Chrysler will be contacting the owners of certain Chrysler, Jeep and RAM vehicles, about a problem affecting their 9-speed automatic transmissions. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, some vehicles may have been built with a trans-axle wire harness with insufficient wire terminal crimps. These crimps could result in a high resistance which will cause the on board diagnostic system to set a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) and shift the vehicle into neutral. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lemon Alert
Buick Regal & Envision Safety Defects
General Motors has decided that defects relating to vehicle safety exists in certain 2011 Buick Regal and 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles.
- The first problem affects certain 2011 Regal cars equipped with 8 way power adjustable front seats. The wiring harness for the seats could chafe against the seat frame and cause an electrical short. The problem could result in an inability to adjust the seats, flickering lights on the instrument panel, sparking or smoke from under the seat, and possibly a fire. Dealers will inspect and secure the wiring harness and repair chafed wires as necessary. GM’s number for this recall is 30710 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-517.
2015 Porsche 918 Spyder – Seatbelt Mounting Bolts Could Fail
A small number of 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder owners will be contacted by the manufacturer, regarding a problem affecting the seat belts in their vehicles. During servicing that requires the removal of the seat belt mount and/or the seat belt reel, the one-time-use mounting screws may have been reinstalled instead to being replaced with new ones and/or it is possible that the screws may have been installed in the wrong location. In the event of a crash, the incorrect bolts may not keep the seat belts properly anchored to the car. Continue reading
GM Unexpected Roll Away From Damaged Park Lock Lever
General Motors will be asking the owners of certain Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles to return to their dealerships to repair an electrical problem affecting the power train system. The ignition systems in these vehicles may contain a damaged electronic park lock lever that could allow the ignition key to be removed when the transmission shows it is in “Park”. The vehicle could unexpectedly roll away, potentially causing an accident. Continue reading
Chevy Impala – Airbag Electrical Problem
General Motors have decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. The front passenger seat frame could rub against and damage the passenger presence sensor (PPS) module wiring, causing the system to improperly suppress the front passenger airbag. Drivers should be alerted of a problem in three different ways.
- The service airbag message will be displayed in the DIC.
- The airbag telltale light may be illuminated.
- The indicator will show that the passenger airbag is off even if a passenger is in the front passenger seat.
2016 Mercedes Benz GLE450 Engine Shuts Down While Braking
Daimler AG has determined that certain 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 Coupe 292 platform vehicles have an issue with the engine control unit (ECU). According to the defect report, the engine control software might cause the engine to unexpectedly shut down while braking. The driver may interpret the shut down as a planned ECO start/stop, but the engine will not restart automatically and will require the driver to restart the vehicle manually. Depending on the traffic situation, an unintentional engine shut-down could increase the risk of a crash.
Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealerships to have the ECU software updated. For more information about the problem, owners are asked to contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 16V-440.
2016 Land Rover LR4 Air Bag Problems
Jaguar will be contacting a small number of 2016 Land Rover LR4 owners about a problem affecting the driver side air bag. Due to a malformed canister, the drivers airbag may perform outside of specifications. In the event of an accident where the airbag is required, the driver will not be fully protected and could be exposed to an increased risk of injury. Continue reading
2015-2016 Ford Focus Electric – Loss Of Motive Power
Ford will be contacting the owners of certain 2015-2016 Ford Focus Electric vehicles about a problem affecting the power train system. According to the defect report, certain cars manufactured between August 20, 2015 – April 13, 2016, may have been equipped with differential pinion gear bores without a friction reduction coating. The problem could result in localized overheating and eventual fracture of the pinion shaft or pinion gears. Drivers may hear an audible indication of wear prior to a fracture. Continue reading
