Even beyond finding a vehicle that is reliable and can go the distance, what drivers want above all is a safe car. Fortunately, modern technology has come a long way in helping ensure passengers are more protected when they’re riding around, from airbags to sophisticated crash alert systems. But like any other products on the market, automobiles can sometimes have manufacturing defects. And now, a new wave of recalls on popular makes, including Ford, Volkswagen, Kia, BMW, and Mercedes is affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Read on to see if your car is on the list and what you can do about it.
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1. Lincoln
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On Feb. 14, Ford Motor Company issued a recall on its Lincoln Navigator models from 2015 through 2017. According to the recall notice, there’s an issue in which potting materials used on LED logo lamps in the driver and passenger side exterior mirrors did not properly adhere to the wire. This increases the risk of an electrical short that could cause a fire.
Altogether, the recall affects 35,328 potential vehicles. The notice states that owners should bring their vehicle to a Lincoln or Ford dealer to have the wires cut and disconnected free of charge.
2. Audi
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If you drive an Audi, you should take note: Parent company Volkswagen has just recalled some Q4 E-Tron SUVs and Q4 E-Tron Hatchbacks from 2024 to 2025. Apparently, there is an issue with the vehicle’s on-board battery charger, which lacks proper coating on its circuit board. This can cause the car’s 12-volt battery to stop charging, resulting in a loss of drive power and “other electronically controlled or assisted functions, increasing the risk of a crash.”
Drivers can take the affected vehicles to dealers for a free charger replacement. About 10 percent of the total vehicles’ production is expected to have the defect, or a total of 7,931 cars.
3. BMW
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Audi isn’t the only German automaker announcing necessary repairs for some of its cars. On Feb. 20, BMW issued a recall on specific X3 sDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i vehicles from 2022 to 2024. According to the notice, “the second-row seat side door locking modules may not function properly and allow the doors to be unlocked with a single motion,” meaning that a rear-seat passenger could inadvertently open the door by unlocking it.
Fortunately, the company says it discovered the defect during internal testing and that no accidents or injuries have been reported. Drivers who own one of the 40,736 vehicles affected by the recall can have the rear-seat locking mechanism replaced for free at a dealer.
4. Mercedes Benz
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The third German company to have issued a recall is Mercedes Benz, whose announcement covered six different models. They include certain AMG GT 63 S E Performance 4-door coupes from 2023 to 2024, the 2025 AMG GLC 63 S E Performance, the GLC 63 S E Performance Coupe, the AMG GT 63 S E Performance, the AMG S 63 E Performance from 2023 to 2025, and the AMG SL 63 S E Performance from 2024 to 2025. The notice specified that all affected models have a powertrain. In total, 2,943 are affected.
According to the notice, the vehicles may have a software error that could cause its high-voltage starter alternator control unit to fail, leading to a loss of drive power that could cause an accident. Dealers will update the software unit free of charge for any owners.
5. Volkswagen
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Volkswagen is dealing with two separate recent recalls. The first was announced in tandem with the Audi Q4 E-Tron recall, and affects certain ID.4 models from 2024. Similar to the Audis, these vehicles have issues related to their onboard charger that could cause the 12-volt battery to become depleted and lose drive power while in use. The notice says 5,838 are affected.
In a separate notice, the automaker also recalled Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles from 2024 to 2025. This one pertains to a loose engine cover that could come into contact with a hot engine, melt, and increase the risk of a fire. This is also the largest of the recently announced recalls, affecting 177,493 vehicles.
In both cases, vehicle owners can have the issues repaired for free at a dealership.
6. Kia
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On Feb. 17, Kia issued a safety recall for its Soul and Seltos models from 2021 to 2023. Specifically, the recall affects vehicles with 2.0L engines.
According to the notice, there’s a manufacturing default with the vehicles’ piston oil rings that could damage the cylinder wall over time. While this damage might initially cause a loud noise and potentially illuminate the oil pressure warning light, it could also cause engine damage or seizure. This also greatly increases the risk of a fire if engine oil leaks onto a hot component as a result of the damage.
The recall affects 137,256 vehicles in total. The notice says owners should bring their vehicles to a dealer for inspection. Any necessary repairs or replacement part costs will be reimbursed by the automaker.
7. Ford
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In another notice issued by the Ford Motor Group, eight of the automaker’s cars were actually recalled as the result of a previous recall. The Ford F-150 from 2021 to 2022, 2022 Ford Maverick, 2022 Ford Expedition, 2022 Lincoln Navigator, 2022 F-250, 2022 F-350, 2022 F-450, and 2022 F-550 were all cited for a potential software error related to towed trailers. In this case, a software error may cause them to not brake.
Any owners of the 10,627 affected trucks and SUVs should take their vehicles into a dealership, where they will have the brake control module software updated for free.
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.