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. Typically, at the next ignition cycle, power assist is regained and the Driver Information Centre message will be off. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, which could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury.
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 motor replaced.
On certain vehicles, corrosion may form in the lower steering column joint and limit the movement of the joint. Limited movement of this joint may create excessive load on the lower steering column shaft and, if the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, may lead to cracking of the shaft during low speed manoeuvres that require large steering inputs. In an extreme case, the shaft may break which would result in loss of steering control and could result in a crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the affected column shafts and joints.
Certain vehicles may experience a separation at the crimped end of the power steering pressure hose assembly, resulting in power steering fluid leakage which could cause a fire.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the power steering pressure hoses.
On certain vehicles, the power steering system may fail due to the loss of power steering fluid. A fitting on the high-pressure power steering line at the connection to the pump may not have been sufficiently torqued during the production process. Over time this may result in the fitting backing-off which could cause a loss of power steering fluid. A loss of power steering could result in a vehicle crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the connection fitting. The O-ring seal will be replaced as a precautionary measure in all cases where the connection fitting shows evidence of loosening.
On certain vehicles, processing of the crimp during manufacture of the power steering pressure line may have damaged the line. If the line was damaged, a power steering fluid leak may develop. If there is a sufficient amount of fluid loss, the driver will hear noise from the power steering pump and increased effort may be required for steering. If power steering fluid flows onto hot engine parts, an engine compartment fire could occur which may result in property damage or personal injury.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the power steering line on vehicles equipped with a 2.8L engine (LAU). Dealers will also inspect, and if necessary replace the power steering line on vehicles equipped with a 3.0L engine (LF1).
On certain vehicles, the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connection may have been improperly assembled or insufficiently tightened. A loose or improperly tightened connection may produce noise or a steering feel which is loose or unresponsive. If these signals were to go undetected or no action was taken by the driver, a separation of the joint could result, leading to a loss of ability to steer the front wheels and increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten steering column u-joint bolts to specs.
On certain vehicles with Electro-Hydraulic Power Assist Steering (EHPAS), rust had formed inside the high-pressure pipe on the power steering system during manufacturing due to improper processing. Rust particles may detach from the pipe walls and enter the motorized power steering pump, causing damage to the pump bearings. As a result, gear lubrication may be reduced, leading to an increased load on the motor. Should this happen, there is the potential for the power steering system to enter the fail safe mode in order to prevent overheating, resulting in the power steering warning lamp to light and the motorized pump to stop which could lead to a loss of power assist and the required steering effort will increase.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will flush the power steering system and repair as necessary.
On certain motorcycles, an incorrect screw may have been installed in the steering head assembly.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering head screw. *** This notice is provided for information purposes only as no affected motorcycles were sold in Canada. ***
DUCATI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 MULTISTRADA 1200 MOTORCYCLES. DURING PRODUCTION AN INCORRECT SCREW MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE MOTORCYCLE'S STEERING HEAD. THIS SITUATION COULD CAUSE THE STEERING HEAD TO POSSIBLY BECOME LOOSE DURING NORMAL OPERATION.
Safety Risk
ANY LOOSENING OF THE STEERING HEAD COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THE MOTORCYCLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALER WILL REPLACE THE STEERING HEAD SCREW WITH THE CORRECT SCREW. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DUCATI AT 1-800-231-6696.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
Safety Risk
SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
On certain vehicles, a minute crack may develop on the surface of the steering lock bar, which is a component of the steering interlock system. Such a crack may expand over a period of repeated lock and unlock operations, and eventually the lock bar could break. If this occurs, the interlock system may become difficult to unlock when stationary. If the vehicle is steered to the right while in motion with sufficient lateral acceleration, a broken and loose lock bar may move toward the steering shaft. If the engagement hole in the shaft happens to line up at the specific time the broken lock bar has moved, this could cause the steering wheel lock bar to engage, resulting in a sudden loss of steering control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering interlock device.
On certain vehicles, a snap ring on the steering shaft may disengage when the vehicle experiences an unusually severe impact to the front wheels, such as striking a deep pothole. If the snap ring becomes disengaged and the steering wheel is then repeatedly turned to the locked position, over time the steering shaft may become disconnected, resulting in a sudden loss of steering control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering shaft snap ring with an updated version.
On certain vehicles, the steering control Electronic Control Unit (ECU) programming for the Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) system can cause the steering wheel to become off-centered by up to 90 degrees. This may occur after the driver fully turns the steering wheel in one direction and then quickly attempts to turn it back to the center position. Should this occur while driving, the risk of a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death is increased.
On certain vehicles, the center position of the Steering Angle Sensor (SAS) may not be stored correctly due to improper logic of skid control ECU programming. If this occurs, in most cases the VSC/TRAC warning light will illuminate. However, in limited situations the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system could activate at low speed (approximately 15 km/hr) for a few seconds after acceleration from a stopped position, and the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects. This could increase the risk of a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death.
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 property damage, personal injury or death.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor.
On certain vehicles, the steering gear housing cover screw may have been manufactured out of specification and the axial tension between the screw and gear housing may deteriorate over time. This could allow the screw to gradually loosen, which will cause the steering wheel to exhibit noticeable looseness from the steering assembly. If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, the screw may eventually come out of the steering gear housing. If large steering inputs are made with the cover screw missing, the pinion shaft may come out of the steering gear. This may result in a loss of steering control, which could lead to a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect whether the steering gear cover screw is loose. If it is loose, it will be retightened to the proper specification. In addition, the dealer will install a cover plate to prevent the screw from possibly coming out of the steering gear.
BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL IS RECALLING 9,932 MY 2008-2010 CAN-AM SPYDER ROADSTER GS MOTORCYCLES. A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE OPERATOR OF AN INVOLVED VEHICLE MAY NEED TO EXERT A FORCE GREATER THAN EXPECTED TO INITIATE THE TURNING OF THE STEERING HANDLEBAR OFF CENTER IN ORDER TO CORRECT VEHICLE DRIFT FROM A STRAIGHT LINE PATH. THIS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED STEERING CONTROL INPUT TORQUE MAY CAUSE A STEERING ANGLE OVERSHOOT AND AN UNEXPECTED DEVIATION OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE OPERATOR'S INTENDED PATH.
Safety Risk
IF THIS OCCURS, IT CAN LEAD TO A TEMPORARY OUT OF LANE EXCURSION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH WITH OTHER TRAFFIC AND OR A DRIVE OFF THE ROAD.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE/REPAIR THE APPROPRIATE COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL AT 1-866-767-0707.
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.
Safety Risk
A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5.
On certain vehicles, the hardware that secures the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear may have been incorrectly assembled and could loosen. Should the intermediate steering shaft detach from the steering gear a loss of steering control would occur. This could result in a vehicle crash causing property damage, personal injury or death.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, correct the assembly.
On certain vehicles, the front spindles may not have received adequate heat treatment during the manufacturing process. As a result, the spindle may fracture, allowing the spindle and wheel assembly to separate from the vehicle while underway. This could cause a loss of vehicle control and a crash. In addition, the errant wheel assembly could strike a vehicle, property, or a bystander, which could result in personal injury or death.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the front spindles.
