NHTSA Publishes List of May 2004 Recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today released a list of auto safety recalls announced in May 2004 and urged consumers to have the problems fixed promptly.
This list identifies the make and model of the vehicle or equipment involved, with a brief description of the safety problem.
NHTSA said it is publicizing the recalls to alert consumers about safety problems and encourages them to take action. Under Federal law, safety problems must be remedied without cost to consumers. Currently, 72 percent of the owners of vehicles with safety problems have the recall work performed.
NHTSA said manufacturers are required to mail a recall notice to all purchasers, owners, and dealers when a safety defect or noncompliance with Federal safety standards is found. The agency urges owners to wait until they receive notification from the manufacturer before contacting their dealers to schedule the repair work. Not all vehicles of a particular make and model may be subject to the recall.
Consumers can get up-to-the-minute information on safety recall campaigns, or information on the recall history of a particular make and model of car, truck, motorcycle, or child safety seat, by calling the agency’s toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236), or by accessing NHTSA on the Internet at The Hotline also can be used to report safety problems.
SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGNS
April
2004
VEHICLES:
CARS, VANS, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS AND MOTORCYCLES
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Models: Honda CBR1000RR
Year: 2004
Number Potentially Involved: 8,189
Dates of Manufacture: December 2003 – April 2004
Defect: On certain motorcycles, some digital
speedometers
may experience a computer program error, causing the
speedometer to indicate
approximately 25 percent less than the actual vehicle speed.
This condition
can result in the vehicle being driven at an illegal or unsafe
speed, which
could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install an updated speedometer and
associated
components. The manufacturer has reported that owner
notification began on
June 1, 2004. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Bayerische Motoren Werke
Models: BMW F650 CS
Years: 2003-2004
Number Potentially Involved: 1,560
Dates of Manufacture: January 2002 – September 2003
Defect: On certain motorcycles, the plastic fuel pump
flange could come into contact with acid or chemical compounds
containing
acidic elements, such as battery acid or certain cleaning
products. The flange
could become brittle, crack, and allow fuel to escape from the
fuel tank.
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could
result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install an acid-resistant cap over
the fuel
pump flange. The manufacturer has reported that owner
notification began
on June 10, 2004. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
| Models: | Dodge Dakota | Years: 2002-2004 |
| Dodge Durango | Years: 2002-2003 |
Dates of Manufacture: April 2002 – September 2003
Defect: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the front windshield wiper module motor may be susceptible to water intrusion that could cause internal corrosion and result in partial or complete loss of front windshield wiping capability. Driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper module. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected to begin during July 2004. Owners may contact DaimlerChrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
| Models: | Dodge Ram 1500 | Year: 2004 |
| Dodge Ram 2500 | Year: 2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: January – February 2004
Noncompliance: Certain pickup trucks fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 120, "Tire Selection and Rims for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars." The vehicle certification label lists incorrect tire, wheel, and recommended inflation pressure information.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with vehicle certification label overlays containing corrected information relative to vehicle tire and rim size, and recommended inflation pressure. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on May 5, 2004. Owners may contact DaimlerChrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Ford Motor Company
| Models: | Ford F250 | Year: 2004 |
| Ford F350 | Year: 2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: January – May 2004
Noncompliance: Certain pickup trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 120, "Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles other than Passenger Cars." Some trucks were inadvertently equipped with an incorrect load range tire. This would result in incorrect tire load ratings. Also, the tire may be inflated above the maximum appropriate inflation pressure. If a tire were operated in an over-loaded or over-inflated condition, the tire may fail, resulting in a rapid air loss, which can cause a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace any incorrect load range tires. Additionally, if any tire is replaced, Ford recommends that the wheel lug nut torque be checked within 500 miles after any tire replacement. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on May 21, 2004. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Ford Motor Company
| Models: | Ford F250 | Years: 2002-2003 |
| Ford F350 | Year: 2002 |
Dates of Manufacture: May 2001 – September 2003
Noncompliance: Certain vans and station wagons equipped with LT225/75R16E tires fail to conform to the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." The rear axle rating is incorrectly listed on the label for certain vans/wagons built with LT225/75R16E tires. In addition, the tire pressure is incorrectly listed on the label for the rear tires on certain wagons and for the front tires on certain vans built with these tires.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with supplementary tire labels containing correct information and installation instructions. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on May 26, 2004. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
| Models: | Harley Davidson FLHPI, FLHPEI | Year: 2003 |
| Harley Davidson FLHR, FLHRCI | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson FLHT, FLHTC, FLHTCI | Year: 2003 | |
| arley Davidson FLHTI, FLHTPI | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson FLTR, FLTRI | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson FXD, FXDI, FXDL, FXDLI | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson FXDP, FXDWG, FXDWGI | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson FXDX, FXDXI, FXDXT | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson XL1200, XL1200C | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson XL1200R, XL1200S | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson XL883, XL883C, XL883R | Year: 2003 | |
| Harley Davidson XL883 HUGGER | Year: 2003 |
Dates of Manufacture: June – August 2003
Defect: On certain Dyna, XL, and Touring model motorcycles, the tail light bulb can fall out of the socket, rendering the tail light and the brake light inoperative, which could lead to a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bulbs.The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on May 28, 2004. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-342-4680.
Hyundai Motor Company
Models: Hyundai Elantra
Year: 2004
Number Potentially Involved: 44,530
Dates of Manufacture: September 2003 – April 2004
Defect: During an Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety
(IIHS) offset frontal barrier impact test, fuel spillage
occurred as a result
of fuel tank damage caused by contact between a vapor tube hose
clamp ear
and the fuel tank. The vapor tube hose clamp ear was found to
be mispositioned
and facing toward the fuel tank. In the event of a crash, the
mispositioned
clamp could puncture the fuel tank, causing fuel leakage. Fuel
leakage, in
the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor
tube hose
clamp and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. The
manufacturer
has reported that owner notification began on May 24, 2004.
Owners may contact
Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Land Rover
Models: Land Rover Freelander
Year: 2003
Number Potentially Involved: 3,194
Dates of Manufacture: July– September 2002
Defect: On certain sport utility vehicles, the child
door
lock on the left hand rear door can become disengaged. If the
door were opened
from the inside while the vehicle was in motion, an occupant
could fall out and be injured.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left hand rear latch.
The
manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected
to begin during
July 2004. Owners may contact Land Rover at 1-866-352-4827.
Mazda North American Operations
Models: Mazda MPV
Years: 2001-2002
Number Potentially Involved: 10,200
Dates of Manufacture: April – November 2001
Defect: On certain minivans equipped with cruise
control
and on certain minivans that have had the cruise control
repaired and possibly
had a defective cable installed during that repair. The cruise
control actuator
cable may break due to insufficient strength. A broken actuator
cable could
interfere with the operation of the accelerator cable,
preventing a decrease
in engine speed while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the actuator cable. The
manufacturer
has reported that owner notification is expected to begin
during July 2004.
Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
| Models: | Mercedes Benz CL Class | Years: 2000-2001 |
| Mercedes Benz S Class | Years: 2000-2001 |
Dates of Manufacture: May 1998 – October 2000
Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, the size of the electric conductor of the blower motor fuse holder may be below appropriate tolerances. Consequently, the electric conductor of the holder may dissipate more heat than the plastic fuse holder was designed to withstand, which could result in partial melting of the blower motor fuse holder and disabling of the blower motor.
Remedy: Dealers will install new blower motor fuse holders. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected to begin during July 2004. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
| Models: | Mercedes Benz CL Class | Years: 2001-2003 |
| Mercedes Benz S Class | Years: 2001-2003 |
Dates of Manufacture: December 1999 – March 2004
Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, corrosion may occur in the inner steel portions of the Active Body Control’s (ABC) high-pressure distribution hose due to extensive exposure to heat and humidity. Over time, corrosion may deteriorate the inner steel portions of the hose. This may result in ABC hydraulic fluid leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will install new, corrosion resistant ABC high-pressure distribution hoses. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected to begin during July 2004. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Nissan North America, Inc.
| Models: | Nissan Frontier | Years: 1999-2003 |
| Nissan Xterra | Years: 1999-2003 |
Dates of Manufacture: June 1998 – March 2003
Defect: On certain pickup trucks equipped with six cylinder engines, and sport utility vehicles equipped with four or six cylinder engines, the fuel pump terminal on the fuel-sending unit can develop a crack in the plastic molding. This can cause the terminal strip to corrode under some environmental conditions. If corrosion occurs, the terminal strip could eventually break causing the fuel pump to stop operation. This will result in not being able to start the engine or cause the engine to stop running without warning, which can result in a crash.
Remedy: In the following states, dealers will replace the fuel-sending unit. These states are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. In the other states, the dealer will inspect the fuel pump terminal on the sending unit for corrosion. If corrosion is present, the dealer will replace the unit. If there is no corrosion, the dealer will apply sealant to the terminal housing to help prevent corrosion in the future.
The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on June 28, 2004. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
| Models: | Porsche Cayenne | Year: 2004 |
| Porsche Cayenne S | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| Porsche Cayenne Turbo | Years: 2003-2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: Through December 2003
Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear seat belt latch attachment bolt is insufficiently riveted. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the belt buckle latch and, if necessary, replace the latch. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began the week of May 31, 2004. Owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Saab Cars USA, Inc.
Models: Saab 9-3
Years: 2003-2004
Number Potentially Involved: 31,335
Dates of Manufacture: July 2002 – September 2003
Defect: Some of these passenger vehicles were built
with
seat belt retractors for the front seats that were damaged
during the manufacturing
process. If damaged, over time, the Automatic Tensioning System
(ATS) cable
in the seat belt retractor could break, causing the belt
webbing to not retract.
In the event of a crash, a front seat occupant may receive more
severe injuries.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor
assemblies.
The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification
schedule for this
campaign. Owners may contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Models: Volkswagen Touareg
Year: 2004
Number Potentially Involved: 24,269
Dates of Manufacture: April – December 2003
Defect: On certain sport utility vehicles, the rear
seat
belt latch attachment bolt may have been insufficiently
riveted. In
the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly
restrained, increasing
the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the belt buckle latch and,
if
necessary, replace the latch. The manufacturer has reported
that owner notification
began on June 21, 2004. Owners may contact VW at
1-800-822-8987.
MEDIUM/HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, SCHOOL BUSES AND MOTOR HOMES
Blue Bird Corporation
Models: Blue Bird All American
Year: 2005
Number Potentially Involved: 297
Dates of Manufacture: January – April 2004
Noncompliance: On certain school buses, the inside
panels
adjacent to the rear center emergency door (or rear center
emergency window
on rear engine models) do not conform to the requirements of
Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 221, "School Bus Body Joint
Strength." Adhesive
was inadvertently omitted from these joints.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the inside rear panels and
properly
adhere the panels. The manufacturer has reported that owner
notification
began on June 9, 2004. Owners may contact Blue Bird at
1-478-822-2242.
Blue Bird Corporation
Models: Blue Bird All American
Years: 2004-2005
Number Potentially Involved: 291
Dates of Manufacture: March – April 2004
Defect: Certain school and transit buses were equipped
with driver’s 3-point seat belts with incorrect fasteners. In
the event of
a crash, the fasteners can pull out. The seat occupant would
not be properly
restrained, which could result in serious injuries or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver’s 3-point seat
belt upper
attaching fasteners. The manufacturer has reported that owner
notification
began on June 8, 2004. Owners may contact Blue Bird at
1-478-822-2242.
Freightliner Corporation
| Models: | Freightliner Business Class M2 | Years: 2002-2004 |
| Freightliner Century | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| Freightliner Columbia | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| Sterling HX | Years: 2003-2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: Beginning May 2002
Defect: On certain trucks equipped with manual transmissions, the tapered joint that attaches the shifter to the transmission may become loose, making if difficult to put the transmission into gear.
Remedy: Dealers will re-secure the shift lever to the transmission. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on May 21, 2004. Owners may contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Freightliner Corporation
Models: Freightliner Business Class M2
Year: 2004
Number Potentially Involved: 1,700
Dates of Manufacture: October 2003 – February 2004
Defect: On certain trucks, incorrect springs were
installed
in the exhaust port of the air management unit (AMU) solenoid
valves, and
they may not turn off after actuation. Depending on the
function affected,
this could result in rear suspension air pressure loss,
malfunction of the
engine brake, permanent engagement of the rear axle
differential lock, or
prevent engagement of the fifth wheel slide lock. If the
warning indicators
in the dash are not heeded, a crash could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the affected valves. The
manufacturer
has reported that owner notification is expected to begin
during July 2004.
Owners may contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
IC Corporation
| Models: | AmTran RE | Years: 2001-2004 |
| IC RE | Years: 2003-2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: July 2000 – April 2004
Noncompliance: Certain school buses fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release." The emergency exit instructions do not meet the minimal letter height of 1 centimeter. The label may not be visible, possibly resulting in injury if the vehicle occupants cannot exit the bus quickly in the event of an emergency.
Remedy: Owners will receive new labels with installation instructions. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification began on June 25, 2004. Owners may contact IC Corporation at 1-501-505-2190.
International Truck & Engine Corporation
| Models: | International 1652SC | Years: 2003-2004 |
| International 3800 | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| International 4700SFC | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| International CE | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| International RE | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| International RE Bus | Years: 2003-2004 | |
| International CE Bus | Year: 2004 |
Dates of Manufacture: February 2003 – January 2004
Defect: On certain school and transit buses, the studs used to secure the power steering pump to the engine block can fail, resulting in engine oil leakage and complete loss of power steering. Sudden loss of power steering could cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the pump studs. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected to begin during July 2004. Owners may contact International at 1-800-448-7825.
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