Vauxhall has recalled 234,000 Zafiras for a second time.
Vauxhall announced it was taking ‘preventative action’ to protect the vehicles from the risk of fire, after already recalling the Zafira B models last year.
In December 2015 Vauxhall wrote to all 234,938 Vauxhall Zafira B owners to make them aware of an issue which could affect their vehicle. Vauxhall’s investigations found evidence of improper repairs to the blower motor resistor and its thermal fuse, which is designed to protect the blower motor system. These improper repairs, which may have been conducted without the owners’ knowledge, can lead to overheating of the system’s electrical components and the potential for a fire. Resistors should never be repaired, they should only be replaced.
The previous recall aimed to return vehicles to their original condition, which involves replacing the resistor in every vehicle and the blower motor and the pollen filter in many thousands of vehicles. After ‘extensive investigations’ Vauxhall has decided to improve the overall robustness of the system which has lead to the second recall.
The current soldered fuse resistor will be replaced with a wax fuse resistor - reducing the opportunity for manipulation. When the recalls are complete, all vehicles will have a new wax fuse resistor, a new blower motor and a new moulding at the base of the windscreen to address water ingress.
Owners of vehicles which have not yet had the initial recall completed should still bring their vehicles to their dealership to have them returned to their original condition. Vauxhall will soon be writing to all customers to inform them of the second recall.
Vauxhall says that all work will be conducted free of charge.