Chrysler has announced a recall for certain 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV vehicles for airbags that could deploy unexpectedly. According to Chrysler, a component in the airbag control module could be a lemon, causing the front airbags, side curtain airbags, and/or seat belt pretensioners to deploy unexpectedly while the vehicle is being operated. Continue reading

Ford will be contacting owners of certain 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles because their cars may fail to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for occupant crash protection. According to Ford, an incorrect software installation may prevent the side impact airbags from deploying when there is no occupant in the front passenger seat. Ford will reprogram the vehicle’s software to make it consistent with the description on the owner’s manual. Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Nissan will be alerting owners of certain 2012-2013 Altima vehicles about a manufacturing problem that could lead to loss of control of their vehicles. According to Nissan, certain vehicles may have been manufactured with a transverse link bolt and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to the proper specification. The bolt could loosen and fall off, increasing the risk of a vehicle accident. Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact Nissan customer services at 1-800-647-7261.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning car owners to get their vehicle inspected for potential lemon airbags. This includes any airbags bought online, used vehicles where the owner is unsure if the airbags have been replaced, and any owner who has had their airbags replaced by an independent repair shop not connected to a new car dealership. It is estimated that only 1% of U.S. vehicles may be affected by the problem, but that equals to tens of thousands units. Continue reading

General Motors (GM) has announced a customer satisfaction campaign affecting approximately four thousand 2013 Chevrolet Volt electric cars. A software glitch in the delayed charging function could cause the vehicle to unexpectedly stall. Drivers will still have steering and brakes, but in order to restart the engine, they must stop the vehicle, turn it off, and wait five minutes before restarting.

According to GM spokeswoman, Michelle Malcho, the glitch only affects the small number of owners that have used the delayed charging option. All drivers are recommended to switch to immediate instead of delayed time charging until the problem can be fixed. GM has already sent letters by Federal Express explaining to customers that the repair requires the vehicle’s control system software to be re-flashed. The repair is expected to take less than an hour.