Manufacturer Recalls for November 2022

This month’s recall list is dominated by a name that is not alien to these lists. Tesla. But that is not all. Here is the list of all recalls that happened in the month of November last year.

Tesla recall

Kicking it off with the largest recall from Tesla. More than 321,000 Model Y and Model 3 Teslas are being recalled for having tail lights that may not illuminate. Per the safety report submitted to the NHTSA, Tesla suspects 321,628 vehicles harbouring this issue. Like many other issues that plagued Teslas in the near past, this can also be fixed by an over-the-air update.

Now, let us turn our attention towards Tesla’s bigger crossover, the Model X. Almost 30,000 of these EVs are being recalled for an issue with its front passenger airbag. This airbag’s control module has an issue that can cause it to deploy “in an unintended configuration” in low-speed crashes. The vehicles affected by this issue come from the 2021 to 2023 model years. The recall acknowledgement from the brand mentions that the issue is specifically relevant only for 3- or 6-year-old passengers seated at the front without a seat belt and out of position. The fix for this issue is, yep, another over-the-air update.

More Teslas, this time from 2017 to 2021, are being recalled. This specific recall is to fix a potential loss of power steering assist. According to NHTSA, the power steering assist in these vehicles may cease to exist when driving on rough roads or when it hits a pothole. This loss in assist will not render the steering useless, but the driver will have to put in more effort than usual. The fix is, of course, yet another over-the-air update. This has already been rolled out and has fixed 97% of the vehicles which probably have this issue. The models affected include Model X and Model S.

Audi recall

Let’s skip from Teslas to Audi. The German brand recalls more than 50,000 vehicles for a weird problem. If there is a fluid spill in the rear seat, it can get into a key control module and switch the vehicle into limp-home mode. Fluid spills are quite common at the rear, especially if you have children seated there. The limp-home mode will allow the driver to steer and brake the vehicle normally, but the power will be greatly reduced. The vehicles affected include multiple models based on the A6’s architecture. This includes 2020-2022 Audi A6 Allroad, S6 sedan, and S7 sedan; RS7 and RS6 from 2021 & 2022, along with A6 and A7 sedans from 2019 through 2022. The fix is to position a protective cover for the module.

General Motors

A massive recall from General Motors sees 340,000 of their large SUVs marching back to the dealers to fix their daytime running lights. GM’s recall report says that in some cases, the body control module fails to turn off the DRLs even when the headlamps are turned on. This does not comply with federal regulations. The recall covers large SUVs like GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV, all from the 2021 model year. The issue can be fixed via a software update.

Volkswagen recall

Another large recall comes from VW and Audi for nearly 250,000 vehicles. The reason behind this recall is a bit odd. As per VW, the tyre pressure monitoring system “may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously.” This certainly is not a likely scenario, but even if it happens, the driver may not require a sensor to tell her/him that all tyres have lost air. But this does go against the regulations, and hence the recall. The fix is quite simple; yep, yet another software update.

Ford recall

Ford registers two large recalls this month, with the first one recalling 453,650 Ford F-150 trucks from 2021 & 2022. In these vehicles, the front windshield wiper can fail, leaving the driver with less visibility. Here, there is no need to mention that such a scenario can be quite dangerous.

The second recall from Ford affects over half a million vehicles. A total of 521,778 SUVs, including Ford Escape and Ford Bronco Sport models, are included in this. The recall is triggered by a faulty fuel injector that can crack and leak fuel or fuel vapour. If these come in contact with any ignition source, they can kick up a fire under the hood of these vehicles. The recall number for this is 22V-859. The fix is a combination of a software update that will alert the driver if there is a sudden drop in pressure in the fuel rail and the installation of a drain tube that will direct the fuel away from any area that can potentially combust it.

That is all from the world of automotive recalls in the last month. See you here next month.