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December 14, 2005
RECENT VEHICLE-DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched investigations into the following:
--Reports of brake light failures on the 2003-2005 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series trucks. A possible short circuit may occur in a wiring harness that could blow a fuse that provides power to all brake lamps.
--2005 General Motors Corp. minivans after an owner of an Uplander reported that the windshield wiper motor crank damaged a wiring harness which caused the headlights to fail. About 57,000 models of the Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terraza, Pontiac Montana SV6 and Saturn Relay are affected by the probe. GM sent a bulletin to its dealers in saying some owners "may report a stall and/or no crank, no start condition after the wipers are used."
--Potential safety hazards in Chrysler/Dodge Grand Caravan/Town & Country Minivans involving possible failure of front air bag crash sensors. The preliminary investigation involves about 410,000 vehicles.
--2000-2001 models of the Mercedes-Benz S Class sedans with reported failure of the instrument panel to illuminate.
--Complaints that the tire valve stems fail in 2002-2003 Hyundai Sonata sedans, leading to tire deflation. The preliminary NHTSA investigation involves 93,000 vehicles. The complaints involved tires deflated while traveling at highway speeds.
To check on specific details of these investigations and the vehicles they cover, go to NHTSA’s defect investigation search site at and follow the directions.
Posted by MVHAP at December 14, 2005 08:11 AM