Autoblog

• Smart recalls ForTwo for bad paint, which could lead to loss of windshield or roof
  

  Filed under: Economy, Recalls/TSBs, Safety, SMART

  

  Click above for high-res gallery of the smart fortwo

  Of all the possible reasons that a vehicle could be recalled, a poor paint job doesn't at first seem all that newsworthy. After all, cars could theoretically be recalled for exploding gas tanks, runaway engines or any number of horror-inducing problems. Bad paint? No harm, no foul -- just take it back and have it repainted properly. Unless, of course, that paint problem could lead to the loss of your windshield or roof while driving. This is exactly the worry that the NHTSA has with 43 smart ForTwo's, all sold in 2008. It...
  



• Small recall for big suspension issue on 2008 Honda Element
  

  Filed under: SUVs, Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Honda, Holden

  

  All owners of 2008 Honda Elements are being asked to stop driving their cars until they have had them inspected at their local Honda dealer. According to a recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the front bushing bracket of the left trailing arm of the rear suspension may have been improperly welded. If it fails, it could separate from the trailing arm causing the suspension to release part of the wheel hub, thus leading to a loss of control or crash. Although only 241 Elements are potentially affected (there are specific VIN number ranges during certain...
  




• BMW recalls 200,000 vehicles over issue with front passenger air bag
  

  Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, BMW

  
  
  BMW is recalling 200,000 units of its 3 Series, 5 Series and X3 SUVs to repair potentially faulty air bag sensors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website says the recall campaign covers 2004-2006 5 Series, 2004-2006 X3 and 2006 3 Series vehicles, though only those equipped with sport seats.
  
  Apparently the problem is with the front passenger sport seat that, over time, develops cracks in its covering. An air bag sensor beneath the area can then be damaged so that the car no longer senses the weight of a passenger. That means, of course, the passenger airbag might not be...
  



• Volvo recalls 1,000 C1 platform cars for steering fault
  

  Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Volvo

  It's not a large recall, but the effort will correct a potentially serious problem. Slightly more than 1,000 C1 platform cars -- C30, S40, V50, and C70 -- are in need of a replacement power steering return line. The hose isn't up to spec and could rupture, leading to a rapid loss of fluid and with it, power assistance, making steering dangerously difficult. Some drivers would welcome a blissfully simple and surgically accurate manual rack in their cars, but jettisoning power steering while underway might not be what they had in mind. Contact your Volvo dealer to see if your car is one of the...
  



• NHTSA investigating 2.7 million GM vehicles over engine fires
  

  Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER

  
  
  Way back in February, the NHTSA began investigating certain full-size trucks and SUVs from General Motors for the possibility of their engines spontaneously combusting, even when the ignition key is in the 'off' position. At that time, the investigation covered some 423,000 vehicles, and GM seemed pretty confident that the issue would not be widespread. Yeah, it appears as if the General was a little off in that assessment. The engine fire issue may now affect about 2.7 million vehicles, including all of the latest Chevrolet, GMC and HUMMER full-size models.
  
  A preliminary examination of...
  



• Volkswagen recalls 2009 Tiguan, 2008 Passat and Wagon for "Engine Surge"
  

  Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls/TSBs, Crossovers/CUVs, Volkswagen

  
  Click above for high-res gallery of the Volkswagen Tiguan
  

  Volkswagen is recalling 4,000 2008 Passats and 2009 Tiguans for an "engine surging" issue. The problem is an engine control module that may not control engine idle when the air conditioning is turned on. In rare cases, the ECM can trigger an unexpected jump in engine RPM, which could obviously lead to an accident. NHTSA has informed VW that since the recall is a safety concern, dealers cannot sell the vehicles until the problem has been fixed. Owners of potentially affected vehicles are being told not to operate the air conditioning...
  




• Mazda extends rotary warranty on RX-8 to 100k miles
  

  Filed under: Maintenance, Coupes, Sports/GTs, I.C.E., Marketing/Advertising, Recalls/TSBs, Mazda

  
  Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mazda RX-8.
  
  You've got to hand it to Mazda for its perseverance with the Wankel rotary engine design. Ever since it's engineers managed to make it semi-reliable, the turbine-like smoothness of the quick-spinning lump has seen duty in numerous Mazda-branded vehicles, and even a few others as well. Still, despite constant engineering work and updates to the basic rotary engine design, there is a lingering question about the reliability of the design. Most owners seem happy with the engines in their RX, that is,...
  



• Bentley recalls over 13,000 Continentals
  

  Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Bentley

  
  
  The fact that there's 13,000 Bentley Continentals out there takes us a little by surprise. The last time Bentley issued a recall, fewer than 600 cars were involved. We know the Continental has been hugely popular for Bentley, but with those types of numbers, it must be one of the most popular Bentley vehicles ever. Unfortunately, owners of 2004-2008 Continental GT, GT Speed, Flying Spur, and GTC should pay the dealer a visit for a recall campaign. Road salt can potentially eat through the fuel filter housing, allowing fuel spray, and potentially leading to fire. Fail to heed the warnings, and you should...
  



• Ferrari recalls 612 Scaglietti with F1 transmission
  

  Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Ferrari

  
  2008 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti shown for illustrative purposes
  
  If you are lucky enough to be driving a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, you probably have the company's automated manual F1 gearbox helping you swap the cogs. With its faster-than-Schumacher shifts, the F1 tranny can make just about anyone feel like a pro. Unfortunately, it can also leave you stranded if heat build-up triggers the clutch sensor. Thus, Ferrari has instituted an official recall of all 612 Scagliettis that could be affected by this finnicky F1 gearbox. Altogether, 366 of the vehicles are being recalled to replace this sensor as well as a related cable holder and magnet that might cause...
  



• Doh! Battery leakage hurts GM hybrid production
  

  Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Recalls/TSBs, Chevrolet, GM, Saturn

  
  
  As much as General Motors would like to sell more hybrids, we'd imagine it would be pretty tough to do so without having the batteries on hand. It turns out that since December of last year, GM has had to recall some nine-thousand battery packs produced by its supplier, Cobasys, which were due for installation in mild hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura. The culprit was reportedly an internal leak in the pack which caused the entire unit to be inoperable. This setback hurts even more in...