Recall wrap: Hyundai Kona and Nexo strike brake problems

Hyundai Australia has announced a recall for almost 1100 vehicles this week, including 1048 examples of the Hyundai Kona Electric small SUV and 24 examples of the hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo fuel-cell electric vehicle.

Built across the 2018 to 2020 model years, the two electrified Hyundais are being recalled due to a software fault detected in the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) which “may significantly reduce braking performance”, according to the South Korean car-maker.

Hyundai says owners should visit their local dealer to have the vehicle’s software reprogrammed.

Click here for a list of VIN numbers for impacted Kona vehicles, or here for the Nexo.

Still on braking issues, almost 9000 examples of the Mitsubishi ASX (MY15) and Outlander (MY16) SUVs are being recalled over a potential handbrake failure.

Mitsubishi says failure of the anti-rust coating (Fluorine) may allow rust to form on the parking brake shaft, which could cause the handbrake to become stuck on or not engage at all.

The Japanese brand will contact known owners to organise a repair free of charge. To see if your Mitsubishi is affected by this recall, click here.

Meanwhile, 2020-built Mazda BT-50 (TF) utes are being recalled due to a potentially faulty pretensioner on one of the rear seat belts.

The recall, which affects a total of 130 utes, can’t be rectified until April 2021, when replacement parts become available. Until then, Mazda says the fault could prevent a rear belt from fully tensioning in the event of an accident.

Mazda is encouraging owners of affected BT-50s to have their vehicle inspected free of charge at their preferred Mazda dealer. Click here to see if yours is affected.

This issue was flagged in December when the Isuzu D-MAX, on which the new Mazda BT-50 is based, was recalled.

Nissan Australia has also announced a recall for 59 examples of the Infiniti Q70 (Y51), which was part of the now-discontinued luxury brand’s stable.

Covering model years 2012-2015, Nissan says improper materials and dimensions of the engine’s propeller shaft may cause it to crack and detach over time, which could lead the vehicle to stop without warning.

Nissan will contact owners to have the shaft replaced free of charge once replacement parts become available at the beginning of March. Click here to see if your Q70 is part of the recall.

In a smaller recall affecting just 37 vehicles, the MY20 Bentley Continental GT Convertible is being called back because its drop-top roof can be opened and closed at distances greater than six metres.

Bentley says owners mightn’t have full view of their Conti from that far away, which could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants or bystanders if someone should attempt to open/close the convertible roof via the key fob from a distance.

Owners will be contacted via mail to have their vehicle updated.

Elsewhere, BMW Group Australia has announced a recall for several models, all 2020-built, including the BMW 3 Series (G20), 5 Series (G30), 7 Series (G11), X5 (G05) and the MINI Countryman (F60).

Those models could all have “foreign bodies or particles” inside the battery cells which could cause a malfunction in a fully-charged high-voltage battery, according to the Bavarian car-maker. If a short circuit occurs, there’s a risk of fire. A VIN list of affected models can be found here.

In a separate recall, BMW is calling back its X5, X6 and X7 SUVs (all MY2020) due to a potentially faulty weld seam on the front axle. If the weld fails, the driver could experience of a loss of steering control, leading to increased risk of an accident. A VIN list of the 14 affected models can be found here here.

BMW says it will contact owners of affected vehicles in both recalls to arrange a free inspection and repair.

Another recall, by Italian car-maker Fiat, relates to 143 examples of the Fiat Ducato van (MY19) due to the potential fitment of incorrect steering knuckles during production.

Fiat says this may result in clunking noises from the suspension, excessive vibration, uneven tyre wear and more, which could lead to an increased risk of an accident.

Ducato owners (VIN list here) are being asked to contact their local dealer to organise a free inspection.

Finally, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Australia is calling back two models – the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Evoque – in two separate recalls.

The first affects just nine Discovery models (MY20) and covers incorrect installation of the third row’s seat belt, which could cause it to fail in the event of an accident.

In the second recall, four examples of the MY20 Range Rover Evoque are trimmed with ‘Dinamica’ cloth in the front seats that has been found to potentially burn faster than permitted. In the event of a fire, there’s obviously an increased risk of injury to occupants.

JLR says Evoque owners will be notified that their seats will be re-upholstered free of charge, while the use of the Discovery’s left-hand side third row seat is not recommended until the vehicle has been inspected.