September 2010
Toyota announced a recall involving millions Corolla and Matrix cars sold in the U.S. and Canada, produced between 2005 and 2008. The models recalled are having potential faulty engine control systems.
It is absolutely a serious blow to the Japanese carmaker. There are 14 recalls in 2010, with 10 millions cars recalled in the past 12 months.
The models involve potential problem of faulty engine control system, which Toyota said there are three unconfirmed accidents ”alleged to be related” to the problem. One of the accidents resulted in a ”minor injury”.
According to the company, the problem reported to be results in crack in solder points or on some electronic componentry. When there are cracks, the engine of the models may not start or, “in limited instances, the engine could stop while the vehicle is being driven”, as the carmaker said.

  August 2010
Honda announced the recall of 427,000 US and Canadian vehicles because of an ignition problem that could allow drivers to remove their key when the vehicle was not in park.

General Motors announced a recall of nearly a quarter of a million Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook vehicles in the US, Canada, Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia over a seat belt issue.

Mazda recalled 320,000 2007-2008 Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 vehicles in North America over a potentially deadly power steering malfunction.


  July 2010
Toyota Motor Corp. says it will recall about 412,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix problems with their steering mechanisms.
The car maker says the recalls include 373,000 Toyota Avalon sedans from the 2000 to 2004 model years. The cars could have flawed steering locks.
The company also says its Lexus luxury division will recall about 39,000 LX 470 SUVs from the 2003 to 2007 model years to fix steering shafts that could disengage in certain conditions.
Toyota says that because of improper casting of the steering lock bar, small cracks can form in the Avalon’s steering lock bar. Over time the cracks can grow and eventually result in the bar breaking after repeated locking and unlocking. If that happens, the locking system could be difficult to unlock when the vehicle is stationary. There is also a chance that the broken bar could cause the steering wheel to lock while the car is being driven, increasing the chance of a crash.
In the LX 470’s case, a sharp impact to the front wheels, such as hitting a large pothole, can loosen parts of the steering mechanism and eventually cause the steering shaft to disengage, potentially causing a loss of control.
The car maker says it will notify owners in mid to late August to bring their vehicles to their local dealership for repairs.

Nissan is recalling 2009 and 2010 model year 46,000 Cube hatchbacks built between January 30, 2009 and July 30, 2010 for fuel leakage resulting from rear-end collisions.

Chrysler is recalling about 22,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks to fix brake tubes that could lead to the loss of brake fluid.

Chrysler says its recall affects certain 2010 Dodge Nitro, Dodge Ram, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Wranglers that could have defective brake tubes. The problem could lead to the loss of brake fluid, making it difficult to brake and posing the  threat of a crash.    Chrysler says owners should be notified in August.

Toyota is recalling almost 138,000 Lexus cars due to engine related problems that could also lead to stalling in some cases. It has also informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to file an official Defect Information Report to initiate a recall of the cars affected with this problem.

Toyota also revealed that it is also investigating engine problems that affect 270,000 cars across the world. It claims that these have been caused due to usage of low-quality metal which could lead to cracks which can stop the engines from working in some cases. The Company warned that car owners facing these problems are also likely to experience rough idling part from an abnormal increase in the engine noise.

All the cars affected with this problem include Lexus cars with V8 or V6 engines. The models which are expected to be recalled include model year 2007 and 2008 GS 350 and 450h, 2008 GS 460, 2006 to 2008 IS 350, 2007 and 2008 LS 460 and LS 460L and the 2008 LS 600hL.

Toyota confirmed that owners of these vehicles will be receiving the notification for recall through mail. People will be instructed to visit a Lexus dealership if their car needs a repair. The repair would be carried out for free by Toyota

The defect is in the engine valve spring which produces an unusual sound, results in engine malfunction and in the worst cases stalls the engine while the car is moving.

In its recall notice the automaker said it will replace the defective valve springs with reinforced springs to fix the problem.

  June 2010
GM is recalling about 1.5 million pickup trucks, sports utility vehicles, and passenger cars equipped with heated windshield wiper systems. The systems can overheat and cause fires.
General Motors vehicles affected by the recall include:

The 2006-09 Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, and Hummer H2
The 2007-09 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Saturn Outlook
The 2008-09 model year Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS
The 2009 model year Chevrolet Traverse

Chrysler is recalling the Dodge Caliber and its sister vehicle, the Jeep Compass because of sticky accelerator pedals. Surprisingly, the parts were built by CTS Automotive, the same company that supplied Toyota with pedal assemblies, but these have a different problem.

Acura is recalling almost 1,900 ZDX crossovers because the passenger-side airbag may not deploy in a crash.

Cadillac is calling back nearly 600 SRX crossovers with the 2.8-liter turbocharged engine. It seems that if a driver puts regular fuel in it and not premium like specified in the owner’s manual AND on the filler door, the engine can start knocking. So what, you say? If the car’s driven aggressively it can break a piston or connecting rod.

Ford is recalling more than 33,000 vehicles for bad seat recliners. In a crash, the seatbacks can fall backward increasing the risk of injury.

May 2010
Chrysler has recalled more than 40,000 cars to fix a problem related to the ignition.
The recall involves 2010 models of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, Charger and Ram, and Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee.
The cars use a wireless ignition node that sits in a cradle to start the car. A defect may cause it to come out before it is placed in park and cause the car to unintentionally move.
The recall is expected to begin in July and Chrysler will provide a free fix. For more information contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

  April 2010

Mitsubishis calling back twenty-ten models of its Endeavor SUV and Galant sedan. The Endeavor is having trouble with its seat-mounted side-airbags. It seems the brackets that hold them in place may not have been properly welded to the seat frame which can cause the airbags to deploy incorrectly in a crash. That’s not something you want. Mitsubishi Galants are being recalled because the automatic transmission cooler pipe can corrode and leak, which is a fire hazard.

Honda is calling back 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Elements in the U.S. for issues with their Vehicle Stability Assist modulators. Owners of the affected 2007 and 2008 models have been complaining of soft brake pedals. Honda says a tiny amount of air can enter the brake system leading to the problem.

Subaru is recalling 2010 model-year Tribeca crossovers because the latch cables inside the front doors are improperly positioned. This can cause the cable to snag on the window regulator when the glass goes up or down which could unlatch the door.

GM is recalling the company’ heavy-duty full-size vans, the Chevy Express and GMC Savannah. They are having alternator problems that can lead to fires. Owners are advised to stop driving the vehicles, park them away from buildings and disconnect the battery cables. Light-duty vans are NOT affected by the recall. Also, the Feds are looking into some 6.2 million GM pickups and SUVs for brake-line corrosion. It seems over time the lines can rupture, leading to stopping problems. NHTSA has received 110 complaints over the issue.

 March 2, 2010

Nissan is recalling 540,000 vehicles with faulty break pedals and fuel gauges, The Associated Press reports.

Those recalled include pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs. The majority are the in U.S.

The brake pedal problem affects some 2008 to 2010 Nissan Titan pickups, Infiniti QX56 and Nissan Armada SUVs and 2008 and 2009 Nissan Quest minivans. A pin in the pedals can become loose, lessening brake force.

  March 2, 2010
Washington -- General Motors will recall 1.3 million compact vehicles to correct a power steering problem, the company announced late Monday.

GM plans to replace defective power steering motors that are prone to failure, but an exact fix for the affected cars isn't yet ready; customers will be notified when one is, and company officials say the cars can be safely driven until a fix is prepared.

"While greater steering effort under 15 mph may be required, these vehicles are safe to drive because the customer can still steer the vehicle," Jamie Hresko, GM's vice president of quality, said in a statement.

"When the condition occurs, both a chime will sound and a 'Power Steering' message will be displayed."

  February 17, 2010
A Toyota official acknowledged Wednesday that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had received dozens of complaints about power steering problems in its hot-selling Corolla subcompact and that the auto giant would "take action" if necessary.

"If we find out that this issue involves the safety of the driver then we will consider a recall," Vice President Shinichi Sasaki said, but added the company hasn't heard anything from the NHTSA beyond that complaints have been lodged.

Sasaki said drivers may feel as though they were losing control over the steering, but it was unclear why. He mentioned problems with the braking system or tires as possible underlying causes of the steering problem.

  February 10, 2010

Honda adds 437,000 cars to global air bag recall
Honda Motor Co. is adding 437,000 vehicles to its 15-month old global recall for faulty airbags in the latest quality problem to hit a Japanese automaker.

The company will replace the driver's side air bag inflator in the cars because they can deploy with too much pressure, causing the inflator to rupture and injure or kill the driver.

Japan's No. 2 automaker originally announced the recall to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in November 2008 and the total of number vehicles recalled since then is approaching 1 million.

The latest expansion of the airbag recall includes 378,000 cars in the U.S., some 41,000 cars in Canada and 17,000 cars in Japan, Australia and elsewhere in Asia. The North American recall was announced Tuesday and followed Wednesday by the recall in Asia.

The recall now affects 952,118 vehicles, including certain 2001 and 2002 Accord sedans, Civic compacts, Odyssey minivans, CR-V small sport utility vehicles and some 2002 Acura TL sedans.

Honda said it is aware of 12 incidents linked to the problem — one death in May 2009 and 11 injuries. The company said it is not aware of any problems happening after July 2009.

  February 9, 2010

Toyota recalled more than 400,000 Priuses worldwide today and added the Lexus HS250h and Sai hybrid to the list. The Sai is a version of the HS250h that is only sold in Japan.

  January 29, 2010

Honda Motor Co. (HMC) announced a voluntary worldwide recall of 646,000 compact cars so that it can examine window switches that can overheat if exposed to liquid, causing smoke or melting or even catch fire.
Only about 10% of the Fit hatchbacks recalled will need replacement switches, with the remainder requiring the fitment of waterproof skirts to prevent water seeping in.

“Under some severe operating conditions, water, rain, or other liquid may enter the driver’s window and reach the master power window switch, resulting in impaired function of the switch,” the Japanese car maker said in a statement. “If the master power window switch is damaged as a result of the liquid intrusion, it may result in failure of the switch and overheating.

“An overheating switch may cause smoke, melting or, potentially, fire,” it added.

The recall affects models built in Japan, China, Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia and India. Of the vehicles being recalled, 171,372 are in the U.K., where the model is known as the Jazz, 141,140 are in the U.S. and 229,000 are in Latin America.

January 21, 2010 

Toyota announced that it’s voluntarily recalling 2.3-million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals. This action is SEPARATE from the ongoing 4.2-million Toyota and Lexus vehicles called back for pedal entrapment.

Next, Ford is looking into pickups built between 2004 and 2006 for a potential airbag issue. Up to 1.6 million trucks could be affected by a defect that causes the airbags to go off without warning. The company believes the trouble could be caused by an electrical short.

Chrysler is in hot water over brake-rod clips on certain 2009 and 2010 models. The brake rod could separate from the pedal assembly resulting in stopping problems.

Toyota's included on recalls