Takata Airbag Defect Claims 17th Victim
A 17th death has been linked to faulty Takata airbag inflators, reported Cars.com. The driver of a 2002 Honda Civic died on Aug. 20 in Mesa, Arizona, after a crash in which both frontal airbags deployed, Honda confirmed. A subsequent inspection by the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found defective Takata inflators for both airbags ruptured during the incident, causing a small fire in the passenger area. Nobody was in the passenger seat, Honda added. Read the full story here.
Mercedes-Benz Diesel Recall: What Owners Need to Know
Mercedes-Benz USA and its parent automaker, Daimler AG, will pay more than $2 billion to settle allegations of emissions cheating on diesel-powered vehicles, including sedans, SUVs and vans, according to Cars.com. In a proposed settlement with federal and California regulators, announced Sept. 14, the automaker said it would recall some 250,000 diesel vehicles from the 2009 to 2016 model years—about two-thirds of them Sprinter vans—to repair emissions systems with the alleged violations.
Under the terms of the settlement, the automaker will also extend the warranty on certain parts of the affected vehicles, change its internal audit procedures and fund projects to reduce pollution elsewhere. In a related class-action suit under a separate court, Daimler plans to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to current and former owners of the cars in question. Read the full story here.
2020 Ford and Lincoln Cars, SUVs and Trucks
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 620,000 model-year 2020 Ford Edge, Escape, Expedition and Explorer SUVs; Ford F-150, Super Duty F-250/F-350 and Ranger pickup trucks; as well as Mustang coupes, Transit vans, Lincoln Corsair and Nautilus SUVs
- The Problem: Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image, reducing rearward visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera for free.
2020 Ford Mustang
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 38,000 model-year 2020 Ford Mustang coupes equipped with automatic transmissions
- The Problem: The brake pedal bracket may fracture during sudden stopping, which could affect braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will replace the brake pedal bracket assembly for free.
2020-2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 13,100 model-year 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SUVs equipped with 19-, 20- or 21-inch wheels
- The Problem: For SUVs equipped with 19-inch wheels, the tire inflation pressure label and the tire placard label state the incorrect tire pressures for the vehicle. For those equipped with 20- or 21-inch wheels, the tire pressure monitoring system recommended pressure has been set incorrectly in the instrument cluster. As a result, the TPMS warning light will not illuminate when tire pressure reaches 25% below the cold inflation pressure stated on the tire placard. In both cases, drivers may unknowingly operate the vehicle with low tire pressure, possibly causing tire tread separation or loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will apply the correct labels and update the instrument cluster software, respectively, for free.
2019 Ford Super Duty
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 9,600 model-year 2019 Ford Super Duty F-250 and F-350 heavy-duty pickup trucks equipped with single rear wheels and dual rear wheels and 4×4 capability
- The Problem: The front axles may contain a wheel end yoke that was not properly welded to the axle tube end, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will inspect the front axle wheel yoke weld location. If the weld is found to be inaccurately located, the axle assembly will be replaced for free.
2020-2021 Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet Cars and SUVs
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 3,300 model-year 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX SUVs; model-year 2020 Cadillac CT4/CT5 sedans and XT4 SUVs; model-year 2020 Chevrolet Corvette sports cars; and model-year 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUVs
- The Problem: Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may interrupt communication between the sensor and the brake boost system, which could lead to a loss of electronic brake boost assist and increase the risk of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module for free.
3,100 2020 Toyota Highlanders
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 3,100 model-year 2020 Toyota Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids
- The Problem: Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side airbag from deploying properly, which can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- The Fix: Dealers will resolve the issue by inspecting the front seats and replacing the seat trim covers, as necessary, for free. The recall is expected to begin Dec. 13.
2019-2020 Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator and Ram 1500, 2500
- Vehicles Affected: Approximately 2,100 model-year 2019 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and model-year 2020 Gladiator pickup trucks; model-year 2019 Ram 2500 and model-year 2019-2020 1500 pickups
- The Problem: The front seat belt retractors may not lock as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- The Fix: Dealers will replace the front seat belt retractors for free.
*All recall information is courtesy of Cars.com