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
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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
Nissan Altima & Maxima Reduced Braking Ability
A small number of 2015 Altima and 2016 Maxima owners will be contacted by Nissan about a safety problem affecting the braking system. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the bolts securing the brake caliper assembly to the steering knuckle may have not been properly torqued. Over time, the the caliper assembly could loosen and in extreme circumstances could separate completely. If a bolt loosens, the driver may notice noise and/or vibration. Continue reading
2014 Jeep Cherokee Buyback For Safety Defects
The Law Offices of Delsack & Associates, P.C. were happy to help the owner of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee get his vehicle bought back under the California Lemon Law. During our initial lemon law consultation, he told us he purchased his vehicle in February 2014 and had given a Chrysler/Jeep dealer two (2) opportunities to repair safety defects affecting the transmission and powertrain. There were also several technical service bulletins (TSBs) issued to fix defects affecting the transmission control module (TCM) and powertrain control module (PCM), but the problems persisted. Continue reading
2016 Honda Pilot Safety Systems Warning Lights Fail To Illuminate
Honda will be notifying owners of certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles to return to their dealerships for a problem affecting the instrument cluster warning lights. During a safety system malfunction, the corresponding system warning light will not illuminate until the ignition has been turned of and then back on. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, “Electronic stability control systems”, number 135, “Light vehicle brake systems” and number 138, “Tire pressure monitoring systems”. Continue reading
