Category Archives: Lemon Alert

2020 Mercedes Benz GLE Problems

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The 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE is a luxury automobile known for its innovative features and high-performance engine. However, the SUV has also been the subject of a number of customer complaints and recalls due to various problems and defects.

Some of the most common problems reported by customers include passenger air bag not deploying properly, water leaks due to improper welding, active brake assist not engaging, fuel tank leaks, missing information in owner’s manual, detached rear door window trim, and third-row headrests not functioning properly. Other issues include interior switches not illuminating, rear cross member detachment, premature wear of shock absorbers, and failure of driver’s seat fastener bolt.

To address these issues, the manufacturer has issued several recalls, including:

  • Passenger Air Bag may not Deploy Properly
  • Improper Weld May Allow Water To Leak In
  • Active Brake Assist May Not Engage
  • Weld Between Fuel Tank and Filler Pipe May Leak
  • Incorrectly Installed Air Conditioner Drain Hoses
  • Owner’s Manual Missing Information
  • Rear Door Window Trim May Detach
  • Third Row Headrests May Not Function Properly
  • Engine Stall from Water Intrusion into Vehicle

If you own a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE and have experienced any of these problems or other defects, you may be entitled to a remedy under California Lemon Law. This law provides protection to consumers who have purchased a vehicle that has a significant defect that affects its use, value, or safety, and that cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts. If you are experiencing problems with your vehicle, it is important to consult with an experienced Lemon Law attorney who can help you understand your rights and take action to get the compensation you deserve.

In conclusion, the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE is a high-performance luxury vehicle that has received numerous customer complaints and has been the subject of several recalls due to various problems and defects. If you are experiencing issues with your vehicle, it is important to know your rights under the California Lemon Law and to seek the help of a knowledgeable attorney who can help you get the compensation you deserve.

2023 Kia Telluride Illuminated Air Bag Warning Light

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Certain 2023 Kia Telluride automobiles could experience an illuminated air bag warning light due to a manufacturing error affecting the second row seat side air bags. Owner notifications are expected to be sent out at the end of February.

Kia became aware of the problem late December 2022 when the Kia Technical Assistance Center received a report from a dealer about a damaged second row seat side airbag wire harness in a 2023 Telluride. Kia stopped shipping the 2023 Telluride vehicles and conducted an inspection of 2,219 vehicles at the plant. Twenty out of 2,219 vehicles had a wire harness that contacted the seat frame, though no damage to the harness was identified, there was no airbag warning light illuminations, and no wire harness contact with the seat frame was found in the remaining inspected vehicles. Kia Georgia informed Kia Safety Office of Inspection about the results of the investigation and a recall was initiated.

According to the defect report, the side airbag wire harness in the second row seat cushion assembly was manufactured with the incorrect length. The wire harness could become damaged if it contacts the seat frame when the seat is folded or adjusted. If the wire harness is damaged, the second row seat side airbag(s) may not deploy in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealerships to have the wire harness inspected and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary. Kia’s number for this recall is SC262 and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-035.

The potential number of 2023 Kia Telluride vehicles affected by this recall is 1,943.

If you are having repeated problems with your 2023 Kia Telluride and you think it could be a Lemon, or if you have any questions about your rights under the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

External Coolant Pump Could Short Circuit And Cause A Vehicle Fire

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Automobile manufacturers Porsche and Bentley Motors will be contacting the owners of certain 2017-2021 model vehicles because of a problem with the external coolant pump in the climate control system of their vehicles.

Porsche became aware of this problem at the end of December 2022, when they were contacted by their coolant pump manufacturer about a potential malfunction of the electric external coolant pump used in the climate control system. An investigation was opened and Porsche reviewed whether there were any possible common influences that could have contributed to the problem. (e.g. Extreme Temperatures, A Corrosive Medium, Special Driving/Customer Behavior, etc.) In January, Porsche determined a safety defect existed and decided to recall the subject vehicles. During this time, Porsche informed Bentley of their investigation because certain Continental GT and GTC vehicles were manufactured with the same pump.

The vehicles affected include:

2020 Bentley Continental GT
2020 Bentley Continental GTC
2017-2021 Porsche Panamera
2017-2021 Porsche Panamera 4
2017-2021 Porsche Panamera GTS
2017-2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo

According to the defect report, some 2017-2021 Porsche Panemera and 2020 Bentley Continental vehicles may have been manufactured with an electric climate control coolant pump that could experience humidity ingress. The humidity could cause a short circuit and, in some instances, thermal damage to the external coolant pump. In rare circumstances, the thermal damage to the harness could progress into a fire.

On the affected vehicles, vehicle occupants may notice an issue with the Climate Control system or reduced performance when using the Residual Heat function. (This allows the vehicle to be heated after the ignition has been switched off, using the remaining heat in a warm engine). On vehicles fitted with a W12 engine, an Engine Management Light could also illuminate.

Dealers will replace the external coolant pump and will inspect and replace the plug-in connection, as necessary.
Porsche’s number for this recall is APA1and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-033
Bentley’s number for this recall is RE23/02 (RC67) and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-034.

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV Fuel Leak Could Lead To Fire

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A small number of 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) could experience fuel tank leaks that could increase the risk of a fire. Occupants may detect a fuel smell and/or visible fuel leak associated with this condition.

The problem began in December 2022 when Hyundai first heard of reports of leaking fuel from the fuel tanks of certain 2022 model year Santa Fe PHEVs. Hyundai continued to investigate the condition with the supplier, and based on manufacturing information provided by the supplier, identified the suspect population of Hyundai vehicles likely equipped with defective fuel tanks to be between April 7, 2022, through April 9, 2022.

According to the defect report, certain fuel tanks may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a fuel leak at the seam between the tank halves. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. Based on this information, Hyundai decided to conduct a safety recall to replace the fuel tank assemblies on the suspect vehicles in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Description of the Cause: Insufficient molding caused by a malfunction of the material grinder prior to mold extrusion.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to return to their dealers to have the fuel tank inspected and replaced as necessary. Owners who detect a fuel smell and/or visible fuel leak associated with this
condition should contact their Hyundai dealership immediately. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 240 and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-028.

As of the date of this filing, Hyundai has confirmed no unique incident reporting a fuel leak in the U.S. There are no confirmed crashes, injuries, or fires related to this condition. This recall was decided based on three (3) incidents occurring in Europe.

Chrysler Pacifica Unexpected Loss Of Power

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Some 2017-2023 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) could experience a loss of drive power. The suspect period began in August 2016, when production of the Chrysler Pacifica began, and ended in January 2023, when Stellantis (Chrysler) started containing vehicles suspect to have the defect.

Chrysler became aware of this issue in August 2022, when the Stellantis Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (TSRC) opened an investigation into certain Chrysler Pacifica PHEVs after receiving reports of unexpected loss of motive power. The investigation revealed six customer assistance records, 242 warranty claims, and 59 field reports potentially related to this issue. Chrysler decided to issue a recall.

According to the defect report, there could be an internal transmission wiring connector that could short and unexpectedly shut down the engine. An unexpected engine shut down and a loss of motive power can increase the chance of a vehicle crash.

The remedy is a Product information management (PIM) and Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) software update for 2017-2018 model year vehicles and a PIM software update for 2019-2023 model year vehicles. This update will provide messaging to the drivers giving them sufficient drive time to exit traffic before the vehicle completely shuts down. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out in March 2023. Stellantis number for this recall is 03A and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-010.

If you are having repeated problems with your Chrysler Pacifica PHEV and think it could be a Lemon, or if you have any questions about your rights under the California Lemon Law, please call our office at 1-888-395-3666 and get some great Lemon Law advice!

2023 Ford Bronco Sport ABS Module Leak

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Ford will be asking the owners of certain 2023 Bronco Sports vehicles, to return to their dealerships to repair a problem that could lead to unexpected brake problems. Ford used supplier records to determine the population of affected vehicles in which the problematic Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) is installed. (Component Part Number: LX6C-2B373-LG)

In December 2022, Ford was contacted by the manufacturer of their ABS, about a quality issue affecting the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) of an Electronic Brake Booster (EBB). According to the defect report, a foreign object was introduced into the tool that assembles the Normally Closed (NC) valves used in the ABS Module. This object could create a “flat spot” damage to the ball which creates the seal. This damage could allow an unintended leak path through the valve. If the valve leaks, the driver may experience inconsistent brake pedal travel without warning. Additionally, the driver-selectable Auto Vehicle Hold feature may not operate as intended. The vehicle could creep unexpectedly after an auto-hold event is initiated.

Owners who receive notices will be asked to return to their dealerships to have the ABS module replaced. Ford’s number for this recall is 23S01 and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-021.

This is the third recall affecting the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport. In November 2022, Ford recalled half a million 2020-2023 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with 1.5L engines. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment and cause an under hood fire. (NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V-859)

In September, Ford recalled 2022-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022 F-150 vehicles because the parking lights may flicker during any of the three following scenarios. (NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V-859)

  • Scenario 1: When the customer manually selects the “position lamp on” mode.
  • Scenario 2: When the customer manually selects “Headlamp On” Mode.
  • Scenario 3: When the customer is driving in automatic headlamp mode, and the environment gets dark enough to trigger “Night Mode”, which turns on the headlamp and parking lamp function.

Volvo Vehicles Could Experience Loss Of ABS And ESC

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Certain 2023 Volvo automobiles could experience a diagnostic error in the Brake Control Module 2 (BCM2) that could cause a loss of the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and traction control.

The vehicles affected include:

2023 Volvo C40
2023 Volvo S60
2023 Volvo V60
2023 Volvo V60CC
2023 Volvo V90CC
2023 Volvo XC40
2023 Volvo XC60
2023 Volvo XC90

Volvo first became aware of this condition in October 2022 when they received the first report of issues with the brake pedal in a 2023 Volvo vehicle. As reports increased, an investigation was opened to find a possible common root cause. In December the investigation was escalated to the Critical Concern Action Process (CCAP) and the Critical Concern Management Team (CCMT) initiated a technical investigation to evaluate the risk assessment and root cause. In January the technical investigation was completed and a recall was initiated.

According to the defect report, certain diagnostic tests that check the grounding of the BCM2 could put it in a faulty state that could result in a loss of brake support functions. The problem is caused by a lack of robustness in software compatibility with a specific BCM2 HW version.

The customer may experience a hard/stiff brake pedal and potential loss of brake support functions such as:

  • Brake-by-wire.
  • ABS, ESC, and traction control.
  • ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), Pilot assist and OPD (One pedal drive)
  • All active safety and city safety functions described in the user manual that involve braking.

The driver display will warn the customer with DIM messages and malfunction indication lamps if this issue occurs. This is an intermittent issue, and the faulty state will remain through the drive cycle until the vehicle enters deep sleep.

Volvo will release an over-the-air (OTA) BCM2 software update to correct the problem. Volvo Car’s number for this recall is R10217 and the NHTSA campaign number is 23V-012.

2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator And Corsair Seat Belt Warning Malfunction

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Ford Motor Company (Ford) has decided that a defect affecting the seat belt warning system could exist in certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator and 2020-2023 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The vehicles affected are equipped with a Revel Audio System.

The problem was discovered in November 2022 when Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group received complaints pertaining to the seat belt warning chime reminder on a 2022 Lincoln Aviator PHEV.

The seat belt reminder system was tested on various combinations of powertrain and audio systems of Lincoln Aviators in an attempt to reproduce the problem. It was discovered that some Lincoln Aviator PHEV vehicles could experience an initial chime duration of fewer than 4 seconds. An audible signal that is activated for less than 4 seconds can result in decreased safety belt usage, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

The engineering team and audio supplier conducted a design of experiments to gain a better understanding of the cause and scope of the problem. They found that the problem affected vehicles equipped with the Revel audio system, introduced on the 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Corsair. Further seat belt reminder system evaluations were conducted at Ford assembly plants and it was concluded that 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator and 2020-2022 Corsair vehicles could experience the symptom of a chime duration of fewer than 4 seconds

According to the defect report, when the driver’s seat belt is not buckled and the vehicle is started, the seat belt warning system may activate the audible warning chime for an insufficient amount of time of fewer than 4 seconds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for occupant crash protection.

Owners receiving notices will be asked to contact their dealers about updating the audio control module software in their vehicles. Ford’s number for this recall is 22C35 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-953.