Owners of 2007 and 2008 model-year Acura TL sedans will soon receive a letter asking them to bring their car in for repairs to a defective steering hose. It has been found that over time, the hoses can deteriorate, which can cause the cars to leak fluid or even start a fire. In 2008, Honda recalled 273,000 Acura TLs for a similar problem.

If you are having issues with the power steering on an Acura TL or experiencing any other problems with the vehicle, please visit Krohn & Moss, Ltd. at yourlemonlawrights.com or call them toll free at 1-800-US Lemon (800-875-3666). A consumer attorney will review your submission and contact you right away to discuss your rights.

Krohn & Moss, Ltd. was founded in 1995 and has helped over 50,000 consumers nationwide to enforce their lemon law rights against automobile manufacturers and distributors of other consumer products.

Chrysler Group is recalling some 127,350 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles in the United States and Canada due to potential problems in electrical stability control and anti-lock braking systems, the company and U.S. safety regulators said.

Chrysler, majority owned by Fiat SpA, said it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or fires due to the issue.

The recall affects cars from the 2011-2012 model years and produced through Dec. 20, 2011, according to a company filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A fuse in the power distribution center in the vehicles may overheat and cause loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash, the filing said.

Chrysler will fix the issue without charge. Recall notices will go out this month.

The problem surfaced in testing of a vehicle used as a police car in Michigan, and Chrysler then checked for the same issue with consumer-driven cars, the filing said.

The maker of the affected system is Global Automotive Systems, which is part of Dura Automotive Systems based in Rochester Hills, Mich., the filing said.

The recall affects an estimated 119,072 cars in the United States and 8,274 in Canada.

Source: Chicagotribune.com

Once you’ve made the decision to purchase a used vehicle, it’s important to know how to protect yourself under lemon law type laws. The lemon law attorneys at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. suggest the following things when selecting a used vehicle:

• BUY A “CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED” CAR!

Certified pre-owned vehicles are typically inspected to make sure they meet certain manufacturer specifications, and usually come with a warranty or guarantee that the vehicle will perform in a certain way or that the vehicle will be repaired if something is goes wrong with it.

• BUY A CAR THAT IS BETWEEN 1 AND 3 YEARS OLD!

If you can, purchase a vehicle that is still under the factory warranty—it will be cheaper than a new vehicle and you will have some peace of mind in driving it off the lot knowing that defects should be repaired under the warranty. Most cars these days come with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, but always check with the dealer to learn the terms of the written warranty.

• NEGOTIATE FOR A WRITTEN WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER ON YOUR OWN!

If the vehicle you’ve selected is not “certified” and is outside the manufacturer’s warranty, ask the dealership to issue a written warranty. Most aspects of a car sale are negotiable, and if you obtain a warranty on the vehicle (even if it is only 3 months long), you can rest a little easier in knowing that the dealer will stand behind its product.

The common thread here is that all of these used vehicles mentioned above come with warranties. “Lemon laws” and related laws are actually “breach of warranty” laws—

without a written warranty on your vehicle, you assume the risk of repairs and are usually not afforded protection under lemon laws.

You may have rights under other consumer protection laws if a major misrepresentation about the vehicle was made, e.g. if it was involved in an accident or has a salvage title and that information was not disclosed, even if you do not have a warranty. If you have questions about whether you have rights regarding your vehicle, you should call the experienced lemon law attorneys at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Our lemon law attorneys will take time to talk to you about your rights and will let you know if they can help. Visit www.YOURLEMONLAWRIGHTS.com or call 1-800-US-LEMON to submit your information to see if we can help.

- Adam Maxwell, Attorney at Law

Have you purchased a “new” Chevrolet Volt only to later find out that it had already been sold and is actually a “used” car?  Did you pay a new car price for that “used” Volt?  Further, since you were not the first purchaser, were you denied the right to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit available to Volt purchasers?  Much to General Motors’ chagrin, some Chevrolet dealers are selling the fuel efficient Volt to other dealers or to a shell corporation owned by the dealership in order to claim the tax credit for themselves.  Once the dealership receives the tax credit for themselves, they then sell the vehicle, which is now a used car according to the title, to the consumer without disclosing the prior sale or the potential tax credit the consumer is missing out on.  

If you have purchased a “new” Volt and think you may have been defrauded by the dealer, please call Krohn & Moss, Ltd. at 1-800-875-3666 to discuss your rights. Krohn & Moss, Ltd. has been protecting consumers’ rights for over 16 years and has successfully resolved over 35,000 cases.

Have you purchased a “new” Chevrolet Volt only to later find out that it had already been sold and is actually a “used” car?  Did you pay a new car price for that “used” Volt?  Further, since you were not the first purchaser, were you denied the right to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit available to Volt purchasers?  Much to General Motors’ chagrin, some Chevrolet dealers are selling the fuel efficient Volt to other dealers or to a shell corporation owned by the dealership in order to claim the tax credit for themselves.  Once the dealership receives the tax credit for themselves, they then sell the vehicle, which is now a used car according to the title, to the consumer without disclosing the prior sale or the potential tax credit the consumer is missing out on.  

If you have purchased a “new” Volt and think you may have been defrauded by the dealer, please call Krohn & Moss, Ltd. at 1-800-875-3666 to discuss your rights. Krohn & Moss, Ltd. has been protecting consumers’ rights for over 16 years and has successfully resolved over 35,000 cases.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (“Goodyear”), has announced the recall of nearly 41,000 Wrangler Silent Armor tires that were manufactured during the year 2009.  The company stated that WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR TIRES, SIZES LT235/80R17 LRE, LT325/60R18 LRE, LT275/70R18 LRE, LT265/70R17 LRE, LT245/75R17 LRE, AND LT285/70R17 LRD, produced between the 9th week of 2009, through the 22nd week of 2009 (March 31, 2009 through May 31, 2009) are being recalled due to increased warranty claims by its customers.

Goodyear stated that the tread may separate in a small number of the Silent Armor tires creating “severe conditions” that could lead to the impairment of the vehicle or an accident.  The company also noted that a partial tread separation can result in tread strikes and a tread separation can also lead to a motor vehicle crash due to a tire failure.

The automobile tire maker has stated that the initial diagnosis was performed when increased warranty claims were seen with light truck and SUV tires.  Also, Goodyear has been notified that two people in Texas died in a rollover crash where the vehicle was equipped with Silent Armor tires.

Goodyear stated that the tire had sustained external damage before the incident; and in several other cases of failure, the tires were either underinflated, overloaded or had experienced impact damage.

Nevertheless, the company decided on February 16, 2012 to move ahead with the recall process and estimates that 27,000 of the tires are still believed to be in service.  The officials at Goodyear stated that the recall notification process is planned to begin on March 22, 2012.  Goodyear has decided to replace the lemon tires with a new tire free of cost.  Car owners may contact Goodyear at 1-800-592-3267.  Also, car owners may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or log on to SafeCar.gov.

Below is the list of tires that are scheduled for recall by Goodyear:
Tire Brand Name / Tire Line / Tire Size:
Production Dates:
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT285/70R17 LRD
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT245/75R17 LRE
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT275/70R18 LRE
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT265/70R17 LRE
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT325/60R18 LRE
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009
GOODYEAR / WRANGLER SILENT ARMOR / LT235/80R17 LRE
MAR 01, 2009 - MAY 31, 2009

On February 15, 2012, Porsche Cars North America (“Porsche”) issued a recall affecting 20,278 Porsche Cayennes.  The headlights on the affected 2011 and 2012 models may become loose and detached when driving, which according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), “could lead to the loss of visibility and an increased risk of a crash.”

According to the recall notice, owners of the affected vehicles should take their vehicles to any Porsche dealer, which will replace the headlight locking assembly free of charge.  For further information you can contact the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (reference recall campaign number 12V065000) or call Porsche on 1-800-767-7243.

This latest recall notice is a distinct example of how on occasion, automobile manufacturers will fall short of the quality standards they set when designing and manufacturing new vehicles.  While virtually every manufacturer makes strives to make the finest vehicle on the road, there are times when a certain percentage of these vehicles will have defects that simply cannot be repaired, thus, rendering the vehicle a “lemon.”

As car purchasers invest a tremendous amount of money to buy a vehicle, they have a right to expect a vehicle that will give them a hassle-free experience and unsurpassed driving pleasure. Unfortunately, when a car troubles its owner with repeat trips to the repair facility or whose individual problems are significant, the car can be considered a lemon. When this occurs, car owners have recourse as federal and state lemon laws provide protection to purchasers and lessees of automobiles who happen to find themselves stuck with a lemon. These laws generally allow the owners and lessees of lemons to seek a refund for the vehicle, a replacement vehicle, or monetary compensation plus payment of attorney’s fees and costs.

Jeep models Wrangler and Liberty are fast earning a reputation for allowing drivers to experience the outdoors more than in any other vehicle, but not in a positive way. For the past several model years, a multitude of Jeep owners have complained of wet seats, wet headliners, standing water in the floorboards and trunk area, and even water dripping onto passengers from the roof and windshield. Unfortunately, Chrysler has yet to solve its productions issues for water intrusion into new Jeep vehicles and has thus far offered no realistic options for owners experiencing this problem. If you have a Jeep that just won’t keep the weather outside during a rain or snowstorm, you may have a lemon.

A search at the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) website reveals a multitude of similar consumer complaints regarding the Jeep Wrangler and Patriot models for water leak problems. Likewise, at Edmunds.com, with titles such as “I have lake in my Jeep” and “Drip, Drip”, 5 out of 19 owners who posted reviews of their 2011 Wranglers complained of water leaks.

Chrysler would have us believe it is addressing the issue post-production, but a review of its recommended “fixes” leaves much to be desired. Moreover, in recent technical service messages to its authorized dealers, Chrysler’s instructions suggest more of a “band-aid” approach than an actual permanent fix, much to the frustration of Wrangler and Patriot owners.

For the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, for example, Chrysler has issued at least 4 technical service bulletins (“TSBs”) on the water leak issue, 2 of them released as recently as January, 2012 (TSB 23-025-11, 23-029-10, 23-001-12, and 23-046-12). The release of multiple TSBs on the water leak issues gives the first impression of a serious response to the problem. However, a review of the technical information provided thus far recommends only a notching, cutting, gluing and/or taping of existing door and window seals, or in some cases removing and replacing seals with newer seals only slightly modified. For those with a “Lake in their Jeep” the application of duct tape or notches to existing seals brings little comfort in the struggle for dry vehicle interiors.

A recall search at the NHTSA and Safecar.gov for possible fleet wide corrective measures reveals, unfortunately, no recalls yet issued by Chrysler for this prevalent issue, showing Chrysler continues to downplay the issue and has yet to commit to serious efforts towards a cure. This is more disturbing considering that water intrusion is not only inconvenient and uncomfortable for driver and passengers, but poses the very real risk of harm to vehicle components. As your trusted family mechanic can tell you, water inside a vehicle can result in a multitude of negative consequences in the form of corroded electronics, soiled carpet and seats, mold and mildew growth and foul odors, and the corrosion of metal floors, doors, and body panels from the inside out.

As such, Wrangler and Patriot owners are left wondering when Chrysler will take these issues seriously. Judging from the material released by Chrysler so far, it shows no signs of changing its design or production to eliminate the issue in the build, or provide the parts and technical information their dealers require for a realistic chance of correction once in service.  Until Chrysler does take this issue seriously, Jeep owners will continue to lament their decisions to buy into the Jeep family of vehicles. If you own a Jeep Wrangler or Jeep Patriot and are tired of wet feet and excuses, you should contact an attorney to determine your rights. You likely have more options than the duct tape, glue and weather stripping you have been offered so far.

A car owner’s happy driving experience, juxtapose to the enriching quality standards is the foremost priority of any automobile manufacturer. Keeping this as one of the top priorities, almost every manufacturer invests its maximum energies in delivering best-in-class cars.

However, there are definitely a few opportunities for every automobile manufacturer to rectify their errors and it is usually an unhappy occurrence for them, as these errors are diagnosed only after being used by the respective car owners.

The recent case of Honda, the Japanese car manufacturer is one such example, where it was forced to recall approximately 46,000 Odyssey minivans in the United States. According to United States authorities, the recall centers on fixing the problematic tailgate. Although this initiative is official, the actual process is scheduled to being in the following month.

Specifically, Honda has decided to recall 45,747 Odyssey minivans that were sold during the years 2008 and 2009 in order to fix the aforesaid problem. The problem is identified as a "manufacturing flaw" in the power liftgate system, according to a statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”).

An official spokesman from Honda stated that the company is recalling 51,633 vehicles globally and nearly 5,586 vehicles are identified as "lemons" in Canada, Germany, Middle East and Mexico.

NHTSA has articulated that the defect is in the pressurized gas-filled struts that assist to raise and support the liftgate on vehicles well-appointed with a power liftgate system. Further, NHTSA stated that the flaw can lead to a gas leak that could ensue to an unanticipated closure of the liftgate, “increasing the risk of personal injury.”

NHTSA has confirmed that the recall is projected to begin on March 13th. The recall affecting 46,000 Honda Odyssey minivans are primarily to fix the rear doors that can fall on people unexpectedly, and have on at least two (2) occasions.

Honda is aware of at least two (2) instances where minor injuries have taken place and as a result will send letters to Odyssey owners in the following month that explains the recall process clearly along with the instructions.
 
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as legal advice. Please direct your specific questions to Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® attorneys and know more about your lemon law rights. If you want to pursue your lemon law claim, call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® for your FREE initial consultation. OR submit your information online for your free case evaluation.

The EPA’s new fuel economy label for 2013 will soon be appearing on vehicle window stickers at a dealer near you. Required for all 2013 model year vehicles (49 CFR Part 575), the revised EPA fuel economy sticker includes a wealth of new vehicle information regarding vehicle fuel consumption and emissions with such data as greenhouse gas emissions, smog rating, and fuel cost over a 5 year period. These revised labels may begin appearing on 2012 vehicles by voluntary early compliance so you should familiarize yourself with the new comparison and fuel economy information as soon as possible to take advantage of this information for your next vehicle purchase.

The "NHTSA and EPA believe that these changes will help consumers to make more informed vehicle purchase decisions, particularly as the future automotive marketplace provides more diverse vehicle technologies from which consumers may choose."  Federal Register, Vol. 76, 39478. The EPA cites some of the following benefits of its new label as:

• New ways to compare energy use and cost between new-technology cars that use electricity and conventional cars that are gasoline-powered.
• Useful estimates on how much consumers will save or spend on fuel over the next five years compared to the average new vehicle.
• Easy-to-read ratings of how a model compares to all others for smog emissions and emissions of pollution that contribute to climate change

EPA-420-F-11-017 May 2011.

An example of the revised label taken from the EPA’s website is shown below. Created for a fictitious gasoline powered vehicle you can see the familiar mpg Fuel Economy rating in the upper left corner. Containing new emissions and consumption information, this new label also incorporates additional information for consideration such as: annual fuel cost (lower left), comparison fuel economy on a 1 to 10 scale, and comparison fuel cost over a 5 year period (upper right).

Source: http://www.epa.gov/carlabel/gaslabel.htm

Need even more information on the fuel economy and environmental factors for this vehicle? The new label also incorporates a QR code for those who want to do further research on their smartphones. Smog rating, fuel usage per 100 miles travelled, greenhouse gas emissions rating, and CO2 grams emitted per mile travelled information also included on the label for the data geeks in all of us. Further detailed information on the information contained in the new fuel economy label can be found here in the official EPA brochure: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/carlabel/420f11017.pdf

A reminder here is in order on the accuracy of any information contained on the fuel economy label, and that is, the economy ratings for any category are merely estimates. The manufacturer makes no promises regarding the accuracy of this information, and the EPA always advises that the information presented will vary based on driving habits and conditions. “The EPA estimates are meant to be a general guideline for consumers, particularly to compare the relative fuel economy of one vehicle to another.”  EPA420-R-06-017, December 2006.  Keep in mind when reviewing this data that its primary purpose is for vehicle-to-vehicle comparisons, not as an absolute indicator of the fuel economy you will achieve with the vehicle.

The 2013 labels contain a wealth of information not previously available, allowing consumers more access to fuel economy information on vehicles than ever before, yet presented in an easily digestible package. Further, the QR code in the lower right allows limitless possibilities for vehicle comparison information supplemental to the paper label. The additional information required on the EPA label, as prompted by the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, should make better consumers out of all of us when it comes to fuel economy and greenhouse emissions.   Hopefully, as we begin to consider items like grams of CO2 emitted per mile and smog ratings in our buying decisions, the manufacturers will also consider them in their build decisions, and continue to strive for improved fuel efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in their future vehicle designs.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as legal advice. Please direct your specific questions to Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® and know more about your lemon law rights. If you want to pursue your lemon law claim, call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® for your FREE initial consultation. OR submit your information online for your free case evaluation.