Recalls - KickingTires

Recall Alert: 2013 Lincoln MKZ

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Ford is recalling 107 model-year 2013 Lincoln MKZ sedans due to a problem with the electrical system that could result in exposed wiring, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles were manufactured between April 25, 2012, and March 15, 2013, and are equipped with an engine block heater. During use, the engine block heater cords may be bent, and in certain temperatures the wire insulation may crack, exposing the electrical wires; this increases the risk of electric shock.

Ford will begin notifying owners June 17, and dealers will replace the block heater cord for free. Owners can call the automaker at 866-436-7332 or the NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov, for more info.

By Matt Schmitz | June 11, 2013 | Comments (2)

NHTSA: Chrysler Has Until June 18 to Recall Jeeps

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given Chrysler a deadline of June 18 to formally respond to its request for the recall of 2.7 million model-year 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Liberty SUVs, according to the Detroit News. The recall request, due to a problem in the fuel system that could lead to a fire in rear-end crashes, initially was refused by Chrysler; the automaker insists the vehicles meet federal safety standards for fuel-system integrity.

Depending on the automaker's response, NHTSA will decide whether to issue a formal finding and then convene a public hearing, a final step before ordering a recall, the Detroit News reported. The safety agency says Chrysler "contravened industry trends," as well as its own practices in non-Jeep vehicles by placing the fuel tanks in a vulnerable location behind the rear axle. The resulting fires were caused by gas leaking from punctured fuel tanks in rear-end crashes, causing the deaths of 51 people, the Detroit News reported.

By Matt Schmitz | June 10, 2013 | Comments (1)

Recall Alert: 2012 Coda Electric Sedan

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Just because Coda declared bankruptcy that doesn't mean it's immune to recalls. The start-up electric carmaker is recalling 117 units of its Electric Sedan due to a problem with the side curtain airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The side curtain airbags in the affected vehicles may have been improperly rolled. This could prevent the airbag from deploying in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Coda will begin notifying owners on Tuesday, and dealers will inspect and replace the affected airbags for free. The automaker is directing owners to contact their dealers for more information; they can also call NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

By Jennifer Geiger | June 10, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2010-12 Jeep Patriot, Compass and 2012-13 Wrangler

Chrysler is voluntarily recalling a combined 435,400 Jeep vehicles in two separate actions, the automaker announced today.

The larger of the two recalls affects 254,000 model-year 2010-12 Jeep Patriot and Compass SUVs, and it's due to a problem with the occupant-restraint system that could malfunction during slow-developing rollover crashes. The other recall affects an estimated 181,000 model-year 2012-13 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and is due to a problem with the transmission oil cooler line that could cause premature wear.

No accidents, injuries or complaints have resulted from the problems in either recall, Chrysler said in a statement. These two latest recalls are unrelated to an issue earlier this week in which the automaker refused to comply with a NHTSA recommendation that it recall 2.7 million model-year 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Liberty SUVs due to a potential fuel-system problem that could lead to fire in a rear-end crash.

By Matt Schmitz | June 6, 2013 | Comments (3)

Recall Alert: 2013 Cadillac ATS, XTS and 2014 Chevrolet Impala

GM is recalling 1,627 model-year 2013 Cadillac ATS and XTS sedans and 2014 Chevrolet Impala sedans due to an electrical problem affecting the brake lights and cruise control that could cause confusion for other drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On the affected vehicles, brake lights may flash without the brakes being applied, and the cruise control may disengage. If the brake lights flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may then fail to adjust speed when the vehicle does in fact brake and the brake lights illuminate as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

GM will begin notifying owners Friday, and dealers will reprogram the body control module for free. Owners may call Chevrolet at 800-630-2438 or NHTSA’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.

By Matt Schmitz | June 5, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2010 Toyota Prius and Lexus HS 250h

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Toyota is recalling around 87,000 model-year 2010 Prius hatchbacks and Lexus HS 250h sedans to fix a braking issue. According to the automaker, the brake pressure accumulator could develop a crack due to fatigue or internal vibration, interfering with the car's braking ability. "Toyota has had no reports of any accidents or injuries associated with this condition," the automaker said in a statement.

Toyota will notify owners through the mail, and dealers will inspect and replace affected brake booster pump assemblies for free. Owners can call the Toyota Customer Experience at 800-331-4331 or the Lexus Customer Satisfaction line at 800-255-3987 for more information.

By Jennifer Geiger | June 5, 2013 | Comments (0)

Chrysler Says Jeeps are Safe; NHTSA Wants Recall

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While unfortunate, vehicle recalls are pretty common; what isn't is when an automaker refuses to comply. After investigating a potential fuel system problem in model-year 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty models, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants Chrysler to recall 2.7 million vehicles. The automaker said no.

According to USA Today, NHTSA sent Chrysler a letter ordering the recall of the affected vehicles to fix a problem that could lead to a fire in a rear-end crash. Chrysler said it has been working with NHTSA on this issue since 2010 and disagrees with the agency's conclusion; it's standing by the safety of the vehicles.

"These vehicles met and exceeded all applicable requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 301, pertaining to fuel-system integrity," the automaker said in a statement.

By Jennifer Geiger | June 4, 2013 | Comments (6)

Recall Alert: 420,000 Ford Sedans, SUVs

Ford is recalling more than 420,000 model-year 2013 sedans and SUVs to check for fuel-tank leaks that could result in a fire; affected models include the 2013 Ford Fusion, Flex, Explorer, Taurus and Police Interceptor sedans and SUVs, as well as the 2013 Lincoln MKZ, MKS and MKT. In addition, Ford also announced two more separate recalls to address problems with engine-block heater cords in 500 model-year 2013 Lincoln MKZ sedans and steering gears in a small number of 2013 Ford Fusion sedans.

In the largest of the recalls, as of March 31, Ford had received 600 consumer complaints pertaining to potential leaks in the vehicles' fuel-delivery module, which could result in a fire. Ford said there had been no reports of fires or injuries as a result of the leaks.

"The condition could result in customers detecting an odor of fuel, or in some cases, observe evidence of a fuel leak on the ground," said Kelli Felker, Ford safety communications manager, in a statement. "While a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, there have been no reports of fires. We are not aware of any accidents or injuries attributed to this condition."

By Matt Schmitz | June 3, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2013 Lotus Evora

Lotus is recalling 28 model-year 2013 Evora sports cars due to a missing label identifying the vehicles' temporary exemption from a federal safety requirement, as well as an incorrectly labeled date of manufacture, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles, manufactured between September and November 2012, were granted a temporary exemption from having to conform to federal motor vehicle passenger-side advanced airbag safety standards, but the vehicles do not contain a temporary-exemption label. Moreover, the vehicles' Federal Certification Label shows an incorrect date of manufacture. Both issues could prevent owners from determining whether recalls apply to their vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Lotus will notify owners early this month and both labels will be replaced for free. Owners can call Lotus at 770-476-6564 or NHTSA's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.

By Matt Schmitz | June 3, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2013 Cadillac SRX

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GM is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac SRX crossovers for loose wheel nuts that may cause creaking, steering vibration and, eventually, wheel-nut detachment and a possible crash. The recall involves SRXs with 18-inch wheels that haven't been rotated as part of regular service — a total of 18,871 cars.

Cadillac is one of GM's four U.S. divisions. There are "no reports of wheel failures in real-world driving," spokesman David Caldwell told us. Customers will receive notices to bring their cars into dealerships, where tires will be rotated and the nuts tightened to proper spec. "Testing has shown this eliminates the condition," GM told The Los Angeles Times.

GM will mail letters in early June, the automaker told us. All work will be covered under warranty, but owners with questions can call Cadillac's recall hotline at 800-333-4223 for more info.