Recall wrap: Takata strife for Jaguar XF

Jaguar Land Rover Australia has issued separate recall notices to replace dangerous Takata airbags fitted to the X250-series of Jaguar XF and the L322 generation of Range Rover.

The X250 series is the first generation of Jaguar XF (pictured), built and sold in Australia between 2008 and 2015. Pre-dating the acquisition of Land Rover by Indian conglomerate Tata, the L322 series of Range Rover was built and sold in Australia between 2002 and 2005.

Both cars are fitted with Takata airbags that are to be replaced in accordance with a compulsory recall program announced by the ACCC (Australian Consumer and Competition Commission) earlier this year .

JLR Australia asks owners of the XF (4757 vehicles subject to the recall) and the Range Rover (1088 vehicles affected) to contact the nearest authorised dealer and arrange replacement of the airbag inflator without charge. Jaguar XF owners can contact the distributor's head office via the internet, if they prefer, and can check whether their vehicle is one fitted with a Takata airbag inflator by means of an online database search based on the car's 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

For Range Rover owners, the distributor can be contacted through a separate web page and another for the Range Rover VIN search. Customers can also phone JLR Australia directly for further assistance, on 1800 312 828.

Fiat Chrysler Automotive has announced a recall for the Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont sold in Australia during the years 2014 and 2016. According to the distributor, the software for the Power Control Module (PCM) is faulty and could result in erratic cruise control operation.

FCA Australia will mail the 6234 owners of vehicles to be recalled, advising those owners to arrange for the Freemont or Journey to be inspected and have new engine-management software uploaded.

Mustang Australia, an importer and distributor of the Ford Mustang built between 2006 and 2014, is issuing a recall notice for those vehicles marketed and sold by the company in Australia. The recall notice applies to 87 vehicles fitted with Takata airbags for the driver. Mustang Australia advises owners of the vehicles, sold in Australia between November 29, 2004 and July, 28 2014, to contact the company by phone (02 9438 5300) or by email (info@mustangaustralia.com.au)

Mercedes-Benz Australia has issued recall notices for V-Class vans, X-Class pick-ups, the GLE 250 SUV and the Sprinter van. The distributor advises that the swivelling of the front seats fitted to the V-Class van may pull out the wiring loom for side impact airbags to detach. This may result in unintended deployment of the side-impact airbags, or they may fail to deploy in a collision. The distributor believes 77 examples of the V-Class sold between April 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017 may be affected by this defect. Vehicle owners are advised to contact their nearest authorised Mercedes-Benz vans dealership.

A software problem in the tyre-pressure monitoring system of the X-Class pick-up could affect 57 vehicles sold between May 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018. According to the importer, the tyre pressure monitoring system may not alert the driver in the event of pressure falling below the minimum level, resulting in uneven tyre wear and uncharacteristic steering and braking behaviour. Owners are requested to contact an authorised servicing dealer to have the fault rectified.

For the GLE 250 SUV, the importer advises that transmission oil lines may not have been manufactured according to specification. Oil loss from the lines may result in lower power levels and the leaked oil may pose a fire hazard if it makes contact with the vehicle's exhaust system. Also, the leaking oil may pool on the road, leading to loss of roadholding for vehicles following. Owners of the 53 units of the GLE 250 sold between May 1, 2017 and July 31, 2017 are recommended to contact an authorised servicing dealer for the faulty lines to be repaired.

Defective spot welds fastening the door hinges to the door frames have led to the recall of 11 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans sold between October 1, 2017 and November 30, 2017. The importer advises that crash safety may be compromised for both driver and front passenger. Vehicle owners should arrange an inspection and repair at the closest authorised Mercedes-Benz Vans dealership.