TravelTips - July 2008 Recalls

Autocar is recalling 7 incomplete vehicles. The seat belt tether between the seat belt floor anchor point and the suspension seat belt anchor point was not installed. Failure to install the tether strap may cause the seat and seat belt to deform and separate from the mounting location, increasing the risk of a fatal injury. Autocar will inspect and replace the necessary assemblies. The recall is expected during August 2008. Owners may contact Autocar at 1-765-489-6001.

BMW is recalling 428 MY 2007 F800 S, F800 ST, R1200 R, K1200 S, K1200 R, K1200 R Sport, and K1200 GT motorcycles. It is possible for the coating to separate from the inside face of the steering damper housing. The housing was manufactured in Germany. If this happened, the coating could partially clog the oil bores within the damper. The steering damper could become stiff increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the steering damper. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

BMW is recalling 46 MY 2008 R1200 R, R1200 GS, and R1200 GS Adventure motorcycles. Due to a material defect in the intermediate shaft of the transmission, the shaft could break. If this occurred, it is possible for the transmission to seize. If this happened, lock-up of the rear tire could occur. It is also possible for the transmission housing to break. If this happened, oil could leak onto the rear wheel, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the gearbox. These gearboxes were manufactured in Germany. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-331-1117.

Chrysler is recalling 5,509 MY 2008 300, Dodge Magnum, and Charger vehicles. The torque retention crimp feature was missed during the manufacture of one lot of rear axle hub nuts. This could cause the nuts to loosen allowing the halfshaft to disengage from the wheel hub. This could cause the vehicle to lose power and result in a crash without warning. Dealers will replace the rear axle hub nuts. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Ford is recalling 142 MY 2008 Edge and Lincoln MKK all wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tank weld fixture may have been exposed to a contaminant during production which could cause a dimple in the bottom of the fuel tank at a spot weld. This dimple could result in fuel leakage or a fuel drip from the tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel tank. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-437-7332.

GM is recalling 2,481 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway fleet vans equipped with a 6.0l (RPO LY6) V8 engine, 4l80E (RPO MT) transmission, 4.10 (RPO GT5) axle and 75 mph governor (RPO 9D7). These vehicles have a condition in which the transmission may be damaged due to first gear engagement at highway speeds and then does not transmit power with 'D4' or 'R' selected. This may be preceded by engine shutdown if the vehicle exceeds 81 miles per hour in certain conditions. The vehicle may be stranded on or near a highway, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will reprogram the transmission and engine control modules. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

GM is recalling 151 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with all wheel drive (AWD). Some of these vehicles have transfer cases that were manufactured with an incorrect part that can cause early failure of a drive chain. If the chain breaks, shifting the transmission to park may not keep the vehicle stationary. If the vehicle is parked on an incline or bumped, it may roll and strike a person, object, or another vehicle without warning, and cause personal injury. Dealers will inspect the transfer case date code and, if necessary, replace the transfer case. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

GM is recalling 567 MY 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway vehicles with a 139" wheel base. The frame rail on the driver's side may be wider than specifications. If the frame rail is wider, over time it may contact the fuel tank housing, resulting in a possible fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect the clearance between the frame rail and fuel tank housing and will rework the frame rail if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-966-9463.

Harley Davidson is recalling 47,579 MY 2008 FLHP, FLHPE, FLHR, FLHRC, FLHRSE4, FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCU FLHTCUSE3, FLHTP, FLHX, and FLTR motorcycles. These motorcycles may experience a cracking of the fuel filter shell leading to loss of fuel pressure. This loss of fuel pressure can cause diminished performance and, in some cases, may cause an engine stall or a no-start condition. This condition could lead to a crash which could cause injury or death to the rider. Dealers will replace the fuel filter shell. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Harley Davidson at 1-414-343-4056. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE08-043, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation.

Honda is recalling 241 MY 2008 Honda Element vehicles. The front bushing bracket of the left trailing arm of the rear suspension may have been improperly welded and could separate from the trailing arm. A separated bushing bracket could cause the suspension to release the lower portion of the wheel hub, causing a loss of control and damage to the brake system which could lead to a crash. Owners will be contacted by phone and advised to stop driving their vehicles until they have taken their vehicle to a dealer for inspection. Dealers will inspect the left rear trailing arm and, if necessary, replace it. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Knapheide is recalling 108 MY 2006-2008 Pro Series truck beds equipped with an ICC bumper which included a provision for a ball hitch. There may be an insufficient weld attaching the hitch channel to the supporting structure. This could result in bending of the hitch channel or the hitch could be pulled off the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Knapheide will offer two remedies to its customers: (1) for those customers who do not use the hitch, the hitch will be removed from the truck bed and replaced with an ICC bumper; or (2) for those customers who need a hitch, a receiver hitch assembly will be added to the existing hitch assembly and all suspect weld joints will be re-welded. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Knapheide at 1-877-473-5763.

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 404 MY 2006-2008 M-Class, R-Class, MY 2005-2009 SLK-Class, MY 2005-2008 C-Class, MY 2003-2004 and 2006-2008 CLK-Class, MY 2003-2008 E-Class, MY 2004 and 2008 CL-Class, MY 2008 CLS-Class, MY 2004 and 2007-2008 S-Class, MY 2003 G-Class, and MY 2003-2004, 2006 and 2009 SL-Class vehicles. A software calibration number (SCN) coding received on the affected vehicles during a recent workshop visit was incorrect. Depending on the model year and model affected, the results of an incorrect SCN coding can affect a number of vehicle safety and emission functions including the following types of functions: (1) the fuel gauge readings may be incorrect; (2) a stuck fuel-level sensor may not be displayed in the instrument cluster; (3) the OBD system may cause the check engine light to illuminate incorrectly; and, (4) the speedometer may be out of tolerance. In the event of a vehicle crash, the electrical fuel pump may not receive a crash signal that is required for the fuel pump to disconnect and prevent future fuel delivery as designed. Dealers will recode the SCN. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.

Nissan is recalling 169,202 MY 2007-2008 Sentra passenger vehicles equipped with Robert Bosch master cylinders. These cylinders were manufactured in Mexico. Due to the machining irregularity by the supplier, the internal seal groove in the body of some brake master cylinders may allow for a gap in the groove contact area of the seal. This may result in brake fluid slowly leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster assembly, causing the brake warning light to illuminate. If the warning lamp is continuously ignored, one of the brake circuits on the vehicle may not operate as designed increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the master cylinder/brake booster assembly and if brake fluid leakage is detected, the master cylinder will be replaced with a new one. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Nissan is recalling 1,018 MY 2008 Altima vehicles. The left side front suspension transverse link bolt may not have been tightened to specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven. If the bolt were to come out, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash. Dealers will tighten the transverse link bolt to specification. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Piaggio is recalling 646 MY 2007-2008 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200 motorcycles equipped with Triom headlights, low beam bulb and headlight reflectors. These headlights were manufactured in Italy. The headlight low beam bulb has a "pigtail" wire attached to it. This wire connects the low beam bulb to the motorcycle's wiring harness. It may touch the hardware used to secure the bulb in the reflector. Over time and vibration the insulation may wear through causing the direct short to ground. This short causes the motorcycle's main fuse to blow and all electrical power to the motorcycle to stop. Electrical power to the motorcycle is cut off and as a result, the engine stalls increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install a new bulb with an extra protection around the power wire to provide greater protection. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Piaggio at 1-212-380-4431. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE08-020, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation.

Piaggio is recalling 977 MY 2005-2007 Aprilia Tuono 100 R and RSV 1000 motorcycles equipped with Bitron fuel pump/fuel filters. These fuel pump/fuel filters were manufactured in Italy. The fuel hose connecting the fuel filter to the fuel pump/fuel filter mounting flange may come loose. If this fuel hose connection is loose, or has become completely disconnected, then there will be a drop in, or loss of, fuel pressure to the engine. A drop or loss of fuel pressure to the engine could cause the engine to stall increasing the risk of a crash. Bitron will supply dealers with repair kits (length of fuel hose and two clamps) and dealers will replace the original parts on the fuel pump/fuel filter component. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Piaggio at 1-212-380-4431. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE08-019, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation.

Sprinter is recalling 277 MY 2008 Dodge or Freightliner 2500 trucks. The rear axle spring leaves were produced with an incorrect raw material. Therefore the leaves are thicker than the serial components. The rear axle springs may fail earlier than designed increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the rear axle springs. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners may contact Sprinter at 1-843-695-5000.

Triumph is recalling 93 MY 2008 Speed Triple motorcycles. Due to improper machining of the handlebar riser, the handlebar may slip in the clamps. This slippage could cause a loss of control of the motorcycle increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install correctly machined handle risers. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Triumph at 1-678-539-8782.

Volvo is recalling 1,020 MY 2008-2009 S40, V50, C30, C70 vehicles. A section of the power steering return line hose was not properly cured and does not meet specifications. The power steering hoses were manufactured in France. If the power steering return hose fails, a sudden rupture of the hose can occur. This can result in a rapid drainage of the power steering fluid in the system and a complete loss of power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering return line hose assembly. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.

Wicked Women Choppers is recalling 5 MY 2004 Shady Lady motorcycles built with RC Component frames. The front of the frame where welds attach the back-bone to the neck and welds attach the neck to the down-tube, if not braced with a gusset, stress placed on marginal welds could result in rapid wear on the weld joints and possible joint separation. Frame separation at the neck down-tube or back-bone could cause the driver to lose steering control of the motorcycle increasing the risk of a crash. WWC is working with RC Components to repair these motorcycles (please see 07E036). A gusset will be added to all five of the single down-tube, non-gusset frames. The recall is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact WWC at 1-618-942-2344.