General Motors will be notifying certain 2011-2013 Chevrolet Volt owners about a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety. According to reports, it is possible that drivers could exit their vehicle while inadvertently leaving them “On”. After a period of time, the vehicle’s battery could drain and the vehicle’s gas engine will automatically start to run to recharge it. If the gas engine runs for long periods of time within an enclosed space, such as a garage, carbon monoxide could build up potentially causing injury. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lemon Alert
Chrysler TIPM Investigated For Safety Defect
A petition from the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has resulted in a defect investigation into failing Totally Integrated Power Module’s (TIPM) in certain Chrysler SUVs, trucks, and vans. The CAS alleges that TIPM failures have resulted in incidents of engine stall; airbag non-deployment; random horn, headlight, taillight, door lock, instrument panel and windshield wiper activity; failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration; and fires. The petition includes a list of 70 complaints received by CAS that are allegedly related to Chrysler TIPM failures. Continue reading
2015 Chevy Cruze Park Brake Failure
A safety defect affecting a small number of 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles will have owners returning to their dealership to have repairs done to the braking system. According to reports, the left rear or right rear parking brake cable brackets may have not been properly fastened during the assembly process. If the fastening bolts back out completely, the mounting bracket could separate, causing the parking brake to fail. The problem could result in the vehicle unexpectedly rolling away. Continue reading
Engine Knocks In Honda Accord & CR-V Vehicles
Honda will be asking a small number of 2014-2015 Honda Accord and 2015 Honda CR-V owners to return to their dealerships to fix a manufacturing error. According to the defect report, during assembly of the short block, it is possible that the automated system that verifies torque of the engine connecting rod bolts may not have identified improperly torqued bolts in a specific group of engines. The problem could result in the engine rattling and knocking, oil leaks, and loss of power. Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall and an increased risk of an accident. Also, if the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire. Continue reading
2014-2015 Kia Soul Acceleration Defect
Kia will be notifying owners of certain 2014-2015 Kia Soul and Soul Electric vehicles about a safety defect that could result in difficult acceleration. Due to bending of an unsupported section of the accelerator pedal, the pedal could fracture if excessive force is applied. Field experience and testing indicates that such force has only occurred when stationary, but if drivers continue to operate their vehicle with this problem, it may increase the risk of an accident. Continue reading
2015 Toyota Yaris Rear Axle Problem
The rear axle hub bearing assemblies of certain 2015 Toyota Yaris vehicles may have one or more rear axle bearing bolts which have not been sufficiently tightened during the manufacturing process. The bolts may become loose during operation a could detach completely. The detached bolts could damage rear brake components resulting in reduced braking an a potential wheel lockup. Continue reading
2015 Hyundai Genesis Inaccurate Transmission Indication
An insufficient seal of the rear lamp assemblies of some 2015 Hyundai Genesis cars will have 24,400 owners returning to their dealership for repairs. According to the defect report on the NHTSA website, water entering the rear combination lamp assemblies could affect the range switch signals of the transmission. If this occurs while the vehicle is stopped and the shifter is moved from park to reverse or drive, or if it is moved from drive to reverse or park, drivers could experience:
- an incorrect gear displayed on the instrument panel
- illumination of the malfunction Indicator Lamp
- a delay in the engagement of the selected gear
An incorrect gear indication could result in the vehicle moving in an unintended direction increasing the chances of an accident. Continue reading
2016 Kia Sorento Acceleration Problem
A defect affecting certain 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles could result in the illumination of the check engine light and/or electronic stability control indicator light. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, a capacitor on the accelerator pedal assembly may have been improperly soldered at the manufacturer. This problem could result in a fault code indicating the senor circuit is open or shorted, forcing the vehicle into Limp Home Mode or Forced Idle Mode. If this happens, the driver will be permitted only minimal vehicle acceleration, increasing the risk of an accident. Continue reading