A safety defect affecting a small number of 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles will have owners returning to their dealership to have repairs done to the braking system. According to reports, the left rear or right rear parking brake cable brackets may have not been properly fastened during the assembly process. If the fastening bolts back out completely, the mounting bracket could separate, causing the parking brake to fail. The problem could result in the vehicle unexpectedly rolling away. Continue reading

Honda will be asking a small number of 2014-2015 Honda Accord and 2015 Honda CR-V owners to return to their dealerships to fix a manufacturing error. According to the defect report, during assembly of the short block, it is possible that the automated system that verifies torque of the engine connecting rod bolts may not have identified improperly torqued bolts in a specific group of engines. The problem could result in the engine rattling and knocking, oil leaks, and loss of power. Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall and an increased risk of an accident. Also, if the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire. Continue reading

Kia will be notifying owners of certain 2014-2015 Kia Soul and Soul Electric vehicles about a safety defect that could result in difficult acceleration. Due to bending of an unsupported section of the accelerator pedal, the pedal could fracture if excessive force is applied. Field experience and testing indicates that such force has only occurred when stationary, but if drivers continue to operate their vehicle with this problem, it may increase the risk of an accident. Continue reading

The rear axle hub bearing assemblies of certain 2015 Toyota Yaris vehicles may have one or more rear axle bearing bolts which have not been sufficiently tightened during the manufacturing process. The bolts may become loose during operation a could detach completely. The detached bolts could damage rear brake components resulting in reduced braking an a potential wheel lockup. Continue reading

An insufficient seal of the rear lamp assemblies of some 2015 Hyundai Genesis cars will have 24,400 owners returning to their dealership for repairs. According to the defect report on the NHTSA website, water entering the rear combination lamp assemblies could affect the range switch signals of the transmission. If this occurs while the vehicle is stopped and the shifter is moved from park to reverse or drive, or if it is moved from drive to reverse or park, drivers could experience:

  • an incorrect gear displayed on the instrument panel
  • illumination of the malfunction Indicator Lamp
  • a delay in the engagement of the selected gear

An incorrect gear indication could result in the vehicle moving in an unintended direction increasing the chances of an accident. Continue reading

A defect affecting certain 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles could result in the illumination of the check engine light and/or electronic stability control indicator light. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, a capacitor on the accelerator pedal assembly may have been improperly soldered at the manufacturer. This problem could result in a fault code indicating the senor circuit is open or shorted, forcing the vehicle into Limp Home Mode or Forced Idle Mode. If this happens, the driver will be permitted only minimal vehicle acceleration, increasing the risk of an accident. Continue reading

A small number of 2014 FJ Cruiser owners will be notified by Toyota to return to their dealership for a problem affecting the steering system. According to reports, a joint in the intermediate shaft may have received an inadequate weld due to improperly maintained welding equipment at the supplier. If the vehicle is continuously operated in this condition, the weld could separate, resulting in complete loss of steering control and an increased risk of an accident. Continue reading

A defect affecting certain 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and 2012-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV’s, will have 338,216 vehicle owners returning to their dealership for repairs. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, excessive heat could deform a contact spring within the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) resulting in failure of the fuel pump relay. Drivers may experience stalling, difficult starting, and an eventual no start condition. Continue reading