On certain vehicles equipped with diesel engines, service replacement steering gears, installed after June 30, 2014, may not properly mount to the frame rail due to insufficient clearance. This could result in insufficient clamp load on the joints, which over time may cause fatigue of one or more of the steering gear retention bolts. If the steering gear bolts were to fatigue, one or more of the bolts could fracture, which could result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will install spacers between the gear and the frame rail to add clearance and ensure adequate clamp load to the joints.
On certain vehicles, the steering column upper bearing retainer may fail due to a manufacturing defect. if this occurs, the upper bearing may experience additional stress causing excessive play in the steering wheel. This could result in vehicle instability and increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace steering shaft on EX35/FX35/45 and replace steering column assembly on GT-R.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured August 7, 2013, to August 20, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the intermediate steering shaft which connects the steering wheel and the steering gear box may have an inadequate weld.
Safety Risk
If the intermediate steering shaft weld fails, there would be a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on March 6, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
On certain vehicles, the intermediate shaft that connects the steering wheel to the steering gear box might have been improperly welded during manufacturing. If the vehicle is continuously operated in this condition, the weld could separate, which could result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Certain vehicles equipped with electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but will require greater driver effort. The sudden change in steering may increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly with a redesigned one.
Certain vehicles equipped with electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but will require greater driver effort. The sudden change in steering may increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage.
Certain vehicles may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but will require greater driver effort particularly at low vehicle speeds. The sudden change in steering may increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the power steering assist motor.
Certain vehicles serviced as part of recall 2013-287 (13S08) or special service campaign 13R01 may require re-inspection and repair. The service procedure may have resulted in over-extension of one part of a collapsible joint in the intermediate steering shaft. This could potentially result in the shaft becoming disconnected, resulting a loss of steering, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the intermediate shaft connection and replace the intermediate shaft if necessary.
On certain model 2500/3500 HD vehicles, power steering hose clamps may not have been properly attached. This could allow the hose to disconnect from the power steering pump or steering gear, causing a power steering fluid leak. This would result in a loss of power steering assist and hydraulic assist brakes, unexpectedly increasing steering and brake pedal effort and potentially increasing stopping distances and the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the clamps to ensure they are properly attached.
On certain vehicles, the steering column may have been assembled incorrectly. As a result, the sliding shaft could potentially become disengaged from the steering coupling socket. This could result in noise, steering backlash, and a potential loss of steering control, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect, and confirm that the steering coupling interlock mechanism is in the locked position.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 4Matic and C400 4Matic vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to September 18, 2014. If the steering coupling interlock mechanism is not locked in place, the sliding shaft, which is part of the steering column, could become disengaged from the steering coupling socket due to vibrations, steering thrust, or load feedback from the road surface.
Safety Risk
If the sliding shaft becomes disengaged from the steering coupling socket, the driver may experience noises, steering backlash, and in a worst case, loss of steering control, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
MBUSA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the steering coupling interlock mechanism to verify that it is in the locked position, free of charge. The recall began on October 1, 2014. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2014090008.
Triumph Motorcycles America, LTD (Triumph) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R motorcycles manufactured July 1, 2012, to October 1, 2013, and equipped with ABS. In the affected motorcycles, the four bolts that secure the two cable guides on either side of the headstock do not contain threadlock. As a result, the bolts could loosen.
Safety Risk
If the bolts loosen, steering movement could be restricted, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Triumph will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four bolts with new bolts containing threadlock, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2014. Owners may contact Triumph customer service at 1-678-854-2010. Triumph's number for this recall is Service Bulletin 501.
1,368 vehicles affectedMfr ref: Service bulletin 501
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Focus and C-Max vehicles manufactured August 8, 2014, to August 15, 2014. The affected vehicles may have steering gears that were incorrectly assembled.
Safety Risk
The incorrectly manufactured steering gears may cause impaired steering, including the loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S18.
On certain vehicles, the steering gear may have been manufactured with an insufficient number of ball bearings. This could affect steering system function, or result in a loss of steering control, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
On certain vehicles, a fault in the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system could result in an immediate loss of power steering assist without warning to the driver. This would unexpectedly increase the steering effort force necessary to steer the vehicle at lower vehicle speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Vehicles will receive a special extended warranty coverage of 10 years/240,000 km from first registration. Under this special coverage program, vehicles which experience this condition will have the electric power steering module replaced.
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.
Safety Risk
A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured January 27, 2014, to May 12, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the stabilizer link fasteners may come loose and possibly interfere with the steering of the vehicle.
Safety Risk
A loose stabilizer link may interfere with the vehicle's steering, requiring additional effort to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front stabilizer links, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40K9/1W.
On certain vehicles, the steering gear to steering column intermediate shaft connection bolts and front lower control arm ball joint bolts may not have been tightened to specification. If these bolts were to loosen, a loss of steering control could result, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the joints and verify fastener torque.
On certain vehicles, the power steering hose attenuator may collapse and cause a restriction in the hose as well as a reduction in power steering assist. This would unexpectedly increase steering effort, potentially resulting in a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Improperly torqued fasteners may cause the steering intermediate shaft and the steering gear and/or the lower control arm and the lower ball joint to separate.
Safety Risk
If any of the components separate, the vehicle may have a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
GM began to notify owners on June 27, 2014, and dealers will inspect the fasteners for correct torque, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14378.
