General Motors has announced that certain 2013-2016 Chevrolet Spark, Sonic, and Trax vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media (BYOM) radio may not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for theft and roll away prevention. According to the defect report, under certain situations, the radio software could fail to provide an audible warning to the driver that the keys have been left in the ignition. Without audible indicators the risk of theft is increased. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lemon Alert
Subaru Legacy and Outback May Experience Loss Of Steering
Subaru will be repairing approximately fifty thousand 2016-2017 Legacy and 2015-2017 Outback vehicles for a manufacturing error affecting the steering. According to the defect report, the incorrect setting of a tool used in production of the steering column could result in an improper machining condition. As a result, the steering column shaft may not engage leaving the steering wheel to freely rotate and loss of steering ability. Continue reading
2014-2015 Ford Explorer Rear Suspension Welds Could Break
Ford is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured January 17, 2014 to May 31, 2014. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, the rear suspension toe links may have insufficient welds. If the rear suspension toe link welds fracture, it could cause a loss of steering control, a difficult steering condition, or rear suspension noise. Continue reading
2016 Toyota Avalon & Camry Occupant Classification Problem
The occupant classification system (OCS) of certain 2016 Toyota Avalon and 2016 Toyota Camry vehicles may have not been properly calibrated and could fail to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for occupant crash protection. The problem could result in non-deployment of the front passenger airbag and knee airbag, leaving front seat passengers unprotected during an accident. Continue reading
2016 Mercedes Benz SLK300 Ignition Switch Defect
Mercedes Benz will be contacting the owners of certain 2016 SLK300 roadster vehicles equipped with nine-speed automatic transmissions, about an electrical problem that could affect the transmission and parking brake. According to the defect report, the backup power supply for the ignition switch may have not been properly connected. If the vehicle experiences a loss of power from the main battery, the transmission will not shift into “Park” and the electric parking brake cannot be applied. Without the backup power supply, the only way to keep the vehicle from moving is to press the brake pedal. Drivers attempting to exit the vehicle in this situation should take precaution as the vehicle could roll. Continue reading
GM Suspension Defect Could Result In Difficult Steering
General Motors has decided that a defect relating to vehicle safety exists in certain 2016-2017 Cadillac, Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs, and will be asking owners to return to their dealership for repairs. According to the defect report, the welds on the front upper control arm near the bushings may be poor quality and could fail. The upper control arm could deform or separate from the bushing completely, making steering and directional control very difficult. Continue reading
Chevy, Infiniti & Nissan Inaccurate Airbag Classification
Certain 2013-2017 Chevrolet, Infiniti and Nissan owners will be contacted by the manufacturer about a problem affecting the airbag deployment system. The front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may not deploy or could deploy incorrectly during a crash. Continue reading
Chrysler Power Train Software Problem
Chrysler will be contacting the owners of certain Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles about a power train software problem. The affected models are equipped with 8 speed transmissions and a monostable gear selector. According to the defect report, the software used to warn drivers exiting the vehicle, that their vehicle is not in “Park”, may not adequately warn the driver. Drivers thinking that their vehicle’s transmission is in the “Park” position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged. Continue reading
