A safety defect affecting certain 2015 Ferrari sports cars will have owners returning to their dealership for repairs.

According to reports on the NHTSA website, a combination of insufficient gluing of the leather skin of the driver’s air bag module cover to the plastic base and an improper orientation of the air bag cushion could result in the airbag deploying in a rotated orientation. This safety defect could increase the risk of occupant injuries or death in the event of front or rear collision. Continue reading

Mercedes Benz will be asking a small number of 2014 CLA250 and CL45 AMG coupe owners to return to their dealership for a manufacturing error affecting the electrical system.

Due to a deviation of the production process at the supplier, one or more fuses may have been improperly seated in the fuse holder and could become dislodged over time due to vibrations. In the event of a loss of electrical contact the passenger seat occupancy recognition, the passenger side airbag indicator lamp, the instrument cluster, and the windshield wipers could unexpectedly stop working. Continue reading

Volkswagen will be asking the owners of certain 2014-2015 Audi SQ5 vehicles to return to their dealerships for a problem affecting the steering motor sensor. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the affected cars have an electric power steering assist system that could experience a steering motor sensor fault as the result of cold ambient temperatures. If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, drivers will be alerted with a power steering warning light and extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds. The problem could increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Continue reading

General Motors have announced that certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles may fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 114 S5.1.3, “Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention” and to FMVSS 208 S7.3, “Occupant Crash Protection.”

The radio software in these vehicles may cause the radio to lock up. The radio display will go blank and stops playing all audio functions, including vehicle chimes related to warnings for key left in ignition and driver safety belt not in use. In addition to the vehicle chime malfunction, the radio may not turn off, causing battery drain and a potential no start condition. Continue reading

In April 2015, Fiat’s Vehicle Safety And Regulatory Compliance deportment began an investigation into certain 2013-2015 Fiat 500 battery electric vehicles after receiving warranty reports of loss of driving power. A review of the problem found that rapid operation of the cruise control speed adjustment switch or accelerator pedal application, while in cruise control, may set a diagnostic trouble code in the Elective Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU). This code will will force the vehicle into safe mode and automatically shift the vehicle into neutral. Once the fault code is set, a key cycle is required to allow the vehicle to shift out of neutral. Continue reading

According to reports filed on the NHTSA website, certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and 2015 GMC Canyon trucks may fail to meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for seating systems. An investigation opened in January found certain seat frame attachment hooks, securing the drivers and passenger seats, may have not been properly attached to the vehicle body during the assembly process. The seat could detach, increasing the risk of injury to occupants. Continue reading

General Motors has decided that certain 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles fail to conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for “Transmission Shift Position Sequence”. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the transmission display module flash memory could become corrupted during momentary fluctuations in voltage. The transmission gear selection indicator may not illuminate the shift position and drivers could inadvertently select a gear other than what was intended, increasing the risk of an accident. Continue reading