Recalls

Great Wall's Australian distributors Ateco Automotive have issued a recall notice for the brand's V200 utes, in which the position of a bracket in the engine bay means the wiring harness can rub against the bottom of the radiator, wearing through the wiring insulation. The defect can prevent the vehicle from properly earthing, which can cause the alternator dash light to activate, the battery to go flat, and the wiring to melt.The problem affects 9134 of the Great Wall V200 2.0-litre turbodiesel utes, which have been something of a price leader in the segment, starting at $22,990. The recall affects both both rear-wheel and 4WD versions. However the defect does not affect the largely mechanically identical X200 SUV, as while it uses the same drivetrain it has a different wiring harness bracket.The safety recall affects all model years of the Great Wall V200s sold since they first arrived in 2011. According to official VFACTS figures, Great Wall sold 2667 of the V200 in 2013, 4793 in 2012, and 1170 when it first appeared in 2011, for a total of 8630 to the end of 2013. The remaining 533 have either been sold during the first weeks of January or are still sitting in dealers' stock.Ateco is sending a letter to all affected customers, advising them to contact their nearest authorised dealer and have their ute inspected and the problem rectified.Great Wall spokesman Daniel Cotterill says the fix is a fairly minor job in most cases, and will not take up much of the owners' time."For most of the affected cars, what they have to do is inspect the bracket and if necessary adjust it to give extra clearance to the harness and components around it. On most of them it won't have even been rubbing, but the inspection and adjustment will take about 20 minutes," Cotterill says."On some of the vehicles, they will need to repair the wiring harness because it will have been rubbing, and that will take a total of 30 minutes for inspection and repair. On a very small minority -- we believe only about 30 vehicles of the 9134 recalled -- they might  find the wire has been exposed and the insulation can't been repaired, and under those cirsumctances they need to replace the harness, which will take about two hours."Cotterill says there have been no accidents associated with the defect. "The worst reported is some melted insulation, warning lights coming on, batteries not charging -- that sort of thing.

Mitsubishi has issued a safety recall on their diesel ASX SUV for faulty piston rings that could become stuck while in operation, due to soot deposits collecting in the piston ring grooves because of a glitch in the software that is supposed to prevent deposits accumulating.The recall notice affects 1588 ASXs built in 2011 and 2012 powered by the 4N13 1.8-litre diesel engine. The defect could see the pistons overheat and melt, with affected vehicles stalling and becoming impossible to restart, Mitsubishi says.However the carmaker says there have been no reported incidents in Australia related to the fault, which will take about 20 minutes to rectify with a software update, spokesman John Taylor says.Owners who believe their vehicles may be affected by the recall are advised to drive gently until able to have their ASX inspected by their closest Mitsubishi dealer and fixed if needed.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Holden has issued a safety recall on the diesel CG Captiva for a production line fault that has seen vehicles built with their fuel feed hose touching the airconditioning suction pipe. The carmaker says that over time the fuel hose could rub against the pipe, creating a hole and the risk of a fuel leak that could catch fire.The recall notice affects 14,230 diesel Captiva 5 and Captiva 7 built February 5 2011 and November 2 2012, powered by the 2.2-litre diesel. The recall is a global one, with the two Captivas built in South Korea and sold in other markets as the Opel Antara and Chevrolet Captiva respectively.Over the recall period, Holden has sold about 20,000 Captiva 7 and 10,000 Captiva 5 models with both diesel and petrol engines.Holden says there have been some field reports related to the recall in Australia. "There have been four reported cases across Australia of a fuel smell related to the problem, but no fires or accidents," Holden spokesperson Kate Lonsdale told CarsGuide. "This is just a precautionary recall."Lonsdale said the fix would take about an hour. "We just recommend that at their earliest possible convenience owners have their vehicles inspected. The dealers are aware of the recall and will certainly prioritise those vehicles as they're brought in," she said.Holden is contacting customers, who can take their vehicles to their nearest dealer for inspection and replacement of the fuel hose if needed.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

A problem that could short circuit and blow fuses in the electricals of their seven-speed dual clutch gearboxes (DSGs) has prompted a safety recall by Audi for the A1, A3 and TT using that transmission.The recall affects 1549 cars in Australia built between October 2012 and April 2013, and using the DSG transmission. The fault could cause the DSG to suffer from conductive deposits forming in the control unit, causing an electrical short circuit and blown gearbox fuse -- meaning the clutch will fully open and the car will roll to a stop.Audi says in most cases, the fuse will blow immediately the engine starts up, before the car gets going. However if the vehicle is already in motion when the short circuit occurs, it could suddenly lose power to the wheels, creating a possible safety hazard to the affected car and surrounding traffic. Drivers are still able to steer and use the brakes if that happens."The work should take around 1.5 hours, and customers are still able to drive their vehicles as usual, prior to the work being carried out," Audi Australia spokesman Shaun Cleary says. "Should any customers have any concerns, they are invited to call the Audi Customer Service telephone line 1800 50 AUDI (2834) between the hours of 8am and 7pm," he says.Audi is writing to owners of the affected cars, and a service bulletin covering rectification is being issued to all Australian Audi dealers. Concerned owners should contact their nearest dealer. 

Mitsubishi has issued a safety recall on a total of 20,405 vehicles from the 2011-2012 Triton and Challenger ranges. The recall is to fix a defective weld on the front suspension lower control arms that could fail -- making the vehicle become unstable and pull to the left or right while driving.The recall affects both 2WD and 4WD versions of the models, with 17540 Tritons and 2865 Challengers impacted in Australia.Mitsubishi says if the weld fails, the driver will notice their vehicle pulling off-centre -- which poses a safety concern for both the vehicle and other traffic. Owners are advised to drive conservatively to reduce shock load on the suspension until the defect is fixed.All owners have been mailed the recall notice at their last known address, and should contact their nearest Mitsubishi service centre to have the problem rectified. They can also call 1300 13 12 11, select option 2 and enter their post code to be directed to the nearest Dealer.Owners who have not received a letter by November 22 but believe their vehicle affected by the recall -- or who want further information -- should call 1300 13 12 11, select option 4, then select option 2.  

Volkswagen has issued a worldwide recall of 2.6 million vehicles --including more than 44,000 cars in Australia -- for possible fuel leaks, electrical faults and gearbox problems.It is the second significant recall in Australia in five months for the German car maker, which is suspected by industry observers of taking shortcuts in its bid to overtake Toyota to become the world’s biggest car maker by 2018.The recall comes as the Victorian Coroner today announced there was no evidence of a mechanical fault with a Volkswagen Golf involved in a fatal crash in Melbourne in 2011.The car was struck from behind by a truck. The coroner investigated the incident after it was alleged the car lost power suddenly, following similar complaints from other Volkswagen owners.The vehicles in the latest recall include more than 17,000 Tiguan SUVs because "a fuse may blow … thus resulting in failure of one of the two vehicle light circuits".Approximately 16,000 Volkswagen Amarok pick-ups are being recalled because "some Amarok utes with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine may be affected by leaks to the fuel pipe within the engine compartment".Furthermore, about 11,000 Volkswagens across various models equipped with the company’s controversial twin-clutch automatic "DSG" gearbox will be recalled because "electric malfunctions could occur in rare cases in the gearbox power supply if synthetic gearbox oil is used".In June 2013 Volkswagen recalled more than 25,000 cars in Australia for gearbox problems after a fortnight of unprecedented pressure from disgruntled customers, following the announcement of the Victorian Corner's investigation.The vehicles affected in the June 2013 recall were built between June 2008 and September 2011 and included the Golf hatchback, the Jetta sedan, the Polo hatchback, the Passat sedan and wagon and the Caddy van.Complaints highlighted in the lead-up to that campaign included cars that conked out or lost power suddenly, high oil use, and gearbox reliability issues.Several customers reported having their engines and/or gearboxes replaced while others complained about the  $5000 to $10,000 expense of fixing these parts once the warranty had expired.In addition to the previous recall announced in June, Volkswagen Australia also called about 2800 diesel cars back to dealerships for inspection.The company says anyone experiencing faults with their Volkswagen to contact their local Volkswagen dealer.Volkswagen Australia has set up a dedicated customer service line to answer customer queries -- 1800 504 076. 

Volkswagen is issuing recalls and advisories for about 2.6 million vehicles world-wide, including about 43,700 in Australia, for a range of three defects. The Australian vehicles include more than 16,700 Tiguan SUVs recalled for a fault that means a fuse can blow, causing one of the two vehicle light circuits to fail. About 16,000 Volkswagen Amarok utes are being recalled because of fuel pipe leaks affecting the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine.The remaining 11,000 cars range across various models that have VW's twin-clutch automatic DSG gearbox, in which an electrical defect could occur if synthetic gearbox oil is used," Volkswagen says..A large proportion of the 2.6 million global recall is in China -- VW's largest market -- after a problem was found there in the same gearbox that triggered a recall earlier this year. The Chinese recall affects 750,000 Volkswagen and Audi vehicles that use the Chinesee-built DSG gearbox there.  Vehicles on the China recall list include the Volkswagen Golf, Beetle and Passat and several Audi models.It's the second recall this year on the DSG. In June more than 25,000 Australian cars were recalled for gearbox problems after pressure from disgruntled customers. Those vehicles included the Golf hatchback, Jetta sedan, Polo hatchback, Passat sedan and wagon and the Caddy van.Volkswagen said it is recalling 800,000 (2008-11) Tiguan SUVs and 239,000 Amaroks around the world, bringing the total number of cars affected in the three safety actions to 2.6 million.While the number of vehicles is large, analysts estimated the cost of the repairs could be relatively small. Still, the fresh problems that have surfaced with the gearbox might further dent Volkswagen's reputation in China and strain its relations with its local venture partner, SAIC.The gearbox only has problems in hot and humid climates, said Volkswagen spokesman Peter Heinz Thul. In warm climates, additives in the synthetic oil can damage the electronics. VW is proposing to replace the oil with a mineral oil that has been used previously without problems, Mr. Thul said.Volkswagen issued a recall in March in China for nearly 400,000 vehicles to fix an electronic malfunction on the same DQ200 gearbox. It said the problem was resolved with a software fix.VW officials told Chinese regulatory officials about the most recent problem earlier this week, Mr. Thul said. The automaker then agreed that a recall should be issued.Volkswagen Australia is yet to determine the impact on local models for this latest recall, but will "ensure these recalls are conducted promptly and efficiently", according to Managing Director John White, and relevant owners will be notified by mail.This latest recall follows the 25,928 Volkswagen vehicles recalled in June over similar issues with DSG transmissions manufacured between 2008-11, of which 40 per cent have been rectified to date and is expected to be completed next year.Volkswagen Australia says that this progress is in line with the timeframe anticipated, and that vehicles already attended to will not be affected by this new recall as their transmission fluid will have already been replaced.The company says concerned owners should contact their local Volkswagen dealer or can call a dedicated customer service number: 1800 504 076.

Jeep parent Chrysler is issuing a safety recall on the latest model Grand Cherokee for separate defects in the popular SUV's electrical and software systems that could kill the anti-skid braking and the stability control functions.The recall is for Grand Cherokees build between January 8 and August 20 this year at Chrsyler's Detroit factory in Michigan -- which produces Australia's quota. More than 90,000 Grand Cherokees are affected in the US, and while the number of Australian vehicles impacted is 7800 -- with the 2014 model having launched here in July.The recall notice says an outage of the SUV's computer communications plus loose alternator ground cables could result in the loss of the ABS braking and ESC, with drivers also seeing random warning lights and loss of instrument cluster illumination. However Chrysler Australia says the problem was discovered during testing in the US, and no incidents or injuries have been reported."Chrysler Group quality-control personnel observed reports of random warning-light illumination and instrument-cluster blackout," Chrysler Australia spokesperson Karla Leach said in a statement. "Both events occurred infrequently and appeared to resolve themselves by turning the vehicle’s ignition off and then on. However, regulatory compliance requires that clusters display complete information that is clearly legible."Engineers discovered an issue in the vehicle’s anti-lock braking system (ABS) module that affects the instrument cluster display. The issue also has implications for the vehicle’s ABS and electronic stability control systems, but Chrysler Group is unaware of any reported problems involving either. Chrysler Group is unaware of any associated accidents or injuries."Owners will be contacted by Fiat Chrysler Australia and will be able to have their ABS and instruments cluster module software updated, and the alternator ground wire tightened, at their nearest Chrysler service centre. Concerned customers may call Fiat Chrysler Australia on 1300 133 079 toll free.

The two Nissan safety recalls are for defects in the satellite sensor for the side curtain airbag on Pulsar and Almera, and for the stop light switch on the Pulsar hatch. The recall affects a total of 15,900 cars: 14,300 Pulsars and 1600 Almeras.The first of the recalls, for the Nissan Almera and Pulsar sedan and hatch, is to rectify faulty installation of sensor for the side curtain airbag in the B-Pillar, which can result in the airbag not deploying properly in a crash. The second recall is due to an incorrect stop light switch being installed in some Nissan Pulsar hatches fitted with CVT automatic transmissions. This could lead to the switch failing, preventing the stop light from working -- although braking is not affected. "There have been no incidents reported related to the safety recalls, with the fault being picked up internally by our engineers," Nissan Australia spokesperson Chris Jordan says. "Each of the fixes will take just an estimated 30 minutes to inspect the car and rectify the problem.Letters are being sent to affected owners, who can contact a local Nissan dealer to arrange for inspection and, where necessary, rectification of the front passenger airbag inflator and replacement of the stop light switch.  

Mitsubishi has announced a global safety recall on their performance hero, the Lancer Evolution, for a faulty clutch master cylinder on the five-speed H-pattern manual transmission. The defect means the rally rocket's clutch could fail and the vehicle be unable to be shifted in and out of gears, risking a collision.The recall affects more than 12,000 cars around the world built at Mitsubishi's Mizushima plant -- the sole source of the Evolution model -- between December 12, 2007 and March 5, 2013, and 407 in Australia. "There have been no incidents of failure in Australia," Mitsubishi spokesperson Shayna Welsh says. "A fix will take approximately three hours and customers will be advised to contact their local Mitsubishi dealer to book in their vehicle."The carmaker will notify owners, and their local Mitsubishi service centre will replace the clutch master cylinders of any affected cars.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott