Recall wrap: Mazda BT-50 gearshift defective

Mazda Australia has issued a recall notice for its BT-50 light commercial vehicle range, sold between July 14, 2015 and February 2, 2016.

The problem, according to the importer, is a gearshift cable retaining clip, which may not have been fitted correctly during the manufacturing process. Should the cables loosen they could make contact with the propeller shaft. Over a longer period, the cables could wear, or cause damage to the propeller shaft – the end result being either difficulty changing gear or loss of drive.

Mazda is mailing owners of the 2904 affected vehicles, requesting the owners arrange inspection and repair at the nearest authorised dealer.

Mercedes-Benz Australia is contacting 283 owners of E-Class models sold between September 30, 2016 and January 30, 2017. The prestige importer has revealed that the driver's side rear seatbelt may be defective, with the propellant mix for the pre-tensioner not meeting the specification.

In that event, the pre-tensioner may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury to the passenger seated behind the driver. Owners are requested to contact their nearest authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer for inspection and repair of recalled vehicles.

Nissan Australia has announced a recall for the Infiniti Q30 and QX30 models for a steering column defect that applies to 532 vehicles sold in Australia. The steering column is not properly grounded, the importer advises. Only one electrical connection, a spiral cable, earths the steering column. In the event that the spiral cable should be damaged, the airbag warning light will illuminate.

If the fault is left unattended, an electrostatic charge could build up in the steering column and potentially fire the driver's airbag. Nissan is currently acquiring slip rings for the repair of the fault, and will inform owners to contact an authorised Infiniti dealer once the parts are available.