Honda recalls 81,000 Accord sedans over air bag warning light

Honda Motor Co. is recalling 81,000 of its 2004-2005 Accord sedans because of issues that could cause an air bag-related sensor to fail, the company said Wednesday.

Honda said in a Jan. 9 letter to the government that the wiring harness for the seat position sensor, which detects the driver's seating position and adjusts the air bag inflation pressure accordingly, was attached in the wrong location and may have been overtightened.

Honda said the sensor wire could break and cause the air bag warning light to be illuminated and prevent the sensor from working properly. When the sensor fails, the air bag system automatically moves to full inflation pressure, which could increase the risk of injury for smaller drivers in a frontal crash, the Japanese automaker said.

Honda spokesman Chris Naughton said the company was not aware of any injuries or incidents connected to the recall.

The recall is expected to begin in early February, and dealers will replace the seat position sensor wiring subharness, Honda said.

Owners can contact Honda at (800) 999-1009.

Toyota and Nissan issue safety recalls over mats and gas tubes

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling optional ``all-weather'' floor mats in 55,000 Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry passenger cars because the mat could interfere with the gas pedal and lead to a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a consumer advisory about the heavy-duty rubber floor mats, noting that if unsecured, the map could move forward and trap the gas pedal, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably.

In a separate move, Nissan Motor Co. said it was recalling nearly 420,000 sport utility vehicles because of possible corrosion in the tube where motorists pump gasoline.

The recall involves Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4 SUVs from the 1997-2001 model years. More than 370,000 of the vehicles under recall were originally sold or are currently registered in 22 ``cold weather'' U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Another 45,000 vehicles are in Canada.

In the Toyota recall, NHTSA urged drivers of other vehicles, including the Avalon and Prius, to check the driver-side floor mats to ensure they were properly installed. NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson said it was taking the step ``because we believe potentially it is a very serious safety issue.''

Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the automaker had not received any complaints about the Avalon and Prius. In some cases, he said the floor mats _ used to collect rain water, mud and snow _ were stacked on top of the original carpet mats and wedged up against the accelerator.

The vehicle has hooks on the floor that can only secure one mat at a time.

Toyota has received 22 complaints and learned of six accidents allegedly connected to the issue. Kwong said they did not know of any injuries linked to the mats.

The Japanese-based automaker plans to notify owners in early October and expects replacement mats to be available at dealerships by late November.

In a statement, Toyota advised owners to regularly check that their floor mat is properly secured and said ``under no circumstances should more than one floor mat ever be used in the driver's seating position.''

Owners can contact Toyota at (888) 270-9371 or (800) 331-4331 and Lexus owners can call (800) 255-3987 for more information.

Nissan said its recall was prompted by an inadequate amount of coating on a bracket by the fuel filler tube assembly. In regions that use road salt during the winter, a mixture of snow, water and salt could cause corrosion on the bare metal part of the tube and allow fuel to leak.

Nissan spokesman Fred Standish said there were no reports of fires or injuries.

The states covered by the recall include: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Nissan dealers will replace the fuel filler tube assembly with a new one with an improved coating process. Owners will be notified beginning in late November. For more information, owners can contact Nissan at (800) 647-7261.

Ford owned Volvo Cars recalls 58,000 cars; one flaw could cause fire

Automobile maker Volvo Cars is recalling 56,000 vehicles because of two separate problems.

Volvo Cars spokeswoman Maria Bohlin said 38,000 diesel cars of the S60, V 70 XC 70 and XC 90 models made in 2006 were being called back in Europe due to a material fault that could cause the motor catching fire.

The second callback, involving 18,000 of the company's latest V 70 and XC 70 models, relates to an air bag problem in the side of the car.

The cars have mainly been sold in Sweden, Britain and in the U.S.

It was not immediately clear how many fire incidents there had been.

Bohlin said the fuel injector plants or bolts, on top of the motor cylinder, were faulty, potentially causing diesel to leak out into the motor.

Injector plants or bolts will be replaced free of charge in a procedure that would take about two hours, she said.

With the air bags ``there's a risk they don't launch fast enough,'' Bohlin said.

Bohlin declined to say how much the recalls and maintenance work would cost the company.

Volvo Cars has been owned by Ford Motor Co. since 1999, when it was acquired for US$6.45 billion (4.4 billion euros).

Toyota recalls Lexus and other luxury car models for faulty pipes

Toyota began recalling 264,000 luxury passenger vehicles over faulty fuel pipes Thursday, including flagship Lexus cars sold in Canada and other overseas countries, the company said.

Included in the recall are Lexus models produced in Japan in 2005 and sold overseas, and Lexus, Mark X, and Crown models sold in Japan, according to Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Yoshie Matsuura.

Faulty fuel pipe design on the recalled models could cause cracks and corrosion and lead to a fuel leak, according to a notice filed with the Transport Ministry.

The Lexus GS300, Lexus IS250, and Lexus IS350 vehicles are being recalled in Canada, the United States, England and Germany, Matsuura said.

There have been 39 cases of trouble within Japan but no reports of injuries, according to the Transport Ministry. It was not immediately clear whether any problems have been reported elsewhere.

The Japanese automaker has been hit with quality control problems in recent years, as it ramps up production to meet booming demand. Toyota has promised to beef up quality checks.

Ford recalling 1.1 million trucks and SUVs over possible engine stall

Ford Motor Co. is recalling 1.17 million trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans to fix an engine sensor that could lead to engine stalling.

The recalled vehicles are all from the 1997-2003 model years with 7.3-litre diesel engines, including the Ford E-Series van, Excursion full-size sport utility vehicle, and F-450 Super Duty and F-550 Super Duty trucks.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting on its website that the camshaft position sensor on the engine could function intermittently and lead to an engine stall and potential crash.

The sensor is an electrical component that helps regulate the fuel going into the engine.

Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis said there have been 14 accidents associated with the problem, but no injuries reported.

In the event of an engine stall, Jarvis said drivers traveling at speeds greater than 30 miles per hour would have full power steering and power braking, allowing them to pull over to the side of the road.

At speeds below 50 kilometres an hour, the motorists would still have braking and steering functions, he said.

Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with a new one free of charge. The recall is expected to begin around Dec. 17, with mailing of notification letters to be completed in phases by May 2008.

Owners can contact Ford at (866) 436-7332.

Swedish truck maker Volvo AB recalls 125,000 trucks in North America

Swedish truck-and-bus maker Volvo AB said today it would recall 125,000 trucks in North America because of a fire hazard.

Tommy Kohle, a spokesman for the Goteborg-based company, said it would recall the Volvo VN, Volvo VHD and Volvo VT models constructed from 2003 to the present.

The trucks have been sold in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Kohle says there's a problem in the main switch in the lighting system which can lead to an overheating in the component.

The company has received reports about the problem, Kohle said, but it was not clear whether it had resulted in any serious incidents.

Kohle said Volvo would fix the problem free of charge.

Volvo has more than 80,000 employees worldwide. It sold its car division to U.S.-based Ford Motor Co. in 1999.

GM Certified Used Vehicles Offers Special Rate Incentive Financing on Select Vehicles

GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry’s top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, today announced a nationwide GMAC rate incentive program on select GM Certified Used Vehicles, including Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Tahoe, Suburban and Silverado; Pontiac G6; and GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL models.

The new rate incentive offer, effective April 1, 2008, through June 30, 2008, provides well-qualified GM Certified Used Vehicles buyers with 2.9% APR financing for terms up to 48 months or 3.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months from GMAC Financial Services on 2003-2008 models of Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Tahoe, Suburban and Silverado, Pontiac G6, and GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles purchased from participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers.

Or well-qualified customers can receive GMAC 4.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months on 2003-2008 models of Chevrolet Impala, Malibu and Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Pontiac Grand Prix, and Buick Lacrosse vehicles at participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers.

“Shoppers can now take advantage of attractive, new vehicle-like finance rates on a wide range of our most popular models,” said Paul Pejza, manager, GM Certified Used Vehicles. “GM Certified customers now can receive great value, as well as the peace of mind assurances that come with purchasing a high-quality, low-mileage, fully inspected and reconditioned used car or truck backed by the dealer and General Motors.”

A monthly payment at 2.9% APR financing for 48 months is $22.09 for every $1,000 financed. A monthly payment at 3.9% APR financing for 60 months is $18.37 for every $1,000 financed. A monthly payment at 4.9% APR financing for 60 months is $18.83 for every $1,000 financed. Some customers will not qualify. Not available with other offers. Customers must take delivery from participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers by June 30, 2008. See dealer for details.

Consumers can go to www.gmcertified.com to find out more about GM Certified Used Vehicles, locate the closest GM Certified dealer, or search the industry’s largest available certified pre-owned inventory, with 60,000-plus vehicles in inventory.