Tag Archives: automobile safety defect

2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E Half Shaft Replacement

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Ford will be contacting a small number of 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E owners regarding a defect affecting the half-shaft in their cars. Some Mach-E vehicles may have been manufactured with a right rear half-shaft that could break under load.

Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group became aware that there was a problem in July 2022, when product engineering identified two vehicles with broken rear right half-shafts. One broken half-shaft was found during a squeak and rattle validation, and a second just before it was being loaded for transport.

Further investigation found that improper placement during the green turning in the lathe caused too much material to be removed, exceeding the specified minimum wall thickness of 9.1mm. Supplier records showed that inspection of the bottom wall thickness of the rear right half-shaft outer race had been suspended for a period of time which allowed non-compliant parts to pass inspection and be installed in finished rear right half-shaft assemblies. Ford’s team reviewed supplier maintenance records to determine the population of affected parts to have been produced between 07/18/2022 and 07/29/2022.

A broken half-shaft will result in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels, necessary for motive power and for the transmission to hold the vehicle in park. If the electronic parking brake (EPB) is not manually applied, the loss of the primary park torque will allow the vehicle to roll with the transmission in park.

Owners receiving notifications will be instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer. Dealers will photograph the label on the right rear half-shaft to confirm the suspect serial number(s). If the serial number matches, the dealer will replace the right rear half-shaft. Customers will be advised to manually apply the parking brake until the inspection and repair is completed. Ford’s number for this recall is 22S55 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-646.

2018 BMW 540D xDrive
Coolant Leak Could Result In Fire

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A small number of 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles, equipped with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) modules could experience an internal glycol coolant leak that may result in an engine fire.

BMW first became aware of the problem in October 2018 when they opened an investigation into reports of certain BMW vehicles experiencing engine fires. What they found was; that these vehicles were equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler that could leak coolant internally. The coolant mixed with diesel engine soot, combined with the high EGR temperatures could result in smoldering, fire, and a melted intake manifold.

During vehicle operation, the driver may be alerted there is a problem through:

  • A warning symbol in the instrument cluster displaying a loss of engine coolant.
  • A reduction in engine power.
  • An unpleasant exhaust odor.
  • Unusual noise from the engine compartment.
  • Smoke from the engine compartment.

NHTSA campaign number 18V-755 – BMW recalled 44,368 vehicles.

This recall campaign affected certain 2013-2018 BMW vehicles with the N47T and N57T diesel engines that were produced from September 12, 2012, to June 29, 2017.

The vehicles affected include:

2013-2018 328d
2013-2018 328d xDrive
2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon
2014-2018 328d xDrive Sports Wagon
2014-2016 535d
2014-2016 535d xDrive
2015 740Ld xDrive
2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV
2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV

NHTSA campaign number 21V-907 – BMW recalled 50,404 vehicles.

After continued field monitoring and review of field data, BMW determined that the EGR cooler may not be sufficiently durable to last the lifetime of the vehicle. They decided to issue a recall that would replace the EGR module on all potentially affected vehicles, with an improved cooler design. The intake manifold was inspected and replaced as necessary, and the EGR pipe connecting the cooler to the manifold was cleaned.

NHTSA campaign number 22V-614 – BMW is recalling 298 vehicles.

The vehicles subject to this recall have a different design and manufacturer of the EGR cooler than the vehicles previously recalled. After further monitoring and review of field data, it was found that the specific EGR cooler for certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles may not be robust to last the vehicle’s lifetime. BMW has decided to perform a recall for these vehicles as well.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their BMW dealer to have the EGR module replaced and the intake manifold inspected and replaced as necessary.

BMW Software Update For Missing CID Warning Information

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BMW North America, LLC (BMW) will be contacting the owners of certain 2022 i4 and 2022-2023 iX electric vehicles equipped with hybrid electric powertrains. These vehicles do not meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for “Control and Displays.” A software problem could affect the information that shows up on the Central Information Display (CID) of the vehicle’s console.

BMW first became aware of the problem in May 2022, during a quality check at the BMW vehicle assembly plant. Testers noticed that important safety warning messages were not showing up on the CID display during certain test configurations. They began an investigation that looked at vehicle build configurations, packages, options and other design features. BMW also investigated other vehicle types which were thought to have a production release involving the same software configuration. The investigation included an assessment of the Head Unit software functionality when the vehicle was in normal operating mode, and when the vehicle was placed in valet parking mode.

According to the defect report, a programming/coding issue was not allowing the display of certain warning messages in the CID, while in valet parking mode. BMW reviewed vehicle assembly information and supplier production records to determine the number and production dates of potentially affected vehicles. On June 29, 2022, BMW decided to conduct a recall. BMW has not aware of any accidents or injuries that may be related to this issue. Almost seven thousand vehicles are affected by this recall.

The vehicles affected by this problem include:

2022-2023 BMW iX xDrive40
2022-2023 BMW iX xDrive50
2022-2023 BMW iX M60
2022 BMW i4 eDrive40
2022 BMW i4 M50

Owners receiving recall notices will be asked to contact their BMW dealer to have the CID display’s head unit software updated. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 22V-483.

2020 Mercedes Benz GLC350E 4Matic
Loss Of Drive Power

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The owners of certain 2020 Mercedes Benz GLC350E 4Matic SUVs could experience a loss of drive power due to a problem affecting the wiring harness going to the transmission in their vehicles.

In September 2020, Mercedes Benz first became aware of the problem after receiving a customer complaint regarding the loss of drive power in their vehicle. As similar complaints regarding GLC-Class vehicles increased Mercedes began an investigation into the problem. A production quality survey was initiated to double check the wiring harness installation in two plants producing the LC-Class. Mercedes investigated possible commonalities between the reported failures of two different platforms that are manufactured at three different plants. Mercedes also asked the wiring harness supplier to analyze any possible cause involving the wiring harness.

The investigation identified the root cause of the problem as an error in the installation of the wiring harness. Mercedes studied the potential effect of the transmission wiring harness production deviation on vehicle safety and identified the potentially affected vehicles. On July 1st 2022, they determined that there was a potential safety risk and decided to conduct a recall of all the potentially affected vehicles.

According to the defect report, the routing of the transmission wiring harness in certain 2020 GLC-Class (253 platforms) 4-Matic vehicles may not meet current production specifications. Due to deviations in the wiring harness length and the assembly process, the harness could come in contact with the front drive shaft and damage it over time. If this happens, drivers could experience a loss of propulsion and an increased risk of an accident. If the failure occurs, the driver would be made aware through a warning message in the instrument cluster.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the transmission wiring harness inspected and replaced as necessary. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 22V-494.

Cadillac, Chevrolet & GMC Vehicles Investigated For Airbag Safety Problem

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Automotive Defect Investigation
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-010) to investigate complaints of malfunctions with the driver frontal air bags in certain Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles.

The ODI has received fifteen consumer complaints about certain vehicles experiencing an airbag warning light illumination and/or a failure of the airbag to deploy during an accident with significant frontal damage. Nine of the consumer complaints say the air bag malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) was illuminated and six of the incidents had significant frontal damage with failure to deploy the airbags.

A TSB, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination accompanied by diagnostic trouble codes B0001-1B or B0012-0D. It also reports rust particles in the connection terminal interface of the driver airbag inflator as the cause of the airbag MIL illumination. Illumination of the airbag MIL under these circumstances may result in a non-deployment of the driver’s airbag during a frontal collision and increased risk of injury to the driver.

The vehicles under investigation include:

2020-2021 Cadillac CT4
2020-2021 Cadillac CT5
2020-2021 Cadillac Escalade
2020-2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2020-2021 Cadillac XT5
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 5500HD
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 6500HD
2020-2021 Chevrolet Suburban
2021 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
2020-2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 1500
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 2500
2020-2021 GMC Sierra 3500
2020 GMC Sierra Denali
2020-2021 GMC Yukon
2020-2021 GMC Yukon XL

ODI have opened this preliminary investigation to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. If the investigation results in a recall, an estimated 749,312 vehicles could be affected.

2022 Ford Explorer And 2022 Lincoln Aviator Engine Rail Sub-Assembly Failure

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Ford Motor Company (Ford) will be contacting the owners of certain 2022 Ford Explorer and 2022 Lincoln Aviator SUVs because the vehicles they are driving may not comply to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for occupant crash protection and fuel system integrity.

Ford first became aware of the problem in April 2022 when one of their assembly plants started experiencing intermittent bolt strip-out conditions when securing the front sub-frame to the front apron assembly. An investigation into engine rail sub-assembly failures found that the mechanical properties of the engine rails did not meet the intended strength requirements. Supplier records showed that over six hundred engine rail sub-assemblies were sent out for an unapproved repair procedure (thermal e-coat stripping) which degraded the mechanical properties and weakened the metal. Some of the suspect rails were used at the Tier 1 supplier and 137 suspect rails were shipped to the assembly plant. A Stop Shipment was issued on April 28, 2022 and an inspection of engine rail hardness was carried out on over 5000 vehicles.

According to the defect report, the vehicles affected were built with an engine rail that may not
maintain its integrity in a crash and as a result, does not meet the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standards (FMVSS) for Occupant Crash Protection and Fuel System Integrity requirements. A weakened engine rail could also become loose, resulting in a clunking noise during acceleration, deceleration, or contact with potholes, speed bumps, or other road surface irregularities.

Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer for an engine rail inspection. If the vehicle does not pass the strength test, owners will be given the option of a replacement of the engine rail assembly or, because of the extensive nature of this repair, vehicle replacement or a buyback. Owners opting for repairs will be sent awareness letters and instructed to bring their vehicles in when parts become available. Ford’s number for this recall is 22C13 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-454.

Are you thinking of taking a replacement or buyback? Under the California Lemon Law, if your vehicle qualifies, you should recover your down payment, (including registration fees, licensing fees, taxes, transportation costs, etc.), plus your total monthly lease or loan payments. The manufacturer will also pay off the balance of your loan or lease. The manufacturer will also pay all or most of your attorney’s fees.

If you have any questions about your rights and the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

Chevy Bolt Battery Problem Update

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General Motors is still rolling out new batteries for the troubled Chevy Bolt electric vehicle, albeit very slowly. We are hearing from clients and potential clients that dealerships are putting them on “wait lists” for the new battery but are not hearing again from the dealership. The dealerships give the owner no times table for getting their new battery as well. Obviously, this is very frustrating for consumers who are tired of figuring out ways to safely charge their EV. To date, we have only heard of the new batteries actually being installed in the 2017 – 2019 year models, but not for any 2020-2021 models. The good news is that once the battery has been installed, consumers seem to be happy with the new battery giving them a longer range than the original. More importantly, we have not heard of any problems associated with the new battery. This is good news for consumers.

With that said, we are still accepting Chevy Bolt cases, regardless of whether the new battery has been installed, and we continue to achieve favorable settlements with General Motors. Many of our settlements are for cash, allowing the consumer to receive compensation while being allowed to keep the vehicle.

Please call us at 1-888-395-3666 for more details about this problem.

Chevrolet Bolt EV

Here is a summary of the defect.
General Motors recalled all of their Chevrolet Bolt EVs because there is a manufacturing defect affecting the battery cell. The problem is aggravated when the battery is charged to a full or nearly full state after it has been substantially depleted. The battery could overheat and catch fire, causing damage to the vehicle and structures around it. As a temporary solution, GM asked owners to reprogram their hybrid propulsion control module to limit a full charge.

The safety recall from the NHTSA states the following:
As an interim remedy, dealers will reprogram the hybrid propulsion control module to limit full charge to 90%. Until this interim is completed, customers should enable either “Hilltop Reserve” (for 2017-2018 model year vehicles) or “Target Charge Level” (for 2019 model year vehicles) using their vehicle’s infotainment center. These two features will limit the vehicle’s state of charge to 90% until the HPCM2 software re-calibration is applied. If customers are unable to successfully make these changes or do not feel comfortable making these changes, they will be advised to not park their car in their garage or carport until after they have visited their dealer.

Fuel Pump Failure
Jeep Grand Cherokee And Ram 1500

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Certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines, could experience high-pressure fuel pump failure. If the pump fails while the vehicle is being operated, drivers will experience an unexpected loss of engine power and an increased chance of an accident.

In February 2022, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (TSRC) organization started an investigation into Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 trucks, after receiving field reports that the fuel pump in some vehicles were prematurely failing. An investigation of the stall patterns and vehicle histories showed that the affected trucks were equipped with Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure fuel pumps (HPFP).

According to the defect report, a failure inside the fuel pump could introduce internal debris that could build up and cause fuel starvation. Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of motive power, which could contribute to a vehicle to crash. The suspect period began on June 12, 2013, when 3.0L Diesel engines with suspect HPFPs were introduced into vehicle production, and ended on December 13, 2019, when 3.0L Diesel engines with suspect HPFPs were no longer used in vehicle production.

Warning signs that your vehicle may be experiencing this problem include: Drivers may notice a Malfunction Indicator Lamp, a service Electronic Throttle Control indicator, a fuel leak at the HPFP, or excessive noise from the HPFP.

FCA US is aware of 215 customer assistance records, 1,061 warranty claims, and three field reports that could be related to this issue.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the HPFP replaced. Dealers will also inspect the entire fuel system and replace components as necessary. FCA’s number for this recall is Z46 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-406.