BMW will be contacting a small number of M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe owners about a manufacturing problem affecting the powertrain of their vehicles. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the driveshaft slip-joint between the transmission and the rear axle may not have been filled with grease and could fail over time. The problem could result in loud clunking noises and sudden loss of power. Continue reading
Category Archives: California Lemon Law
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
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 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
2013 Land Rover RR Sport Ca Lemon Law Buyback
The owner of a 2013 Land Rover RR Sport, leased in September 2012, was returning to his dealership for repairs less than a month after purchasing his vehicle. After nine (9) unsuccessful repair attempts he contacted the Law Offices of Delsack & Associates, P.C. for advice and to represent him in his demand to have Land Rover repurchase the vehicle. Continue reading
Volkswagen Camshaft Defect
Volkswagen will be asking owners of certain 2015-2016 vehicles to return to their dealerships to repair a problem affecting the engine and brake system. According to reports, the lobe of the sintered cam which drives the high pressure fuel injection pump and the vacuum pump, could shear off from the camshaft. If this happens, vacuum supply will be shut off to the the brake booster, the vehicle will go into limp home mode, and the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) will illuminate. Continue reading
Are Recall Delays Affecting Your Vehicles Safety?
With record recalls in the past few years, part shortages have owners concerned that they may be driving vehicles that could potentially harm them. Part of the challenge is that companies send defect notices to drivers before parts are available and will send a second notice when the parts are obtained, but according to consumer advocate Rosemary Shahan, even when parts do become available, limited repair facilities and a shortage of technicians are making it difficult to get the repairs done quickly. She says automobile manufacturers are not doing enough to help consumers.
In the above video, a CBS Sacramento investigation tells you what you can do if you have to wait for recall repairs.
