Mazda had to recall about 100,000 2014 and 2015 Mazda6 sedans for a problem with the tire pressure monitoring system.
Three automakers revealed news about recalls, but only one of the three – Mazda – actually needed to recall any vehicles.
The Japanese automaker is recalling nearly 100,000 Mazda6 sedans due to a faulty tire pressure monitoring system. The vehicles affected are from the 2014 and 2015 model years. The problem is that if the pressure in all four tires drops at the same time, the monitor may not warn drivers to the problem.
Mazda claims there have been no injuries or crashes related to the issue, but dealers will update the software for the system free-of-charge beginning Dec. 5. The automaker will send notices to owners of the vehicles with the problem.
Conversely, U.S. safety regulators closed the books on more than 600,000 Ford and Chevy vehicles and declined to mandate actions on any of vehicles investigated.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) probed 500,000 2004 to 2007 model year Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Mercury Marauder sedans because the heat shield on the vehicles could rust and come loose and cause the steering to jam.
NHTSA discovered the problem was not very common and of the 10 complaints filed, six were from one police department. That department fixed the problem in 2011 and had no further issues.
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The GM issue involved 100,000 model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala sedans where NHTSA received two complaints about unintended autonomous braking that resulted in rear-end crashes.
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The automaker’s investigators believe that the drivers in both incidents accidentally activated an electric park brake system, and that there was no evidence of problems with the autonomous braking systems.
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Despite the closing of the two probes, the agency – subject to more scrutiny than ever – hedged a bit in its final evaluation: “The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety related defect does not exist.”