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Coding Error Sends 2019 Subaru Ascents to the Car Crusher:
Usually, news of an automotive-related software issue involves an error like last week's GM recall of 1 million SUVs and pickups because of a steering defect in their electric power-steering module. GM stated that the defect can cause a momentary loss of power steering followed by its sudden return, which can lead to an accident, and already has in about 30 known cases. GM says a software update to the module available from its dealers will fix the problem.
But a software remedy can't solve Subaru's issue with 293 of its 2019 Ascent SUVs. All 293 of the SUVs that were built in July will be scrapped because they are missing critical spot welds.
According to Subaru's recall notice [PDF] filed with the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the welding robots at the Subaru Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Ind., were improperly coded, which meant the robots omitted the spot welds required on the Ascents' B-pillar. Consumer Reports states that the B-pillar holds the second-row door hinges. As a result, the strength of the affected Ascents' bodies may be reduced, increasing the possibility of passenger injuries in a crash.
Subaru indicated in the recall that "there is no physical remedy available; therefore, any vehicles found with missing welds will be destroyed." Luckily, only nine Ascents had been sold, and those customers are going to receive new vehicles. The rest were on dealer lots or in transit.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 23 2018, @02:32PM (7 children)
Easy for people with no production manufacturing or assembly experience to pontificate. Reality is, you'll always get a percentage of product that is reject and the more complex the product, the higher the reject rate. The cost of fixing the rejects can quickly negate profit margins. Consider the parts count and QA / Test procedures for something as complex as a modern SUV and tell me you want product in the market that hasn't been subject to procedures that took many months to develop for the automated production line? Transplanting the engine, wheels and seats could be doable. If it is, that is exactly what they'll do.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Acabatag on Sunday September 23 2018, @07:25PM (3 children)
The more complex the product, the more modular the design should be. So that when there is a defect in the end product, a module gets scrapped, not the entire product.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Ellis D. Tripp on Sunday September 23 2018, @08:03PM
In this case, the fault was in the unibody structure that every other component is attached to, so no "scrapping the module" there. But almost everything else could be reclaimed given an effort.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 23 2018, @09:01PM
And if the cost for disassembly and replacing the module is higher than the cost of remanufacture? Just as a cheap printer is beyond economic repair, some products are beyond economic rework. Sad but true.
(Score: 3, Informative) by darkfeline on Monday September 24 2018, @05:37AM
>The more complex the product, the more modular the design should be. So that when there is a defect in the end product, a module gets scrapped, not the entire product.
To quote the parent:
>Easy for people with no production manufacturing or assembly experience to pontificate.
You don't honestly think that if it were cheaper to modularize and only scrap modules, that companies whose only goal is to increase the bottom line would not have taken that approach? Mass production is painstakingly optimized to maximize cost vs return; anything that is cost-effective to recycle will be.
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(Score: 2) by sjames on Sunday September 23 2018, @08:28PM (2 children)
So scrap it, don't crush it. That way, people with more free time and less dollars will eventually take the car apart to repair their car.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by pipedwho on Sunday September 23 2018, @09:44PM (1 child)
The problem is if they don't at least destroy the defective part (body in this case) beyond repair, some douche will buy up the 'scrap'. Then they'll think "hey look, it's just like a new car and no one will know the difference", and offload the car as a second hand/demo vehicle to an unsuspecting buyer (or a used car dealer - with their usual less than scrupulous behaviour). Car ends up in a fatal collision and law suits start flying around like mosquitoes in a stagnant swamp.
(Score: 4, Informative) by sjames on Sunday September 23 2018, @09:52PM
That's why salvage titles are a thing. Or they could spend just a few minutes with a sawsall cutting the roof off.