Volvo has received information from their airbag supplier regarding an issue affecting the front driver, front passenger and front seat side airbags. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the generant mix ratio of the inflators may be out of specifications and could result in non-deployment of the airbag.

The vehicles affected by this problem include:

Owners will be asked to return to their dealership to have their vehicles airbags inspected and replaced as necessary. For more information about the problem, owners are asked to contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo’s number for this recall is R89712 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-918.

Maserati has determined that certain 2017 Maserati Levante vehicles may have been manufactured with and engine software issue that could affect performance. According to the defect report, if the vehicle is being operated at speeds of approximately 2 miles per hour, the transmission could unexpectedly shift into neutral or the engine could shut down completely.

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the engine control software updated. For more information, owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-201-816-2638. Maserati’s number for this recall is 338 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-936.

The owner of a 2015 Jeep Cherokee, bought in November 2014, contacted the Law Offices of Delsack & Assoc., P.C. regarding problems she was having with her power steering and transmission. Within months of buying the Cherokee, she had experienced two unsuccessful repair attempts for safety defects which kept the vehicle out of service for over 45 days. She continued trying to get the problems repaired until she was advised by her dealer to contact FCA because they could not find a fix for the defects. She was reluctant to deal with the manufacturer, so she contacted us for advice. Continue reading

Daimler has determined that certain Mercedes-Benz GL/GLE/GLS (166 Platform) and GLE Coupe (292 Platform) vehicles may have a problem affecting the front passengger occupant classification system (OCS). According to the defect report, a light occupant remaining stationary on the edge of the seat for a long time could be incorrectly classified as a child seat. The passenger side frontal airbag may be deactivated, increasing the risk of injury to occupants. Drivers will be alerted with an “Airbag Off” warning message illuminated in the center console, even though an occupant is seated in the front passenger seat. Continue reading

A small number of Mercedes-Benz GL and ML class vehicles manufactured September 29, 2014 – March 27, 2015, could experience reduced stability due to a manufacturing assembly error. According to the defect report, the bolts on the front and/or rear axle carriers may not be correctly assembled and could cause the mechanical limits of the remaining bolts to be exceeded. If the bolts fracture the driver may hear unfamiliar noises while driving and could experience loss of control under certain circumstances.

The vehicles affected include:

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will correct the problem by replacing the axle carrier bolts. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact Mercedes Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 16V-900.

Chrysler has determined that a defect exists in certain 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016 – July 15, 2016. According to the defect report, the crankshaft or camshaft sensor may operate intermittently and could result in an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), engine stall, and a no start condition.

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealership to have the crankshaft or camshaft sensor replaced. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is S89 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-907.

A small number of 2016 Toyota Avalon and 2017 Toyota Camry owners will be contacted by the manufacturer concerning a problem affecting their vehicles front passenger knee airbag. According to the defect report, the airbag module may have been installed with the incorrect fasteners. The mounting holes could become damaged and the fasteners could loosen over time. If this happens, airbag performance will be decreased, increasing the risk of injury during an accident.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket, if necessary. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is G05 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-906.

Porsche will be contacting the owners of certain 2015 918 Spyder vehicles, regarding a problem that could increase the risk of a crash. An analysis of a single observation in the field revealed that the lower control arms of the front axle may contain a manufacturing error at the ball joint. Due to variations of the surface coating processes, components and some of the underlying material may have been left unprotected, potentially leading to cathodic stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The problem could affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the lower control arms. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche’s number for this recall is AG09 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-885.