Here are a couple of recalls that might be of interest to an auto glass technician.
Ram ProMaster
The first is the Ram ProMaster for 2015. The manufacturing of the side air curtain uses a tape wrap that aids in its installation during the assembly process. The recall is specific as to its repair of the issue. The dealer is instructed to remove the offending tape from the air curtain as described in the Recall Communication # R19041715 below.
The reason that this may be of interest to the technician is because the technician frequently removes the interior garnish moldings during the replacement of the windshield or front vent part and the air curtain is exposed. Due to the technicians’ close proximity to the air bag system and the removal of the molding, it may be misconstrued that the technician may have something to do with the malfunction of the air curtain. This is obviously not the case and the technician should call attention to the recall before starting the installation. The formal recall text is below:
Report Receipt Date: APR 15, 2015
NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V223000
Component(s): AIR BAGS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 2,408
Vehicle Make, Model, Model Year(s)
- RAM PROMASTER 2015
Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC)
SUMMARY:
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ram ProMaster City vehicles manufactured November 6, 2014, to March 17, 2015. The affected cargo and passenger vehicles have side air bag inflatable curtains that, due to an installation issue, may not deploy properly. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, “Side Impact Protection.”
CONSEQUENCE:
In the event of a crash, side air bag inflatable curtains that do not deploy properly may increase the risk of vehicle occupant injury.
REMEDY:
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will modify the installation of side air bag inflatable curtains, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 12, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is R19.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
New Safety Recall Advanced Communication – R19041715
FCA US LLC announced a safety recall on certain 2015 model year (VM) RAM ProMaster City cargo and passenger vehicles.
Some of the above vehicles may have “A” pillar Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) that were manufactured with the incorrect type of assembly tape. The assembly tape may not allow the airbag to deploy as intended. This could cause an increased chance of injury during certain crash events. This may fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, “Side Impact Protection”.
FCA will conduct a voluntary safety recall on all involved vehicles to remove the incorrect assembly tape from the “A” pillar Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC).
Dealers will be notified of the launch of this safety recall by way of established methods used in the past.
We ask that you please take the time to ensure that your personnel are aware of this communication and are prepared to execute a customer friendly process for inquiries on involved vehicles. Customer
Services Field Operations, FCA US LLC
Mitsubishi Vehicles
The next issues is with the Mitsubishi Lancer and Outlander models. They have an Electronic Control Unit that is unstable and may cause the wipers, head lights and tail lights to malfunction and they also have a problem with the defroster blowers not working.
If the Technician notices that the wipers or defrosters do not work properly during the pre-inspection, it is likely the ECU component is not working or the blower motor needs replacing. The technician should notify the owner and explain the recall before beginning the installation. The full recall text is below:
Report Receipt Date: APR 20, 2015
NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V232000
Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Potential Number of Units Affected: 53,396
Vehicle Make, Model, Model Year(s)
- MITSUBISHI LANCER 2009-2010
- MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION 2010
- MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTBACK 2010
- MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2009-2010
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
SUMMARY:
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to July 6, 2010, 2009-2010 Outlander vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to August 27, 2010, 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to June 8, 2010, and 2010 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to August 4, 2010. The affected vehicles have an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the head lights, tail lights, and windshield wipers. Due to a manufacturing error, the voltage inside this ECU may be unstable.
CONSEQUENCE:
Unstable voltage could result in intermittent failure of the vehicle’s head lights, tail lights, and windshield wipers. If the headlights and/or windshield wipers fail, the driver could have reduced visibility. If the tail lights fail, the vehicle could be less visible. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
REMEDY:
Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected ECU, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi’s number for this recall is SR-15-002.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Report Receipt Date: APR 20, 2015
NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V233000
Component(s): VISIBILITY
Potential Number of Units Affected: 76,958
Vehicle Make, Model, Model Year(s)
- MITSUBISHI LANCER 2009-2011
- MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION 2010-2011
- MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTBACK 2010-2011
- MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2009-2011
- MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT 2011
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
SUMMARY:
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to January 7, 2011, 2009-2011 Outlander vehicles manufactured February 10, 2009, to June 22, 2011, and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to November 19, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the blower motor may fail.
CONSEQUENCE:
Failure of the blower motor may reduce the performance of the windshield defroster, diminishing the driver’s visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
REMEDY:
Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace a suspect blower motor, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi’s number for this recall is SR-15-003.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
