SynLube™ Lube‑4‑Life®
SynLube™ Lube‑4‑Life®
This e-mail service automatically informs you if your vehicle has a lubrication, coolant or brake fluid related defect - so that you can contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for corrective action before serious failure occurs.
Below is partial listing by Manufacturer or Brand Name of vehicles with known problems that require corrective action(s):
To find out about other defect recalls in USA you can contact :
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
or call the Tool Free Auto Safety Hotline
1-800-424-9393
or go to www.nhtsa.gov website for more information on recalls and other vehicle safety issues.
Our list also includes some known defects where NO recalls were ordered by the OEM.
There is a vehicle safety recall practically every other day!
In 2013, automakers announced 143 recalls in the 273 days through September 1st, affecting as many as 18.5 million cars and light trucks -- well more than the number of new vehicles sold in the same period.
In 2012 total of 154 recalls affected as many as 14.2 million vehicles.
It isn't always good to be number one, as Toyota clearly understands.
In 2011 the Japanese giant was leading the pack in terms of U.S. recalls - for the third year in a row!
Despite the maker's claim that it has put its quality and safety problems behind it, Toyota and its Scion and Lexus brands recalled 3.5 million vehicles
in 2011, significantly more than any other manufacturer.
And that doesn't include a sizable number of vehicles for which the maker issued technical service bulletins, which encourage dealers to fix nagging problems but don't wind up getting tallied on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's formal recall chart.
In all, automakers recalled 13 million light vehicles in 2011, according to an analysis by
Wards Auto, a sharp decline from the year before when the industry - largely due to Toyota - saw callbacks jump to 17.2 million cars, trucks and crossovers. The worst year for the auto industry was 2000 when 24.3 million vehicles were involved in safety related recalls.
The number of cars and light trucks recalled in USA have been steadily rising since 2002 even as studies show that overall vehicle and engineering quality has never been better.
In 2003, automakers recalled 19.5 million cars and trucks or 8 percent of all
light vehicles in use. The number of recalls issued by automakers also is rising again,
reaching 529 in 2003, up from 436 in 2002 and just below the record 541 recalls in
2000, government figures show. In 1990, there were 208 recalls industry-wide.
By 2008, however, manufacturers seemed to be getting things under control, the number of vehicles affected by safety-related problems slipping to just 7.7 million.
Long known for what analysts and automotive journalists would frequently describe as "bullet-proof" quality, Toyota ran into quicksand in late 2009 following a highly publicized crash that took the life of a California Highway Patrol officer and several family members.
The accident was blamed on loose floor mats that jammed the accelerator in the Lexus the trooper was driving. After initially hesitating, Toyota eventually recalled millions of vehicles to deal with "carpet entrapment."
The situation grew worse when a second recall related to so-called "unintended acceleration" was announced, this one because of potentially sticky
accelerator pedals.
Ultimately, the two issues impacted over 10 million vehicles worldwide.
But millions more Toyota, Lexus and Scion products were recalled for a variety of other issues ranging from steering problems to excessive corrosion that could lead to parts falling off an affected vehicle while driving.
Further embarrassing the industry giant, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration accused Toyota of illegally delaying action on several safety related issues and leveled record fines against the Japanese giant.
Initially TOYOTA was issued a $16.4 million fine in conjunction with dangerous unintended acceleration. Latter in December 2010, the Japanese automaker has received an additional two fines totaling $32.4 million for further recalls.
With CEO Akio Toyoda proclaiming quality and safety critical issues - and with the company appointing a U.S. quality czar - things began to turnaround but Toyota still faced a variety of nagging issues during the first half of 2011.
Of the 3.5 million vehicles covered by safety actions this year, six in 10 were recalled during the first half. Only two campaigns were announced since the end of June
2011 - and the most recent, involving 200,000 Sienna minivans, centered around improper tire inflation information posted in the door jams of the people movers.
Nonetheless, industry analysts say the recall issue couldn't have occurred at a worse time for Toyota as the maker was only barely beginning to recover when, in March 2011, Japan was slammed by a record earthquake and tsunami that crippled the island nation's auto industry.
Toyota production was only beginning to return to normal levels when, in October 2011, record floods struck Thailand setting back Toyota's recovery efforts once again.
The maker has lost about 2.5 points of market share in the U.S. for 2011, a massive figure in an industry where manufacturers will fight viciously over a tenth of a point of share. With competitors like Ford and Hyundai stressing their own quality efforts, analysts like Aaron Bragman, of IHS Automotive, warn that it will be difficult for Toyota to regain its once-lustrous image.
In turn, that is forcing the maker to reach record levels of spending on incentives.
Of course, Toyota wasn't the only automaker facing recall problems in 2011.
In terms of individual actions in 2011 calendar year:
General Motors led the pack, according to the Wards Auto analysis, with 21 separate recalls - though they impacted only about 456,000 vehicles.
FORD had the second-highest figure in terms of vehicles recalled, at 3.2 million, in 10 separate safety related actions.
HONDA was third, with 2 million vehicles recalled, three-fourths of those due to a faulty transmission control module.
Even some of the smallest makers can be found on NHTSA's 2011 recall list, including Maserati, which had to service 760 of its sports cars, and Rolls-Royce, which had to replace a faulty circuit board on 600 of its Ghost sedans that could overheat and cause a fire.
Since 1966 - 5,183 unique recalls affected more than 500 million vehicles of about 19,000 vehicle models of cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds, as well as 46 million tires, 66 million pieces of motor vehicle equipment, and 42 million child safety seats have been recalled to correct safety defects.
Manufacturers voluntarily initiate many of these recalls, while others are either influenced by NHTSA investigations or ordered by NHTSA via the courts. If a safety defect is discovered, the manufacturer must notify NHTSA, as well as vehicle or equipment owners, dealers, and distributors. The manufacturer is then required to remedy the problem at no charge to the owner. NHTSA is responsible for monitoring the manufacturer's corrective action to ensure successful completion of the recall campaign.
Experts blame the proliferation on a convergence of issues, including tougher federal reporting requirements, wider use of glitch-prone computers, an ongoing shift to electrical controls from mechanical devices, and a proliferation of new model launches.
The United States Code for Motor Vehicle Safety (Title 49, Chapter 301) defines motor vehicle safety as "the performance of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment in a way that protects the public against unreasonable risk of accidents occurring because of the design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle, and against unreasonable risk of death or injury in an accident, and includes nonoperational safety of a motor vehicle." A defect includes "any defect in performance, construction, a component, or material of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment." Generally, a safety defect is defined as a problem that exists in a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment that:
All models with 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
See problem 20131114 below
Problem: Dipstick for Motor Oil reads up to two quarts low, when engine oil is at full capacity.
Solution: Replace with revised dipstick tube and dipstick (P.N.# 12564961 and 24505407)
Defect 051201 see defect list below
Ring Gear in the five speed automatic transmission may fail and cause loss of reverse, first, second & third gears.
Fix: Replace transmission
About 250 vehicles are affected
In early 2004, BMW recalled about 4,000 of its 5-, 6- and 7-series and
X5 off-road vehicles due to engine problems.
Low coolant light illuminates frequently, engine overheats.
GM engineers have traced this problem to a slow leak caused by poor seal at interface between engine coolant and the oil cooler cover at the engine block.
Resealing the cover with good quality RTV sealant and giving it at least 15 minutes cure time before re-installation fixes the problem in most cases.
However engine damage may have already been caused if the overheat condition existed for prolonged time and the vehicle was operated at high highway speeds.
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Two wheel drive (any engine model)
Defect 051201 see defect list below
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Two wheel drive (any engine model)
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Component:
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
Potential Number of Units Affected: 3,150
Summary:
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH APRIL 21, 2011. DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN MANUAL MODE AND IN FIRST GEAR CAUSES THE ENGINE AND POWER STEERING PUMP TO OPERATE AT HIGHER SPEED THAN IS TYPICAL. INCREASED PUMP SPEED GENERATES HEAT THAT IS TRANSFERRED TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND CAN RESULT IN POWER STEERING FLUID TEMPERATURES THAT APPROACH THE POWER STEERING PUMP RESERVOIR'S MELTING POINT.
Consequence:
AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ELEVATED FLUID TEMPERATURES, THE RESERVOIR MAY LEAK. LEAKING FLUID, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy:
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER WITH AN IMPROVED VERSION, FREE OF CHARGE. AN ADVISORY LETTER TO CUSTOMERS, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS, WILL BE MAILED IN JANUARY 2012. WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, GM WILL SEND ANOTHER LETTER ASKING CUSTOMER TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS PERFORMED. GM ANTICIPATES PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MARCH 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
Note:
GM'S RECALL NUMBER IS 11333.
Defect:
NHTSA said the safety defect stemmed from contact on some of the vehicles between a high-pressure power steering hose and the automatic transaxle differential cover.
Chrysler group spokeswoman Curtrise Garner said there had been nine reports of under hood fires apparently caused by the problem.
"The likelihood of fires is very low," she said, adding that no injuries or deaths had been reported.
Other than fire hazard the loss of power steering fluid causes loss of power assist for the steering, making slow speed turns and parking very difficult.
438,391 PT Cruisers from the 2001-2004 model years were affected by the recall
Transmission rattle at idle.
Replace the clutch disk with upgraded unit part number 52107775AC
Component:
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID
Potential Number of Units Affected: 340
Summary:
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 DODGE JOURNEY AND FIAT 500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 24, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. SOME VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID AND MAY EXPERIENCE A DEGRADATION OF THE SEALING COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
Consequence:
THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Ferrari North America
Models: Oil Filter 111782
Number Involved: 2,790
Dates of Manufacture: May 2000 - May 2001
Defect:
Some replacement oil filters (Ferrari Part No. 111782) were made in a different manner
from the original version. As a result, the oil filter may leak engine oil from the seal
ring area. In the presence of an ignition source, the engine oil could be ignited, causing
a vehicle fire, possibly resulting in personal injury or death. These oil filters can be
used on Ferrari model vehicles dating back to the 1960s.
The model vehicles these filters can be used on are:
Dino 206 GT, Dino 246 GT/GTS, Dino 308 GT4, 208 GTB/GTS turbo, 208 GT4, 208
GTB/GTS turbo intercooler, GTB/GTS turbo, 275 GTB4, 308 GT4, 308 GTB/GTS, 308i GTB/GTS,
328 GTB/GTS, 330 GT, 330 GTC, 365 GT, 365 GT4, 365 GT4BB, 365 GTC (1970), 365 GTC/GTS, 365
GTC4, 365 GTS4, 400I GT/GTA, 4000 GT/GTA, 412 GT/GTA, 512BB, 512i BB, Mondial 3.2, Mondial
3.2 Cabriolet, Mondial 8, Mondial 9 Cabriolet, Mondial 4V, 288 GTO.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil filters with a new style of oil filter having a Ferrari part number of 191993, free of charge. The manufacturer has reported that notification began Oct. 12, 2001.
Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact
Ferrari at 1-201-816-2600.
[NHTSA Recall No. 01E051]
Component:
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID
Potential Number of Units Affected: 340
Summary:
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 DODGE JOURNEY AND FIAT 500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 24, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. SOME VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID AND MAY EXPERIENCE A DEGRADATION OF THE SEALING COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
Consequence:
THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 32 Valve Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 3.8 Liter V-6 Engine
with California Emission Package
with 3.8 Liter V-6 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 5.4 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 5.4 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 5.4 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 5.4 Liter V-8 Engine
Problem: Dipstick for Motor Oil reads up to two quarts low, when engine oil is at full capacity.
Solution: No OEM cure is offered at this time, therefore we are cautioning customers to do following:
Remove the dipstick from the tube and after about a minute re-insert and immediately withdraw the dipstick, reading taken this way will be accurate if the vehicle is parked on a level surface and the engine oil is warm.
More than 265,000 vehicles are affected
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Defect 051201 see defect list below
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Two wheel drive (any engine model)
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Two wheel drive (any engine model)
Flaw in the engine oil seal causes excessive leakage or sudden total loss of motor oil leading to catastrophic engine failure, due to lack of lubricant.
Vehicles affected were made in the Ohio, USA plant from July 1993 to September 1995.
Honda has already recalled 557,000 cars that were sold in Japan, however no decision has been made to recall cars sold outside Japan.
See above this minivan also carries the seal flaw.
Vehicle is prone to catch fire when engine is restarted immediately after oil change.
Cause has been determined to be improperly tightened oil filter, which causes engine oil to leak onto hot exhaust system that is positioned just under the oil filter in back of the engine.
18 cases of fire reported to NHTSA.
2.7 Liter V-6 Engine ONLY
About 300 engines of estimated 8,000 that were manufactured from March 2000 to November 2000 have defect with cylinder liners that crack. That causes engine failure at highway speeds. The flaw has been "eliminated" in later production engines. Hyundai has been replacing the failed engines under warranty, it is however NOT recalling vehicles or notifying owners of the potential problem of vehicle suddenly stopping on highway.
Thicker liners were used in the engines beginning in November 2000.
Oil pressure warning light and warning chime come on under heavy braking.
First check the oil level in the crankcase, which may be OK, but if not add oil to restore oil level.
If problem persists even with proper oil level then problem is caused by software glitch in the oil pressure monitor system of the engine control module which needs to be reprogrammed with new software.
Higher than normal temperature gauge reading
Caused by calibration error in CCN module, which needs to have new software installed.
Delayed transmission engagement and harsh downshifts
New front pump must be installed to fix this problem (Part Number 05127199AA)
Problem:
Battery cable shorts out on oil dipstick tube, causing a fire.
Complaints:
Six, plus seven other fires of undetermined origin.
Vehicle population: 134,000
August 1998 to July 2001
See problem 020211 below
January 1998 to July 2001
See problem 020211 below
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 3.8 Liter V-6 Engine
with 5.4 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
No 5th Gear or Reverse engagement
If the 8mm Hex Plug which looks like oil level check plug is removed the crank lever shaft falls into the transmission and the transmission must be removed and disassembled to fix this problem.
Not really a defect just very poor design and no warning DO NOT REMOVE on the transmission.
Problem: Motor Oil Leak from front of the engine.
Cause: Vibration Damper cutting into the rubber of the crankshaft seal ring.
Solution: Install revised damper and new seal No 271 030 00 03 and 023 997 84 47.
High under hood temperatures that could damage the alternator and cause a fire have
prompted Mercedes-Benz USA LLC to recall all SLR McLaren sports cars from the 2005 and 2006
model years.
The problem occurs under "hard operating conditions,"
Mercedes-Benz said the recall covers 433 vehicles in the United States.
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 4.6 Liter V-8 Engine
with 3.8 Liter V-6 Engine
with California Emission Package
Reports of excessive oil consumption that could damage the engine or cause a fire.
About 100,000 Altimas and Sentra SE-Rs built between January and May 2006 may have the
problem.
Nissan said it had extended the engine portion of the vehicles' warranty on Altimas and Sentra SE-Rs built during January to May 2006 to 84 months or 100,000 miles.
Problem:
ENGINE OIL LEAK
Reports of excessive oil consumption that could damage the engine or cause a fire.
Potential Number of Units Affected: 14,718
Summary:
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE ENGINE OIL COOLER AND THE ENGINE OIL FILTER TO THE ENGINE IN THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO BELOW SPECIFICATION STRENGTH. AS A RESULT, THE BOLT MAY BREAK AT THE OIL FILTER ATTACHMENT POINT AND CAN CAUSE AN ENGINE OIL LEAK.
Remedy:
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTOR BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 19, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Equipped with 4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Defect 051201 see defect list below
Equipped with 3.8 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine
Missing clip allows heater hose to touch oxygen sensor unit. This leads to hose damage and coolant leak onto hot exhaust system, this in turn can cause engine fire.
Fix:
Install Missing Clip
About 2,700 vehicles are affected
Transmission Breather Tube collects water that may freeze in cold weather and this clogs the tube, which in turn causes the transmission fluid to leak through the dipstick tube and contact hot engine parts.
Fix:
Remove Breather Tube from inner fender and cut a section off the hose to prevent water from collecting.
About 26,000 vehicles are affected.
Brakes may briefly apply without driver action due to defective relay.
Fix:
Replace anti-lock brake relay.
About 11,000 vehicles are affected.
We have seen, heard and even experienced first-hand abnormal oil consumption in twin-cam (SL2, SW2, SC2) Saturns. Consumption of one quart every 1000 to 1500 miles appears fairly common. This consumption rate can set in early in the life of the car, so it is not attributable to normal wear and tear.
Although Saturn has a procedure to deal with this issue, they do not acknowledge that a problem exists. They recommend that you bring your car to a Saturn dealer to be put on an "oil consumption watch". This entails bringing the car into your dealer every few hundred miles so they can monitor the situation. Not very convenient for the owner. Depending on the diagnosis, it can involve valves, valve seals, piston rings, and even the pistons themselves. Some owners report the fix only cures the oil burning for a while. The procedure usually runs between $1000 and $1800, depending on what is done. Depending on mileage, Saturn will often pick up at least some of the tab.
A Saturn representative told us in 1996 that all Saturn engines should use no more that one quart every 3000 miles.
Brake Fluid leaks from brake pipes with improperly tightened nuts.
Fix:
Tighten nuts to specifications if too loose or replace brake pipes if over tightened.
About 5,400 cars are affected
All models with 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
See problem 20131114 below
All models with 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
See problem 20131114 below
See problem 020211 below
See problem 020211 below
See problem 020211 below
Problem:
Fire breaks out in engine compartment.
Complaints: Two.
Vehicle population: To be determined.
See problem 020211 below
See problem 020211 below
See problem 020211 below
All models with 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
See problem 20131114 below
If a cooling system component malfunctions and causes a increase in system pressure, the heat exchanger may burst and spill hot coolant into vehicles passenger compartment, burning an occupant's feet or causing steam that impairs driver visibility.
Fix:
Inspect system components for proper functioning and install pressure relief valve for the heat exchanger.
About 6,200 vehicles are affected.
Potential Number of Units Affected: 2,300
Summary:
YAMAHA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2011 VMX17 (V-MAX) MOTORCYCLES, INCLUDING THE YB, YCB, ZR, ZCR AG AND ACG VARIANTS, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 THROUGH APRIL 2011. ON AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES, HIGH OIL PRESSURE CAN BUILD UP INSIDE THE OIL PUMP CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. OIL MIGHT THEN STOP PUMPING THROUGH THE ENGINE RESULTING IN SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE THAT CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND NOT RESTART AGAIN.
Consequence:
AN ENGINE STALL CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH WITH INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy:
YAMAHA DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OIL PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT YAMAHA AT 1-800-962-7926.
Premature failure of a head gasket(s) on 3.8 Liter V-6 engines causes loss of coolant, engine overheating or in extreme case engine failure.
Ford has extended warranty for this defect to seven years or 100,000 miles, which ever comes first.
More than 700,000 vehicles are affected.
Wrong Transmission Cooler line was installed on some 1999 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable cars with California Emission Package.
This causes it to scrape against anti-lock brake module bracket and could in turn cause ATF fluid leak on to exhaust manifold or catalytic converter and cause fire.
Fix: Install correct transmission cooler line.
About 1,800 cars are affected
A cavity machined into the crankshaft's counterweights may have pierced an oil gallery in the crankshaft. This allows oil to run out of the shaft prior reaching the crankshaft bearings. This eventually causes a catastrophic engine failure. On vehicles that are equipped with oil pressure gauge, low oil pressure is noticeable.
Approximately 20,000 GMC/Chevy
light trucks and vans equipped with
4.3 Liter V-6 Gasoline Engine are affected.
Brake fluid leaks from right side anti-lock brake module feed pipe and/or crossover pipe.
Fix: Install new brake pipe union.
About 4,000 vehicles are affected
Power Steering Noise
There is a problem with some 1995 to 1999 Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth cars. When ambient temperatures are low (10°F and below) excessive noise is generated in the power steering system after the vehicle is started and the colder it gets the more annoying the noise and vibration gets. In extreme situations the power steering pump or the drive belt can be permanently damaged. The problem is the Power Steering OEM Fluid designated as MS-5931. The cure is complete drain of the system and replacement with better quality fluid such as DaimlerChrysler Part Number #05010304AA or better yet the NEW SynLube Lube-4-Life Power Steering Fluid which exceeds even the latest DaimlerChrysler specification MS-9933
More than 7,000 owners have complained to Toyota about vehicles equipped with two of
the automaker's core engine families - the 1MZ V-6 and 5SFE inline 4
These engines are choking on a buildup of sludge, oxidized oil in the form of mucky goo.
Sludge buildup causes engine performance to deteriorate and, in extreme cases, causes engines to seize.
But because the problem can be caused from failure to change the oil regularly, Toyota steadfastly has refused to cover it under its five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Toyota has instituted "special adjustment program"
In a letter sent to more than 3.3 million owners of vehicles equipped
with the two engines, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. says it will pay repair costs for
sludge damage in cases where customers can provide proof of "reasonable efforts"
to maintain the vehicle.
The so-called special policy adjustment, requiring proof of only one oil change in a year,
is good for one year. At the same time, though, the U.S. sales arm refused to veer from
its position that negligent owners, not the product, are the source of the problem.
"We're not aware of any cases of oil gelling in properly maintained engines,"
said Bob Daly, general manager of Toyota Customer Services, in a press release that
admonishes owners to maintain their vehicles properly.
After threat of class action lawsuit TOYOTA has on April 8, 2002 changed its policy of refusing to fix the affected engines.
Currently following is offered by TOYOTA:
Toyota will pay for sludge-related repairs for eight years from the date of purchase for all 1997-2002 Toyota and Lexus vehicles with the 3.0-liter IMZ V-6 engine and all 1997-2001 Toyota vehicles with the now discontinued 5SFE 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. This adjustment also has following features:
FORD - Head gasket failure
Ford dealers are repairing or replacing engines due to problems arising from a 1999
model-year revision to the 5.4-liter engine's head gasket. In defective units, the head
gasket fails to seal variances in the engine block's surface, permitting oil seepage
FORD - Coolant in the oil
Engine: 1992 - 2001 4.6L V-8 (VIN code 6, V & W)
The problem is often though to be a result of a crack in head or a block, since no problems with head gasket is found. In this case however the cause of the leakage is a leaking "core plug".
There are two located in the front of the cylinder block. As a result of several possible causes, the defective plug can cause coolant to leak into the motor oil. Neglecting to change the coolant regularly and frequently causes the core plug to rust through from the backside.
The 38-mm (1.5") plugs may be replaced while the engine is in the vehicle.
FORD - Engine ticking noise
Engine: 2001 - 2004 4.6L V-8 (Built before 9/17/2003)
Irritating engine noise while engine idles
Carbon buildup in the rear exhaust guides is the cause.
New design cylinder head and cam assemblies need to be installed to solve this problem. (Part Number 4L3Z-6049-AA and 4L3z-6049-BA).
Problem:
High pitched squeal squeak or whistle coming from front axle.
Cause:
combination of low temperature below 40 F and most likely due to dry seal at the outboard end of the right axle intermediate shaft housing and /or the left side of the differential carrier.
Fix:
Replace with revised seal with better lubricity (P.N.# 12479302 and 12471618)
Applying SynLube Lube‑4‑Life Grease to the seal lips will also silence the noise.
Problem:
Electric malfunctions in 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission.
Cause:
The gearbox-lubricant fault particularly affects vehicles driving in hot and humid weather in urban areas with a lot of stop-and-go traffic
Fix:
Replace the OEM Synthetic Gear Lubricant with Mineral Oil
Official Statement:
It has been discovered by VW that, with vehicles with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DQ200), electric malfunctions could occur in the gearbox power supply if synthetic gearbox oil is used. This applies in particular if the vehicle is subject to a hot and humid climate, coupled with a high proportion of stop and go driving.
Studies have established that using of mineral oil will rectify this problem. To continue to ensure customer satisfaction amongst DSG, Volkswagen has decided to launch global voluntary campaign and to request all customers with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DQ200) filled with synthetic oil to visit a workshop for an oil exchange.
The vehicle owners will be informed by Volkswagen accordingly.
Problem:
Loss of engine oil pressure, possibly resulting in an engine stall or engine failure.
Cause:
Due to abrasive debris in the balance shaft bearings, these engines may have a loss of engine oil pressure.
Fix:
Replace the engine balance shaft module.
Official Statement:
Only some vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines experience this problem.
