Mazda has issued out a recall notice for 2001-2002 model year Tribute SUVs for a faulty brake master cylinder reservoir cap that can leak brake fluid. If the fluid does leak, it can come into contact with the ABS wiring harness connector that could result in corrosion developing in the electrical connector. In a worst case scenario, melting, smoking or possibly fire could result.

A total of 52,390 Tributes are affected in all and Mazda has even done something peculiar on this recall asking owners to park their vehicles outside until a dealer is able to make the repairs. Mazda will notify owners starting on or about January 30th, 2012 and dealers will replace the vehicle’s brake master cylinder reservoir cap and modify the ABS electrical system free of charge.

With no official recall on the books, General Motors is announcing enhanced safety features on its Chevrolet Volt extended range electric car to protect against possible fire concerns.

The Volt made headlines of the wrong kind recently when it was revealed that last summer a test vehicle caught fire at a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) facility after being crash tested. As explained by Mary Barra, senior vice president, Global Product Development at General Motors, during a conference call today, the issue arose when a piece of the car punctured the battery pack. Then during a “slow roll” procedure coolant (over a liter of it) leaked out of the battery. Days later, when the car was recharging, an electrical short caused a fire.

GM dispatched a “senior engineering investigation team” and developed a solution to the potential fire risk, choosing to strengthen the car’s safety structure, thus “eliminating the chance of a post crash fire,” says Barra, who confirmed that in internal testing the solution resulted in no intrusion into the battery pack and, therefore, no coolant leak.

Barra confirmed that no changes have been made to the battery cell or pack and commented that GM is “confident in robustness and safety of the battery,” which is supplied by LG Chem. A sensor has, however, been added to the inside of the battery pack to monitor coolant levels, as well as a “tamper-resistant bracket” designed to help prevent potential coolant overfill.

General Motors is saying the “fix” will be applied to all existing Volts and that when production of the Volt restarts this month after a Christmas brake, new cars will be fitted with the enhanced safety structure. According to GM North America president Mark Reuss, dealers will be able to complete the fix easily within a day adding a small part that weighs around two or three pounds.

Reuss was eager to point out that GM’s response to this safety concern is voluntary and that, “there have been no real world incidents like NHTSA experienced during its severe crash tests.”

“Safety is the ultimate piece of standard equipment we can provide,” said Reuss. “I trust the Volt with the most important thing in the world to me, my family.”

2011 has been the year of the recall for General Motors. Hardly a week goes by when a new vehicle recall from GM is not making news. The latest addition to this list is the Cadillac SRX.

In particular, SRX models built in Mexico between 2010 and 2011. Roughly 20,000 vehicles are said to be affected, with the majority of these vehicles being in China and America. A smaller number of defected vehicles can be found in 20 other countries.

The problem is with the transmission shift cable causing unintended movement. Upon examination, GM has sourced the problem to an incorrect routing of the transmission shift cable through the engine bay.

The problem was triggered by a person who wrote to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) about unintended vehicle motion when he shifted from park to drive to park again.

GM has notified the NHTSA that it will sort out this issue. No accidents or injuries have been reported due to this defect.

An investigation of the Infiniti M45 has been launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the fuel gauges of the 2003-2004 M45′s. The investigation was prompted by consumer complaints about the fuel gauge readings being inaccurate.

According to NHTSA there have been 43 reports filed concerning faulty gauges in the luxury sedan. Of these, 23 cases report drivers running out of fuel despite the gauge not reading empty. The action taken by the company depends on NHSTA’s preliminary report which will focus on the scope and frequency of the problem. If the gauges are found to have major internal issues it could result in a consumer safety recall of the vehicle.

Toyota has announced a recall of roughly 400,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicle to replace the crankshaft pulley.

According to Toyota the outer ring of the pulley may come out of alignment with the inner ring, resulting first in a noise with the possibility that the belt for the power steering pump may become detached. If such a problem is detected, a warning light should appear on the dash.

In total, 283,200 Toyota models are affected including the 2004 Avalon, 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara, plus the 2006 Highlander HV. A total of 137,000 Lexus models are also included in the recall: the 2004 and 2005 ES330 and RX330, as well as the 2006 RX400h. The problem is exclusive to V6 engine vehicles.

Toyota is currently sourcing a sufficient number of replacement parts and will begin notifying owners as of January. However, owners who hear an abnormal noise are asked to make a service appointment with their Toyota or Lexus dealer. More information is available at www.toyota.com/recall or by calling the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800-331-4331). Lexus customers can visit www.lexus.com/recall or call Lexus Customer Satisfaction  at 1 800-255-3987.

The Pontiac G8, the brand’s last hurrah before GM completely discontinued its operations, is now subject to recall due too concerns regarding the front passenger air bag module.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the air bags may suffer from a possible delay in airbag deployment at the moment of a collision, causing it to fail compliance with federal standards for head injury protection.

GM aims to reprogram the sensing and diagnostic controls of the airbag. To date, no injuries have been reported as a result to the delay and malfunction.

When you think of right-hand-drive Jeep Wranglers, no doubt an obvious reference would be those sold in export markets such as the UK, Ireland, Japan or the Pacific Rim.

However, this particular recall actually affects some 5,334 vehicles in the United States; consisting of 2008-2012 models, primarily used for postal delivery on rural routes, where right-hand-drive vehicles are often employed because they provide more convenient access to roadside mailboxes.

In fact, the recall centers around driving conditions in such areas, citing the fact that dusty roads can allow dirt to enter the airbag clockspring assembly, causing the airbag light on the dash to come on.

“Following field investigations by our engineers, it was determined that the condition is being caused by the dirt, dust, rain, etc., that the interior is exposed to when letter carriers lower their windows frequently,” said Chrysler Group’s David Dillon, who heads up Product Investigations and Campaigns for the company.

So far, no accidents or injuries have been reported on the airbag issue, though Chrysler has said it will inform owners of the affected vehicles late this month, though at present, a fix still hasn’t been determined.

It’s happening again. Last year, Mercedes-Benz had to issue a recall on its diesel models over a leaking fuel-filter, and now they have to address this issue all over again.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), certain 2011 and 2012 Mercedes BlueTec diesel may have a possible fuel leak, which can actually lead to fires.

2011 E-class, 2012 S-class, plus 2011 GL-class, ML-class and R-class models are affected by the recall.  In total, 6872 vehicles are affected.

If you believe you might have a faulty Benz, you can either contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (reference recall campaign number 11V496000) or Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Chrysler is issuing a recall for a small number of vehicles equipped with the new 3.6-liter “Pentastar” V6. According to the automaker a total of 657 vehicles may be affected and could exhibit a loss of power as a result of manufacturing debris left in the engine.

Chrysler saws the problem was caught early on, but not until those 657 models had been shipped out. Models affected include the Chrysler 200, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Journey, Durango, Grand Caravan and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Chrysler says it will be sending out letters to retail and fleet customers in October, but that the majority of the vehicles have yet to be sold.

10,631 Kia Sorento SUVs built between June 15th, 2006 and November 27th, 2007 will be recalled due to a faulty airbag issue where the passenger-side air bag may be turned off even when an adult is occupying the seat. Naturally, the Occupant Classification System is designed to be turned off when children or small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, but in the recalled models it can mistakenly classify an adult passenger as a child. If the air bag is deactivated, the light will illuminate on the center instrument panel.

The recall will have vehicle owners’ programming updated by Kia in the Sorento’s OCS module at no charge. Owners that are affected may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.