Tire manufacturer Continental, has announced that it is recalling some 391,000 tires, most of which were fitted to Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups.

The tires, all of which were made in Mexico from between May 2007 and September 2008 were installed on 2008 and 2009 model year trucks.

Continental said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that the affected tires, if overloaded or under inflated, could cause the belt edges to separate and the tread to become detached from the tire, not something you really want to happen while the vehicle is at speed.

The company will replace all four tires and the spare on the affected vehicles; at present Ford says 65,000 pickups in the US and Canada are affected by the recall.

Apparently spiders don’t just prefer Mazdas. Honda has warned its dealers to keep an eye out for the same spiders that nested in 65,000 recalled Mazda6 sedans, as they may infest the Accord. Hyundai is also reportedly warning dealers of a similar issue with its models.

It’s not a full-blown recall, but if you see a spider inside your Accord, your local friendly Honda mechanic will be happy to get rid of the yellow sac spiders that are nesting inside a vent pipe and weaving “sack-like” webs that could lead to a blockage. The driver will find that the “check engine” light will come on, as well as a freaked-out friend or relative who will scream at ear-splitting levels. Possibly.

The fix is easy, because it consists of fitting a spring into a drain box—similar to Mazda’s solution. Unlike Mazda, however, there is no danger in blocking the gas tank venting hoses that may lead to an engine fire, and Honda has merely issued a service bulletin to its brave, spider-vanquishing mechanics instead of an all-out recall like its Japanese sedan brethren. The yellow sac spider hasn’t caused any engine stalling or fires in the Accord. Maybe yellow sac spiders prefer Honda over Mazda? And why not an Italian car? Or a convertible?

[Source: USA Today]

Ford Motor Company has announced that it is recalling a total of 280,946 2009-10 F-150s in the United States, plus an additional 68,000 trucks in Canada for an issue concerning faulty door handles.

Apparently, the door handles incorporate a fragile embossment that may fracture under normal use. This, says the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA); can cause the handles to not latch properly, potentially allowing the doors to fly open in the event of an accident.

NHTSA says the recall covers trucks built between January 18 2008 and November 30, 2009 and that Ford will begin notifying owners around Valentine’s Day. If they do notice that the doors aren’t latching properly, Ford advises the affected F-150 owners to contact their nearest dealer as soon as possible, to have the defective parts inspected and replaced.

In August 2009 veteran California Highway Patrol officer Mark Saylor and his family were traveling in a Lexus ES350 that crashed into a riverbed and burst into flames killing all on board. The crash was blamed on ‘unintended acceleration,’ causing the car to reach speeds of more than 120 mph, before it ran off the road.

When Toyota settled with Saylor’s relatives out of court, it began a chain reaction that resulted in one of the widest and most public vehicle recall programs by any automaker in history. At the time, the actual amount of the settlement was undisclosed, instead the parties involved agreeing that the details of the agreement remain ‘private and amicable’ between Toyota, the Saylor and Lastrella families.

Now Bob Baker, owner of the Lexus dealership which loaned that ES350 to the Saylor family they drove on that fateful trip, has gone public with the amount of the settlement  - $10,000,000.

Baker, which saw sales across the 10 dealers he owns in the San Diego area drop some 20 percent during the recession, was hit hard by this settlement, which he says left his business isolated and has been fighting back ever since. He continues to litigate against the families in this case who cite that negligence on the part of the dealer was to blame for the accident.  An investigation by the San Diego  County Sheriff’s Department concluded that an ill-fitting floormat installed by Bob Baker Lexus was the cause of the crash.

Baker maintains the evidence from the accident investigation was flawed and that the real problem was caused by faulty electronics in the vehicle. He says that Toyota executives in Japan weren’t concerned about finding the true root cause of the problem, choosing to settle to avoid the real issue and instead look for a scapegoat – him.

But whether going public with the amount of this historic settlement, against the wishes of Toyota and Saylor’s relatives, will actually help Baker’s cause remains to be seen. According to a Toyota spokesman,  ”Mr. Baker wants the spotlight to shift away from his dealership as he continues to litigate the case with the families.” The saga continues.

[Source: Inside Line]

Toyota has just announced a recall for it’s new ‘Swagger Wagon’ Sienna minivan for an issue related to the braking system.

Unrelated to any past brake recalls the recall involves the parking brake bracket that could become damaged by repeated use of the foot-actuated parking brake pedal. Toyota warns that damage to the bracket could lead to brake lights that appear on, or in extreme cases ‘dragging’ brakes, which could wear the brakes out over time.

In total 94,000 Sienna minivans are affected by the recall, all dating from the 2011 model year.

Toyota will notify Sienna owners and provide a fix free of charge. Those with questions are asked to call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Official release after the jump:

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A recall has been announced for four late model Volvo vehicles due to an issue with the power seats that could post a safety risk.

In total 7,420 vehicles could be affected by the recall, with the list including the S40, V50, S60 and XC60 crossover from model years 2009 to 2011. The issue surrounds an improperly built passenger seat rail that could allow someone sitting in the seat to move it too far forward, which could result in an injury in the case of an accident.

Volvo is expected to announce the recall shortly with information on when customers will be notified. In the mean time, customers with vehicles affected can contact their Volvo dealer in order to have the car inspected to see if their seat rails are included in the recall.

Volvo recently issued a recall for 6,000 models due to a fuel cutoff issue.

Owners can contact Volvo at 1.800.458.1552 or at customercare@volvoforlife.com.

A total of 8.4 million recalled Ford models remain on our roads unfixed according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is urging owners to get their vehicles repaired.

The alarmingly high number is 60 percent of the vehicles affected by a 14 million car recall of Ford products dating from 1999 to 2009 for issues relating to leaky cruise control switches. The recall claims that the switches may leak into the brake system causing the vehicle to potentially catch fire.

According to an unnamed NHTSA representative the number of unrepaired Fords is particularly high, far exceeding the average. Normally 30 percent of recalled vehicles are not fixed within the first 18 months after a recall.

Ford has notified customers several times but its believed the poor rate at which the vehicles are being fixed is due in part to the cars already being quite old when the recall took place.

Models affected by the recall include 1992-2003 E series, 1993-2003 F series, 1995-2003 Windstars, 1995-2002 Explorers and 1995-2003 Rangers. A total of eight recalls were made for the same issue in different models over the period of several years.

Owners who are unsure if their vehicle has been recalled or if it has been fixed, can check by visiting www.MyFord.com

[Source: Automotive News]

BMW is recalling 6,080 5-Series and 5-Series GT models for a malfunctioning fuel tank sensor. The vehicles manufactured between January 12 and July 1, 2010 are prone to the problem, which can wedge itself against the fuel tank and cause an incorrect reading.

Drivers could conceivably run out of gas at the side of the road, and NHTSA’s website shows that BMW has yet to establish a fix for the problem. Worse yet, drivers might see you by the side of the road and catch a glimpse of the 5-Series Gran Turismo.

[Source: NHTSA]

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We’ve lost track of how many recalls have been issued for the Subaru Legacy and Outback, so much so that we had to check and make sure that this story was recent and not run within the previous couple weeks.

While this currently recall, affecting 809 vehicles is relatively minor, the consecutive recalls on Subaru’s bread and butter models is a terrible PR display for the company.

The current recall only affects Outbacks with the manual transmission, a very small percentage of sales to be certain. But the recall, which is designed to correct the lack of an oil lubrication hole in the gearbox, could mean that some vehicles need third through sixth gear replaced, a very costly and time consuming procedure.

What’s worse is that the Outback and Legacy are great vehicles, so much so that Autoguide staffers have recommended them to family members looking for a new family car. This recall, as well as previous ones, like the fluid leak in the CVT gearbox, puts a damper on encouraging people to look at a good car at a good price.

[Source: Inside Line]

Potential buyers of Honda and Acura vehicles will now have no reason to buy a lemon after the company agreed to give all recall data to Carfax.

“Recall completion is critically important to us,” said Jim Roach, senior vice president of Parts & Service for American Honda. “By working with Carfax, American Honda provides another way for customers to increase their awareness and need to address recall repairs.”

Carfax, which provides vehicle history information to potential buyers of used cars, is a commonly used tool among used vehicle shoppers. Recall information will be available to Carfax customers upon entering a Honda or Acura VIN number.

[Source: Honda]

Hit the jump to read the official press release

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Recently a Wall Street Journal story revealed that with one exception, it was driver error and not mechanical or electrical issues that resulted in the “unintended acceleration” of Toyota vehicles. Now, another outlet, Just-Auto.com is claiming an unnamed source within NHTSA has confirmed the story was planted by Toyota as part of a public relations effort to re-build its image. If that does in fact turn out to be the case, the fallout could certainly do quite the opposite.

Supporting this newest report are the continued claims by NHTSA that the story did not come from within the government agency.

That, however, does not mean that the story isn’t true. In fact, it more likely suggests the story was leaked. And if true, and leaked, then who can blame Toyota for wanting to spread the news?

Regardless, NHTSA’s official findings have not yet been released and until they are, either exonerating or blaming Toyota would be premature.

[Source: Just-Auto]

A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association says that BMW is recalling an unknown number of X5 and X6 SUVs over incorrect tire pressure labels.

According to Inside Line, NHTSA claims not only are the pressures wrong, but the wheel sizing is off as well. “The vehicles are equipped with 20-inch wheels, but the label states that the vehicles were equipped with 19-inch wheels and the stated tire pressure is incorrect for the equipped vehicles. Improper tire inflation can result in premature tire failure or reduced vehicle handling performance, either of which can increase the risk of a crash.

On the other hand, BMW submitted documentation to the federal government stating that the defect will not affect the safety of its vehicles. Owners can contact BMW at (800) 525-7417.

[Source: Inside Line]

Chrysler is recalling all Dodge Caravan and Town and Country minivans from 2008-09 due to a concern that an improperly installed wiring harness could cause a fire. According to a release issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects 284,831 vehicles in total. NHTSA says that the vehicles in question may use a “improperly routed” wiring harness that may become worn by the van’s sliding door. The wire insulation may then become worn which could lead to a short circuit, or possibly even a fire.

Owners of 2008 and 2009 model year vans (manufactured between February and September of 2007) are asked to contact their local Chrysler dealer for a fix.

This is the second recall for the Chrysler van duo in 2010. Both models were recently recalled for faulty airbags.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Although embattled Toyota has received the lion’s share in recent months when it comes to recalls, the fact remains, they’re part and parcel of the auto business and from time to time, nearly every player in the business is faced with the issue on some of its offerings. A case in point: Ford Motor Company recently announced that it is recalling 2010 Explorer Sport Trac models, built between December 15 2009 and February 3 this year, for faulty seat recliner mechanisms that apparently can cause the seat backs to lose support and fall rearward in the event of an impact. The seats, like many used in FoMoCo products over the years, are supplied by Lear Seating, from factories in the U.S. and Mexico.

According to sources, Ford will start recalling affected Sport Tracs immediately (before April 30) and customers who currently own one of these trucks can contact the automaker if they have questions or concerns at 866-436-7332 or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hot line at 888-327-4236.

[Source:Pickuptrucks.com]

Just days after he said he wouldn’t, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has accepted an invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, which will examine the automaker’s recent spate of recalls.

“I have received Congressman Towns’ invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on February 24 and I accept,” said Toyoda in a statement issued by Toyota today. “I look forward to speaking directly with Congress and the American people.”

At a press conference earlier this week, Toyoda announced his company’s plans to reform its safety standards, but at that time Toyoda declined to speak before Congress. Instead he planned to send Toyota North America president Yoshimi Inaba.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has made known his plans to get to the bottom of the Toyota recalls, announcing that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will use its statutory powers to obtain documents from Toyota and investigate how it learned of the defects in vehicles and when it knew about them.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Toyota‘s popular Prius model is now officially under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for potentially faulty brakes. In a statement released by the NHTSA, it said it will launch a formal investigation into whether the popular hybrid has a brief loss of braking capability when traveling over bumpy or icy roads.

This announcement may, however, be a moot point as Toyota has already admitted to knowing there was a problem with the brakes on the 2010 Prius (a model previously unaffected by any of Toyota’s other recalls). Toyota has said it knew of a problem that caused a brief loss of braking during the transition from the car’s regenerative braking (which serves to power-up the car’s hybrid battery) to its traditional friction braking. Toyota refers to this as “slight unresponsiveness” and says it usually lasts less than a second.

The NHTSA has received over 100 complaints about the Prius’s brakes, including four where crashes resulted.

Toyota has said the issue has been solved on all models produced since late January but has yet to issue a recall for all 2010 models built and sold before that point. The NHTSA’s investigation is likely to ensure a recall.

See more Toyota recall news at the AutoGuide.com Toyota Recall News Hub.

[Source: Automotive News]