Recall wrap: Brake issues for Rolls-Royce Spectre

The all-new Rolls-Royce Spectre – the British marque’s first electric vehicle – has been recalled due to safety concerns around the braking system.

Just 23 examples of the high-performance super-luxury coupe are included in the recall notice, with Rolls-Royce citing a manufacturing defect as the culprit.

‘Due to a manufacturing defect, signal interference may occur within the electronics of the brake system,’ Rolls-Royce has explained.

‘If this occurs, a higher pedal force may be required for braking. The anti-lock braking system and dynamic stability control will not be available. Note: Drivers will be alerted by the brake warning light in the instrument cluster and a message will appear on the central display. Drivers should follow the instructions provided and promptly contact their nearest Rolls-Royce Dealer.’

The British manufacturer says the vehicle remains controllable. A higher pedal force may be required for braking, however. The local importer will contact affected owners once replacement parts for the integrated brake unit become available. A list of affected VINs can be found on the federal government’s Vehicle Recalls site.

Elsewhere, a whopping 26,491 vehicles from sister brands BMW, MINI, and Alpina are being called back over brake concerns.

All vehicles involved were manufactured between 2022-2024, and include – but may not be limited to – the BMW 1 Series (F70), 5 Series (G60), 7 Series (G70), i5 (G60/G61), i7 (G70), X1 (U11), X2 (U10), iX2 (U10), X3 (G45), X5 (G05), X5 M (F95), X6 (G06), X7 (G07), and XM (G09).

The MINI Cooper (F66), Aceman (J05), and Countryman (U25) are also subject to the recall.

BMW Australia cites a manufacturing defect as the fault, blaming signal interference within the electronics of the brake system, which could result in higher pedal pressure for braking.

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) and dynamic stability control will also not be available, and drivers will be alerted by the brake warning light in the instrument cluster. A message will also appear on the central display.

Affected vehicles will remain controllable, although higher pedal force may be required, and braking distance in certain conditions may be extended.

A remote (over-the-air) update has been developed and should be actioned if prompted by the vehicle, however, affected owners – full VIN list attached to recall notice – will receive written communication from BMW Australia on next steps.

Until then, the company advises that “if a warning message is displayed on the central display, drivers should follow the instructions provided and promptly contact their nearest BMW Dealer”.

In other news, 13,588 units have been issued a recall notice by BMW Australia, including a range of models built between 2011 and 2018.

These models are the BMW 328i, 520i, and 528i, the Z4 sports car, and the X1 and X3 SUVs. According to Bimmer, a potential manufacturing defect could lead to liquid entering the electrical water pump connectors, and that could cause an electrical short circuit and consequent vehicle fire.

Replacement parts are not yet available, however, the Bavarian car-maker says affected owners – a full list of affected VINs is attached to the recall notice – should contact their local BMW dealership to schedule an appointment to have the plug connector inspected and replaced, if necessary.

Meanwhile, an urgent warning is out for owners of older versions of the Genesis G70 (IK model code) and G80 (DH model code) sedans built between 2016 and 2018, as well as Genesis vehicles built from 2013 to 2016.

A total of 1303 examples – across separate recall notices, listing the same fault – are being called back to the Korean car-maker’s workshops, over a potential fire risk.

“Due to a manufacturing defect, the sealing of the starter motor may be insufficient allowing moisture to enter into the unit,” Hyundai advises.

“If this occurs, it could cause a short circuit leading to a vehicle engine compartment fire while parked or driving.”

According to the manufacturer, affected vehicles – a list of affected VINs is attached to the corresponding recall notice for G70/G80 Genesis vehicles – should be parked in an open space and away from flammable materials and structures, i.e. not in a garage until the starter motor can be replaced by an authorised Genesis dealership.

Affected owners will be contacted by Genesis Australia to schedule an appointment to have the starter motor replaced, free of charge.

A potential manufacturing defect has struck just over 300 full-size utes from US manufacturer RAM, including the 1500, 2500, and heavy-weight 3500.

The safety warnings are spread across two separate recall notices, the first of which involves 137 examples of the DS-series 1500, as well as the 2500 and 3500, with RAM stating “the Steering Column Control Module (SCCM) may have not been welded to the required specifications”.

As a result, the SCCM could fail to send an airbag deployment signal to the Occupant Restraint Controller preventing the driver’s airbag from deploying, says RAM.

The second recall notice – which covers the exact same potential airbag fault – involves 166 examples of the latest DT-generation RAM 1500 ute.

In both instances, affected owners are requested to contact their nearest RAM dealer to have the SCCM inspected and replaced, free of charge.

A full list of affected VINs is attached to the corresponding recall notices for the DS-series 1500, 2500, 3500, as well as the DT-series 1500.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au