November 28, 2002

October vehicle recalls announced

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced vehicle recalls for the month of October:

DaimlerChrysler Corporation is recalling 116,029 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans, model year 2002, to repair a fuel tank control valve weld joint that could separate resulting in a possible fuel leak.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 369,614 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable models equipped with adjustable accelerator and brake pedals, model years 2000 to 2002, to check the distance between the pedals. Simultaneous application of both the brake and accelerator pedals could result in an increase in engine speed. This could result in a customer experiencing an "unintended vehicle speed increase" or a perceived "unable to stop" condition. Owners will be instructed as to the proper way to set the position of the pedals and to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the spacing between the brake and accelerator pedals measured. If the spacing is found to be less than 50mm, the dealer will adjust the pedals to increase the distance between them to greater than 50 mm.

General Motors is recalling 1,448 Hummer H2 and Saturn L-Series, model year 2003, to inspect and replace a potentially faulty wiper motor. GM is also recalling 46 GMC Envoy and Chevrolet Trailblazers, model year 2002, to inspect for missing welds on the rear floor plan. If the welds are missing, GM will exchange the vehicle for an equivalent vehicle or issue a refund of the purchase price.

Subaru is recalling 163,243 Legacy, Outback, Forester, Impreza and Baja models, model years 2001 to 2003, to replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "P" (Park) position, the transmission park mechanism, which is intended to hold the vehicle, may not engage. The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota is recalling 59,394 unspecified models, model years 2001 to 2002, to replace rear brake lines that could be damaged by accumulated frozen snow and ice in the rear wheel well.

Volkswagen is recalling 61 Audi A6 models, model year 2003, to replace the driverŐs airbag because an improperly positioned igniter will not activate the air bag in the event of a crash.

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