vehicle recall -

ARFF, Panther, Panther II, Predator SS, and Predator emergency vehicles of the 2009 through 2013 model years have been recalled by Kovatch Mobile Equipment because of a potential issue wherein the steering column shaft’s grease fitting can find itself lodged in the column cover.  The cover could then tear, an issue that can compromise vehicle control and potentially lead to a crash taking place.  An estimated 695 vehicles could suffer from this issue, and the owners should expect to receive notification once the recall begins on Monday.  Owners will be advised to bring their vehicles in to dealers, who will then remove the affected grease fitting at no cost to owners.

For more about the recall, click here.

Legacy and Outback automobiles of the 2013 model year have been recalled by Subaru.  An estimated 5,379 vehicles are thought to be impacted by the recall.  The steering column assemblies on the affected vehicles could have outer and inner shafts that cease to interact with one another.  Should this situation present itself, the vehicle could not be steered properly, and thus the threat of a crash becomes apparent.  Owners should hear from Subaru soon, as the recall was set to begin today.  The vehicles can then be brought to a dealer for a replacement of the aforementioned assembly at no cost to automobile owners.

For more about the recall, follow this link.

General Motors is taking steps to make the recall process go a lot more smoothly, and they’re doing so by harnessing technology.

Until recently, the speed with which a recall could be issued by GM was limited because of the way that information about a potential safety problem was gathered.  If a problem were to crop up in one region, for instance, only engineers in that particular region would look into the issue.

Since this was done without communicating with other areas, the identification of a widespread safety defect might be slowed down.  This approach ends up costing more money and consumers across the globe could be put at risk, as many components are the same across vehicle models and countries.

To combat the issue and hasten defect investigations, GM will open two state of the art data centers modeled off of the facilities of tech giants like Facebook and Google.  It’s hoped that the boon to data storage and communication will facilitate speedier investigations that ultimately serve to protect consumers.

The company will also make more of an effort to develop their software in house as opposed to outsourcing it.  The thought is that becoming more invested in the IT sector will enable the company to get a better understanding of business operations in their entirety.

All of these things should improve crash tests, bring products to the market more quickly, and foster hasty identification of manufacturing problems.

K2, K3, and MM motorhome chassis of the 2006 through 2011 model years have been recalled by Spartan Motors Chassis because of an issue with the steering gear mounting brackets.  On 2,694 vehicles, said component can experience cracking and eventual detachment.  This can eliminate the driver’s ability to properly steer the motorhome, and thus the threat of a crash becomes more apparent.  The recall was set to begin today, so owners should hear from Spartan soon if they haven’t already.  Owners can seek out a free inspection from Spartan, but they won’t be able to obtain actual repairs until the middle of June, when the required remedy becomes available.

Click here for more about the recall.

Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled by The Chrysler Group because of an issue that could lead to an automobile collision or a strike on pedestrians or property.  If you own of the listed vehicles, make sure that you take the proper precautions until such time that you can get the automobile fixed.

The recall affects two types of Jeep vehicles:  Commanders of the 2006 through 2010 model years and Grand Cherokees of the 2005 through 2010 model years.  Just under 300,000 automobiles available around the country are impacted by the recall.

The aforementioned vehicles could suffer an electrical malfunction in their transfer case.  This can lead that component to be shuttled into neutral from whatever position it was in.  If the vehicle is parked when this takes place, and the driver isn’t available to halt the unit’s progress, the unit can roll away.  Whether it roll into traffic, a nearby pedestrian, or some type of structure, the danger would be readily apparent.

To prevent this crash hazard, Chrysler will initiate the recall at some point in June.  Owners will hear from the company at that time, at which point they’ll be able to bring the Jeeps in to a dealer.  Said dealers will upload new software to the component that oversees the transfer case.  This will be done at no cost to vehicle owners.

An issue that could lead an airbag not to deploy properly has led Chrysler to initiate a recall of Jeep Wrangler vehicles of the 2008 through 2012 model years.  Each of the estimated 5,440 recalled automobiles will have a drive on the righthand side.  The recall was initiated upon discovery that a broken airbag circuit could be had in the clockspring assemblies.  This could keep the driver’s side airbag from going off should a frontal collision take place.  Thus, said driver would not be cushioned from impact damage the way that they otherwise would.  Owners should hear from Chrysler at some point this month.  They’ll be able to obtain a free clockspring replacement and dust shield for the steering wheel at no cost.

Click here for more about the recall.

Tens of thousands of vehicles are being recalled because of an issue that can be a detriment to safety in the event of a crash. The problem could make itself known when a side frontal collision takes place.  To make sure that your passengers are protected, please heed the recall directives if you own one of the vehicles.

The recall was announced by BMW and affects 325ixT and 325iT Sports Wagons, M3, 325Ci, and 330Ci convertibles and coupes, and 325xi, 330xi, 325i, and 330i sedans of the 2002 and 2003 model years.  Slightly more than 42,000 automobiles are impacted by the recall.

Each of the aforementioned vehicles could suffer from an issue wherein internal pressure within the side frontal airbags on the passenger side can build to an unsafe degree.  Should a crash lead to this airbag being inflated, the device that causes inflation could potentially rupture.  The metal fragments which make up that inflator could thus careen outward into the cabin.  If they make contact with persons in the vehicle, it could lead to a laceration.

Although owners should hear from BMW as to the issue at some point this month, the announcement notes that replacement components will likely not be available until July.  Once those parts arrive, owners will be able to bring their automobiles in to a dealer to receive free repairs.

Regal and Buick LaCrosse vehicles of the 2012 and 2013 model years and eAssist-equipped Chevy Malibu Eco vehicles of the 2013 model year have been recalled by General Motors because of the potentially improper functioning of the Generator Control Module.  This could cause the battery to lose power over time, prompting the malfunction light on the dashboard to turn on.  Continued operation of the vehicle can then lead to an engine stall or a failure to start the automobile.  The issue could also create a trunk fire.  Owners of the 42,904 or so affected vehicles should hear from the company, although there is as of yet no indication when the recall will take place.  Replacement of impacted components will take place at no cost by dealers once the recall does start.

For more about the recall, click here.

Unity, Libero L24CB, Regency GT, and Serenity S24CB recreational vehicles of the 2012 and 2013 model years have been recalled by Triple E because of an issue with the light that’s supposed to display the license plate.  On an estimated 410 of these vehicles, the light is not sufficiently bright so as to make the plate visible.  This situation is in violation of the Federal Standard governing lamps and reflective devices because it compromises the ability of persons, including law enforcement officers, to identify ownership of the RV.  The early part of this month should see the start of the recall, which will find owners being contacted by Triple E.  At that point, the RVs can be brought in to a dealer to receive the no-cost installation of a new lamp.

Follow this link for more about the recall.

FJ Cruiser Vehicles of the 2007 through 2013 model years that contain an Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kit on their front bumper have been recalled by the Toyota Motor Corporation.  11,489 vehicles are potentially affected by the recall, and each could suffer from an issue wherein their aforementioned Toyota lamp assemblies give off too much light from the upper beams, thus bringing the vehicles out of compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.  Persons driving toward these vehicles could have their vision compromised, which poses a crash threat.  The recall will start by month’s end, at which point notification will be provided to owners and bulb replacement will be carried out for free by dealers.

To learn more about the recall, follow this link.