A safety defect affecting certain 2019-2020 BMW and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles will have owners returning to their dealerships for repairs. The population affected are equipped with steering gear tie rods from an earlier design configuration. Vehicles manufactured after February 2020 are manufactured with tie rods of a different design.

According to the defect report, driving conditions consisting of high temperatures and excessive vibration could increase the load in the area of the tie rod kink groove. Over time, this damage could cause the rod to fracture in this area. If this happens vehicle handling and control will be affected and the risk of a crash will be increased.

Vehicles Affected
2019-2020 BMW 330I
2019-2020 BMW M340I
2020 BMW X3
2020 BMW X4
2019 BMW Z4
Also Affected
2020 Toyota Supra

BMW and Toyota will notify owners to return to their dealerships to have the steering gear tie rods replaced. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 20V-335.

Mercedes Benz (MBUSA) will be contacting the owners of certain 2016 SLK300 cars about a problem affecting the rear wheel suspension. Excessive etching of the locknut between the tie rod and wheel carrier could result in loosening of the screw connection. Although the connection will not completely separate, the reduced tension force may lead to a change of alignment and independent steering of the rear axle. Continue reading

Maserati will be contacting the owners of certain 2014-2016 Ghibli and Quattroporte vehicles about a problem affecting the suspension system. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, these vehicles were manufactured with an incorrectly torqued rear tie rod to hub carrier assembly attaching bold. If the bolt loosens, the driver will start to hear a noise from the rear of the vehicle. Over time the attaching bolt could fail and the tie rod could separate completely from the hub carrier assembly. Continue reading

Toyota will be recalling certain 2006-2011 Toyota Rav4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h hybrid vehicles for a problem that could lead to rear tire rod failure. (IMPORTANT: This recall supersedes Toyota and Lexus recall 12V-373.) All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied. Continue reading

Maserati has announced a recall for certain 2009 Granturismo sports cars and 2009 Quattroporte luxury sedans. The problem is being blamed on incorrect machining of the rear suspension left and right tie rods. The rods could fail resulting in loss of vehicle control. In the recall, dealers will replace the affected tie rods, install a tie rod kit and perform a wheel alignment, free of charge to the customer. Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Maserati at 1-201-816-2600.

Chrysler has announced a recall for some Dodge Ram pickup trucks because the left tie rod ball stud could fracture. The problem has been reported to occur during low speed maneuvers during tight turns. If the stud should break while driving, a loss of directional stability will be noticed in the left hand front wheel. The vehicles involved in this recall are:

Dealers will inspect and replace the left outer tie rod and perform a front end toe alignment as required. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.