The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced recalls for specific car models due to heightened crash risks last month. USA Today reported that the recalls affect more than 1.4 million vehicles, including brands like Chevrolet, Jeep, and Toyota.
General Motors (GM) is issuing a recall for more than 55,000 Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks due to phantom braking incidents, as reported by Consumer Reports. Phantom braking occurs when a vehicle’s automatic emergency braking (AEB) system erroneously detects obstacles and applies the brakes unexpectedly, posing a heightened risk of accidents, particularly while the vehicle is in motion.
Between November 29, 2022, and February 6, 2024, GM received over 200 complaints linked to the faulty AEB system. Among these reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), four involved accidents and three resulted in minor injuries. Dealerships are offering a complimentary software update for affected vehicles to rectify the front camera module (FCM) calibration, as per information provided by USA Today.
Ford has initiated a recall of its Maverick Hybrid pickup trucks due to concerns that the instrument panel cluster may fail to illuminate warning lights or gauges correctly, as reported by USA Today. Instrument panels, responsible for displaying critical information like speedometer readings and warning lights, are subject to federal regulations, particularly for safety-related displays, and non-compliance could heighten crash risks, according to Consumer Reports. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received 165 warranty claims related to this issue.
Hyundai has issued a recall for more than 185,000 of its 2015 and 2016 Elantra compact cars due to defects in the trunk latches. These latches, which are designed to be operable from inside the trunk, may malfunction, causing the trunk to remain closed and potentially trapping a person inside, thereby heightening the risk of injury, as indicated in the company’s report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Chrysler has also issued a recall for more than 330,000 of its 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L and 2022-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs due to concerns regarding the steering wheel. The issue involves a potential risk of loss of vehicle control, particularly where the SUV steering wheels could unexpectedly shift outward due to a possible separation between the upper control arm ball joint and steering knuckle. According to the company’s report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 18 warranty claims have been linked to this issue.
What’s more, Toyota has initiated a recall affecting more than 380,000 of its 2022-2023 Tacoma pickup trucks. The company’s press release states that welding debris left on the ends of the rear axle assembly may lead to the loosening of nuts over time, potentially resulting in their detachment and separation from the axle. Despite this concern, the company’s report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did not uncover any claims associated with this issue.
Relevant articles:
– Toyota, Chevrolet and Hyundai included in massive 1 million, Deseret News
– Top 10 Automakers with the Most Car Recalls in 2023, lemonlawlawyerscalifornia.com
– Why are there so many car recalls? Experts weigh in, go.com