Ford Expands Airbag-Related F-150 Recall to another 1.2 Million Units

Ford has issued a massive recall action for its top-selling U.S. model, the F-150 pickup truck, of which around 1.2 million units are involved. The move comes after Ford agreed in February to recall more than 150,000 F-150 vehicles built between 2004 and 2006 for possible airbag faults. Read more »

Definitely not a Safety Feature: The Broken Chevy Cruze Wheel that Launched 2,100 Inspections [with Video]

Thanks to the worldwide web of ours, we now have some video of the one and only (so far) recall-inducing 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. For the full story, check out our previous post here. The nitty-gritty is that a guy, his wife, one of their mothers, and their 19-month-old son were in the car when the steering wheel decided it wasn't really needed anymore and took a hike...at 65 miles per hour.

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GM Recalling 2,100 Chevrolet Cruze sedans after Steering Wheel Comes Loose in one Car

Following a single incident on March 1, 2011, when a GM was notified of a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that had been brought to one of its dealerships with a steering wheel that had come loose from the steering column, the Detroit automaker decided to issue a voluntary recall on certain Cruze vehicles. According to GM, during manufacturing, the steering wheel might have been improperly fastened and could detach from the steering column.

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Mercedes-Benz Issues Recall on Select 2011MY E-Class Sedans and Estates

Daimler AG is conducting a voluntary recall campaign on certain 2011MY Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans (chassis code W212) and Estates (chassis code S212) to inspect, and if necessary, replace a potentially defective auto part. The recall will include approximately 41 E-Class models in the States manufactured from July 8, 2010, through July 12, 2010.

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Mercedes Recalling More than 136,000 M-Class SUVs Because Cruise Control May Not Disengage by Braking

A defect associated with the cruise control system has prompted a U.S. recall of 136,751 units of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and M-Class AMG SUVs from the 2000-2004MY. In a filing to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], Mercedes-Benz said it has determined that under certain circumstances, use of the brake pedal may not automatically disengage the cruise control system.

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2011 VW Jetta Recalled in the States Over Wiring Glitch

Volkswagen has announced a voluntary recall for its 2011 model year Jetta sedan in the USA due to a defect in the wiring system controlling the anti-theft alarm system and horn. The German company said that in some instances an electric short in the horn could, which in turn could cause the engine to stall, adding that no injuries or accidents have been reported as a result of this problem. Read more »

Volvo Recalling Seven 2011MY S40 Sedans Over Production Error, May Replace Vehicles

In what could be one of the smallest recalls of the year, Volvo has issued a recall for seven S40 sedans from the 2011 model year in the U.S. over a production error. In a recent filling, Volvo told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] that a crack may have formed on the top side of the passenger side support member in the engine compartment during the component production. Volvo said that the crack could have an effect on the front structure and may reduce the crash performance of the vehicle.

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2011 Honda Odyssey Receives Second Recall in a Month

Less than two weeks after Honda issued a recall on 33,341 Odysseys from the 2011MY over a potential problem with the windshield wiper linkage rods, the Japanese automaker has announced a second recall for its latest generation minivan. This time Honda said it will voluntarily recall approximately 2,800 Odysseys from the 2011MY because of a problem with the side windows.

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Source Code: Toyota Fights to Limit ECU Code Viewing in Legal Battle

Could Toyota's source code hold the answer to its sudden acceleration problems? Possibly, and it's currently working with attorneys to smooth out how this code will be analyzed in its ongoing unintended acceleration legal woes.

For those of you too fried to remember, Toyota had a bit of a flub a couple years ago regarding unintended acceleration in some of its vehicles; the problems were originally blamed on floor mats, poorly designed pedals, and driver error.

Currently, plaintiffs and their attorneys are still fighting for a proper explanation and compensation even though "the [U.S.] government's comprehensive review of Toyota's source code found no electronic causes of [unintended acceleration] in Toyota vehicles."

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More than 280,000 Hyundai Elantras Recalled Over Air-Bag Problems

Hyundai has issued two separate recalls for its Elantra sedans over air-bag related problems. The first action covers approximately 95,783 Elantras from the 2007-2008MY manufactured from July 14, 2006, through August 29, 2007. In this case, the air bag control module may receive an unstable electrical signal from the seat track position sensor and cause the driver's airbag to deploy at a higher pressure than intended. To fix the problem, the South Korean firm’s dealers will reprogram the air bag control module free of charge.

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2011 Honda Civic: Fuel Leak Fears Prompts Recall in the USA

A defective fuel pump module is to blame for the latest Honda recall that affects 18,056 Civics from the 2011 model year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], the roll-over valve inside certain fuel pump modules may have been damaged during production and could cause fuel leakage in the event of a roll-over incident. The safety agency said no crashes or injuries have been reported in relation to this defect.

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Jaguar Recalling More than 6,000 XF Saloons and XK Sports Cars in the USA for Corrosion Problems

We just got word that Jaguar has released a recall notice today that affects certain 2010MY XF saloons and XK sports cars over a potential issue with the power assist steering system. In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], Jaguar said that the power assist steering (pas) pipes have been assembled with zinc-nickel plating that may not provide corrosion protection.

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Volkswagen Routan Subject to the Same Recall as Chrysler Minivans

Given that the Volkswagen Routan is built on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan platforms in a Chrysler plant, it comes to no surprise that the German model is being subject to the same recall as its American twins. In a filling to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Volkswagen said some vehicles may experience inadvertent ignition key displacement from the run to accessory position while driving causing the engine to shut off.

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Kia Recalling 70,115 Optima Sedans Over Transmission Flaw

Kia has issued a recall on 70,115 Optima sedans manufactured from September 29, 2005, through June 13, 2007 because of a problem related to the transmission that can cause the cars to roll even while they are in park. The company said that in some cars, the transmission shift cable may have been installed incorrectly and can become detached from the shifter. If that occurs, the car would stay in the last used gear before detachment, even if the driver moves the shift lever to the park position. Read more »

Honda Accord was Also Caught Up in the Same Spider Web as the Mazda6

It seems that the petrol-sniffing Yellow Sac spider that forced Mazda to issue a recall on some 52,000 cars in the USA last week has a thing for mid-size Japanese sedans as the eight-legged arthropod also caused problems to Honda in the past. According to reports, Honda posted a Technical Service Bulletin in the summer of 2009 alerting its dealers to check Accords for possible infestation by the Yellow Sac spider, but had not issued a recall then.

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Software Glitch Causes HVAC Problems on 2011MY Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac SRX Models

In the latest round of safety recalls, General Motors has issued a warning on certain 2011MY Buick LaCrosse sedans and Cadillac SRX crossovers due to a software glitch that may disable the driver’s ability to adjust the settings on the hearing, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

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2011 Vauxhall Antara Facelift Prices Start Under £20k in the UK

Following the reveal of its Opel counterpart in mainland Europe, Vauxhall has released pricing and specifications on the UK market Antara facelift, which boasts a barely noticeable makeover and a refreshed engine lineup. Prices for the updated SUV now start from £19,995 for the 2.2 CDTi (163PS) Exclusiv front-wheel drive model, which according to Vauxhall, represents a saving of £2,835 over the outgoing base version.

On the outside, styling changes for the 2011 Antara include the updated front grille with the new Griffin logo, enhanced by fog lights finished with chrome bezels on SE models, new 19-inch alloy wheels and modified rear lights.

Inside, the new Antara's cabin features a revised centre console with extra storage and higher-quality materials, in addition to improved instrument graphics and better interior lighting.

The 2011 model's revised Euro-5 compliant engine line-up includes a newly-developed 2.2-liter CDTI turbodiesel in two states of tune with 163HP or 184HP. The 163HP version is available in front-wheel drive with a six-speed manual transmission only or all-wheel drive hooked up to either a manual or six-speed auto gearbox. The more potent 184HP variant also offers a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, and comes with all-wheel drive as standard. All transmissions have been revised to improve efficiency.

The Vauxhall Antara will not be offered in the UK with the revised 170HP 2.4-liter gasoline engine of its Opel sibling.

GM Europe's engineers have also re-worked the SUV's chassis with revised spring and damper settings.

Finally, Vauxhall has improved safety and comfort features with the addition of an electric parking brake, a Hill Assist System as well as a "shift-up" fuel economy indicator on all models.

"At less than £20k, the new Antara is set to be highly competitive in today's SUV market," said Peter Hope, Vauxhall's Marketing Director. "Its lower emissions, higher output diesel engines and refreshed design will offer renewed appeal to both retail and fleet customers."