Honda Civic hybrid model recalled; Toyota, Chrysler too

Honda Civic hybrid model recalled

Honda Civic hybrid cars, Toyota SUVs and Chrysler Jeep Wranglers were the latest vehicles to be recalled by their manufacturers on Monday, underscoring that quality issues are still a problem in the automobile industry.

About 35,000 Honda Civic hybrids with 2006-2007 models in the U.S. are being recalled by Honda Motor Co. because of a faulty electrical component which could cause the engine to stall and headlights to suddenly turn off.

Chrysler is recalling 20,000 Jeep Wranglers due to steering problems. Toyota, which has been beset by massive recalls in the past year, is recalling 22,000 sports utility vehicles and trucks due to tire pressure monitoring problems.

There have been at least seven complaints of stalled engines and 82 other warranty claims from Honda Civic owners because of the faulty electrical part. A voltage converter will be replaced to correct the issue, Honda said.

The Chrysler recall affects 2010-2011 Wranglers which have loose front and rear axles that can lead to poor steering and loss of control by the driver. The units were manufactured from July 2010 to September 2010. Chrysler said dealers will need to tighten the fasteners holding the axles together.

Toyota's 2008-2011 Land Cruiser, FJ Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia SUVs have tire pressure systems which were found to be non-compliant with safety standards. The company said dashboard warnings did not illuminate when needed and dealers will have to perform a recalibration of the system.

Honda Motor Co. has performed relatively better than Chrysler and Toyota during the economic downturn, partly due to strong sales of the Honda Civic.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Tuesday March 08 2011, 4:04 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0