Manufacturer recalls for September 2019

Here are the global automotive recalls for the month of September 2019. 

The much-hyped it-is-not-really-a-BMW Toyota Supra already has its first recall, but this recall does not come from Toyota, but from BMW. The Supra shares most of its mechanicals with the new BMW Z4 under that unique skin. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 7 Supras are identified to have defective seat-belt guides. The recall may be small but this is a big fix for armchair enthusiasts who will talk about this for years to come.

Ram is now adding 875,000 more pickups to the recall that was announced to remedy a problem associated with tailgates that can open while the trucks are being driven. This raises the total count for this recall to 2.4 million. This affects 2013-2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks which are fitted with power locking tailgates. Dealers will repair the tailgate latch free of cost.

About 3.8 million units of GM’s trucks and SUVs are being subjected to a recall to fix a brake issue that has been ailing models which include the 2014-2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon vehicles. These vehicles have a faulty vacuum pump that may eventually lose the ability to create an adequate vacuum. This can reduce braking efficiency. As per NHTSA’s probe into this matter, there have been nine crashes and two injuries related to this issue. The dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control module to rectify this issue.

Being expensive does not mean that you’re saved from recalls. The ultimate statement when it comes to luxury SUVs, the Rolls Royce Cullinan, is now under the radar by NHTSA due to a problem with its lighting. About 403 units of the 2019 Cullinan may not conform to rules in the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which details rules on lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment. The tail lamps of these Cullinans are found to be not bright enough, which can cause accidents due to reduced visibility. It may only be a U.S. recall as of now.

Nissan and Infiniti have now issued a recall that affects more than 1.2 million vehicles with the option of a rear-view camera image overlaying their regular centre-mirror view. These vehicles have a setting that can turn off the rearview image from the camera and show a blank display, even when the vehicle is in reverse, while not returning to the regular mirror. While not a defect, this blank-screen setting will be removed to avoid driver error in adjusting these settings. As per NHTSA, this rule affects 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Navara, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, Urvan, Pathfinder, X-Trail, Qashqai, Sentra, Titan, Tiida, Sunny, and 2019 GT-R. In the luxury marque’s lineup, 2018-2019 Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80; and 2019 Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, and Q70L are affected. The affected vehicles will get an update for their software to fix the issue.

About 227,000 vehicles across VW and Porsche brands are facing a recall over issues with airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. 2015 VW Tiguan, Sharan and CC along with Porsche Boxster, Cayman, 911 and Panamera models from 2015 and 2016 are affected by this recall. Germany’s KBA federal motor authority has asked the makers to update the software of the airbag control units as these vehicles were found to trigger the airbags even if the vehicle is not involved in an accident.

Have you cut your hand on a car seat? Well, 31 people who used 2017 Ford Explorers have. These vehicles have some sharp edges between the front seat and centre console which can injure their hands. More than 300,000 vehicles are being recalled for this issue.

About 3500 examples of Jeep’s long-awaited truck, the Gladiator is getting recalled for improperly lubricated driveshafts. This problem can lead to overheating and can seize or fracture the shaft’s constant velocity joint. According to NHTSA, only 5% of the trucks made are found to be affected. But Jeep is replacing the entire rear driveshaft free of cost to ensure that no problems occur again.

These recalls may or may not apply to your GCC-spec car. Ring your dealer up if you find your car in this list.