Newly Issued Automotive Recall Announcements

Honda Motor Co. said it will again expand a U.S. recall of Honda and Acura brand models to fix flawed air-bag components. Honda said on May 3 in an emailed statement that the company will inspect model year 2001 to 2003 vehicles that may have had the original driver's air-bag module replaced with a flawed service part.

As a result, the recall now includes an additional 833,000 vehicles, the carmaker said. Honda "determined that a number of affected service part air bags were installed in these vehicles in the process of a collision repair or other vehicle service," according to the statement.

"Owners of all potentially affected vehicles are being notified because Honda has not been able to determine which specific vehicles received one of those parts."

The faulty air-bag inflators are at risk of deploying too forcefully, causing the inflator's casing to rupture, potentially leading to injuries or fatalities for vehicle occupants, the company said.

Customer notification is to begin in late May. Vehicles covered by the action include some 2001 and 2002 Accord and Civic cars; 2002 Odyssey minivans; 2002 and 2003 CR-V sport-utility vehicles; and some 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL sedans and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL coupes, the company said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced several automotive recalls on May 2. The affected vehicles are:

2010 Hyundai Tucson – Vehicles manufactured from February 27, 2010, through April 17, 2010 for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard NO. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," for the photometry requirements of the rear reflector assemblies installed in the rear bumpers.

Dealers will replace the rear reflector assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall is expecting to begin during June 2011. Owners may contact Hyundai’s customer assistance center at 800-633-5151.

2011 Kia Sorrento – Recall affects vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4 liter engines manufactured from the start of production through May 22, 2010. The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear. Continuing to drive the vehicle in this condition leads to the development of a whirring/whining noise, and can eventually cause damage to the automatic transmission.

Dealers will replace the right side output gear and intermediate shaft, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2011. Owners may contact Kia at 800-333-4542.

2011-2012 Daimler Freightliner Cascadia, M2, and Western Star – Manufactured from January 11, 2011, through February 21, 2011, and equipped with a Meritor driveline, the tubing used to assemble the affected drivelines has a nonconforming seam weld with insufficient bonding of the material.

Dealers will replace the drivelines, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during June 2011. Owners may contact Daimler Trucks at 800-547-0712.

2004-2007 Kia Spectra – Vehicles manufactured from November 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District Of Columbia. There is a possibility that corrosion of the fuel tank straps which hold the tank may occur as a result of prolonged exposure to road salt. As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may separate, allowing the fuel tank to contact the ground and possibly disrupt the integrity of the tank.

Dealers will replace the fuel tank straps and attaching hardware with new zinc-coated parts. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during June 2011. Owners may contact Kia at 800-333-4542.

2011 Toyota Tundra – Recall affects vehicles equipped with a 3-joint type propeller shaft. Due to improper casting of the slip yokes, there is a possibility that the slip yoke may break, causing the propeller shaft to separate at the joint and come into contact with the road surface.

Toyota will notify and inspect the propeller shaft and, if necessary, replace it free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2011. Owners may contact Toyota at 800-331-4331.

2011-2012 Navistar/International Durastar, Lonestar, Paystar, Prostar, Transtar and Workstar – Manufactured from November 5, 2010, through March 10, 2011, the recall is issued for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 121, "Air Brake Systems (ABS)." The trailer ABS fault indicator lamp in the instrument cluster will not illuminate due to a programming or hardware issue with the brake system electronic control unit.

Navistar will notify owners. Dealers will reprogram or replace the brake system electronic control unit, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about May 20, 2011. Owners may contact Navistar at 800-448-7825.

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