A defect affecting steering safety will have the owners of certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and 2015 GMC Canyon trucks returning to their dealerships for repairs. The vehicles involved may have a torque sensor harness connector that was damaged during testing and could result in loss of electrical connection to the steering gear connector. If loss of connection occurs, power steering assist will be lost, a malfunction indicator light displays on the instrument panel and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Continue reading

Mercedes-Benz has determined that a steering defect affecting certain Smart ForTwo vehicles may exist. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the steering gear bolts on the front cross steering member may have been manufactured outside of production specifications due to a production deviation at a supplier. If the bolts do not meet the endurance requirements, they could break due to high loads and vibrations, making handling difficult and increasing the risk of an accident. Continue reading

Ford will be asking owners of certain 2005-2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 2005-2011 Lincoln Town Car, and 2005-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis to return their vehicles to their dealership to inspect a previous repair. According to the defect report, vehicles repaired under the previous safety recall 13V-385, may have been improperly serviced. As a result, the upper arm intermediate shaft could separate resulting in loss of steering control and an increased chance of an accident. Continue reading

General Motors will be asking owners of certain Buick, Cadillac, and Chevrolet sedans to return their vehicles to a manufacturer approved repair facility to have their vehicles steering system inspected and repaired. According to reports filed at the NHTSA website, the fasteners holding the intermediate shaft and the steering gear, and/or at the lower control arm to the lower ball joint may have not been torqued to the correct specifications. The fasteners could loosen, parts could separate, and the driver could experience complete loss of steering. Continue reading

Honda will be recalling over 50,000 of its 2007-2008 Acura TL sport sedans because the power steering hose could leak. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this is not the first time Honda has recalled these vehicles. In 2008 almost 275,000 2004-2008 Acura TLs owners were asked to bring in their vehicles for the same problem. High under hood temperatures are being blamed on the premature deterioration despite a design change to reduce the fluid temperatures. If the power steering hose starts to leak, the driver could experience loss of power steering assist and a potential engine fire. Owners wanting more information on the problem can contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009 or Acura at 1-800-382-2238.