Manufacturer recalls for April 2020

Even when the global car market is going through a slump, news about recalls is flooding in. Let us have a look at which manufacturers have announced recalls in the past month.

Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles has secured yet another place in our monthly recall lists. This time around, it is the 2019-2020 Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 pickups that are on the surgery table. The NHTSA Campaign No. 20V207000 states that these pickups may have a faulty bed step that can fail unexpectedly in certain side loading conditions. The mounting bracket holding the step in place is the culprit here as it may be cracked when it is loaded with certain pressure. FCA says 37,580 vehicles are now recalled and if found faulty, the bed step support braces will be replaced for free.

Yes, it is yet another recall from FCA. This time, 425,000 Ram pickups and Jeep Compass SUVs are being recalled to fix faulty windshield wipers. In these vehicles, there might be a bolt that may not properly secure the wiper. This may not allow the wipers to adequately clean the windshield. Vehicles with model years 2019 and 2020 manufactured before March 3 of 2020 are affected by this recall. This issue came to light when a Compass owner filed a complaint with NHTSA saying that the wiper blades came off during a storm. Dealers will fix the faulty wiper systems for free.

And that’s not all from the FCA group. In a separate recall, 318,000 vehicles are being recalled for faulty reverse camera software. The list of affected vehicles is a bit long and includes 2020 Jeep Gladiator, 2020 Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500, 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 2019-2020 Ram 3500, 2019-2020 Chrysler Pacifica, 2019-2020 Dodge Durango, 2019-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2019-2020 Jeep Wrangler, 2019-2020 Jeep Renegade, and 2019 Dodge Challenger. This fault does not pose a threat but it does not meet the Federal requirements, thus the recall. The visuals from the camera will be retained for more time than what is allowed by the rules. A simple software update can rectify this issue. This update is rolled out through the dealers or over-the-air.

Several super/hypercars from McLaren are in the recall list this time due to a fire risk. The list of affected models includes 2016-2020 720S, 2020 McLaren GT, 2017-2019 570 GT, and even the ultra-exclusive 2019 McLaren Senna. This amounts to a total of 2,763 cars. The fire risk is associated with an NVH foam pad installed under the fuel tank. This pad is found to collect moisture over time and absorb it. This can slowly corrode the fuel tank’s surface leading to the release of gas vapor. This can pose a fire risk, especially if the fuel leaks and falls on the road. For all cars except the GT, McLaren dealers will remove the NVH pad from the car and the fuel tank will be inspected for corrosion. If deemed necessary, the tank will be replaced. The repair procedure for the new GT hasn’t been specified by McLaren yet.

A bunch of 2020 Ford Ranger and F-150 pickups and Expedition SUVs are being recalled as these vehicles can roll away when parked due to an issue with their transmissions. The clip that links the gear selector cable with the transmission in these vehicles may not be installed properly. This allows the driver to select the Park position but it will not be engaged properly. If the parking brake is not used along with this, the vehicle can roll away easily. Only the models with the 10-speed automatic transmission are affected with this and the clip will be properly reattached to rectify the problem. 55,158 examples of the affected models are being recalled.

Subaru Outback wagon, Ascent SUV, Legacy sedan, and Impreza hatchback from the 2019 model year are being called in for a recall initiated due to a faulty fuel pump. NHTSA says that the vehicles built between 18 June 2018 and 5 February 2019 may have their fuel pump installed in a wrong way. The impeller of these fuel pumps may be “manufactured with lower density”. This can cause the impeller to crack if exposed to solvent drying for longer periods. The impeller may absorb fuel in excess and result in a deformation causing the fuel pump to stutter or stop functioning completely. This can lead the vehicle to stall. The recall will affect 188,207 vehicles, 4% of which have this defect, as per Subaru. The fuel-pump in these vehicles will be replaced for free.

Hyundai, when they launched the 2020 Sonata sedan, publicised a star-studded Super Bowl ad for a feature called “Smaht Pahk”, an intelligent software that can automatically park (or unpark) the Sonata without the driver in it. But now, they are recalling about 11,870 Sonata sedans due to a glitch in this software. This issue is found in the fail-safe mode of the system. The system is designed to stop the vehicle once a malfunction is detected in it. But due to this glitch, the car may still move in the same direction even if a system malfunction is detected. The software will be updated free of cost. This recall also includes the Hyundai Nexo Fuel Cell EV as well but the number of Nexos sold in 2019 is quite small at 267.

These are U.S. recalls, and only some may apply to GCC-spec models. If your vehicle is on this list, ring up your dealer and ask for instructions. Visit the dealership only when it is safe to do so.