Recall Roundup: Kia Rio Airbag Sensors, Lincoln MKT Brake Rotor Bolts, Fisker Karma Battery Woes
2006-2008KiaRio
Kia is recalling previous-generation Rios for a faulty airbag sensor.
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The Problem:The front passenger seat occupant sensor mat may experience fatigue cracking, which could cause the sensor mat to break. If the sensor mat breaks, the system will no longer be able to detect whether a child is in the front passenger seat, and if an accident occurs the airbag may still go off, this could potentially injure a child.
The Fix:Kia will begin to notify owners of affected vehicles starting in July 2012. Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant sensor mat free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Number of Affected Vehicles:72,568 2006-2008 Kia Rios built from February 20, 2005 through December 9, 2007 are included in this recall.
2013 Lincoln MKT
Lincoln has issued a recall for livery-prepped 2013 MKT Town Cars due to improperly seated brake rotor bolts.
The Problem:2013 Lincoln MKTs equipped with the Limousine or Hearse Preparation Package may have been transported with rear brake rotor bolts that are improperly seated, allowing the head to protrude above the wheel-mounting surface. The raised bolt head could lead to torque loss in the wheel joint, potentially leading to wheel separation and a crash.
The Fix:Notices were mailed out on May 24, 2012 and all affected vehicles have been quarantined at the facilities of Lincoln's coach builders. All vehicles will be repaired before final delivery.
Number of Affected Vehicles:128 2013 Lincoln MKTs built between March 6, 2012 and April 3, 2012 are affected by this recall.
2012 FiskerKarma
Fisker is extending its December recall on the Karma. Fisker recalled the extended-range electric luxury sedan because of battery issues.
The Problem:Coolant hose clamps within the high-voltage battery pack may have been incorrectly positioned during assembly. If that's the case, the battery compartment cover could interfere with the hose clamps, potentially causing a coolant leak. If coolant leaks into the battery compartment, it could spark an electrical short, which may result in a fire.
The Fix:Owners of affected vehicles will be instructed not to charge or drive their Karmas. Authorized Fisker dealers can arrange transportation for the Karma to their repair facility. The facility will replace the affected part in the battery pack free of charge. Owners may contact Fisker at 1-855-575-7577, OPTION 2, 6AM - 7PM (PST) Monday to Friday.
Number of Affected Vehicles:19 2012 Fisker Karmas are added to the recall, built from September 22, 2011 through January 20, 2012.
Source: NHTSA
I generally like writing—especially when it’s about cars—but I hate writing about myself. So instead of blathering on about where I was born (New York City, in case you were wondering) or what type of cars I like (all of ’em, as long as it has a certain sense of soul or purpose), I’ll answer the one question I probably get most, right after what’s your favorite car (see above): How’d you get that job? Luck. Well, mostly. Hard work, too. Lots of it. I sort of fell into my major of journalism/mass communication at St. Bonaventure University and generally liked it a lot. In order to complete my degree senior year, we had to spend our last two semesters on some sort of project. Seeing as I loved cars and already spent a good portion of my time reading about cars on sites such as Motor Trend, I opted to create a car blog. I started a Tumblr, came up with a car-related name (The Stig’s American Cousin), signed up for media access on a bunch of manufacturer’s websites, and started writing. I did everything from cover new trim levels to reviewing my friends’ cars. I even wrote a really bad April Fool’s Day post about the next Subaru Impreza WRX being Toyota-Corolla-based. It was fun, and because it was fun, it never felt like work. Sometime after my blog had gotten off the ground, I noticed that Motor Trend was hiring for what’s now our Daily News Team. I sent in my résumé and a link to my blog. I got the job, and two weeks after graduation I made the move from New York to California. I’ve been happily plugging away at a keyboard—and driving some seriously awesome hardware—ever since.
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