Category Archives: BMW

News about BMW automobile manufacturer. News about BMW recalls, technical service bulletins (TSB), and problems regarding BMW vehicles.

Automobile Recalls For June 2010

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Below are some of the automobile recalls for June 2010

  • Access Options is recalling certain trucks and vans built on Ford E150, E350, Toyota Sienna, and Dodge Grand Caravan chassis and equipped with VMI/Ricon 6-way power seat bases. The seat base may have a defective weld on the pivot pin which could fail and injure the occupant. The manufacturer will replace the swivel plate free of charge if necessary. Owners may contact Access Option at 831-722-6804.
  • BMW is recalling 2008-2011 1-Series vehicles. In a crash that allows the front pre-tensioner and load limiter to deploy, the insulation around the pre-tensioner could ignite. The manufacturer is still working on a remedy for the problem. If owners would like more information, they can contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.
  • Subaru is recalling certain 2010 Outback and Legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from February 16, 2009 through April 12, 2010. The wiring in the steering column electrical roll connector located behind the vehicle’s steering wheel may develop stress cracks and break resulting in certain electrical components not operating. Possible circuits affected are the driver’s frontal airbag, paddle shifter function, cruise control, horn control and radio functions. Dealers will check lot numbers of the steering roll connector and will replace it with a new one if the lot number showed any affected range of the failure occurrence. This service will be performed free of charge. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
  • Suzuki is recalling some 2006 grand Vitara’s and 2005-2006 XL-7 vehicles for the tension adjuster pulley that operates the power steering pump and air conditioner compressor. Repeated heat stress can cause the outer portion plastic materials to deteriorate and break off. Broken pieces of the pulley can get caught between the pulley and the drive belt, causing the drive belt to come off, making the vehicle difficult to steer. Dealers will replace the power steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley free of charge. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
  • Volvo is recalling some 2010-2011 C30, 2010 S40 and V50 vehicles equipped with 6 speed manual transmissions. The gearshift lever stud assembly may not have been torqued to the correct specification which could result in the gearshift lever cable or stud assembly to become loose, making it difficult to engage, disengage or shift gears. Dealers will torque the gearshift lever stud assembly to the correct specification free of charge. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552 or customercare@volvoforlife.com.
  • Volvo Trucks is recalling certain model year 2001-2006 VNL and VNM trucks manufactured with a TRW sealed drag links. Certain factors can exist, which if left untreated may result in a ball socket separation resulting in complete loss of steering. Dealers will inspect and repair the ball socket or the drag link as required. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before August 15, 2010. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks at 1-800-528-6586

BMW Recalls Motorcycles

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BMW will be recalling over 15,000 motorcycles for three separate safety issues. If owners have any questions about the recalls, they may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

Certain 2007 – 2009 R 1200 and K 1200 series motorcycles manufactured between August 2006 to May 2009 may develop stress cracks on the brake lines due to vibration and strain on the line. These lines could develop leaks, and if unnoticed could drain the brake reservoir, causing the front brakes to fail. Starting in July, BMW will notify owners and dealers will install a new brake line with a protective sleeve, free of charge.

Certain 2008 – 2009 F650 GS and 800 GS motorcycles manufactured between September 27, 2007 to March 30, 2009 may have drive chains that have not been produced to the proper specifications. The chain could break over time and could become trapped between the rear wheel and the frame, resulting in rear wheel lock up. Neither a remedy nor a notification schedule has been provided by the manufacturer.

Finally, certain 2007 – 2008 G650 X Country, G650 X Challenge, and G650 X Moto motorcycles manufactured between November 29, 2006 to May 19, 2008 may have a roll gear pin mount that could bread over time. If the mount breaks, fragments could become trapped between the drive chain and the rear sprocket causing the rear wheel to lock up. Neither a remedy nor a notification schedule has been provided by the manufacturer.

Posted in BMW.

Automobile Recalls For April 2010

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Below are some of the automobile recalls for April 2010:

  • Volvo is recalling certain model 2010 XC90 vehicle for a fuel line leak that could develop in the fuel line at the right front wheel. Dealers will inspect the date code of the fuel line and will replace it free of charge if needed. The recall is expected to begin during May. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
  • The Braun Corporation is recalling some 2008-2010 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan commercial enter vans altered between January 21, 2009 and March 19, 2010. When the vehicles were converted for wheelchair accessibility, the fuel fill pipe was exposed close to the left rear tire. This may result in wear on the tire resulting in loss of tire pressure which could lead to an accident, or a vehicle fire if the fuel fill pipe becomes worn. Braun will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2010. Owners may contact Braun toll-free at 1-800-488-0359.
  • BMW is recalling certain 2010 X5 M SAV vehicle because they do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 108. (Lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment) These vehicle were equipped with side marker lamps, but are not wired for illumination. BMW has not yet provided a remedy or an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact BMW at 800-525-7417.
  • Hino is recalling some 2008-2010 NV8J trucks with Allison 3000 RDS automatic transmission. The drive coupler bolts could shear due to improper tightening during the manufacturing process. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule or a remedy for this campaign. Owners may contact Hino at 1-248-699-9330.
  • Workhorse is recalling certain model year 2010 W42, W62 and model year 2011 W22 trucks and built with a General Motors gasoline engine and equipped with Remy alternator. A low resistance electrical short in the alternator may result in a vehicle fire. Dealers will inspect and replace the alternator if necessary free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2010. Owners may contact Workhorse at 1-877-246-7731.
  • Ford is recalling some 2010 Fusion, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac, Mercury Milan and mountaineer vehicles manufactured between December 15, 2009 – February 3, 2010 for head restraints that do not comply with vehicle safety standards. In a crash, the head restraint may move rearward increasing the risk of neck injury. Dealers will replace the manual recliners for both power and manual seats free of charge. The safety recall began on May 3, 2010. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

The History OF Unintended Acceleration

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Toyota’s unintended acceleration problem has been flooding the media lately causing fear in anyone who drives on the roads. You hear stories of how someone’s car started speeding uncontrollably and the deaths and injuries that resulted. Drivers of these vehicles said they pressed the brakes, but the vehicle just didn’t respond.

You may be surprised to learn that this is a problem that has been around for quite a while, and is not limited to only Toyota vehicles. ConsumerAffairs.com has received sudden acceleration complaints over the years from a wide range of makes, including Kia, Jaguar, BMW and Ford. Ford coming in second after Toyota. In fact, during the 80’s, Audi went through the same legal and media problems that Toyota experiences now for unintended acceleration.

In 2005 there was an estimated 20,000 consumers who complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of sudden unintended acceleration. Some complaints as far back as the late 1980’s when vehicle first started to be controlled with electronic controls. The problem is difficult to recreate without tampering with the vehicles electronics, so in most cases there is no indication that the vehicle has malfunctioned.

According to engineers familiar with electronic technology any electronic interference could cause the accelerator to surge out of control. In these type of systems there are fail-safes that will reset the computer and will store an error code which can be read by a technician when brought in for repairs. So far, any vehicle that has experienced unintended acceleration has not brought up an error code indicating anything went wrong.

What About The Hydrogen Car?

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We have been hearing about electric cars lately and how auto companies are pushing to get them on the roads, but what ever happaned to the hydrogen car. Beyond the test market, hydrogen-powered cars seemed to be nothing more than research and development, but with new hydrogen technology it is no longer the dangerous fuel we were reluctant to put on the roads.

At last month’s Los Angeles auto show Honda introduced the Honda FCX Clarity, the world’s first production fuel-cell car. Befor this, BMW was leading the way in hydrogen development with their Hydrogen 7, a V12 internal combustion engine that can be powered by gasoline as well as liquid hydrogen. With a price tag of at least $250 000 only 100 celebrities and politicians have received a loaner car for evaluation and to provide feedback. The honda fuel cell car would also be quite expensive to buy, but once it goes into production for the public, the price would significantly go down.

Like the electic car, there is the problem of “fueling up”. According to H2stations.org, a website that tracks hydrogen refilling stations, there are only 10 certified filling stations in Canada (and those are used for industrial purposes), 38 in Europe and 49 in the U.S. (with more than half in California).

Honda tried to address the infrastructure problem with its experimental Home Energy Station, a self-contained unit that converts natural gas into hydrogen, but burning natural gas to produce hydrogen seems to just defeat the purpose.

Cars That Run on Sunshine

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The electric car has been around for a long time. In the late 1930’s Robert Anderson (A Scottish inventor) built the first crude electric carriage. Over the years the car has been improved to a point where it could be a practical mode of transportation for many people. One of the main reasons we don’t see many on the roads is because charging a large number of electric cars will require huge upgrades to the nation’s infrastructure

SolarCity and Tesla Motors hope to change the amount of electric cars on the road by installing solar-powered car charging stations in Rabobank locations along California Route 101. These quick charging “gas stations” delivers up to 70 amps (240 volts) of electricity which would charge a Telsa Roadster in about 3.5 hours. SolarCity has also installed over 100 in home-charging stations throughout the state.

The Beautiful Earth Group, a solar and wind farms company started last year, has paired up with BMW and the mini, to build solar charging stations in the Red Hook, Brooklyn area. These stations are truly “green”. Built out of recycled shipping containers the station can provide enough energy to charge the Mini E in three hours. Lex Heslin, chief executive of Beautiful Earth, claims two firsts: He got the keys to the first electric version of the Mini Cooper in New York and his company is operating the city’s first solar E.V. charging station.

Silicon Valley based company, Coulomb Technologies, have been building charging stations around the world since 2007. Their recent partnership with Envision Solar has allowed them to integrate their ChargePoint technology into a “solar grove” at Dell headquarters in Round Rock, Tex. This system provided 131,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, and doubles as shade for 56 parking spaces.

With the environmental issues we face today, solar charging could become big business. Ideally, solar charging stations will be connected to the grid so they can feed electricity back when the power is not needed for car-charging. When the sun isn’t shining, cars can be charged on grid power.

Cars and Trucks Currently Built in the U.S.A.

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Approximately 8.5 million vehicles were assembled in the United States in 2008, but only 5 million of those were made by Big Three auto makers. More than 3 million of the assembled vehicles in U.S. plants were built by autoworkers employed by brands such as BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota. American vehicles assembled in the United States, built by American union workers, and made with engines and transmissions manufactured in the U.S.are the following:

Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Ford Expedition, Ford F150, Ford F-250, Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, Lincoln Navigator, Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Express, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Savana, GMC Yukon XL, Hummer H2, Dodge Caliber (manual transmission only), Dodge Dakota (automatic only), Jeep Compass (manual transmission only), Jeep Patriot (manual transmission only), Jeep Wrangler (automatic transmission only), Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (automatic transmission only).

If you are having problems with your vehicle and think you may be driving a lemon, call the California Lemon Law Firm of Delsack and Associates. Call toll free 888-Ex-Lemon (888-395-3666) for a free consultation.