Hyundai will be contacting the owners of certain 2013-2014 Genesis Coupes about a safety defect affecting their vehicles power train. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the differential and suspension rear cross member may have not been properly aligned during assembly. The bolts that secure the differential could loosen and the drive shaft may disconnect from the differential. Loss of propulsion could increase the chance of an accident. Continue reading
2015 Nissan Rogue Shift Selector Problem
Certain 2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for “Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention”. According to reports, a routine vehicle inspection found a quality issue with certain transmission shift selector knob parts. The problem could result in the shift selector being moved out of the “Park” position while the brake pedal is not depressed. The vehicle could unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading
Ford Fusion and Milan Fuel Leak Fire Risk
Ford will be asking the owners of certain 2010-2011 Fusion and Milan cars to return to their dealerships to repair a defect affecting the fuel system. According to reports, some cars may have an evaporative emissions canister purge valve (CPV) that may develop an internal leak and allow excessive vacuum to build up in the fuel tank. Repeated cycles of this condition could cause cracks to develop in the fuel tank. Drivers may detect a smell of fuel around the vehicle, observe a fuel puddle under the fuel tank, and/or experience a malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination. Continue reading
2013-2014 Dodge Dart Loss Of Brake Assist
Chrysler will be asking the owners of certain 2013-2014 Dodge Dart vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.4L engines, to return to their dealership to fix a problem that could reduce braking ability. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, engine oil from the vacuum pump could seep into and damage the brake booster. The problem could result in loss of brake assist and longer stopping distances. Continue reading
Tesla Model S Seat Belt Restraint Problem
Tesla will be asking the owners of certain 2012-2015 Model S vehicles to return to their dealerships to repair a problem affecting the seat belt restraint system. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the driver and/or front passenger seat belt anchor plate may have be improperly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner. If the seat belt anchor plate is not properly secured, the seat belt will not provide sufficient restraint force during an accident. Continue reading
Automobile Owners Granted “Right To Repair” Exemption
Vehicle owners in California and across the United States will soon be able to alter their automobiles software without violating U.S. copyright laws, thanks to changes with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
As part of the latest three year review, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group based in San Francisco, filed petitions seeking changes to parts of the copyright act that prohibit consumers from unlocking software on certain products. Two of the petitions dealt directly with automobile software used to control a vehicles engine and emissions-control units. A lawyer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation said the group believes that researchers and car owners need access to vehicle software not only to make repairs or to adjust performance, but also to improve security. Continue reading
2014-2016 Kia Soul Steering Problem
Kia will be asking the owners of certain 2014-2016 Kia Soul and Soul EV vehicles to return to their dealerships to repair a problem affecting the steering system. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the adhesive used to secure the steering pinion gear to the gear assembly may have insufficient strength. The pinion gear could separate from the assembly, resulting in loss of steering and an increased risk of an accident. Continue reading
Toyota And Lexus Unexpected Braking
The owners of certain Toyota and Lexus cars will be receiving an interim notification for a problem affecting the Pre-Collision System (PCS). According to reports, the vehicles involved could have a PCS that may interpret a steel road joint or steel plate in the road surface as another vehicle or obstacle in its path. This could cause the system activate, apply brakes, tighten seat belts, and illuminate a PCS warning. Continue reading
