Stellantis Recalls 168k Vehicles for Transmission and Battery Issues
Stellantis is recalling about 2,500 of its 2022-23 Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrids and more than 165,000 2019-21 Ram ProMasters in the U.S. for potential battery and transmission issues.
The Wranglers may have incorrect fuse fasteners in the high-voltage battery that could cause the fuse to fail. The resulting loss of power could cause crashes without warning, according to a report from NHTSA. The part was manufactured by Samsung SDI America Inc. Stellantis has also recalled about 220 Mopar SVCE-Kit hybrid battery packs that may have the same issue. The company identified three warranty claims and eight field reports related to these packs, which also were manufactured by Samsung.
Some ProMasters equipped with 62TE transmissions may have a software issue that can cause interference with the park pawl engagement, leading to vehicle roll away. Stellantis began investigating the 2019-21 ProMasters in August 2022 for a potential rolling while in park condition, according to NHTSA.
May 2023
Microchip Shortage: GM Plants Hit Hardest
General Motors assembly plants in North America have been hit harder by the microchip shortage this year than any others, according to the latest estimate by AutoForecast Solutions. The industry forecasting firm put GM’s Fort Wayne, Ind., plant, which produces Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, at the top, with an estimated 46,250 vehicles cut from the plant’s schedule since the start of this year.
The 11 GM plants — seven in the U.S., three in Mexico and one in Canada — have cut 327,148 vehicles in total from their production plans in 2023, according to AutoForecast Solutions, which has tracked the disruption of the chip shortage since it began in 2020. That figure accounts for about 58% of all chip-related North American production losses in 2023, and about 29% of the global total.
Last week, AutoForecast Solutions added another 38,471 vehicles to its estimate of microchip-related production cuts worldwide, bringing the year-to-date tally to about 1.11 million units.
Projections for loss by region are as follows:
North America YTD – 567,711 (2023 Projected – 1,149,405)
Europe YTD – 230,683 (2023 Projected – 702,380)
Rest of Asia YTD – 63,516 (2023 Projected – 528,173)
South America YTD – 8,313 (2023 Projected – 114,700)
Total YTD – 1,111,643 (2023 Projected – 2,827,253)
Apr 2023
New Small Crossover from Buick
The small crossover will be the General Motors brand’s final new gasoline-powered nameplate before it shifts to an all-electric lineup by 2030. The Envista will replace the Encore subcompact crossover, which debuted in 2012, as Buick’s entry-level model.
The Envista will come with a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, offering 136 hp and 162 pound-feet of torque, Buick said. Engineers said the engine is lighter and incorporates fewer parts than previous versions, which contributes to a lighter vehicle weight and better efficiency and handling. Buick said the Envista’s fuel economy is a GM-estimated 30 mpg combined, with 32 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city.
Buick’s U.S.-bound Envista will start at $23,495 with the automaker’s Preferred base trim. That price point makes it the most affordable in the Buick lineup, coming in around $2,000 less than Buick’s current smallest crossover offering, the Encore GX (which starts at $26,000). The coupe-styled crossover will also be available in a Sport Touring (ST) trim and Buick’s top-tier trim, Avenir. Expect it to crest the $30,000 mark fully loaded.
Apr 2023
Kia Recalling Carnival Vehicles
Kia America Inc. is recalling 51,568 vehicles for power sliding doors that have closed on occupants. The recall includes all 2022 and certain 2023 Carnival vehicles. Kia called the auto-reverse feature of the sliding door a “supplemental feature” that “may not activate in all situations” in a document submitted to NHTSA.
Dealers will be tasked with reprogramming the power sliding door control module with updated software. Two warning chimes will sound when the door begins opening or closing. The door will also open and close at a slower speed.
Owners will begin receiving notice by mail on April 28th.
Apr 2023
Toyota to Offer Non-Allocated Restricted Volume
Customers with a Toyota CID are able to order up to 30 of the following vehicles: 4Runner, Corolla (Gas), Corolla Hatchback, Highlander (Gas), Tundra Hybrid.
The maximum model volume for any one customer is 30 (per model). Any order above 30 will be cancelled and no notification of cancellation will be provided. Each of the above vehicles does have a model year max volume. Once orders have reached that level, the series will be turned off from any future ordering.
Used Market Conditions
According to ADESA US Analytical Services’ monthly analysis of auction industry used vehicle prices by vehicle model class, wholesale prices in February averaged $15,311, up 3.9% compared to January, down 5.7% relative to February 2022, and up 42.1% versus pre-pandemic/February 2019. All model class segments showed average price increases for the month with the exception of fullsize vans, which were modestly down.
Average prices have continued to increase in March and stood at $16,525 for the week ending March 19th. Late-model price growth in part reflects strong demand for CPO-eligible units. Average prices for this group of vehicles have also continued to increase in March and stood at $26,054 for the week ending March 19th.
Apr 2023
Microchip Shortage: America Hit Hard
The microchip shortage is affecting primarily North American and European vehicle production schedules this week, representing the bulk of cutbacks worldwide, according to a new AutoForecast Solutions estimate.
North American assembly plants have cut 29,315 vehicles out of their schedules, and Europe’s manufacturers have dropped 15,096 this week, AutoForecast Solutions reports.
Except for a small blip in the industry’s Middle East/Africa production region of 119 cancellations, the factory schedule changes in North America and Europe reflect the only chip-related setbacks for the week.
But the production forecasting firm is not budging on its longer-range estimate for full-year 2023 global vehicle cuts resulting from the chip shortage. AutoForecast Solutions anticipates 2.8 million cuts for the year — more or less the same estimate it has given since 2023 began.
That is more than 2 million vehicles more than what has been cut in the first three months of the year.
“There is light at the end of this particular tunnel,” Sam Fiorani, AutoForecast vice president of global vehicle forecasting, said in an email, “but the industry has a distance to travel before we get out.”
Projections for loss by region are as follows:
North America YTD – 533,900 (2023 Projected – 1,118,306)
Europe YTD – 179.600 (2023 Projected – 839.478)
Rest of Asia YTD – 21,500 (2023 Projected – 539.874)
South America YTD – 7,200 (2023 Projected – 121,931)
Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car Order Banks to Close April 7th
Order bank for the following MY23 Mercedes-Benz models will close on Friday, April 7th at 12p (noon).
CLA (CLA250C, CLA250C4, CLA35C4, CLA45C4)
C-Sedan (C300W, C300W4, C43W4)
E-Coupe (E450C, E450C4, E53C4)
EQE-Sedan (EQE350V4, EQE350V, EQE500V4, AMGEQEV4)
GLA (GLA250W, GLA250W4, GLA35W4, GLA45W4)
GLC-SUV (GLC300W, GLC300W4)
S-Sedan (S500V4, S580V4, S580EV4)
S-Maybach (S580Z4, S680Z4)
EQS-Sedan (EQS450V, EQS450V4, EQS580V4, AMGEQSV4)
GLS (GLS450W4, GLS580W4, GLS63W4, GLS600Z4)
SL (SL43R, SL55R4, SL63R4)
GT (GT43C4, GT53C4, GT63C4, GT63C45)
Apr 2023
Ford Ends Transit Connect in N.A.
Ford Motor Co. on Tuesday confirmed it will end sales of the Transit Connect small van in North America after the 2023 model year. “The decision stemmed from the company’s “efforts to reduce global manufacturing cost and complexity, alongside decreased demand for the compact van segment.”
Ford on Tuesday confirmed the Transit Connect will continue to be built in Spain and sold in European markets.
The move comes as many automakers bow out of the segment. Ram announced last year it would end production of the ProMaster City van, and General Motors and Nissan have also dropped their own small vans in recent years.
Microchip Shortage: Additional Cuts for N.A. and Europe
Automakers cut 56,700 vehicles from their global production plans last week because of the microchip shortage, according to the latest estimate by AutoForecast Solutions. About 30,500 of those cuts were from production schedules at European assembly plants, with North American factories accounting for the rest.
While the losses are another sign the global semiconductor shortage is far from over, there are indications the situation is improving. Automakers have axed about 771,300 vehicles this year, a significant improvement from the 1.25 million vehicles that were cut at this point in 2022. “Europe and especially North America continue to see lower output due to a lack of chips, but more plants are keeping lines rolling by focusing the existing chip supply into more profitable vehicles and eliminating some vehicle features,” Sam Fiorani, AutoForecast Solutions vice president of global vehicle forecasting, wrote in an email.
North American plants have accounted for about 65% of global production losses so far this year, with those in Europe responsible for 21%.
Projections for loss by region are as follows:
North America YTD – 504,500 (2023 Projected – 1,112,600)
Europe YTD – 164,500 (2023 Projected – 845,800)
Rest of Asia YTD – 21,500 (2023 Projected – 539,900)
South America YTD – 7,200 (2023 Projected – 121,900)
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