensitivity
4. vehicle response time during hard braking

During a hard braking event, drivers may experience a loud popping noise from the front axle before vehicle control is affected.

Owners receiving notices will be instructed to return to their Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the front axle wheel yoke weld location inspected. If the weld is in the wrong place, the axle assembly will be replaced. Ford’s number for this recall is 20S56 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-576 .

VW / Jeep – Illuminated Airbag Warning

Posted on by

An illuminated airbag warning light in certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles could mean an airbag crash sensor needs replacement.

ZF North America, the manufacturer of Remote Accelerometer Sensors (RAS) installed in these vehicles, are recalling certain RAS built from a specific production period. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, soldering connections inside the sensors may have been damaged due to exposure to higher than expected temperatures during manufacturing. As reported by FCA and VW, if present in a vehicle, an affected airbag crash sensor may not communicate correctly with the airbag control module. If this occurs, the airbag warning light will illuminate.

Warning: There is a risk of delayed airbag deployment during a frontal crash or a risk of a non-deployment in low speed collisions.

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the air bag crash sensor replaced. Chrysler’s number for this recall is V63. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 69AL. The NHTSA campaign number is 20E-052.

Kia Stinger Engine Compartment Fire

Posted on by

Some 2019 Kia Stinger vehicles equipped with 3.3L T-GDI engines and manufactured between June 21, 2018 to July 9, 2019 could experience an engine compartment fire. There have been six (6) fire related customer complaints and no known crashes or injuries related to this problem.

According to the defect report, these vehicles could experience an engine compartment fire in the area of the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU). Kia is still investigating possible causes and are asking drivers to watch for signals that a fire could occur. This includes the illumination of warning lights on the instrument panel, including tire pressure, ABS and MIL lights. Other signs include a burning or melting odor and smoke from the engine compartment. Owners should park their vehicles outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall is repaired.

The fix for this defect is still under development and is expected to begin October. Kia’s recall number is SC196 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-518.

BMW Hybrid Battery Overheating

Posted on by

BMW North America will be asking the owners of certain 2020-2021 BMW and MINI hybrid cars and SUVs, to return to their dealerships to repair a manufacturing problem affecting the high voltage battery.

Vehicles Affected Include
2021 BMW 330E
2020-2021 BMW X3
2021 BMW X5
2020 Mini Countryman

The high voltage battery in these vehicles may not have been produced according to specification. According to the defect report, an incomplete cleaning during the battery module welding process could result in welding beads left within the battery assembly. Depending upon the size, shape and position of the beads, the beads could develop a short between the cells. In rare cases, the short circuit could lead to a thermal event and a vehicle fire.

Drivers will be alerted of a problem through a warning message displayed in the instrument cluster.

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their BMW dealership to have the battery modules inspected and replaced as necessary. The NHTSA recall number is 20V-495.

Ford Explorer And Lincoln Aviator Airbag Deployment Problem

Posted on by

Ford have identified a problem affecting the seat back side airbags in a small number of 2020 Ford Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles.

According to the defect report, the front seat back sub-assemblies may have been placed in the wrong work in progress rack after a machine interruption. Some of the DC runner nuts may have not been torqued, leaving the air bag and seat back module not fully secured. The problem could delay the positioning of the air bag cushioning and the deployment of the airbag could be affected.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return their their Ford or Lincoln dealer so that they can verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened. Ford’s number for this recall is 20S48 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-497.