Loose all-weather floor mat jams accelerator pedal. Photo: NHTSA
Automotive Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins for 2012 Ford Truck F 450 4WD Super Duty V8-6.7L DSL Turbo. Aug 01, 2016 Step 3: Locate any TSBs. Look through the documents for any “Service Bulletins.” Click on the link to download and view the “Service Bulletin” at no cost. Part 2 of 3: Reading a TSB. Step 1: Generally understand what information a TSB contains. A TSB will typically describe the complaint or problem with the vehicle; the make, models. Search for All of these words This exact phrase Any of these words Filter. Find all the Technical Service Bulletins for your vehicle online. Edmunds.com provides a very valuable service where you can find all the TSBs for your vehicle (back to 1990 model year). You can browse to the “Maintenance Schedules, Recalls, and Technical Service Bulletins” applet here.
Back in September 2007, and again in April 2008, Toyota sent out warnings about floormats, and how they could interfere with pedal travel.But very few owners were made aware of the issue, as the warning was sent out as a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), only initially visible to about 1,500 Toyota and Lexus dealership service departments.
We know how the story ended up—with about 4.2 million vehicles recalled, just a few months ago, for the pedal-entrapment issue.
It highlights an issue that well-informed car owners have griped about for years: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides no way for vehicle owners to view the full text of a TSB, and the only way to do so it to subscribe (at a cost of hundreds of dollars) directly to the automaker or to one of several pricey premium services aimed at mechanics, dealerships, and the like.
Some automakers prefer it this way, as more than 5,000 TSBs are released each year and they often outline an issue that most often isn't safety related. If it is safety related, it can be escalated to a safety-related recall. But unless the TSB pertains to something serious like the engine, transmission, or fuel system the fix isn't likely to be automatic. If the customer notices the issue and asks for a fix, they'll almost always receive it free of charge; if not, who's to know?
On NHTSA's TSB search page—the only place accessible by consumers without a subscription to one of these services, such as independent-mechanic-oriented Alldata—the information is very cryptic and in the form of non-standard abbreviations.
For instance, Consumer Reports gives the example of 'MIL ON,' which is supposed to mean that the 'check engine' light would be on if experiencing the issue.
A number of other recent issues that have led to safety-related recalls—such as Ford's software issue with braking on its Fusion Hybrid—have started out as TSBs.
According to Center for Auto Safety executive director Clarence Ditlow, automakers own the text of TSBs, so NHTSA isn't able to publish them. That might finally change with the passage of a federal Right to Repair Act, which includes the requirement for TSBs in full to be made publicly available. The Act has failed in the past, but this year's hearings have earned it bipartisan support that might finally lead to passage.
In the meantime, glean what you can from your dealership or mechanic. Ask a lot of questions, check NHTSA's search page, and call the automaker if necessary to verify which TSBs, if any, are applicable to your vehicle.
[Reuters; Consumer Reports]
Recommended Galleries
People who read this also read
AAA Votes Yes On Right To Repair Legislation
2019 Toyota RAV4 crossover recalled for faulty backup camera
Honda makes Accord with Amazon, will Pilot Prime deliveries...
Honda Ridgeline recalled for fuel pump that may crack when...
Ford Tsb Bulletins
- New cars are safer but most owners won't have them for decades, says study
- 2019 Ford Ranger recalled again, this time for defective taillights
- Mazda recalls vehicles already recalled and repaired for faulty airbags