Florida Lemon Law Attorneys Blog

On Friday last, General Motors Co. announced that it is recalling more than 10,000 trucks and SUVs worldwide, to address two safety issues involving transmission and steering.

The majority of the recalls are for the 9,215 of the MY 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. This recall affects 6,700 vehicles sold in the United States.

It was reported that these vehicles could roll away when shifted into park. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it could result in a crash without a warning. The anomaly in the transmission was attributed to a faulty part manufactured in China. The defect in Colorado and Canyon vehicles was discovered when a vehicle failed to start while still at a GM assembly plant. The recall will be officially issued on the 19th of July. GM will install new automatic transmission adjustment clips.

In the second issue, GM is recalling 891 SUVs and trucks of the MY 2011 over steering problems. Of these, 739 vehicles alone are in the United States. There were reports of loose steering bolts which could result in joints separating, causing a complete loss of steering.

The 891 SUVs and trucks affected by that recall include:

• Cadillac Escalade
• Chevrolet Silverado
• Suburban
• Tahoe
• GMC Yukon
• Sierra

The recall notice will be sent to the owners of the affected vehicles on the 13th of July.

The affected vehicles will have their intermediate steering shaft bolts inspected and properly tightened to prevent loss of steering by the dealers.

According to GM, the two recalls neither involved crashes or injuries nor have they received any customer complaints regarding the defects.

The directives given above are not intended as legal advice. You may pursue your lemon law claim or any other dispute with your automobiles by being in communication with Florida Lemon Law Attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Toyota’s struggle appears to be never ending, be it the image-battering recalls or penalties for fatalities in their cars. Now, the nature’s fury in the form of March 11th Tsunami and earthquake adds to its woes.

While Japan was reeling under a serious disaster akin to the Hiroshima & Nagasaki in the aftermath of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, Toyota had not fared any better with a broken supply chain of key automotive parts.

The latest in the news is, Toyota is recalling 106,000 first-generation Prius hybrid cars globally. The recall is over an issue of faulty steering. It is alleged that the defect is caused by a nut that might come loose. There had been one minor accident reported related to the issue, in the US.

According to the Toyota Motor Corp. this recall would affect:

• 48,000 Prius vehicles in Japan, starting with the first Prius models that went on sale in 1997, and those manufactured during 2003
• 58,000 vehicles sold abroad, including 52,000 Prius cars in the US, 1,200 in Great Britain and 800 in Germany

According to Toyota, the loose nut in the electric-power steering over a long time can lead to a state where the vehicle would need greater force to steer it. The problem can be fixed by putting in better nuts and the fix would require just around four hours.

How the safety recalls have battered Toyota’s reputation?

• In the US and Canada, Toyota had recalled 34 Venza and 16 Sienna 2011 model vehicles to replace an insufficiently treated drive-shaft
• According to Toyota, the drive-shaft could break and cause the vehicle to stall
• Over the last two years, Toyota had announced recalls totaling to more than 14 million vehicles
• While its reputation came under a cloud of doubt, it faced lawsuits worth millions of dollars in the US

Amidst all the accusations, Toyota remains optimistic. Toyota hopes to be back to a ninety percent of production before the tsunami struck, in Japan by June which is much faster than was initially thought possible.

By the 28th of January in 2010, Toyota had announced recalls of:

• Approximately 5.2 million vehicles for the pedal entrapment/floor mat problem
• An additional 2.3 million vehicles for the accelerator pedal problem
• Approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both as certain Lexus and Pontiac models were affected
• Toyota widened the recall to include 1.8 million vehicles in Europe and 75,000 in China
• The total number of cars recalled by Toyota stood at 9 million worldwide

The silver lining

On the 8th of February in 2011, in collaboration with NASA, the NHTSA released its findings into the investigation of the Toyota drive-by-wire throttle system. After a 10 month probe, NASA and NHTSA scientists found no electronic defect in Toyota vehicles. Driver error or pedal misapplication was found responsible for most of the incidents. The report concluded that Toyota’s problems were mechanical but not electrical which included sticking accelerator pedals and pedals caught under floor mats.

Information given above is not intended as legal advice. You may continue your lemon law claim or any other contention with your automobiles by contacting Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Volkswagen of America Inc., a unit of German automaker Volkswagen AG, has voluntarily begun a safety recall. This recall affects 71,043 of its new Jetta Sedans over a possible wiring layout problem. The recall affects Jetta sedans of the MY 2011 built between March 2010 and March 2011.

According to the car maker:

• The recall of 71,043 Jetta cars of the MY 2011 is aimed at reconfiguring a wiring layout
• This wiring layout is associated with the anti-theft alarm system and horn
• The recall actually includes the sixth generation Jetta sedan vehicles built between March of 2010 and March of 2011

However, according to Volkswagen, there have been no reports of injuries or accidents related to this issue. The company has also informed that it will notify the owners of the affected vehicles through first class mail. The owners of the affected vehicles will be informed of the corrective measures and time required for repairs. VW has not yet announced the schedule for the recall yet.

In June 2010, Volkswagen recalled 15,902 Routan vehicles of the MY 2009. These vehicles were built between June 2008 and July 2009. These vehicles were recalled over a possible wiring problem which if not fixed could have led to a fire hazard.

The company informed the NHTSA that

• These vehicles must have been built with an improper routed wire harness
• This improper routed wire harness may have a condition where the lower sliding door hinge bracket can make contact with it
• If the lower sliding door hinge bracket makes contact with the wire harness, it can wear out the wire insulation

Earlier this month only, Volkswagen appeared hopeful that it is on track for profitable growth in 2011 and called 2010 the ‘most successful year’ in its history.

According to the Volkswagen of America, the Jetta sedans of the MY 2011 has a problem:

• Stemming from a fuse that protects the car’s anti-theft alarm and the converter box
• With the converter box that operates the windshield wipers and headlights
• As a short circuit in the horn which under certain circumstances can cause the lights and wipers to stop working
• As the lights and wipers stop working it could increase the risk of a crash

The auto giant reworked the Jetta for 2011 making the car appealing for more market share by partially cutting prices. While Volkswagen hopes that the car is an all-around improvement over past versions, critics and some of Jetta loyalists feel that Volkswagen’s redesign took toll of the fun and quality that were inherent to the car.

Under the recall, service technicians will reconfigure the wiring layout in a way that its horn and converter box do not share the same fuse.

Volkswagen’s redesigned 2011 Jetta sedan has been heavily advertised and promoted by its maker. In March, during its sales event, Volkswagen has offered a discounted auto lease incentive and low auto loan rates on the Jetta. The 2011 Jetta can be leased for $179 a month for 39 months with $1,999 due at signing.

The 2010 version of the Jetta can be purchased with 0 percent auto loan financing up to 60 months in March. The TDI Clean Diesel version of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is being offered with 3.99 percent auto loan financing up to 60 months.

Information given above is not intended as legal advice. You may continue your lemon law claim or any other contention with your automobiles by contacting Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Japanese manufacturer Honda issued a statement today announcing it had identified a problem with some of its 2006 and 2007 model years from the US. The recall will affect 36,656 Civic Hybrid vehicles.

According to Honda, the recall is over a component of the Integrated Motor Assist hybrid control system that is fitted in the respective vehicles. The component is the DC-to-DC converter that could fail to work properly and can lead to engine stalling and malfunction of vehicle headlights.

According to Honda, there have been no related incidents reported.

The American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will recall 36,656 Civic Hybrid vehicles from model years 2006 through 2007 in the US to replace this DC-to-DC converter, a component of the Integrated Motor Assist hybrid control system.

According to a company statement:

• The DC-to-DC converter may experience an internal failure
• The internal failure of the DC-to-DC converter could lead to engine stalling
• The internal failure of the DC-to-DC converter could cause the malfunction of vehicle headlights

Honda is announcing this recall to encourage all owners of affected vehicles to take their vehicles to an authorized dealer once they receive notification of the recall from Honda. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by the manufacturer starting from the 18th of March, and will be advised to take their cars to the dealers for proper inspection and repairs, if needed. All repairs will be conducted free of cost to the owners of the affected vehicles.

In addition to contacting customers by mail, after the 18th of March, owners of the vehicles affected will be able to determine if their vehicles require repairs by going on-line.

The directives given above are not intended as legal advice. You may pursue your lemon law claim or any other dispute with your automobiles by being in communication with Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Ford Motor Co. recalled more than 400,000 Windstar minivans in cold-weather states in the month of January. According to Ford Motor Co., the recall was for the safety repairs to fix brackets and mounts that could separate from the sub-frame of the vehicle and cause its driver to lose control. This recall is the latest over quality issue and it involves 425,288 older Windstar minivans of 1999-2003 model years. These 425,288 older Windstar minivans may have been sold or registered in 22 states and the District of Columbia. According to Ford, there were seven crashes and five minor injuries that were alleged to have resulted from this steering issue.

Earlier in August, Ford recalled more than 600,000 of the minivans in the US and Canada to address rear axles problems that resulted in their corrosion and breakage. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also has been investigating corrosion problems in the minivans in the 1999-2003 year models and the minivans are still under review by the agency. The recall of Windstar minivans covers brackets and mounts connected to the front sub-frame that carries the engine, trans-axle, steering rack and front suspension. According to an NHTSA post on its website, if the mounts separate from the frame the driver could experience reduced steering control.

The recall of Windstar minivans is limited to the states where road salt is used during winter, as the following:

• Connecticut and Delaware
• Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky
• Maine, Maryland and Massachusetts
• Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri
• New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York
• Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island
• Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin

The Windstar minivans were hugely covered by the media when a 28-year-old form Massachusetts was killed in October. The rear axle of his Windstar cracked in half and the vehicle went careening and crashed into a building. According to the family of the victim, they were not in receipt of any recall notice from Ford until a week after the crash.

The NHTSA issued a consumer advisory in November advising the owners of the Windstar minivans to bring their vehicles to a dealership immediately to be examined for signs of rear-axle corrosion. According to the NHTSA, only around 75,000 recalled minivans showed up at the dealerships for the recall repairs.

According to a Ford spokesman, the latest recall the auto company was responded by fewer than 100 complaints over the corrosion issue with the sub-frame. The low turn out was obviously due the presence of high-mileage-no-complaint older vehicles that are dependable for safe service over never ending miles.

According to Ford:

• It would notify owners of the affected vehicles in mid-February
• The dealers would inspect the vehicles and install reinforcement brackets as these parts become available
• If the vehicle does not pass inspection before the parts are available, Ford would provide a rental vehicle
• If the front sub-frame cannot be fixed, the company would consider buying the vehicle back

The above instructions are not meant as legal advice. You may persist your lemon law claim or any other issue with your automobiles by contacting Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Do you own the same car for a very long time?

Are you considering selling your favorite car and get a trendier car?

If so, how do you plan to increase the resale value of your car?

The secret is to keep your old car as good as new.

• A car is our most expensive investment. Sadly, a new car tends to depreciate as soon as it leaves the showroom and continues to do so even after it is older than two years. This however, should not stop you from being proud of it.
• We tend to take pride in showing it off to our friends, colleagues, and of course while on road. This is possible as long as a car is kept in top condition. When we keep our car shining like new car it adds value to itself without our knowing it.
• One would not be surprised if somebody makes a passing remark about the supposed value close to the show room price.
• An impressive car costs more than it should despite its age. By taking good care of your car you not only are increasing its resale value, saving on bigger repairs but you are also extending its youth. Meanwhile if you had lost your heart to a newer edition or other brand you might consider selling it as a used car. Your old car fetches you a very good price because it is in top condition.

Here are some useful tips that will help you keep your car looking new:

• A day or two spent giving your car a wash, polish and interior cleaning will give your car a look it deserves for its loyalty to you
• Give the exterior of the car a good wash, rinse and remove all loose water with a chamois leather
• Give the vehicle a coat of wax and polish
• Clean the bits around the doors and inside the boot and the wheel arches
• Treat your car to a silicon based spray for bumper and rim restore
• Tire blacking spray will add to the sheen of the vehicle for a profitable resale
• Check for large stone chips and scratches
• Fill or re-spray body knocks, if any

Look at the wheels closely:

• If the hubs of your car are badly ‘kerbed’ you might need to replace them
• If your car has badly damaged alloys, buy repair kits or let a specialist handle them

To give it a really good look:

• Consider giving the engine a wipe-over or a steam clean
• Prevent blasts of hot steam on older cars as it can spoil its delicate components
• A simple wipe-out with a wet cloth removes caked grease, grime and dust

Look under the bonnet:

• Get all the old leaves out of the air intakes
• Top up the coolants and hydraulic tanks

The directives given above are not intended as legal advice. You may pursue your lemon law claim or any other dispute with your automobiles by being in communication with Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Car dealers generally do not prefer to carry the previous year’s models into the next calendar year. This tradition which is nothing but just another clearance sale that will be observed this year end too. Go ahead and make the best out of this year-end deals on the outgoing models and save lots of money.

This year, the German car-maker is offering its dealers $10,000 to clear out the last of the 2010 S-class sedans. If the improvements on the newer models are going to be relatively minor, never say no to the deal on the 2010 model cars. These cars may be lacking in the high tech lane-departure- warning or blind-spot-detection features, however, the cash you may save will be worth it. Supposing, the 2010 S-class sedan has a base sticker price of $91,600 with a $10,000 incentive, you can own this great car for well under $80,000.

If you have for long been dreaming of owning a luxury sedan but were put off by the price, you have an opportunity to realize your dream now. The Acura RL, at $46,830, is a great mid-sized luxury sedan packed with technology. Sadly the Acura RL was often given a step motherly treatment by hard core luxury car shoppers. Now Acura is paying dealers $4,000 for the 2010 RL. Now you can also buy yourself a cute little convertible, 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata with a $3,500 cash rebate.

Following are some of the other outgoing models you can choose from:

• Nissan’s Titan is a very capable truck priced at $34,270 and is currently offering a $5,500 rebate or 0% financing
• Chevy’s Silverado pickup comes with generous incentives to stay up with the competition with a $5,000 cash rebate, plus $1,000 bonus cash on its sticker price of $31,290
• The $34,560 Lexus HS 250h compact sedan comes with $3,000 bonus cash and a $750 bonus to active U.S. military forces
• If you are lucky, you may even find a good deal on new-model-year vehicles, like the 2011 Buick Enclave, which starts at $35,615 with a $2,000 rebate
• Volvo is offering $5,500 to dealers, plus a $1,000 loyalty rebate to customers who would like to trade in their current Volvo
• 2010 Dodge Charger with a sticker price of $24,590 comes with a $3,000 rebate, plus $1,500 loyalty cash if you’re trading in a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle

Why is a clearance sale treated as a special event by the car dealers?

• Car-makers get their inventory refurbished with the latest seasonal trends
• Once the car sales pick up in spring they will increase production accordingly
• Car-makers generally prefer to keep only about 60 days’ worth of inventory on dealer lots
• If the supplies go beyond 75 or 100 days, they offer more incentives on their models, especially by the end of the year

­Information given above is not intended as legal advice. You may continue your lemon law claim or any other contention with your automobiles by contacting Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Nissan Motor Co. is recalling more than 600,000 vehicles in North and South America and Africa due to steering or battery cable problems. According to Nissan, about 240,000 Frontiers, 261,000 Xterras and 14,000 Sentras are affected in the U.S alone.

The Japanese auto maker Nissan Motor Co. said on the 11th that the steering recall affects

• 303,000 Frontier pickup trucks over a corrosion problem with the lower steering column joint: The recall is made because of a corrosion problem with the lower steering column joint. This corrosion on the shaft can limit steering movement which in turn can, make it very difficult to steer. In extreme cases the corrosion can cause the joint to crack

This recall affects the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and other Latin American countries.

The Frontiers covered by the recall are

• From the 2002 through 2004 model years
• Made from July 9th, 2001, to Oct. 20th, 2004, in Smyrna, Tenn., for the North American market
• Made from Nov. 30th , 2001, to June 26th , 2008, in Curitiba, Brazil, for South and Central American markets

The Japanese auto maker Nissan Motor Co. also said on the 11th that the steering recall affects:

• 283,000 Xterra sport utility vehicles for a corrosion problem with the lower steering column joint
• The 2002-2004 North American Xterras in the recall were made from July 9th, 2001, to Jan. 6th, 2005, also at the Smyrna plant
• Xterras made from Feb. 17th , 2003, to June 13th, 2008, in Curitiba, Brazil, for South and Central American markets also are affected

Nissan Recalls 18,500 Sentra sedans for a battery cable terminal connector problem

• Nissan also is recalling 18,500 Sentra sedans
• The recall is over a problem of their battery cable terminal connector
• In the worst scenario the issue can make it difficult to start the cars. Worse it can stall the cars at low speeds

Nissan also said it will replace the positive battery cable terminal on affected Sentras. The vehicles were built at the Aguascalientes, Mexico, plant from May 22nd, 2010 to July 8th, 2010.

The company says no injuries or accidents have been reported because of either issue. The auto maker will notify owners in early December just as the spare parts are available. The fix of the problem by the dealers is free of cost to the owners.

According to Nissan, the steering problem was discovered from cases in Brazil and Canada. There have been no field reports in the U.S. It is speculated that the isolated field reports from Brazil and Canada are likely related to their unique environmental conditions. These environmental conditions in combination with a greater percentage of off-pavement usage have most likely have precipitated the problem.

The above instructions are not meant as legal advice. Please direct your specific questions to Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., who will handle your lemon law claims for consumers in Indiana or call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

Ferrari announced a recall of 303 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia cars in the US. This recall was because of glue leakage onto the exhaust system. This leakage could cause a fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The U.S. recall was just a part of a global recall of the supercar that involved 1,248 of the 458 Italia vehicles. This recall was said to be the largest recall in the history of Ferrari.

According to the NHTSA

• The heat created by the engine could cause possible deformation of the rear right-hand and left-hand wheelhouse and heat shield assemblies
• In the worst scenario the assembly could come excessively close to the exhaust system and cause the bonding adhesive used in the assembly to overheat and produce smoke
• Under particularly high ambient operating temperature this could cause the adhesive to ignite resulting in a vehicle fire
• Should the adhesive ignite it would render the vehicle inoperable and possibly result in a crash

The legally required defect information report filed with NHTSA was dated August 31 following which the Ferrari has proposed the campaign for all Ferrari 458 Italia vehicles manufactured till August 2010. However, a Ferrari North America spokesman refuses to recognize the campaign a recall in the first place.

According to reports this recall was possibly the largest in the history of the luxury sports-car. The Ferrari recall followed the pictures and videos posted on the Internet of Ferrari 458s bursting into flames across the world. Five such incidents were reported in California, Paris, Switzerland and China.

The recall was expected to begin at an unspecified date in September last.

According to the NHTSA Ferrari dealers would

• Remove the existing heat shields and bonding adhesive from the right-hand and left-hand rear wheelhouses
• Install new protective heat shields on the right-hand and left-hand rear wheelhouses

Ferrari owners were supposed to contact the automaker at 201-816-2600.

The $230,000 458 Italia was launched at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.

The above instructions are not meant as legal advice. You may persist your lemon law claim or any other issue with your automobiles by contacting Florida lemon law attorneys of Krohn & Moss Ltd., or Call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.

On Monday, the US traffic authority NHTSA said that the German luxury car maker Daimler will recall about 85,000 Mercedes Benz C- and E-class autos in the United States. This recall is to fix a problem with power steering systems. According to a Daimler spokesman the recall might extend to other countries as well. This Mercedes Benz recall affects 2010 Mercedes C-Class and the 2010 and 2011 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet models.

It is suspected that a problem with the steering system’s pump could lead to a loss of fluid. According to the NHTSA announcement on its website, should this problem surface the owners may not have sufficient control of the vehicle in places like parking lots, where maximum power steering is required, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash, though the Daimler spokesman assured that drivers did retain control of the car even in the event of a power steering failure.

According to the NHTSA, Mercedes plans to fix the problem in 2010 and 2011 models this month by re-tightening a faulty fitting. This recall includes 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class models together with 2010 and 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet models manufactured between June 1st , 2009 and February 28th , 2010. The giant motor company reported to the regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that it was possible the steering may fail due to the loss of power steering fluid. Mercedes added that if that happened a crash could occur if drivers lost control of the vehicle. The company’s advice to its customers is to return any of the vehicles concerned in the recall to dealers where a free check on the power steering system will be carried out.

Owners may ask their dealers to check the steering systems for free. Repair would only take 30 minutes according to Mercedes-Benz UK spokesman. Daimler, the Mercedes Benz parent company, says a connection fitting wasn’t adequately tightened that could lead to fluid leakage.

Mercedes-Benz USA would be calling the owners of the 2010 and 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet models manufactured between June 1, 2009 and February 28, 2010 this month. They are also advised to contact MBUSA at 800-376-6372.

Auto recalls have increased this year in the wake of the Toyota gas pedal defects that had reportedly caused more than 50 deaths in the US. Toyota paid $16.4 million in settlement claims for the gas pedal defects.

The latest auto recalls were of the Hyundai Sonata and BMW. On October 1st, Daimler’s German rival BMW said that it would recall 350,800 high-powered BMW and Rolls-Royce automobiles worldwide because of brake problems. A BMW spokesman however emphasized the brake problems were not so dangerous.

This information is not intended as legal advice. If you want to pursue your lemon law claim or If you have any problem with your automobiles contact Jeffrey, the Florida lemon law attorney of Krohn & Moss, Ltd, who will handle your lemon law claims for consumers in Florida or call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation.