Autos News

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This brand new release Ford automatic transmission recall pertains specifically to 2011-2012 Ford F150 pickups, 2012-2013 Ford Mustang coupes and convertibles and the 2012 Ford Expedition and 2012 Lincoln Navigator full size sport utes that share a common platform and drivetrain – all of which are obviously fitted with Ford’s 6-velocity automatic transmission. In total, this brand new release recall affects around 10,500 vehicles. The NHTSA bulletin doesn’t go into detail on specific build dates for the vehicles or automatic transmissions but considering the incredible number of Ford F150 pickups produced and sold in 2011 and 2012 (Ford sold almost 2,000 F Series trucks PER DAY in April 2012)…it is very obvious that only a small group of vehicles are included in this recall.

In the Ford F150, Mustang, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator models affected by this brand new release recall, the transmission range sensor (TRS) may be calibrated out of specification for the reverse gear. Because of this possible incorrect calibration, the vehicle may not shift into reverse when prompted by the driver and in some cases; the vehicle could go into reverse but the backup indicator lights will not illuminate. This puts the various trucks, sport utility vehicles and Mustangs in violation of multiple Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards including No. 102 “Transmission shift level sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect” and No. 108 “Lamps reflective devices and associated equipment”.

The symptoms of this brand new release Ford F150 and Ford Mustang automatic transmission recall can create an obvious headache for drivers who find themselves suddenly uncapable to shift into reverse but the second portion of the recall warning can pose a significant threat to other drivers and pedestrians around the affected vehicles. When the Mustang, F150, Expedition or Navigator shift into reverse and the backup lights do not light up – other drivers in the vicinity and those walking around the vehicle may not be aware that it is in the process of backing up. Situations like backing out of a space in a crowded parking lot or trying to parallel park along the side of a busy city street without the backup lights indicating that the vehicle was backing up can clearly become an issue for everyone around. On top of that, since these 10,500 vehicles do not conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, that is all that the NHTSA and automakers doing business in American need to issue a recall like this.

This brand new release Ford F150, Mustang, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator recall is set to officially begin on June 25th 2012 at which point owners will be asked to return to their local Ford Motor Company dealership for repairs. Once there, a technician will inspect the transmission range sensor and replace it as needed. This work will be done free of charge to the owner.

If you own a 2011-2012 Ford F150 pickup, a 2012-2013 Ford Mustang coupe or convertible, a 2012 Ford Expedition or a 2012 Lincoln Navigator and you are concerned about your vehicle possibly being affected by this recall; you can check to see if your backup lights are working by having someone stand to the rear-side of the vehicle and shifting into reverse. If the vehicle shifts into reverse and the backup lights illuminate – your vehicle is functioning properly for now. This doesn’t mean that you will not get a recall notice but in the event that you do; it is always a good idea to make the trip to the dealership for the free service.

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Little detail is gived thus far as to the specifics such as model year or build dates of the Ferrari 458 and Ferrari California supercars affected by this brand new releaseest recall but the Italian automaker has stated that roughly 206 vehicles could contain the imperfect crankshaft. The company has discovered through long term durability testing that over time, the crankshaft in these V8 Strengthed Ferraris could develop a vibration due to a machining error during production. If a crankshaft vibration is left unattended – especially in a high revving, high performance engine like the Ferrari V8 in question – the problem will generally worsen and cause further problems like bearing failures and total engine failure.

Ferrari will contact the 206 individuals who own the recalled 458 and California sports cars, asking them to return to their local dealership for repairs. Considering the nature of this recall, the engine will likely need to be removed to have the crankshaft replaced so this won’t be one of those quick in and out recalls. That being told, this is the kind of recall that owners will want to make sure that they honor as having to drop your Ferrari off for a couple days at the dealership is better than having to have it towed back with a blown engine. This work will be performed free to charge to the owner.

Luckily, Ferrari has had no reports of these vehicles being affected in the hands of a private owner but after experiencing this crankshaft problem during internal testing – the company is making the call to recall the 206 unfortunately affected Italian supercars to prevent the problem from getting worse. The 206 vehicles included in the recall are a relatively small portion of the 13,000 Ferrari 458 and Ferrari California models built over the past 4 years…so it is a fairly small batch of vehicles affected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has yet to issue a formal statement but if they do – we can expect a few more details to be included.

This is the second recall of the Ferrari 458, with a much larger recall coming in 2010. In the 1,248 458s recalled at that time, there was an adhesive used around the rear wheels that was prone to overheating and catching fire. The vehicles that showed signs of this heat damage were issued brand new release cars while those that had not yet run into the issues had that adhesive replaced with mechanical fasteners.

Source: Autocar

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By simply plugging “recall” into the Torque brand new releases search box, articles were found reporting over 1 million cars recalled between January and April this year for safety issues by brands as diverse as Ford, GM, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota.

Many of these were simply posted for sale online without the safety issues addressed. Caveat emptor! Those buying or selling cars can enhance public safety by simply making sure recalled safety problems have been repaired by franchise dealers. After all, recall repairs are free and it’s not hard to find the open recall for a specific vehicle.

Of course, the problem with recalls is they take up time in your busy life, take away your transportation briefly, and thus leave your obligations unattended without a rented or borrowed vehicle – and all because of something that’s not your fault. Obviously, if you’ve planned to sell, it’s easier to leave the hassle to the next owner, but since you don’t want to obstruct the deal, it goes unmentioned.

The CARFAX discovery is not surprising – it’s just shocking to perceive the size of the problem

“We’re making a lot of progress, but there are still too many open recalls out there,” told Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “Many of these cars change hands without the buyer ever knowing a recall exists, increasing the safety risks both to passengers in the car and others on the road. We all need to do our part to make sure these cars are identified and fixed – buyers, sellers and owners alike. A simple online check for open recalls is all it takes to help make our roads safer.”

Bob Knotts is a Delaware plumber who tells his story of the hazards of unknowingly buying a car with an ignored recall in a YouTube video.

“My van caught fire from an electrical recall under the driver’s seat that was never fixed,” Knotts told. “Had it spread to the back where I keep a propane torch and highly-flammcapable glue, it would have been a total fireball. Had I gotten the Carfax Report, I would not have had this $8,000 loss.”

The populous states of California, Florida and Texas have the most pre-owned cars on the market with open recalls, with well over 100,000 vehicles with ignored recalls sold last year. Complying with manufacturer and NHTSA mandated safety recalls are vital to safety, performance and retained value.

The auto manufacturers are now working with CARFAX to alert consumers about ignored recalls. The automotive history giver has established a free service to consumers allowing them to check for open recalls with their VIN at recall.carfax.com. Open recalls have caused vehicle fires, major accidents and even death. Finding and fixing open recalls is easy and without out of pocket costs.

The company also includes open recall data gived by manufacturers on Carfax Vehicle History Reports. They have designated today, May 8 as Carfax Open Recall Day, encouraging everyone to find and fix ignored recalls.

None of us want to see a movie scene in real life where a vehicle catches flame, careens across four lanes and dives off an overpass into gridlocked traffic below.

Don’t write off or ignore a recall on your vehicle – it could be a threat to us all.

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By Patrick Rall on Tue, 05/08/2012 – 13:50 for Torque brand new releases

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This brand new release BMW recall of select 2012 model year 3 Series sedans pertains to vehicles built between October 19th 2011 and March 18th 2012. In these vehicles, the front headrests that exceed the maximum downward movement standards of 25 millimeters so these 7,600 BMW sedans are in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 202 A pertaining to Head Restraints”. What this means is that when you extend the driver and passenger adjustcapable headrest to the highest possible position, the headrest can shift downward by more than an inch suddenly…such as in the event of an accident. The safety issue lies in the fact that when the headrest shifts down by that unexpected inch, there is an increase chance of injury to the driver and passenger in the event that the headrest shifts and does not give proper support during the collision.

Considering that the body generally turns forward and away from the headrests in the event of a front end impact – the safety risk with this BMW 3 Series headrest recall could pertain to rear end impacts. For a taller driver or front passenger who has the headrests adjusted properly but sometime between adjusting and the moment of impact – that headrest shifts down a little. When hit from behind, the driver or front passenger’s neck could contact the headrest rather than the back of their head – likely creating a fairly uncomfortcapable whiplash situation and vastly increasing the chances of injury.

BMW will begin contacting owners later this month, asking the owners of thee 7,600 2012 BMW 3 Series sedans to return to their local dealership where a company technician will modify the front seat headrest adjusting components to prevent this unwanted movement. A clamp will be applied to prevent the posts from moving beyond the allowcapable point – preventing any future problems with the headrests moving around on their own and helping to keep the driver and passengers of the 2012 BMW 3 Series safe and sound. For those who are unsure, the work performed as part of this recall repair will be done free of charge to the owners and for those popping into a dealership for a quick fix – the modifications to the headrest system must ben’t be very time consuming gived that the dealership service department has a free bay when you arrive.

Comment and add to this story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.

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This brand new release BMW emission system recall affects 21,600 BMW 3 Series sedans from 2009 through 2011 Strengthed by the diesel engine option along with 2,740 X5 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive50i sport utes from those same model years that are Strengthed by the 4.4L twin turbocharged v8 engines. In these vehicles, there is an intricate system that helps to manage the amount of harmful gases that are releases into the atmosphere and it seems that the control systems in the X5 xDrive50i, X6 xDrive50i and diesel 3 Series sedans may have a component causing these emission levels to be higher than allowed by various state laws. When those emission levels get high enough, the Service Engine Soon light will come on – sending most people to what would normally be a costly trip to the dealership.

The prime components that could be at fault for this BMW emission recall are the Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve (EGR), the Diesel Exhaust Fluid mixing system (DEF) and the Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR). For those unfamiliar with modern diesel emission systems, these three systems help to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxides by adding a chemical (which is actually derived from urine) to help convert those harmful gases into other items that are not harmful to the environment – mainly nitrogen (which occurs naturally in our atmosphere) and water. When this system isn’t working properly, other than lighting up the SES light, the vehicle will begin to emit higher than permitted levels of harmful gases that can harm the environment. These are the gases that are partially at fault for the way Los Angeles looks and smells on a hot day…which is why California is the strictest state in the country for emission standards.

It is unclear as to which components are at fault for the recall of the gasoline Strengthed BMW X5 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive50i but in the event of any vehicle emitting harmfully high levels of greenhouse gases, the BMW group is doing the environmentally responsible thing and getting these affected models back to dealership for inspections. Luckily, shy of a Service Engine Soon light and higher emission levels – there is no real safety risk except to Mother Earth.

The recall of these 24,340 BMW 3 Series, X5 and X6 vehicles is set to formally begin on May 9th – at which point owners will be contacted and asked to return to their local BMW dealership for repairs. Upon return to the dealer, a technician will inspect those various components of the emission control system to ensure that they are working properly and in the event that a problem is found; repairs and replacements will be made to the vehicle. The technician may also reprogram the vehicles engine control unit that handles the emission components. These repairs will all be done free of charge to the customer.

Source: Automotive brand new releases

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