Jeep, Citroen, Nissan, Ford, Mazda recall models

RECALL notices have been issued for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Citroen C4 Cactus and Nissan Qashqai SUVs, while the platform-sharing Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 utes have also been called back in addition to Infiniti’s Q30 and QX30 twins.

After an initial recall in 2014 to amend the 2011-2014 Grand Cherokee’s brake booster, Jeep is again calling back 26,985 of the large SUVs due to an incorrectly installed water shield.

As a result, the brake booster water shield could be less effective at diverting water away from the unit, increasing the risk of corrosion, water intrusion and, in colder climates, freezing – which could impair braking performance.

Citroen has called back its C4 Cactus due to a fault in the bonnet’s striker wire support that could result in the hood opening while the vehicle is in motion.

The recall affects 279 of the Citroens sold between November 2 2015 and April 29 this year.

More than 28,000 Nissan Qashqai crossover vehicles have also been called in for repair on a weak rear wheel arch protector.

At high speed or with a heavy vehicle load, the wheel arch protector can rub against the brake hose, eventually causing brake fluid to leak and impair braking.

Manual versions of Ford and Mazda’s Ranger and BT-50 workhorses – which share the same underpinnings – have been called in to resolve an issue with an improperly fitted gearshift cable retaining clip.

If the gearshift cable falls out of place, it could come into contact with the driveshaft, damaging both and leading a loss of drive and difficulty changing gears.

While no incidents have been reported in Australia, the fault extends to 2904 Mazda BT-50s. A full list of affected Ford Ranger vehicle identification numbers can be found on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website.

Finally, 532 examples of the Infiniti Q30 and QX30 hatchback pair will need repair work for its steering column which has no electrical connection to ground other than the spiral cable.

Without another grounding cable and if the spiral cable is damaged, electrostatic electricity could build up on the steering wheel and, in an extreme case, cause a premature deployment of the airbag.

All aforementioned car-makers, except Infiniti, will contact affected vehicle owners by mail and direct them to a local dealership to carry out repair work.

Infiniti will instead contact owners once parts become available. Each vehicle fix is free.