SUV Recalls

The following SUV recall information is provided as a public service by Pritzker | Ruohonen, a national product liability law firm. Fred Pritzker and Rich Ruohonen have, once again, been named “Super Lawyers” by their state’s Law & Politics magazine. Fred Pritzker has also been selected by other lawyers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. To contact a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation about an accident involving a recalled SUV, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online-consultation form.

KIA Sportage Recall: Possible Separation of Fan Blades and Risk of Personal Injury
KIA is recalling 35,090 MY 2002 Sportage vehicles. The heat generated by the engine causes repeated bending deformation of the polypropylene cooling fan including its retaining ring, which stresses the polypropylene thereby initiating cracking of the blades. The centrifugal forces generated by the rotation of the blades can cause the cracks to propagate until complete separation occurs. Separation of the fan blade(s) can create a risk of personal injury. Dealers will replace the engine cooling fan with a fan made of improved material. This SUV recall is expected to begin during June 2007.

Ford Explorer Recall: Decreased Steering Effectiveness and Accident Risk
Ford is recalling 11 MY 2007 Explorer and Explorer Sport Trac vehicles. The two bolts that attach the steering gear assembly to the frame may have been over-tightened. This condition could result in one or both of the bolts fracturing, causing the steering gear to become loose. This condition could cause a "clunking" noise when steering as well as decreased steering effectiveness potentially resulting in a crash. Dealers will replace both the steering gear assembly mounting bolts and nuts free of charge. This SUV recall is expected to begin on or about May 5, 2007.

Land Rover Freelander SUV Recall: Faulty Brake Lights
Land Rover is recalling 33,247 MY 2002-2005 Freelander sport utility vehicles. The brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (HDC), traction control (TC) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning. Dealers will inspect the brake lamp operation and, where required, adjust and/or replace the brake light switches with new switches of the same design until a newly designed brake lamp switch is available in May 2007. Owners will then be re-notified to bring their vehicles in for the new brake light switch. An interim letter for the initial inspection will be mailed on or about March 8, 2007. The second letter for replacement of the switches will be mailed beginning May 28, 2007.

Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia Recall: Faulty Air Bags
GM is recalling 13,032 MY 2007 Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia vehicles. The sensing and diagnostic module (SDM), which controls the function of front air bags, may not operate properly. As a result, the front air bags may fail to deploy in a frontal crash. Also, the air bag warning lamp on the instrument panel may fail to provide warning that the system is inoperative. In the event of a crash, this condition could increase the risk of injury to occupants in the front seat. Dealers will reprogram the SDM computer module. This SUV recall began on February 22, 2007.

2007 New Car Crash and Rollover Safety Ratings
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced that 24 passenger vehicles for the 2007 model year have received five stars in front and side crash tests, the highest government rating under the agency’s New Car Assessment Program. Learn more about the 2007 new car crash and rollover safety ratings.

Toyota Sequoia and Tundra Recall
January 22, 2007 – Toyota is recalling 533,124 Sequoia SUVs and Tundra trucks (model years 2004-07) because of a steering defect. According to Toyota, there have been 11 reported accidents and 6 injuries as a result of the steering defect. Learn more about the Toyota Sequoia and Tundra recall.

Land Rover SUV Recall: Fire Hazard
Land Rover is recalling 6,116 MY 2005-2006 Discovery LR3. Some sport utility vehicles may have fuel tanks that contain an internal breather pipe that was not made to specification. This could result in excessive swelling and cracking of a grommet and subsequent detachment of the breather pipe from a connector tube. When the fuel level in the tank is above the level of the detached joint, fuel may then enter the breather pipe and excess fuel may be discharged onto the ground. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel tanks. This SUV recall is expected to begin on January 29, 2007.

Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango Recall: Risk of Loss of Steering
DaimlerChrysler is recalling 6,644 MY 2007 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango vehicles. The right front steering knuckle may have been improperly manufactured. Because of a broken cooling line, parts cast in tool cavity #63 on July 18 and July 19, 2006, may have a cold shut condition and could fracture. This could cause a loss of steering control and result in a crash without warning. Dealers will inspect the recalled vehicles to identify the defective parts and replace if they are within that lot. This SUV recall is expected to begin on or about November 8, 2006.

GM Recall: Risk of Airbag Not Deploying
GM is recalling 794 MY 2005-2006 Buick Lacrosse, Rendezvous; Chevrolet MY 2004 Silverado, 2005 Tahoe, 2006 HHR, Malibu, 2005-2006 Trailblazer; Pontiac MY 2005 Montana and 2006 G6; GMC MY 2005-2006 Envoy, 2005 Sierra; and Hummer MY 2006 H3 vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction. If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased. Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, GM will purchase these vehicles for the full price paid for it (not exceeding the fair market value at the time it was bought), including taxes and fees, if the vehicle is returned to GM’s possession by January 31, 2007. Through January 31, 2007, GM will also pay for the removal of any aftermarket accessories that may have been installed and return them to the customer. If there is no longer a use for these accessories or they cannot be removed, GM will reimburse the purchase price of those accessories. After January 31, 2007, GM will repurchase the vehicles for the purchase price less a depreciation allowing of $.30 for each mile on the vehicle.

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