Teething problems are not unusual in the relatively new, and still small volume EV industry.
CODA Automotive is recalling 78 of its 2012 model year EVs because of a manufacturing error that incorrectly installed the side curtain airbags. As a result of the defect, the airbag may not deploy properly in its four-door sedan during an accident. In a statement the small, privately-held California company said it knows of no injuries in the car that only recently went on sale after delays.
The problem was discovered during a New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) test conducted earlier this month. Although the five-passenger car was found to be compliant with safety regulations, the driver’s side curtain airbag did not deploy as originally designed.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail and asked to take their vehicle to a CODA authorized dealer. The dealer will verify the proper installation of both side curtain airbags. If the dealer finds an improperly installed side curtain airbag, the dealer will correct the installation. The inspection and any repairs, if needed, will be performed free of charge for all vehicles involved as required by U.S. safety regulations.
Owners may contact CODA Automotive at 1-855-464-2632 about recall campaign number R84001. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.
See also DOE Gives EV Supplier UQM More Time on ARRAS Grant
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
