Accord, Disco and Rangie Sport recalled

HONDA’S Accord sedan, Land Rover’s Discovery and Range Rover Sport SUVs and the Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano vans are among a rash of safety recalls announced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in the past week.

According to the ACCC’s Product Safety Recalls Australia (PSRA) website, an airbag inflator module defect affecting 2001 and 2002 versions of the Accord may result in the driver’s airbag being rendered ineffective.

“Honda Motor Co Ltd has determined that a defect relating to vehicle safety exists with the drivers' airbag inflator module,” said the ACCC’s recall notice. “If the airbag deploys, it is possible the inflator module body will rupture. In some cases, fragments from the airbag inflator module may tear the airbag.”

Honda Australia will advise owners of all affected vehicles by mail.

Meantime, owners of MY2007 and 2008 examples of the Discovery 3 and Rangie Sport have been asked to contact their nearest Land Rover dealer in relation to a high-pressure fuel-injection pump problem with 1667 vehicles carrying build numbers of between LA412125-LA4870333 (Discovery) and LS100008-LS181999 and LS980310-LS999998 (Range Rover Sport).

Left: Land Rover Discovery.

According to PSRA: “The above vehicles may experience poor performance, fuel smell, engine noise, a fuel leak onto the rear of the engine, a fuel leak onto the ground or a fire, as a result of the front seal of the high-pressure fuel pump failing due to excessive wear of the pump front bearing. The failure is due to inadequate lubrication of the fuel pump front bearing.”

And even higher number (5441) of the same models has also been hit with a second safety recall following brake pressure problems for TDV6 diesel vehicles built between November 2005 and June 2009.

For Discovery and Range Rover Sport models built between November 2005 and April 2007 (carrying build numbers of LA367110-LA440000 and LS929086-LS117000 respectively), Land Rover has advised that oil may migrate from the engine-driven vacuum pump and collect in the brake booster.

“This may cause a progressive loss of brake assistance, resulting in hard brake pedal and increased stopping distances for the same pedal effort,” says PSRA. “In extreme cases engine oil may migrate from the brake booster to the brake master-cylinder which may lead to a loss of one or both of the foundation brake system hydraulic brake circuits.

“This therefore may lead to increased brake pedal travel, increased stopping distances and, in the event of both primary and secondary brake master-cylinder seal failure, a total loss of service brakes.”

At the same time, PSRA advises that Discovery and Range Rover Sport vehicles built between May 2007 and June 2009 (and carrying build dates of LA440001-LA513325 for the Disco and LS117001-LS215618 for the Rangie Sport) may experience “a temporary sticking of the vacuum non-return valve in the brake assistance vacuum pump mounted on the engine.

“This can lead to a temporary loss of vacuum assistance on the braking system. This can result in increased pedal efforts after the first three or four applications of the brake pedal after initial engine start for a period of no more than 60 seconds.

“The hydraulic braking system itself remains fully functional. Once the valve has unstuck the booster vacuum is immediately restored, full braking assistance is available and the brakes perform normally for the remainder of that drive cycle.”

Finally, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific will write to 4769 owners of Vito and Viano vans manufactured before April 15, 2008 with an underslung spare wheel, which may part company with the vehicle.

“It is possible the retaining mechanism for the underslung spare wheel could fail and allow the wheel to detach from the vehicle and pose a hazard to other road users,” said PSRA.