by
David Muir
| Mar 18, 2011
Honda Motor Co. recalled more than 35,000 Civic hybrids in the United States on Monday to fix a problem with the electrical system that could cause the headlights to turn off or the engine to stall. Honda told the government its recall would cover 2006-2007 model year Civic hybrids. The company said the voltage converter that relays power from the motor assist system to the vehicle's electrical components could fail. Honda has received seven reports of stalling engines and 82 warranty claims connected to the problem. Dealers will replace the voltage converter at no charge.
Separately, Toyota Motor Corp. recalled about 22,000 SUVs and trucks to address faulty tire pressure monitoring systems and Chrysler Group LLC recalled about 20,000 Jeep Wranglers over steering issues. Toyota's recall includes some versions of the 2008-2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra.
The systems that monitor the vehicles' tire pressure did not comply with federal safety standards. Toyota said the systems didn't illuminate on the dashboard at the minimum activation pressure and needed to be recalibrated. Owners will be notified of the recall at a future date and dealers will fix the tire pressure monitoring system.
Chrysler said its Jeep recall covers Wranglers from the 2010-2011 model years over potential loose fasteners to the front and rear axles. The issue could cause poor steering and handling or cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The Wranglers were built from mid-July 2010 through mid-September 2010. The recall is expected to begin in mid-March and dealers will tighten the fasteners.
Toyota has been in the news for the past year in regards to faulty accelerators and other recall issues. Responding to a request from regulators, Toyota Motor Corp. said it would recall a total of 2.17 million U.S. vehicles dating back to the 2003 model year to address various flaws that could lead to a floor mat interfering with the accelerator pedal. This recall expanded on already-known floor mat issues by adding new models and new causes to pedal interference. A California state trooper and three of his passengers were killed in August 2009 in an accident in which a slipping floor mat is believed to have entrapped the accelerator pedal and sent Lexus speeding out of control.
Toyota also modified its earlier recall to fix floor mats to include 603,000 Toyota 4Runner from 2003-2009, 761,000 Toyota RAV4s from 2006-2010 and 17,000 Lexus LX 570s from 2008-2011. If you are in the market for a new or used Toyota, look online for your car loan financing and use a company you can trust. The OpenRoad Lending team has assisted thousands of consumers with their auto loan needs.