Recall Notices to Go Out for 5,500 Aston Martin Models

Cars and Drivers

Published: December 26, 2017 8:50 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 5:08 am

The U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has posted documents related to safety recalls of nearly 5,500 Aston Martin cars built in model years 2005 to 2016. Two recall notices were posted: one related to a rollaway issue and the other related to a battery cable problem.

A total of 3,493 DB9, DBS, Rapide, Virage and Vanquish models built between 2008 and 2016 have been listed on the recall documents for the rollaway issue. According to the company’s report, the problem is a communication error between the engine control module and the transmission control module that can cause the transmission park pawl to fail to be engaged. When this happens, the vehicle may roll away from its parked position.

The company said it will correct this problem by updating the transmission control module software. Owners will receive a letter from Aston Martin instructing them to take their cars to the dealer for a no-cost repair.

The company also will conduct a recall campaign for 1,953 DB9 and DBS vehicles from model years 2005 to 2009 to replace a battery supply cable. The cable on these cars may become damaged when the driver seat is set to its full rearward location. If the cable is damaged and then grounded, the short circuit may increase the risk of a fire.

Aston Martin will notify owners to bring the cars in for a no-cost repair to include an inspection of the cable for damage and the installation of a “routing block” that will keep the cable from being compressed by the seat.

While the size of the recalls is nothing like a recent recall of 1.8 million Ram pickups, the Aston Martin cars sell for an average of more than $200,000 and sales in the United States have been strong — up 65% to 3,330 in the first nine months of this year.