Besides a major manufacturing defect that directly affects the safety and performance of the vehicle, the causes of central recall campaigns are regularly due to minor breakdowns and annoying defects. If this or that problem becomes systemic, regulators will have to respond, and automakers and dealerships will have to repair and replace tens of thousands of cars.
Kia Optima and badly glued roof
Kia in the US had to recall the 2012 and 2013 Kia Optima sedans due to the loose roof.
It turned out that due to the small amount of glue applied to this part, the driver could eventually be injured.
The investigation by the manufacturer began after one of the car owners was injured by a detached decorative panel bracket in an accident – the defect manifested in the vehicle when the side curtain airbag deployed. Due to this single incident, Kia had to recall 250,000 sedans for the US market for repairs.
Ford Bronco and pop-up window
The retro-style Ford Bronco SUV has become a worthy competitor in this segment for well-known players such as the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender. However, its production was not without “childhood diseases”. In early July, the American automaker had to recall a batch of large SUVs due to a loose windshield. More than 39,000 SUVs are affected by possible falling glass issues, and the automaker became aware of loose glass after a customer complained. A similar issue was also found on 24,000 Ford Ranger pickup trucks. The exact reasons for the appearance of this defect were not indicated by the company.
Volkswagen Golf and the sensitive button
More than 2,000 “charged” Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R hatchbacks had to be repaired in the USA because the touch button responsible for controlling the sunroof was too sensitive. During the investigation, it turned out that the part does not meet the standards for such devices.
US authorities felt that an oversensitive sensor could be accidentally pressed, causing injury to the driver or passengers.
As a result, Volkswagen will have to replace the buttons with others with more pronounced pressure sensing. But they will also be touch-sensitive – in the eighth generation Golf, the German automaker has reduced the number of “analog” buttons to a minimum.
Toyota bZX4 and falling wheels
Unlike Volkswagen buttons, the characteristics of which can only theoretically affect operational safety, the problem with Toyota electric crossover wheels is a real danger. In 2022, the Japanese automaker had to force car owners to urgently stop operating their bZX4 electric crossovers due to falling wheels on the go. Research has shown that after a short run, the hub bolts can become so loose that the wheel (or even a few) can no longer hold it.
An unfortunate malfunction affected about 2.7 thousand new electric crossovers, sales of which began in 2022. 2.6 thousand Solterra cars will also be recalled by Subaru for the same reason. Both crossovers were jointly developed by Japanese companies, are based on the same platform and are similar in design.
Skoda and a fault in the license plate
More than 1,800 Skoda Kodiaq crossovers were recalled in Russia in the spring of 2022 due to an error in the marking plate affixed by the manufacturer to the B-pillar. On behalf of crossovers released since 2021,
if the sign contains incorrect information about the vehicle type approval number (OTTS)
– A certificate of certification that allows the vehicle to be sold and operated in the country. False flagging does not affect traffic safety in any way, but this unfortunate oversight of the facility has become a major reason to declare a full-fledged recall campaign.
Tesla and pedestrian scare
The American automaker has had to terminate the Model S, Model X, Model Y and Model 3 vehicles it has produced in the last five years due to the malfunctioning of the pedestrian warning system. Since the units of the electric vehicle operate almost silently, Tesla broadcasts the sound through a special external speaker to warn people. At the same time, due to defective software, the beeper on some machines may turn off when the Boombox function is activated, which does not allow you to play music in the cabin alone. Since the pedestrian warning sound was standardized, replacing it with arbitrary music was considered the reason for the recall. As a result, the function of broadcasting tracks from the sound system to the street in Tesla will automatically turn off when the vehicle is in motion.
Nissan Pathfinder and dirt on the hood lock
More than 350,000 Nissan Pathfinder crossovers in various countries around the world, including the United States, Canada and South Korea, have been recalled for repair due to contamination of the hood support latch.
Although the main hood lock was working properly, a stuck latch was judged to be potentially dangerous.
– if the owner forgets to properly close the hood while driving or accidentally pulls the release lever. The problem manifested itself in cars produced in 2012-2016, and Nissan has not yet found an effective solution for it – in addition to replacing the lock, owners recommend cleaning them themselves if the unit begins to lose performance.