NHTSA Investigates BMW 7Series Vehicles

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into BMW 7 Series vehicles after receiving consumer complaints alleging vehicles rolling away when in “park”. The vehicles under investigation are equipped with BMW’s Comfort Access, electronic access and ignition system, and an electronic transmission shifter with the gear selector mounted on the steering column. The shifter is designed to automatically shift the vehicle to “park” under certain conditions. The NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation will assess the scope, frequency and cause of the rollaway incidents. The vehicles under investigation include:

  • 2002-2008 BMW 7 Series
  • 2003 BMW 730D
  • 2003 BMW 730I
  • 2002-2003 BMW 735I
  • 2002 BMW 735LI
  • 2002, 2003, 2005 BMW 745I
  • 2002-2005 BMW 745LI
  • 2007 BMW 750I
  • 2006-2007 BMW 750LI
  • 2005 BMW 760I
  • 2005, 2007 BMW 760LI

Volkswagen Jetta Investigated For Fuel Leak

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After receiving seven complaints, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided to open an investigation into fuel line leaks in some 2011 Volkswagen Jetta and 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen vehicles. Drivers complained about leaks at the fuel line to the number two fuel injector on Jetta vehicles equipped with 2.0L TDI common rail diesel engines. Because these engines operate at extremely high fuel injection pressures, the NHTSA’s wants to do a preliminary evaluation to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of the defect.

NHTSA Decides No Recall For Ford Minivans

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided to not issue a recall for some 2004-2007 Ford Freestar and 2004-2007 Mercury Monterey minivans after a year long investigation. The NHTSA started the investigation in August 2010 after receiving complaints that water could run down onto the cowling under the hood in the windshield wiper area and would drip onto the power train control module (PCM). The module would short, causing a variety of problems including stalling, poorly shifting transmission, erratic power, and a lit malfunction light. The NHTSA found that the failure rate was below what would be considered a defect trend and decided not to issue a recall. The agency will continue to monitor complaints and take further action in the future if warranted.

Honda Recall For Transmission Problems

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Honda has issued a recall for certain vehicles built between July 2004 to August 2010 for a problem within the transmission. The recall is being blamed on the outer ring of secondary shaft bearings in the transmission, breaking under certain driving conditions. The broken parts could become wedged in between the transmission idle gear and the electronic sensor housing within the transmission. The driver may experience an abnormal noise, the malfunction indicator light will turn on, the engine may stall, and/or the vehicle could roll away when in “park”. Owners wanting more information can contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. The vehicles involved in the recall include:

Chrysler And Dodge Minivans Recalled

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Chrysler is recalling certain 2008 Chrysler and Dodge minivans for a problem with the air conditioning that could lead to an airbag illumination and a potential airbag deployment. A report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is blaming the problem on a leak in the heating and air conditioning system that could affect the occupant restraint conrtol (ORC) module. The vehicles involved in this recall include:

Auto Industry Tops Consumer Complaints

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According to a consumer complaint survey report, the category most complained about by consumers in 2010 was the auto industry. The survey, carried out collectively by the Consumer Federation of America, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators, and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators, looked at over half a million complaints in different states around the country. For a second year in a row, they found that automobile related problems topped the list. Some of the most complained about categories included misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemon vehicles, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes.

Nissan Sentra Recalled For Electrical Problem

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Nissan has announced a recall for some 2010-2011 Sentra sedans manufactured between May to July 2010. The problem is being blamed on a machining error that could allow for a gap to occur in the contact area of the positive terminal. This gap could result in a voltage drop that could make it difficult to start the engine and could damage the engine control module. Owners receiving the recall can take their vehicles to their local dealer to get the positive battery terminal cable end replaced. For more information contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Honda Civic Redesigned for 2012

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Consumer Reports has always been a big fan of the Honda Civic, but as the new 2012 models roll of the assembly line, negative reviews may hurt the sales of one of the most popular cars in America. The Civic, usually ranking number one, fell to second last out of 12 compact cars. Consumer Reports found the 2012 Civic model to be less agile with lower interior quality than previous models. Testers also found that the vehicle suffers from a rough ride, long stopping distances and pronounced road noise. A full report of the top 12 cars will be in their upcoming September issue