Buzzin' Back

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over in The States says that the ID.Buzz's third-row bench seat is too wide and three people could sit on it.

I wouldn't describe it as a "bench" and I wouldn't want to be the third person if they were sat in the middle:

Car+Driver have the story here.

It has led to a recall with the rear seat being made narrower.  They say they will add unpadded trim to limit the seating surface width of the third-row bench.

Haven't a clue what they mean by that AND IT ISN'T A BENCH!

Seems a bit over the top to me - if someone sits in the middle then gets thrust forward to their death in a collision because they haven't got a seatbelt on - then that is misadventure and not Volkswagen's fault.

Things were much simpler in the olden days!

Recalling when Leyland Daf were British

I've done loads of stories about recalls.

Like this one.

And this one.

Then there was this one.

And of course this one.

And this one.

Closely followed by this one.

All of them suitably stupid.

Like today's one from drive.com.au

Remember when LDVs were British?

Well now they are Chinese.

And 932 of them are being recalled due to a faulty Website.

I'm not too sure we should be using the word "recall" every time.  The Tesla one involved a software drop and this one involves owners throwing away any specification sheets obtained from the LDV Automotive website.

We should have Recalls, Patches and Booboos.

This particular Booboo, could result in "increased braking distances and/or reduced braking performance" or "reduced steering response which may lead to the vehicle to rollover."

And apparently, "A reduction or a loss in braking performance, a reduced steering response and/or vehicle rollover could result in a serious accident to the vehicle occupants or other road users that can lead to severe injury or death."

Death by website.

Toyota 1120000, RAM 243

If I recall correctly, two weeks ago I pointed out Tesla winning a Recall score with Toyota.

Now Toyota have fought back and, along with their posher brethren over at Lexus, recalled approximately 1.12 million cars which have airbags that may not understand if there is a child in the deployment zone or not.

This is on the same day that RAM announced it was recalling 243 RAM 1500s.

Funnily enough the RAM 1500 DOESN'T have a 1500cc engine - this differentiates it from the Triumph 1500 which did.

Anyway, it took me some time to get my head around this story.

"Due to a manufacturing defect, the locking bracket installed to secure the centre front seat in the down position may not operate as intended.

This seating position is not fitted with a seatbelt and could be used by an occupant if the locking bracket does not function correctly.

In the event of a collision, an unrestrained occupant would be exposed to the risk of serious injury or death."

So they are saying that the front-central seat lock-down bracket can fail meaning that you could use the front-central seat as a seat.

At this point, I should point out that I got these stories, like a lot of my recall stories, from Australian site drive.com.au

RAMs converted to right-hand drive for the Aussie market have the front central seat fixed down so it can't be used - don't know why - I guess it must be something to do with the conversion.

So if the lock-down bracket fails and the seat actually CAN physically be used as a seat, why not install the seatbelt?  Otherwise, rather than have a locked-down seat, take it out altogether and put some storage there.  It feels like the Yanks are mocking the Aussies - G'Day Bruce, look at this seat we won't let you sit on!

"Owners have been told to not allow occupants to use the front centre seat until the repair is completed."

At which point, they won't be able to sit on the front centre seat!

Strewth!

Tesla 2000000, Toyota 1

That isn't an impressive home win for Tesla.

Two recall stories today.

Tesla recalls two million cars in the US over Autopilot defect while Toyota recalls one in Australia which hasn't even been sold yet.

Although that should probably read...

Tesla "recalls" two million cars in the US over Autopilot defect while Toyota "recalls" one in Australia which hasn't even been sold yet.

The Tesla recall will involve an over-the-air software update and the Aussie Toyota is already at the local dealers.  Here's a helpful picture of what the Toyota Supra (for that is what we are discussing) in question would look like (if it's blue and somebody has risked taking it out of the dealership)

I can't recall the actual colour.

It's Behind You!

What is? 2021?

Well, today is December 31st - the traditional day for looking back.

But you won't be able to do that if you own certain Tesla Model 3's from model years 2017 to 2020.

This Car+Driver story explains how cars of that ilk are being recalled due to a rear camera failure caused by opening and shutting the boot too often.  This will obviously affect anyone wanting to see what is behind them when reversing.

I'm not convinced how big a story this is - I'm only using it as an excuse to get one last post into 2021.

You see, if the rear-view camera has failed and affected drivers want to go backwards, they are going to have to do what I have been doing throughout my driving career...

...and LOOK OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW!!

Mario Can't

...install door handles properly.

I don't know his real name - I've gone with Mario because it is a popular Italian name but this one rogue employee who has been described as "non-properly trained" has caused the recall of 26 Lamborghini Aventador SVJs - which doesn't sound a lot but does represent 3% of the production run.

That information and this photo showing the offending strip of orange vinyl...

 ...just behind the steering wheel come from this Car+Driver story.

It could lead to persons being trapped inside a car designed for speed rather than comfort as highlighted by this quote from the Autocar Review of the car:

"Should you never have the opportunity to slide aboard an SVJ, you can simulate the procedure by placing a child’s booster seat underneath your kitchen table."

I can't tell if it has opening windows or not -  there is an open-top flavour of the SVJ but even if you are stuck inside the roofed one holding a strip of colour-co-ordinated vinyl, or leather if you believe Autocar, the probability of both handles failing at the same time has got to be pretty slim - as you would need to be to get out assuming those windows do open.

As for Mario, just imagine being his boss having to tell your boss what has happened.

Braking News

The Ford Ecosport is being recalled!

For those of you not familiar with this vehicle, it's an American car that always gets me briefly excited before I realise it doesn't say "Escort".

 

Actually, it's an SUV and therefore very un-exciting.

 

Autoguide have the story of the recall here.

 

Apparently, around 273 of these SUVs have been supplied with European User Manuals and fitted with European brake fluid reservoir caps!

Oh no!  That's illegal apparently.

 

The good news is that, "Ford dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap and owners’ manual kit with the proper US versions free of charge"

 

Why not just post them out?

 

What's the worst that can happen?  Some Americans get confused between US and Imperial Gallons?

 

I give you what happened last time.

Cylinder Blocked

To quote Autoguide, "2018 Toyota Camry Recalled for Unusual Engine Issue."

It doesn't affect us here in the UK, The Camry has gone the same way as the Honda Accord.

The story is here.

Apparently, there are some engines out there, where the (quoting Autoguide again) "engines could have pistons larger in diameter than the original specification."

In other words, they are too fat.

How could an engine even work if the pistons are too fat?

And how could that even happen?

Here's the picture they use from the production line:

No clues there then.

Sticky Trunk Latch

Not to be confused with this sticky lunch batch:

A sticky trunk latch is something that is apparently afflicting Ferrari 458s.

 

According to this Autoguide story, Ferrari are recalling the cars due to this fault.  Being an Ameriican story, they refer to the trunk as the bit of the car wher you put your luggage, what we Brits would call "the boot" or, since it is at the front of the car where the engine (motor) normally lives, we could be forgiven for calling it "the bonnet".

 

However, whilst irritating, it's not really a big deal not being able to easily get at your overnight bag now is it?

 

Well, this is an American story remember.  And they have extra laws over there to protect people who have been stuffed into car trunks (as opposed to swimming trunks or elephant trunks) by Mafiosos, psychopaths, debt collectors etc.  In fact they have to have a little handle in there that can be pulled from inside to allow escape.  Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 401 is the rule that Autoguide quote.

 

Only problem with this recall is the size of a Ferrari 458 trunk:

Recalling Picasso

D'Oh!










Another BBC story today, and it's also a trailer for Watchdog. I'm surprised the rest of the motoring media hasn't picked up on this one because it is a howler - and a dangerous one at that.

The Citroen C3 Picasso......an attracive (if cubist) car, was, unsurprisingly for a Citroen, designed in France - where they drive on the right side of the road. That is right as in "left/right" not right as in "right/wrong" - after all, we all know that the left is the right side to drive on. (That sentence won't make a lot of sense if translated from English!)

Now to convert this car to drive on the left, you need to move the controls to be on the right and therein lay the problem.

I've experienced problems with French cars before - I think the pedal positioning of the RHD Peugeot 206s, for instance, is an accident waiting to happen.

But the C3 Picasso's problem is that, rather than move the whole brake mechanism, they put a bar running the width of the car where the pedals go. This means that someone stretching out in the passenger seat, can move the bar and apply the brakes.

This could lead to some serious rear-ending - leaving you with a face like this...










Apparently reluctantly, Citroen are recalling more than 20,000 cars.

Enough to make you weep...