Chrysler Issues Jeep Recall On Off-Road Tranny Overheating Issue

Chrysler (remember when we called them Chryslerberus? That was fun) issued a recall on 161,000 Jeeps because they lack a feature indicating their automatic transmission is overheating while wheeling. Would matter if more people actually took Jeeps off-roading. [NYTimes]

Cruise Control Fire Recall Expanded To Ford's Largest Ever

The Ford cruise control recall now includes 14 million vehicles, making it the company's largest recall ever. The cruise switch in affected vehicles can fail, potentially causing a fire and other problems. List of possibly affected vehicles below. More »

NHTSA Opens Investigation Into Tundra Frame Rust Reports

NHTSA's reportedly opened an investigation into reports of frame rust and corrosion in 2000 and 2001 Tundra pickups, an issue similar to the problems in 1995-2000 and 2001-04 Toyota Tacoma trucks last year. [PickupTrucks]

VW Voluntarily Recalls 13,500 Vehicles Over DSG Transmission Woes

VW of America says a small number of Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GTI, and Eos models built between September 2008 and August 2009 may have faulty DSG transmissions and has recalled 2009 and some 2010 vehicles. [PRNewswire]

Auto Recalls Total 1.84 Million In China Over Last Four Years

Chinese state news agency Xinhua is reporting Chinese automakers recalled 1.84 million vehicles since they created a recall process four years ago. But they swear it's all the fault of foreigners.

Dodge Recalls Over 20,000 Charger and Magnum Police Cars

Every gearhead's dream of participating in a proper police chase involving Hemi-powered cruisers is a bit more difficult today, as Dodge is pulling 20,283 Chargers and Magnums equipped with both the Police Package and column shifter off the beat. Chrysler is concerned these particular cars could suffer from a bout of "unintended acceleration" courtesy of the old-school shifter. More after the jump. More »

Nissan Recalling 200,000 Vehicles Over Passenger Airbag Issue

Nissan is recalling 200,000 2007-08 cars and SUVs to address an electrical issue that may cause the passenger side airbag to not operate in an accident. The problem appears to mainly affect the Nissan Altima, but owners of the Infiniti EX35, G35 Sedan and G37, along with Nissan 350Z, Murano and Rogue may also be notified of the problem. Nissan's explanation is a bit vague: Simply that an "electrical component" could cause an interruption in the airbag sensor signal, preventing the 'bag from deploying. [Detroit News]

Chinese Valve Stem Warning Could Affect Everyone Who's Had Tires Replaced Since 2006

Consumer Reports warns of a potential problem with as many as 30 million rubber replacement valve stems manufactured in China for NC-based Dill Air Control Products and sold after mid-2006. While a federal recall hasn't yet been issued, NHTSA has opened an investigation after a Florida man died following a blowout and flip allegedly caused by one of the defective valve stems. Yes, it was a Ford Explorer. So, how do you know if you have one of the millions of potentially deadly valve stems on your car? More »

GM Recalls 950,000 Vehicles For Heated Washer Fluid Problems

If you ponied up for the heated washer fluid on your late-model GM vehicle, you likely own one of more than 950,000 cars, trucks and SUVs worldwide that the company is recalling. The Detroit News reports a short-circuit in the heated windshield washer fluid circuit could cause smoke, an odor or potentially a fire. But has it? Apparently yes: In at least three of nine suspicious fires involving the recalled vehicles, the windshield washer system was found at fault. No accidents or injuries have been reported due to the defect, but a new circuit with an inline fuse will be installed by your local dealer to ensure that remains the case. Full recall model listing and manufacturer contact information below the jump. More »

Recall On 2008 Honda Element Affects Fewer People Than Will Read This Post

If you have a 2008 Honda Element, don't panic, but your car (or whatever you want to call it) might be subject to a recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you're driving your Element right now, pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road and call 1-800-999-1009 to make sure your car isn't one of the 241 vehicles that might have an improperly welded front bushing bracket on the left trailing arm of the rear suspension. If you are one of the unlucky few, have your vehicle taken (not driven) to a Honda dealership, where it can be inspected and fixed if necessary. [NHTSA via carscoop]

BMW Recalling 200,000 Vehicles Due To Airbag Non-Deployment Issues

BMW announced today that it was recalling approximately 200,000 vehicles because a sensor issue might stop the front passenger airbag from deploying. The issue comes from small cracks that could develop within a seat detection mat, causing the airbag to be deactivated. Affected are MY 2006 3-series and MY 2004-2006 5-series cars and MY 2004-2006 X3 SUVs. Thankfully, no one has reported being hurt because of potential problem, and it doesn't seem to affect other airbags. We guess It's a good thing that BMW drivers are so unlikely to crash... [MSNBC]

Chrysler Recalling 38% Of Dodge Journeys, Was It Our Video?

If you purchased a 2009 Dodge Journey with the 3.5-Liter V6 (which is the one you want, trust us), you'll hopefully be getting a call from Chrysler before you have to place a call to the fire department. Apparently, the engine wiring harness is at risk of coming into contact with the left transaxle mount, which could potentially lead to your crossover becoming a cross between a minivan and bonfire. Or maybe it was the condom holder, which actually broke off during filming. More »

Recall Alert: 2003 Honda Accord

Honda is recalling 353,000 2003 model year Honda Accord sedans due to a potential problem with the windshield wipers. Over time, water can leak into the wiper motor, causing corrosion and eventually wiper-motor failure. More »

Rusty Toyota Tacoma? Toyota May Buy Back Your Truck For 150% The Value

It wasn't too long ago that Toyota announced they were going to extend the rust-perforation warranty on about 813,000 model-year 1995 to 2000 Tacoma pickups due to serious issues with corrosion of the frame in certain areas. This means that you could add 15 years onto the model year and, if you had problems, take it in to a dealer to have it looked at. If there is damage, which is possible if you live in an area where salt is frequently used on roads, Toyota will either repair or offer to repurchase your vehicle. This is where it gets interesting. No matter what condition your truck is in, Toyota will buy it back at 150% the KBB "excellent condition" price. More »

Ford Recalling 470,000 Mustangs - Muscle Car Wars Show Softer Side

Seems that Ford is going out of its way to make sure your Mustang riding, no seatbelt wearing kids won't get overly clobbered in an accident. Ford is recalling 470,000 Mustangs between 2005 and 2008 vintage to recalibrate the airbag deployment force. Seems through internal testing, Ford has determined the airbag may injure wee ones when in the front seat and unbuckled, not a great scenario to begin with. The Blue Oval will be notifying owners early next month and the reprogramming can be done at Ford Dealers. [more at Forbes.com]

Ford Recalling 1.8 Million Diesels For Computer Glitch

Ford is having to recall approximately 1.8 million 7.3-liter PowerStroke diesel-powered trucks due to a computer software problem that has caused engine failures for customers, which we think is how I, Robot originally was supposed to start. According to Ford, the camshaft position sensor could break down and disrupt the flow of air and fuel, thus causing the vehicle to stall. Totally not as much fun as farting fire from the last Ford Recall. More »

El Passat En Fuego? VWs Could Go Up in Smoke

We have a friend who drives a Passat estate car. She lovers her some Volkswagen and lives in one of those unfortunate subdivisions where you're not allowed to park your car in your own driveway. Now if one parks one's car on one's own property, if it goes up in smoke, no harm done other than some scorch marks on the homeowners'-association-mandated impeccably-maintained concrete. If, on the other hand, a modern Passat is such an eyesore that it must be kept garaged, many thousands of suburbanites are bound to start worrying. Apparently, VW is investigating reports of coil-pack-oriented fires on '00-03 gas-engined Passats — other than the W8 — in conjunction with the NHTSA. 19 fires have resulted so far and, the folks at VeeDub could face a recall involving around 350,000 cars. Ouch. – Davey G. Johnson More »

Fire! Chrysler to Issue Durango and Liberty Recalls

Reports of fires breaking out have Chrysler ready to send out letters to 2006 and 2007 Dodge Durango and Jeep Liberty owners. A faulty blower motor is the cause of the conflagrations, which evidently occur when the air conditioning is used during hot weather. Notices will go out to Durango owners in April and Liberty Owners in May. A third and much less flammable recall for Dodge Avenger door latch mechanisms will be issued as soon as Chrysler gathers enough of the replacement parts to make the repair. Over 489,000 vehicles are affected. So far the Durango is ahead in the burnout contest, with 66 reported fires versus only 16 for the Liberty. – Mike Bumbeck More »

Oh What A Bad Feeling: Toyota To Recall 533,000 Sequoias and Tundras

This is without doubt not the news ToMoCo wants to be saddled with as the dawn of their (finally) 'merican sized new Tundra nears. But, what is, is. Seems that the lower ball join on the front suspension has been failing and has caused at least eleven accidents and six injuries. Not good. Some of y'all might remember that Toyota was forced to recall 775,000 trucks and SUVs last May because of similar troubles. Double not good. For Toyota's sake we hope that the ball joints on the new man-size Tundras are as beefy as the commercials they've been runnin' are claimin'. Especially since a fully bedecked CrewMax will tip the scales north of 5,600lbs. Ouch. – Jonny Lieberman More »

Braking! Chrysler Group Looks For Do-Over On 2007 Model Year, Recalls 62,369 Vehicles

Oops. Hope you weren't planning on using those brakes in your new '07 model Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep-branded — umm — anything. We've just heard the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid's recalling 62,369 vehicles for what Reuters says is a need to "reprogram a computer that is related to the brake system." And it's a lot of models affected: the Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Magnum, Jeep Commander, Jeep Compass, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro SUV's. Hmm. Maybe we should have stuck with just telling you the vehicles the Chrysler Group's not recalling. – Ray Wert More »

The Little Toyota Engine Light That Couldn't Turn Off: ToMoCo Issues Recalls For Over 250,000 Vehicles

The world's number one super best automaker from the land of the rising sun issued two recalls today — one here in the land of the free and home of the brave for around 60,700 four-cylinder Highlander SUV's from 2001 through 2003 and 159,100 RAV4's from 2001 and 2002. It seems the "check engine light" (also known as the Malfunction Indicator Light — just one F away from MILF) may "inadvertantly light" due to faulty "program logic in the Engine Control Module (ECM)." Apparently it's faulty because it's telling you something's wrong. Hmm...well, while you some of us sit and attempt to decipher that particular logic loopety-loop, let's just sigh in relief we're not in South Aftrica. That's where the second recall was placed into effect today, for more than 29,000 Corolla and RunX cars built during the 2006 model year after a problem was found in the vehicles' rear axle beam. Apparently this could result in the "front bush mountings splitting open and the front section of the axle beam coming adrift." Hmm, yup, that sounds fairly — well, why don't we let the official spokesperson from Toyota of South Africa finish that particular statement with the last line of the press release — "It could be dangerous." Took the word right out of our mouths. – Ray Wert More »

Quality is Job Ichi? Toyota Considering Delay of New Models to Tackle Snafus

Toyota's golden age is looking a bit brassy this morning. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the company may hold off introducing several new models by up to six months due to quality issues. The company's stutter-step offers a fine opportunity for American makers, who've upped their quality ratings of late, to make funny faces punctuated by strategic placement of thumbs and fingers at photos of Toyo prez Katsuaki "You Will All Pay Dearly for My Loss of Face" Watanabe. It's all about the rise in recalls of late, along with potential legal trouble for allegedly delaying a recall filing that may have prevented a fatal accident in 2004. Among the models that could be delayed are the next Sienna minivan, the Solara coupe and Avalon sedan. Sources say the prez, who says the company is in no way stalling, has been under 24-hour hiri kiri watch. More »

Broken! Ford Recalls Additional 1.2 Million Vehicles Due To Fire Risk

The hits just keep on coming today for FoMoCo. First it was the hiring of the M&A guy we talked about this morning in the Morning Shift for the Jaguar fire-sale job, then FoMoCo had to restate its earnings to the tune of an additional $120 million or so. Now FoMoCo's got one more entr e on its problematic plate, and it's an extra helping of recalls. The Dearborn, MI-based automaker's added an extra 1.2 million vehicles to the recall it began last year over a faulty speed control deactivation system, a system with a history of acting as a firestarter unless a fused wiring harness is added to the speed control deactivation switch. Last years recall and this new one bring the grand total to six million vehicles recalled due to the electrical bug, with this new group including F-Series pickups, Excursions, Explorers and Mountaineers. That's a hella lot of recalls. More »

BMW Recalls 5, 6 ,7-Series in China

Our little friend the Recall Fairy has stopped by, and let's see what she's brought us this time, shall we, children? Oh, look! BMW has recalled 2,662 5, 6 and 7-Series cars built between January 9 and April 26, both in China and overseas. Most of the affected vehicles weren't built in the Chinese plant the Bayrische automaker operates as a joint venture with Chinese company Brilliance, but 531 of the cars affected in the recall (regarding a shock absorber problem) were constructed at the Shenyang plant, which builds both the 3 and the 5. Thanks, Recall Fairy! More »

Hilux Not Indestructible? Toyota Officials in Criminal Recall Case

All is apparently not hunky-dory in Toyota City. Apparently, a steering-shaft defect in the Hilux and related vehicles, incuding the Hilux Surf and Hilux 4WD, could lead to a loss of control, and merely a month after Toyota QC experts began investigating the problem, an injury accident was reported that hurt five. However, the driver of the pickup wasn't injured. Nevertheless, Japanese officials have launched a criminal case against current and former Toyota officials, charging that the company knew of the defect and sat on it for eight years. Drop a trailer on 'em, fuzz! More »

Mercedes Issues Voluntary Recall of SLR McLaren

According to Mercedes-Benz, laying into an SLR McLaren too heavily could blow the alternator into smithereens. Well, not quite smithereens as much as a possible engine fire in the half-million-dollar supercar (who'd you think writes the press releases, Fritz Freleng?). As Mercedes points out, "A damaged alternator cannot assure sufficient voltage to supply the vehicle electrical system. If this condition occurs, the driver will first be informed of alternator damage by the instrument cluster multifunction displays indicating the shut down of some vehicle comfort features such as A/C, radio, etc. If voltage drops further, the multifunction display will indicate 'Battery/Alternator Stop Vehicle.' In that case the driver should shut off the vehicle and contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer and have the vehicle towed in for repair. The dealer will improve engine compartment cooling, install a modified control unit and a new alternator. Smithereens, indeed. More »

The Ides of March Ain't so Elgrand: Nissan to Recall Over 150,000 Vehicles

Nissan's quality control department must be having Zsa-Zsa-sized fits. First Altimas and Sentras develop a penchant for oil consumption and possible conflagration and now more than 150,000 Japanese-market vehicles are on their way back to dealers for repairs. The 144,298 Elgrand minivans built between April 2002 and December 2005 have a design flaw in the braking system that may increase stopping distances, and the 11,154 March minicars constructed between February 2002 and March 2004 have a possibly-faulty switch that could cause erratic brake-light activation. More »

Asses of Fire: Jeep Heated Seat Recall

If anybody ever got too into Black Flag, one might've listened to the second side of My War or searched out the Nig Heist's record, which was a band made up of Flag members, roadies, flotsam and jetsam. But not members of Flotsam and Jetsam. They weren't particularly good, but they had one song called "Balls of Fire," the chorus of which went, "My balls are on FIIIIIIIIAAAAAAARRRRRRE!" Which in a completely juvenile way, might be the best chorus of any song this side of "This Land is Your Land" or "Angel of Death." Anyway, Jeep's recalling 111,000 Grand Cherokees due to fire-possiblity worries in the heated seats. Ruh roh. More »

Fire!: Nissan Tells Dealers to Stop Selling Altimas, Sentra SE-Rs

Reports of engine fires has led Nissan North America to warn dealers not to sell 2006 four-cylinder Nissan Altimas and Sentra SE-Rs. The company isn't sure why the some of the cars have also been sucking down oil like food athletes at a linguini-with-white-clam-sauce-eating contest. According to the Asssociated Press, 215 reports of such excessive consumption, and 17 reports of engine fires, have been lodged. On minor injury, entirely unrelated to cuisine, has been reported. More »

Say it Ain't So, Leo: Toyota Prii Recalled for Possible Steering Problem

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting Toyota will recall nearly 1 million cars, including Prius, Corolla and Avensis models, worldwide for a possible steering-shaft malfunction. Most significantly, especially among tabloid journalists, the recall affects Prius NHW20 models built in Japan from July 2003 to November 2005. Toyota says the cars' steering intermediate shafts could become loose, develop a crack and render the cars rolling gas-electric sleds of doom. They didn't say that last part, but we're pretty sure someone in the tabloid media will sooner or later. In other news, someone in Detroit just said "ha, ha." More »

Recall Party! VW Brake Lights, Corvette Roofs

Straight outta Deutschland, the People's Automaker has handed down a recall involving the Jetta sedan from 1999-2002 and the 1998-2002 New Beetle due to a faulty brake light switch. Meanwhile, the Chevrolets are recalling 30,793 'Vette coupes due to possibly-faulty adhesive that could result in the roof panel de-laminating at speed. Thankfully, Wert and Austin are rollling in a ragtop this weekend. More »

The Effects of Kapton on Fire: Mother Jones on Ford's Switch Problem

Our pal Jason Rosenberg, who played guitar in the East Bay's late, lamented The Pattern, used to work at Mother Jones. We've always liked the mag, even as we can only take so much alarmism. But now, the MoJos have busted out with some insight into Ford's flaming cruise-control switch situation. More »