Kia Soul struggles with steering, another recall for Mercedes Sprinter (week 50/18)

20/12/2018

Four recalls for four models of three carmakers were announced in the 50th week of 2018. Two recalls issued Mercedes-Benz, while Kia and Bugatti had one each. Honda recalls its X-ADV750 scooter.

Steering failure is among the most serious reasons for the carmaker´s recalls. At the time of writing this article, we registered 114 recalls related to the steering in our unofficial Rapex archive – check it out here.

The last addition to this category is the Kia Soul produced from July 2013 to January 2014, where the connection between the steering rod and the steering box may come loose. What it would mean when driving is clear – the car will go elsewhere than where the steering wheel turns.

Mercedes-Benz

Another category of dangerous recalls is the one that solves missing or poor-quality welds on some of the bodywork parts or chassis. We wrote about them among others in the following reports:

This week, Mercedes-Benz recalls its recently introduced Sprinter for missing welding points on the vehicle’s frame. There may also be a fault on the right door lock that may not open even after unlocking. The same defect is reported by Mercedes with its Vito / V-Class models produced in early July 2018.

Bugatti

The fact that the recalls do not avoid even the most expensive super sports cars, proves that Bugatti who is recalling its Chiron models made during the period between February 2, 2017 – April 20, 2018, due to problems with the airbags, are not without faults either.

Motorcycles

The Honda X-ADV750 owners can get into trouble if they use their motorcycle continuously at low speed. The heat generated affects the PPTC (polymer positive temperature coefficient) device of the ECU and the motorcycle may enter into a fail-safe mode. This makes it impossible to shift gears and the driving force may be lost.

-rb-

Where now?

Verify your vehicle’s history

Check the vehicle against European and global databases and get a comprehensive overview of its damage records, true mileage, listing and photo history, origin and age, service history, and any records of financing, theft, or use as a taxi. Learn more.

What should an owner do if there's a recall?

Please note that the recall may not apply to all vehicles produced in a given period. If you think your car might be affected, you should immediately contact an dealer or workshop officially authorised to perform repairs on behalf of the manufacturer and ask for the details. You can use our sample request text. After reporting the vehicle's VIN code, you will find out if the defect is present on your car, or if it has already been resolved by the previous owner if the car was purchased second-hand.