Toyota is recalling 427 2011 RAV4 models because the side-curtain airbags that might not deploy.

According to the notice, a propellant with incorrect specifications was used in the airbag inflator. In certain instances that can cause one or both of the devices to fail.

The vehicles included in the recall were made between November 24 and December 11 of last year. As recalls go, this is a pretty small one but interestingly enough, Honda issued an almost-identical recall for the same issue in their Accords and Crosstours today.

It seems the same supplier, Autoliv Americas, does business with both Honda and Toyota. Owners can expect to be contacted by mail if their vehicle is among the affected group.

In the automotive industry, recalls are a bit like taxes, you just can’t get away from them. One of the most recent revolves around Maserati Gran Turismo coupes and convertibles manufactured between June 2008 and March 2010.

The problem, concerns the vehicles’ lighting system, specifically the tail lamps, which can unexpectedly fail, compromising visibility in dark or misty conditions, potentially leading to accidents.

Maserati says that approximately 1,768 cars in the US are affected by the issue and ask the owners of these vehicles to contact their nearest Maserati dealer, so the problem can be fixed; they can also contact Maserati at 201-816-2200

Additionally, affected owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) toll free at 1-888-327-4236, referencing recall campaign number 12V024000.

Kudos to BMW for owning up to its mistakes. Too often the news is full of scandals where car companies tried to cover catastrophes with foggy facts, but not the Bavarian luxury car king, no sir.

Instead, we stumbled across a recall that BMW deserves a pat on the back for, despite having to laugh a little. It’s only for six cars…

Apparently a handful of 2012 X5 xDrive35i SUV models have transmissions that can fail to engage in park, even with the shifter in the “P” mode. As a result, they can roll away. Obviously that could wreck the car, cause an accident, hit pedestrians and all sorts of other evil stuff, but we’re more fascinated with the fact that BMW is actually taking the initiative to recall them.

Expect a call from BMW soon if you own one of the six affected vehicles. You’re in for a free transmission.

As a result of identifying problems with power window switches, Honda Motor Co. has announced it is recalling some 960,000 vehicles worldwide.

The recall is mostly related to 2006 to early 2010 Fit subcompacts (totaling almost 800,000). In addition, in the U.S., the company is also recalling some 80,111 CR-Vs from the 2006 model year for similar problems. The recall is a result of potential problems such as fire hazards that could result from faulty electrical contacts in the switches.

Another vehicle being recalled is the CR-Z hybrid, including some 5,626 currently on US roads. In this case the problem concerns the vehicle’s Engine Control Unit; the CR-Z has come under criticism for its rather underwhelming performance, especially as it relates to fuel economy.

Honda hasn’t said how much this global recall will cost, though with it following in the wake of supplier struggles resulting from the March 11 earthquake in Japan, it has proved  yet again, that 2011 is shaping up to be one of the most difficult years the automaker has faced in recent times.

American automakers are performing much better regarding vehicle safety recalls compared to their Japanese counterparts. Approaching the middle of 2011,  there have been 59 recalls, potentially affecting 6.8 million cars and light trucks. In 2010 at this point in the year, there had been 65 recalls potentially affecting 9.6 million light vehicles.

Toyota, whose reputation has been smudged recently for recalling millions of cars and trucks linked to sticky accelerator pedals and ill-fitting floor mats, is still in the hot seat. So far, Toyota has racked up nine of the industry’s worst recall campaigns affecting more than 2.8 million vehicles. The issue continues as the company widened its recall for another 1.4 million units also affected by floor mats that threatened to shift and pin down accelerator pedals. Since 2009, Toyota has recalled 9.8 million vehicles and has paid 32.4 million in fines for not issuing the recalls sooner.

At current pace, auto makers are on track to bring in fewer cars and trucks into dealers for recall issues compared to 2010.  In 2010, 17.2 million units required a recall making it one of the poorest performances in recent years. 2009 was also plagued with recall issues totaling 16.4 million.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Chrysler has said that it is recalling some 11,351 vehicles from the 2011 model year, including Chrysler 200s and Town & Country minivans, Dodge Avengers, Calibers, Journeys, Nitros and Grand Caravans, as well as Jeep Compass, Patriot and Wrangler models.

The problem? An incorrectly installed steering column rivet that could potentially cause the steering system to fail, resulting in loss of vehicle control and even an accident.

The automaker said the cause of the problem was “improper identification of rejected components by new employees during the second shift.” Out of some 14,000 steering columns Chrysler inspected, it found that seven of them boasted missing or incorrect rivets.

So far the Auburn Hills, Michigan automaker has said there have been no consumer complaints nor records of accidents or injuries resulting from the issue. Nevertheless, owners of the affected vehicles will be notified starting next month and urged to contact their nearest Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealer to have the problem fixed free of charge.

[Source: The Detroit News]

US Senator Charles Schumer from New York, says he will introduce a bill that will prevent rental cars affected by recalls from being offered to customers.

The rental car industry in the U.S. has already proposed a ‘two-tier’ system, whereby vehicles with more serious recalls would be taken out of service immediately, while those with less serious safety problems would remain in fleets until the problem could be addressed.

However, Schumer feels that the proposed system simply doesn’t go far enough. ”The latest proposal by car rental companies to create a vague double-standard that defines some recalled cars as safe and others as dangerous allows these companies to shirk their responsibility to consumers’ safety,” he said.

As it currently stands, all vehicle owners, including rental car agencies must decide for themselves whether to continue operating vehicles or have them taken off the road for repairs, based on information provided to them by both the manufacturer and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Schumer believes that by not pulling all recalled vehicles off the road until they’re fixed, the rental car agencies are “more interested in reaping profit than ensuring the safety of individuals or families driving their cars.”

[Source: MSNBC]

Nissan North America announced today it will begin sharing information for Nissan and Infiniti vehicles with Carfax, in an effort to provide used-car shoppers with improved access to information on open safety and emissions recalls.

“We strive to have recall campaign work completed in a timely fashion,” said John Spoon, vice president, Parts and Service, NNA. “By working with Carfax we are making it easier for customers to determine if a vehicle has an open campaign and encouraging campaign service completion.”

The aim of this formation is to ensure that used car shoppers can access this important information through a convenient third-party database.

“Carfax and Nissan North America are committed to keeping our roadways safe,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “Adding Nissan and Infiniti to the list of manufacturers providing open recall campaign information to Carfax helps notify car owners and buyers and gets these cars into dealerships to be fixed.”

They’ve been problematic ever since the Feds mandated them back in 2007. Now, the Toyota Tundra is the latest to join the list for Tire Pressure Monitoring System woes.

A recall has been issued for a number of 2007-11 model year Tundras because they may have incorrectly calibrated TPMS systems, preventing warning lights from operating when tire pressures are low. Around 1,697 trucks are affected, all of which were originally sold in the South Eastern United States.

Owners of the affected trucks will be notified by Toyota and dealers will fix the problem free of charge.

Back in January, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  (NHTSA) reported that, during an investigation of rust issues on 1996-04 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-03 Infiniti QX4 SUVs, it discovered that serious rusting could cause steering problems resulting in accidents.

In fact, no fewer than 35 cases of severe rusting were reported and of those, 18 vehicles were suffering from steering problems as a result. At the time, the agency was merely conducting an investigation, but now, it’s evolved into a full-blown recall.

Nissan recently announced that it will be recalling a total of 195,991 Pathfinders and QX4s originally sold or currently registered in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus the District of Columbia.

Notice a pattern here? All the states mentioned  suffer periodically from heavy snow fall, with salt and brine often used to clear the roads.

The actual problem concerns a location hole in the front upper strut housing, which can cause salt and slush to seep in, causing moisture to sit at the mating surface of the strut housing and inner hood ledge. Since salt and water like nothing more than a warm, damp environment to feast, over time, the strut housing will literally rot away causing it to collapse in extreme cases and the steering column to break.

Nissan has said that owners of those vehicles in those states affected will be receiving notification and are advised to take their Pathfinders and QX4s to authorized dealers who will inspect the housings and perform any necessary repairs.

For more information owners are advised to contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Alternatively, click on the link below.