Supply chain expert Mark Johnson of the Warwick Business School in Coventry, U.K. believes Japanese carmakers have been slow to react and should put quality and safety first in negotiating contracts with suppliers.
Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda have had to recall 3.4 million vehicles across the world because of faulty airbags supplied by Takata Corp, which are at risk of catching fire or injuring passengers.
Toyota, Honda and Nissan are recalling more than 2 million vehicles globally for an identical problem with air bags on the passenger side whose inflator may burst, sending plastic pieces flying.
No injuries have been reported related to the problem.
Chrysler Group LLC is recalling more than 247,000 SUVs and cars for several problems, including faulty gas tank hoses, broken drive shafts and air bag warning lights that illuminate when there’s no problem.
The largest of the recalls, posted Tuesday on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, covers about 139,000 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger sedans from the 2011 and 2012 model years. The automaker says that faulty wiring can cause the air bag warning lights to illuminate.
CarMD.com Corp., a provider of car repair data, released its 2013 CarMD Vehicle Health Index™ ranking of check engine-related car repairs and costs for model year 1996 to 2012 vehicles. For the first time in six years, car repair costs jumped 10 percent nationwide to $367.84 on average per repair.
The no. 1 most common repair remains a faulty oxygen sensor, which can reduce fuel economy by as much as 40%. With gas prices and repair costs rising, this annual Index sheds light on vehicle failure data and repair trends that impact safety, reduce fuel economy and can result in more expensive and spiraling repairs if left unaddressed.
General Motors is warning owners of almost 800,000 2010-12 vehicles that they may need oil changes more frequently than the onboard oil monitoring systems are telling them.
