Recalls

More than 8000 Nissan X-Trails and 2700 Nissan Dualis and Dualis 2+ models are being reeled in to fix, respectively, potential fire risk from a loose engine-bay insulation and possible steering breakage.Nissan Australia says no incidents have been reported by Australian owners. "In the case of the Dualis, it's only an inspection of the steering wheel boss,'' says Nissan Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev. "Of the 48,000 Dualis (also called Qashqai) recalls around the world, only 600 had to be repaired, so in terms of the numbers, it's relatively minor. But it's still important,'' he says.The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions (ACCC) published an official recall notice stating that the 2712 J10 Nissan Dualis models built between February 27, 2012 and May 16, 2012, "are at risk of losing their steering as a result of having the steering wheel boss - which connects to the steering column - separate from the steering column because of not having the appropriate strength.''Mr Fadeyev says owners are being contacted to arrange inspection of the steering wheel boss. "The batch number on the casting will be inspected to confirm if replacement is required,'' he says.The X-Trail recall, also spelled out by the ACCC, involves potential warping of the engine bay's firewall insulator in 8136 T31 X-Trails built between December 21, 2006 and April 27, 2012. The insulator could warp and come into contact with the engine's turbocharger and potentially lead to a fire. It affects only the diesel version of the X-Trail."This recall means all the affected vehicles will need a modification,'' Mr Fadeyev says. "It will mean having a bracket fixed to the firewall to hold the insulation in place and prevent it from warping and touching the turbocharger.''Nissan Australia says X-Trail owners are being contacted and Dualis owners are recommended to contact their nearest Nissan dealer to arrange an inspection of the steering wheel boss, where a batch number located on the casting will confirm if replacement is required. 

The recall is for the rear seatback latch strap on Ford PX Ranger Double Cabs sold between 23rd May 2011 - 13th February 2012, and affects 4258 vehicles in Australia and 957 in New Zealand.The recall notice says the rear seatback latch fitted to affected vehicles may not engage correctly, resulting in the rear seatback latch not being secured to the body striker and causing the rear seatback to fall forward.The defect poses a safety hazard to passengers, and owners are warned not to use a rearward-facing child seat in the vehicle until the defect is fixed. Ford spokesman Neil McDonald says there has been only one field report on the problem - a customer notification that something was wrong with the latch - but no accidents have been reported.“The fix is to fit a new metal ring for the rear seatback latch strap,” McDonald says. “It’s relatively minor fix bit quite important. “It will take less than half a day to do, but customers should check with their dealers to ensure they get the earliest possible slot.”It’s the second recall on the Ford Ranger within months, with an August notice issued on 16,287 Rangers built in Thailand from September 2006 to June 2011 for a defect that risked fracturing of the towbar welding.Ford is writing to the owners of PX Rangers affected by the current recall, advising them to  contact their Ford authorised dealership for inspection and rectification. For further information, contact any authorised Ford Dealer or Ford Customer Relationship Centre on 1800 503 672. 

Toyota Australia says the recall -- from a 7.4 million global batch -- affects Corolla, Kluger, RAV4, Yaris, Aurion and Camry vehicles built between 2006 and 2010.The recall is to replace the electric window master switch, located on the driver's armrest. There have been six cases reported in Australia from a total of 297,931 vehicles specified by Toyota Australia. Globally 7.4 million vehicles are impacted.It says the problem is that the switch doesn't operate smoothly and has a "sticky feel". "This is due to the non-uniform application of lubricating grease resulting in wear to the internal sliding contact points,'' it says in a recall notice. "In some instances, the switch may become inoperative.''In a further warning, Toyota Australia spokesperson Beck Angel says if a lubricant has been applied to the switch in an attempt to rectify this operation, "the switch assembly may overheat and melt''. "This recall is a precautionary measure,'' she says."The switch will be checked mechanically and electrically for correct operation and specialised electrical grease will then be applied to ensure it operates smoothly when pressed.'' Only a small number of vehicles will require the window's electrical circuit board to be replaced."The inspection and any required repairs will take approximately one hour to complete and will be at no cost to the owner,'' Ms Angel says. "Depending on the dealer's work schedule however, the car may need to be available for a longer period of time."Should Toyota owners experience sticking operation of the power window master switch, we recommend that the switch is no longer used prior to vehicle inspection and repair.'' Ms Angel would not put a figure on the cost of the recall to Toyota.Toyota will start a mailout to owners of affected vehicles at their last known address from mid-November asking them to make an appointment with their preferred Toyota dealer. For further information about the recall, customers can call Toyota on 1800 987 366.The recall is not Toyota's for 2012 - fears over fuel leaks and potential fire risk has forced a recall in August of nearly 20,000 Australian-built Camry and Aurion vehicles to fix a wrinkled fuel line in the engine bay. 

The company reports an engine oil pump problem that could lead to severe engine damage. The global recall affects 2013-model M5, M6 coupe and M6 convertibles.Luckily, the 20 Australian cars are either still on the boat from Germany or in Australia but yet to be delivered, says BMW Australia spokesman Piers Scott. “There are 20 cars affected but because these relate only to a set production period, every one of those cars is either still to be delivered or not yet in the country,'' he says."So there is not a single Australian owner or customer affected.'' BMW sent out a technical service message to dealers over the weekend. It says it found a “manufacturing defect'' in the oil pump through its quality checks. The affected models were built this year between July and September.The recalled cars are equipped a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine that BMW internally calls the S63TR. BMW says that cars with the faulty pump could suddenly lose oil pressure, triggering severe engine damage. "Because of this potential, BMW and its dealers will stop delivery of all affected vehicles until the recall repair has been completed,'' BMW says in an emailed statement.The company did not say how many cars are affected. BMW has boasted that the S63TR is the most powerful engine it has built for its high-performance M division. At 412kW/680Nm, it has 10 per cent more power and torque than its previous V10 engine but has a 30 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. BMW's M5 costs $230,000 and the M6, which arrives next month, about $300,000. 

The company is recalling 51,387 of its imported Korean-built Captiva, Barina, Epica and Viva models after the Korean arm of GM found corrosion issues in the brake control unit, one of the larger recalls in the company's history.The recall notice said General Motors identified a condition where, in some instances, these vehicles may experience a reduced brake performance and or a spongy low brake pedal due to a sticky valve within the electronic brake control module (EBCM).The recall covers 8195 model-year (MY) 2009 and 2010 Barina hatches and sedans built between 2009-2010, 27,778  MY2007-2010 Series I Captiva SUVs, 3723 Epica sedans (MY2008-2010) and 11,691 MY2007-2008 Vivas. GM Holden spokesperson Kate Lonsdale said there have been no incidents of this occurring in Australia. "It has come from a GM Korea initiated recall, we've not actually picked up the condition here - one of the reasons is the brake fluid that we use, or if you get it serviced at Holden dealer, the recommended brake fluid has not been found to cause the condition," she said.Ms Lonsdale said the company was erring on the side of caution as other types of brake fluid might have been used. 'We haven't seen the condition here, but there is still the potential so we want to bring the cars in to double-check as a precautionary measure," she said.Owners are advised to contact Holden to organise a free check on their vehicle. "The check can take two hours for the inspection and they will also do a brake bleed, it will take longer if there is any corrosion found they will also have to replace the (EBCM).""There are no cases here in Australia, we're just making sure and erring on the side of caution, and secondly there's no brake failure, it's a slight reduction and progressive reduction in brake performance and the pedal will become spongy," Ms Lonsdale said.In early 2008 Holden had to recall 88,000 VE Commodore (and WM long-wheelbase models) to fix a fuel lines in the engine compartment that might have rubbed against a fuel vapor hose clip and leaked fuel into the engine bay. The company also recalled more than 90,000 (120,000 if you include exports) examples of the VY Commodore and long-wheelbase WK and WM models after issues relating to unintentional deployment of the side airbag. In late 1996 Holden recalled 75,000 Commodores after automatic transmission problem led to several cars catching fire. Holden will be contacting registered owners by mail but owners are advised to contact a Holden dealer or call the Holden Recall and Rework Assistance Line on 1800 632 826 for more information. 

Faulty welding on towbars has forced Ford Australia to recall more than 16,000 Ranger utes.Although no accidents have been reported, there is the potential for the vehicle to lose its trailer when towing. The recall applies to 16,287 Rangers built in Thailand from September 2006 to June last year.The recall notice stated: “Fracturing of the towbar tongue welding can affect safe operation and handling when an affected vehicle is towing, presenting a potential traffic hazard to the driver and/or other road users”. A Ford spokesman said the fault originated in the company’s Thailand production plant.The company has written to owners of PJ and PK Ranger XLT and Wildtrak models advising them not to tow with the vehicles and to contact their nearest dealer to have the unit replaced. All of the 4244 PJ vehicles affected are XLT models; while around 1200 of the 11,812 newer PK models are the top-range Wildtrak version, with the rest XLTs.The recall does not apply to the PX Ranger now on sale. Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald said that 3000 replacement towbars had already been shipped to dealers and more stock was arriving at a rate of 600 a week.At that rate it will take 22 weeks to replace all of the faulty towbars. “It’s only an issue if you are using the vehicle to tow, it is safe to continue driving normally,” he said. “A Queensland customer noticed a crack in the weld and our engineering department has verified it is an issue on those vehicles.“It’s a half-day fix to replace the towbar assembly - the rear step bumper isn’t affected.” Ranger owners who are unsure if the recall applies to them should call Ford on 1800 503 627. 

Toyota has issued a recall on 19,099 Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion sedans over a fire risk. The recall says an incorrectly manufactured fuel hose could leak and result in a potential fire hazard. “There is a possibility the hose that connects the main fuel supply line to the engine may have become wrinkled, and in some cases this could result in a small hole in the fuel hose which may allow fuel to leak,” Toyota spokesperson Beck Angel said. The recall is for 19,099 cars built at Toyota’s Altona plant in Victoria between October 2011 and July 2012.Toyota is sending letters to owners, urging them to contact a dealership for a 30-minute inspection and – if deemed necessary -- a free replacement of the hose that will take about an hour. Angel said no incidents related to the fuel hose have been reported. "There have been no fires, there is potential for a fire hazard but because of the location of the fuel and the distance from the ignition source, it's a relatively low risk,'' she said.In November last year Toyota Australia recalled almost 22,000 of its Avalon, Camry and Kluger models from June 2004 to March 2005 over concerns about the crankshaft pulley belts and potential loss of power steering assistance.The previous-generation Camry was also involved in a vehicle recall in the US in late 2009 and early 2010 involving more than five million US-made vehicles over problems with accelerator pedals and floor mats, a campaign which did not include Australian-built vehicles.For more information, Camry and Aurion owners should call 1800 643 242. 

The company admits there is a potential problem with the rear suspension of the popular SUV but says it has no plans for a safety-related recall. Instead, it intends to notify owners of more than 65,000 cars by letter, advising an inspection at a Toyota dealership.In the USA, the RAV is the subject of a major recall involving more than 778,000 vehicles -- the others are the Lexus HS250h sedan not sold here -- that continues a long string of safety scares for the world's best selling carmaker.Toyota recalled more than 3 million vehicles last year in the USA, including a group of RAVs built in 2007 and 2008, because there was potential for their airbags to fire without warning. The RAV is also being investigated by the Federal government over door fires potentially linked to electric-window switches.In Australia, there was a recall in November involving 21,792 locally-made Camrys over a steering issue. In the latest case involving the RAV4, the problem has been traced to insufficient tightening of rear-suspension nuts after a wheel alignment. This can lead to wear and potential failure of a rear-suspension arm.Six case of failure have been reported in Australia but company spokesman Beck Angel says there have been no crashes attributable to the problem. Even so, owners of 66,377 RAVs built between October 2005 and November 2010 will be contacted by Toyota Australia.“The rest of the regions -- Japan, Oceania, Europe, Asia and others -- will conduct a customer review,'' she says. ``North American dealers conduct a rear wheel alignment before the cars go to the customers. Other regions don't do that. So the problem is more likely in North America.“In Australia, the customer review is more precautionary.'' Toyota says the problem is attributed to insufficient tightening of the rear suspension bolts. No accidents attributable to the problem have been reported to Toyota. Ms Angel says in Australia, 66,377 RAV4s, built from October 2005 to November 2010, are affected.Toyota will notify owners by letter and request a vehicle inspection at a Toyota service centre. There is concern that some vehicles have changed owners and may not be able to be contacted by Toyota. ``We will notify all automotive groups and associations to capture those cars that are no longer on our records,'' Ms Angel says.

The Japanese carmaker says the faulty locks could allow the vehicles' doors to open unexpectedly.The recall is for the 2012 CR-V sports utility vehicle and 2013 Acura ILX sedan (the latter not sold in Australia).The vast majority of the recall is for the CR-V model, sold mainly into Japan, North America, China and South America. About 7,300 Acura models would be recalled from North America, the company added.No accidents or injuries have been reported due to the door lock defect, a Honda spokesman said. Japan's car giants have recalled millions of vehicles in recent years as they have become more proactive about dealing with faults. 

Fiat Chrysler Group Australia has recalled more than 1100 of its 2010 Jeep Wrangler models over concerns about underbody fires following investigations in the US for similar issues. Earlier this year more than 67,000 2010 Jeep Wranglers were recalled in the US to replace the skid plate with a skid bar.The company said in a statement then that the catalytic converter was relocated to a new location closer to the skid plate as part of exhaust emissions compliance for the 2010 model. "If an excessive amount of debris collects in the underbody, the catalytic converter could ignite it, causing an underbody fire without warning," the recall notice said.A spokesperson at Fiat Chrysler Group said 1156 vehicles in Australia may be effected by the safety recall. "The transmission skid plate may allow debris to collect in the undercarriage of the vehicle under certain driving conditions. The spokesperson said if an excessive amount collects in the undercarriage, the catalytic converter could ignite the debris and cause an underbody fire without warning. "It is applicable to off-road driving and the voluntary fix is to replace the transmission skid bar, there have been no reported incidences in Australia," the spokesperson said.The skid bar is fitted to later models as part of a design change implemented in late 2010, which Jeep says was as "a weight-savings measure." The company will contact owners of all effected vehicles in writing or owners are advised to contact their nearest Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership to have the protective plate replaced free of charge.The Wrangler range was also the subject of a recall in March last year over possible loose suspension components. The off-roader was also the subject of a recall in late 2010 for a possible hydraulic leak that could reduce brake performance, as well as a May 2010 recall due to a transmission fluid overheating issue that could potentially cause a fire.Porsche Cars Australia has also issued a recall notice for the Panamera Turbo S and the Cayenne Turbo S over sub-standard turbochargers and engine failures. The recall notice said the Borg Warner turbochargers did not meet quality standards and in extreme cases a turbo failure could result "in an engine bay fire."Porsche Cars Australia spokesman Paul Ellis said there were only three Panamera Turbo S cars in customer hands - the fourth was unsold and still in PCA yard - and no Cayennes sold in Australia were effected by the recall."The Cayenne Turbo with a power kit would be the only models effected but we haven't sold any of those with a power kit. "We have had no issues with cars or any incidents in Australia," he said.