Tag Archives: air bag safety problem

VW / Jeep – Illuminated Airbag Warning

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An illuminated airbag warning light in certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles could mean an airbag crash sensor needs replacement.

ZF North America, the manufacturer of Remote Accelerometer Sensors (RAS) installed in these vehicles, are recalling certain RAS built from a specific production period. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, soldering connections inside the sensors may have been damaged due to exposure to higher than expected temperatures during manufacturing. As reported by FCA and VW, if present in a vehicle, an affected airbag crash sensor may not communicate correctly with the airbag control module. If this occurs, the airbag warning light will illuminate.

Warning: There is a risk of delayed airbag deployment during a frontal crash or a risk of a non-deployment in low speed collisions.

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the air bag crash sensor replaced. Chrysler’s number for this recall is V63. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 69AL. The NHTSA campaign number is 20E-052.

Ford Explorer And Lincoln Aviator Airbag Deployment Problem

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Ford have identified a problem affecting the seat back side airbags in a small number of 2020 Ford Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles.

According to the defect report, the front seat back sub-assemblies may have been placed in the wrong work in progress rack after a machine interruption. Some of the DC runner nuts may have not been torqued, leaving the air bag and seat back module not fully secured. The problem could delay the positioning of the air bag cushioning and the deployment of the airbag could be affected.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return their their Ford or Lincoln dealer so that they can verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened. Ford’s number for this recall is 20S48 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-497.

GM Roof Rail Airbag Defect

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General Motors had decided that a defect relating to vehicle safety exists in certain 2020 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs. GM will be contacting owners of affected vehicles with instructions to return to their dealerships for repairs.

According to the recall report, the diffuser component of the roof rail airbag inflator may have an improper crimp that would allow it to separate from the inflator during airbag deployment. If this happens, the performance of the airbag may be degraded and could increase the risk of injury to occupants in an accident.

Vehicles Affected
2020 Buick Enclave
2020 Cadillac XT5
2020 Cadillac XT6
2020 Chevrolet Blazer
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
2020 Chevrolet Traverse
2020 GMC Acadia
2020 GMC Sierra 1500
2020 GMC Sierra 2500
2020 GMC Sierra 3500

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect roof rail airbag modules. GM’s number for this recall is N202305380 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-446.

Lincoln MKX And Lincoln Nautilus Seat Wiring Damage

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Ford Motor Company will be asking the owners of certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus SUVs, to return to their dealership to fix a wiring problem that could affect the air bags. These vehicles are equipped with 16 way electric tilt seats.

According to the safety report, the seats in these vehicles may have a wiring harness that was not properly protected from the edge of the seat cushion frame. When the tilt function is used, it is possible that the wires could become damaged and, as a result, the airbag system may not function as intended.

Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this problem, but they will be asking owners to return to their dealerships to have the wire harness inspected and replaced as necessary. Also, a protective flocking tape will be installed onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames. Ford’s number for this recall is 20S37 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-414.

Takata Airbag Recall – Nissan

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Nissan will be contacting the owners of certain 2012-2017 Nissan and Infiniti trucks and vans because of a defect with the drivers airbag in their vehicles. The problem affects PSDI-5D air bag inflators manufactured at the Takata plant in Mexico

According to the defect report, overloading of the driver front air bag inflator propellant could result in an over pressurized airbag deployment. The problem could cause the airbag inflator to rupture and propel metal fragments throughout the vehicle, possibly causing injury or death to occupants.

Vehicles Affected
2011-2012 Infiniti QX56
2013-2015 Nisssan Armada
2012-2017 Nisssan NV
2013-2015 Nisssan Titan

Those receiving notices will be asked to return to their Nissan or Infiniti dealer to have the driver airbag replaced. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 20V-188.

Click here to view the complete recall notice.

Toyota Avalon, Corolla and Matrix Airbag May Not Deploy As Intended

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Toyota will be contacting the owners of certain Avalon, Corolla and Matrix cars because of a problem that could result in the air bags and seat belt pretensioners not deploying.

According to the defect report, the affected vehicles may have been manufactured with an airbag control module that does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients generated in certain severe crashes where there is a large engine compartment intrusion before deceleration. In these cases, the crash sensor and wiring may be damaged and shorted before the deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU. This would result in incomplete or non deployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners and an increased chance of injury to occupants.

Vehicles Affected
2012-2018 Toyota Avalon
2013-2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
2011-2019 Toyota Corolla
2011-2013 Toyota Matrix

Owners will be notified to return to their Toyota dealer to have a noise filter installed between the airbag control module and its wire harness. In some cases, an inspection may be carried out to determine if a noise filter is necessary before installing it.

Infiniti Q50 Hybrid Common Problems

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Of all the Infiniti Q50 vehicles, the 2014 hybrid model has the highest number of manufacturer recalls and owner complaints. The systems with the highest defects include steering, electrical, air bags and braking.

Steering problems is the number one driver complaint of the 2014 Q50 hybrid. The vehicles Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) is an advanced “steer by wire” system developed to enhance feel and feedback, but drivers say it is unpredictable and unreliable. Temporary loss of steering because the system goes out of calibration and resets, the vehicle unexpectedly pulls left or right and the vehicle fails to steer in the intended direction, are also common complaints.

Repeated failure of the electrical equipment on the 2014 Q50 hybrid have owners frustrated. The top complaint is unexpected software shutdowns which leave drivers without an instrument panel, climate control and audio control. The vehicle must be shut off and restarted before it can be restored. Failure of the vehicle sensors is common as well. These sensors are used throughout the vehicle to help the driver maintain safety while driving. If they are not working properly it can cause unexpected problems with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), driver assist and the backup camera system.

Airbag problems are a common complaint on many many vehicle makes and models, and the Infiniti Q50 hybrid is not immune. Errors affecting the OCS have drivers concerned about their passenger safety, even after having the Air Bag Control Unit and the OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) reprogrammed under NHTSA recall 16V-244

According to some 2014 Q50 owners, the electronic braking system in their vehicles have made their cars difficult to handle. Brake booster pump failures cause reduced braking power and longer stopping distances, and the emergency collision warnings and impact mitigation activates while driving, making it difficult to avoid collisions or make quick maneuvers around obstacles.

Do you think your Infiniti Q50 is a LEMON?… Fill out the above form or call us now for a free case evaluation.

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Repeated Problems

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Although the Volkswagen Atlas has only been in production for three years, it has already gained a reputation for being a problematic vehicle. The 2018 model Atlas, for example, has ten recalls and hundreds of manufacturer communications. (Automobile manufacturers are required to submit copies of their communications to dealers and owners about defects, to the NHTSA.) These documents can be useful to owners because they identify known problems.

Manufacturer communications for the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas show that the electrical, engine and braking have issues.

The top complaint of the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is braking. The vehicles’ automatic emergency braking (AEB) is designed to reduce crashes, but poorly deigned or calibrated systems have become a safety issue. Drivers say while crossing lanes of traffic or after leveling out from a down slope, the AEB will automatically activate leaving them with no control over the movement of the vehicle. In order to move again, they have to shift the transmission into neutral and restart the engine.

The second biggest complaint about the 2018 Atlas is the engine start-stop technology. Start-stop technology advertises cost savings and environmental benefits, however, repeated engine starts while supplying power to systems when the engine is off, requires powerful batteries and complex systems to run smoothly. These systems are vulnerable to problems, the biggest being batteries that prematurely die and leave drivers stranded.

Air conditioning defects are the third top complaints of the 2018 VW Atlas. If your a/c is blowing warm air, it is most likely low refrigerant pressure. Leaks and blocked condensers can result in worn compressors, failing blower motors and expensive repair cost. In a recall affecting the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, an improperly installed HVAC drain tube allowed moisture to enter the airbag control unit, causing the airbag to unexpectedly deploy. This dangerous driving condition had thousands of owners returning to their dealers for repairs.

If you purchased or leased a defective Volkswagen Atlas in California that turned out to be a lemon, and need help to get rid of it, just fill out the above form or call us now for a free case evaluation.