RA-18-0026 – Change to the Battery Supply Cable Routing – 2005-2009 Aston Martin DB9 & DBS

December 11, 2017 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V795000

Battery Cable may Short Circuit

If the battery cable is damaged and then grounded, the short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V795

Manufacturer Aston Martin The Americas

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 1,953

 

Summary

Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2005-2009 DB9, and DBS vehicles. The battery supply cable on these vehicles may become damaged when the driver seat is positioned in the full rearward location.

 

Remedy

Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery supply cable for damage, and install a routing block to keep the battery supply cable from being compressed by the seat, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2018. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-888-923-9988. Aston Martin’s number for this recall is RA-18-0026.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Aston Martin has a Recall

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SAFETY RECALL ACTION

 

Attached Documents:

1. Appendix A – Table that Shows the Quantities of Affected Vehicles
2. Copy of the Owner Notification letter for vehicles in RA-18-0026
3. Copy of the Change of Keeper or Address form.

 

Reason for this Safety Recall Action NHTSA ID: 17V795

After the issue of Safety Recall Action RA-18-0020 in April, 2016, we have now found that the same effect (that is described below) can affect a larger group of vehicles than the initial safety recall. This is because the software protection for the range of movement of the seat can be lost and subsequently incorrectly re-learnt. Vehicles affected by this Safety Recall Action (RA-18-0026) must have both conditions that follow:

1. The battery cable must be in a specific position and;
2. There has been a fault or power failure that causes failure of the software protection.

 

If the correct seat calibration procedure is completed as described in the Workshop Manual, the Owner’s Guide or with the use of AMDS, the problem cannot happen.

Other Aston Martin vehicles have a different cable routing and are therefore not affected.

Aston Martin has determined that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on a range of vehicles that were manufactured from July 2004 until July 2008.

This Safety Recall Action is applicable to the vehicles below:

• DB9 with height adjustable passenger seats from July 2004 to July 2006.
• DBS with height adjustable passenger seats from June 2008 to July 2008.

 

Description of the problem

On the affected vehicles, it is possible, in some circumstances, that when the right front seat is operated to its fully rearward position that the seat’s left runner can compress the battery supply cable. The battery supply cable is fully insulated but if the seat runner compresses the cable repeatedly, damage to the insulation of the supply cable can occur. When this happens, it is possible that the seat runner can conduct electricity from the battery supply cable. An earth wire that connects the seat runner assembly to ground will conduct the electricity to ground and begin to overheat. The heat will cause the ground wire to degrade, causing smoke to appear in the passenger compartment, and eventually, the copper of the ground wire will break and open the circuit.

To correct this problem you must examine the battery supply cable for damage. Also, you must install a routing block to make sure that the seat runner cannot continue to compress the battery supply cable.

The Workshop Procedure that follows must be done to every vehicle that is in the separately published list of VINs. You can find the list of VINs as an attachment to this document on the DCS portal.

 

PLEASE DO A CHECK OF ALL VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THE AFFECTED VIN LIST

 

Communications

In some regions, we will write to every owner directly to tell them about this Safety Recall Action. A copy of the letter is attached at the end of this Safety Recall Action for your information. There is also a copy of the “Change of Keeper’s Address or Ownership” form. You can download these documents from the DCS portal. If you need to mail the Customer directly, your regional After Sales Manager will tell you. If you need to do this, you can make a claim for your administration costs (refer to Warranty Data).

When the Owner calls to make an appointment, briefly describe the remedial work which will be done to the Owner’s vehicle and fully explain the reason for this work. Tell the owner that the repair will be done at no cost to them.

 

Service Reception Desk – Checks you must do before you book the vehicle in.

When you make a reservation for a Customer that you confirm the name and contact details are correct in Aston Martin’s records. To do this, please do the steps that follow:

1. Enter the vehicle’s 6-digit chassis number into DCS (amdealers.com) and click “Validate” (refer to Figure 1).

Figure 1

 

1. Make sure that the vehicle details are correct. If the current owner is correct, no action is necessary.
2. Make sure that the Customer name is correct. If the data is correct, then no action is necessary.
3. To update the Customer details, use the search feature to find the customer in your Synergy database (refer to Figure 2).

Figure 2

 

Note: The Customer record and updated details must have been entered into Synergy before you try to transfer the ownership in DCS.

 

5. If the correct Customer shows, click “confirm”.
6. If the correct Customer details do not show, click “add new”.

 

Before you start work

Log on to the Online Dealer Warranty (ODW) system. Do the steps that follow:

7. Select the Warranty Live screen (Outstanding Campaigns Status).
8. Download the VIN list from DCS and do a check of the VINs in your control.
9. Find out if there are other open Service Actions (SAs) or Safety Recall Actions (RAs) for the vehicles in the list.
10. List the SAs and RAs and plan the work so that the Owner only needs to come to your Dealership once.

 

Note: The ODW system operates in real-time. Thus, the online condition shows only the newest Dealer Warranty Claim submissions.

 

Workshop Procedure

1. Open the right door.
2. Operate the right front seat to the fully forward position.
3. If standard seats are installed, press the seat back release button and manually move the seat back forwards (refer to Figure 3).

Figure 3

 

4. If lightweight seats are installed, access will be easier if you open the left door and work across the transmission tunnel. Operate the left seat to the fully forward or fully rearward position, as necessary.
5. Lift the carpet from the floor and from the rear right side of the transmission tunnel (refer to Workshop Manual procedures 01.05.AE and 01.05.AG). You need only lift the carpet in the area adjacent to the rear end of the inboard seat runner (refer to Figure 4).

Figure 4

 

6. Pull the stud-mounted tie wrap off the weld stud to release the battery main supply cable (refer to Figure 4).
7. Examine the battery main supply cable for damage.
8. If you do not find damage, continue from step 11.
9. If only signs of light damage are found, wrap self-amalgamating harness tape around the supply cable. Continue from step 11.
10. If the supply cable insulation is damaged (melted or showing bare metal – refer to Figure 5), or if you think that the cable is damaged internally, contact Aston Martin Technical Services. Contact information is given at the end of this document.

Figure 5

 

11. If the supply cable is not damaged, install the routing block.
    • Install the block (1) on the weld stud.
    • Push the block against the body.
    • Push down the stud-mounted tie wrap (2) to attach the block (refer to Figure 6).

Figure 6

 

12. Use two cable ties to attach the supply cable to the routing block (refer to Figure 7).

Figure 7

 

13. Install the carpet on the floor and on the rear right side of the transmission tunnel (refer to Workshop Manual procedures 01.05.AE and 01.05.AG). Use double-sided adhesive tape as necessary to attach the carpets.
14. Operate the right front seat back to its initial position.

 

Warranty Data

Make sure that you submit your claim in less than 24 hours after the work is completed. The records of your claims are used in the reporting process for the Recall Action that Aston Martin need to submit to the applicable authorities.

 

Procedure and Labour Time

 

Part Data

 

Please Note:

When you have completed this Safety Recall Action, make sure that you make an entry in Section A of the Vehicle Owner’s Guide to show that the procedure is completed.

 

Appendix A – Table that Shows the Quantities of Affected Vehicles in the US Market

Note: Please refer to the list on DCS for the vehicles in your region.

If you have any questions related to this Safety Recall Action, please contact: Aston Martin Technical Services on: +44 (0) 1926 644720, email: [email protected], or contact your After Sales Manager.

The English version of this Safety Recall Action is written in Simplified Technical English to ASD-STE100™.

 

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February 8, 2018

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE NHTSA Recall 17V795

This notice applies to your vehicle:

Safety Recall Action RA-18-0026 – Change to the Routing of the Battery Supply Cable

REASON FOR THIS RECALL ACTION

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Aston Martin has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on a range of vehicles that were manufactured from July 2004 until July 2008.

In the affected models, it is possible in some circumstances that when the right front seat is operated to its fully rearward position that the seat runner can compress the battery supply cable. If the seat runner repeatedly compresses the cable, damage to the insulation of the cable can occur. When this happens, it is possible that the seat runner can conduct electricity from the battery supply cable. This can make a short circuit which can damage the wiring harness and cause smoke to appear in the passenger compartment.

The models affected are:

• DB9 (Coupe and Volante)
• DBS (Coupe and Volante)

 

WHAT WE WILL DO

We will install a cable guide onto the battery supply cable of all affected vehicles. This guide will move the battery supply cable to a different position so that it will not be possible for the seat runner to touch the cable. Also, the condition of the cable will be examined. If damage is found to the battery supply cable, more insulation will be applied to the cable. This work will be done at no cost to you.

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Please contact your Aston Martin dealer as soon as possible to arrange a date for the repair. They will be able to fully explain why this Recall Action is necessary. Instructions for making this correction have been sent to your dealer. The labour time necessary to complete this service correction is a maximum of 30 minutes. Please ask your dealer if you wish to know how much additional time will be needed to schedule and process your vehicle.

Your Aston Martin dealer is best equipped to obtain parts and provide the service to make sure that your vehicle is corrected as promptly as possible. If, however you take your vehicle to your dealer on the agreed service date and they do not remedy this condition on that date, or within three days, we recommend that you contact Aston Martin Customer Service by calling 1-888-923-9988.

If after contacting your dealer and Aston Martin Customer Services, you are still not able to have the safety defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to write to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590 or call 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

If you have already had your vehicle repaired due to this problem before receipt of this notice, you may be entitled to reimbursement for any out of pocket costs. For further information, please contact Aston Martin Customer Service by calling 1-888-923-9988.

 

IF YOU NO LONGER OWN THE VEHICLE

If you have sold or traded your vehicle, please tell us by completing the enclosed Change of Keeper form and returning it to us.

Federal regulations require that any lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

We are sorry to cause inconvenience with this Recall Action. However, this action has been taken in the interest of your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

Yours sincerely

 

Phil Eaglesfield

General Manager
Client Services
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited

 

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10 Affected Products

Vehicles

 

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11 Associated Documents

Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-17V795-0657.pdf 551.178KB

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-17V795-2063.pdf 245.756KB

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Recall 573 Report

RCLRPT-17V795-3214.pdf 217.593KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2018-1

RCLQRT-17V795-0555.PDF 214.513KB

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-17V795-5779.pdf 407.887KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2018-2

RCLQRT-17V795-5516.PDF 214.614KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2018-4

RCLQRT-17V795-8338.PDF 211.435KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2018-3

RCLQRT-17V795-6100.PDF 214.711KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #5, 2019-1

RCLQRT-17V795-2016.PDF 211.543KB

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Recall Quarterly Report #6, 2019-2

RCLQRT-17V795-7757.PDF 211.63KB

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – Renotification 8/19/19

RCONL-17V795-6812.pdf 186.36KB

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=17V795&docType=RCL

 

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