Recall wrap: Ford Ranger and Everest might stop suddenly

Almost 5000 new-generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest vehicles – produced between 2021-2023 – have been recalled to amend a potential software issue that could see the popular ute and SUV come to a sudden halt when driving at low speed.

According to Ford, the battery level could drop to a critical level and cause the transmission to shift into park while driving at up to 6km/h, causing the vehicle to come to a sudden stop without illuminating the brake lights.

“A sudden stop whilst driving at low speed and the rear brake lamps not illuminating as intended, could increase the potential risk of an accident, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users,” said Ford in its product safety recall notice.

The potential for transmission damage is also apparent, but pales in comparison with the prospect of the vehicle coming to a sudden stop while trying to join or cross the flow of traffic.

Ford says affected customers will be contacted in writing, however, customers can manually check list of affected vehicles by VIN, for both the Ranger and Everest via the Vehicle Recalls site.

Affected owners will be requested to make an appointment with their preferred authorised service centre to have the exit warning system repaired free of charge.

Nearly 160 Bentley Bentayga SUVs fitted with the full-fat W12 engine have been recalled to avoid a vehicle fire stemming from a potentially dodgy wiring harness inside the fuel tank.

The 158 vehicles were all produced between 2015 and 2023 (inclusive), with the fault specifically being a wiring harness prone to overheating and possibly melting the fuel inlet flange material, which in turn could cause a fuel leak.

Needless to say, an external ignition source could ignite the leaked fuel and cause a vehicle fire.

“If the relevant warning lamp illuminates in the instrument cluster or the smell of fuel is noticed around the vehicle (e.g. after filing the fuel tank with petrol) owners should contact their local Bentley dealer immediately,” Bentley said in the recall notice, which can be viewed at the Vehicle Recalls website along with the affected VIN list.

“Owners should contact their nearest official retailer as soon as possible to have the vehicle inspected and the work carried out, free of charge.”

Some 213 examples of the original Hyundai i30 – all produced between 2010 and 2011 – have been recalled following the discovery of a potentially lethal airbag inflator that could rupture if the airbag is deployed.

Like most recalls of this nature, the inflator has the potential to rupture and fire metal fragments through the airbag cushion towards vehicle occupants (in this case the driver), risking injury or even death.

Hyundai is encouraging affected owners – who can check if their vehicle is included in the recall via the VIN list on the Vehicles Recalls website – to present their vehicles at an authorised Hyundai dealership to have the inflator module replaced free of charge.

Also being recalled are 132 Mercedes-Benz S-Class limousines produced between 2020 and 2022, which may have a loose fuse box or at least the potential for the fuse box to come loose.

According to the recall notice published online, the loosening of said fuse box could “lead to a sudden loss of motive power and/or a vehicle fire”, both of which pose a risk of serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users alike.

Mercedes is therefore encouraging owners of affected vehicles to check their VIN against the list available via the Vehicle Recalls website and arrange a free repair with their preferred dealership.

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