Category Archives: safety

Distracted Driving – Chapel Hill Bans All Cell Phones

This makes Chapel Hill the first town in the United States to ban hands-free use of cell phones. Motorists also will be banned from using on-board wireless systems in vehicles – another first-of-its-kind law. Continue reading

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Chevy Gogo Link Transfers Smart Phone Apps to Dumb Radio

This latest foray into automotive electronics raises not only distracted driving issues but marketing ones as well since GogoLink competes with GM’s OnStar. Continue reading

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BMW Recalls all 2003 to 2010 Model 5 and 6 Series for Fires

BMW AG is recalling all BMW 5 and 6 Series models from the previous generation, built between 2003 and 2010 for possible fires. About 1.3 million vehicles worldwide are affected. Continue reading

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Porsche Recalls New 911 for a Possible Gasoline Leak

No fires have been reported, but the first gasoline leak was reported by a customer less than a week after taking delivery of the $110,000+ sports car. Continue reading

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DENSO Exec Pleads Guilty to Price Fixing on Auto Parts

The plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, requires Imai serve one year and one day in a U.S. prison, to pay a $20,000 criminal fine and to cooperate with the department’s ongoing investigation. Imai is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which normally carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million or greater criminal fine for individuals. Continue reading

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A123 Recalls Lithium Ion Batteries Shipped to Fisker, Others

The $55 million recall comes after the well-publicized failure during testing of a Fisker Karma that was owned by Consumer Reports. A123, an investor in Fisker, lost almost $260 million in 2011. A123 received a $249.1 million grant from the Department of Energy to reopen plants in Livonia and Romulus, Mich., as well as money and tax credits from Michigan worth more than $100 million. The future of the company, which has never earned a profit, is not clear. Continue reading

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Milestones: 75 Million Bosch ESP Systems

Bosch pioneered this advanced safety technology, which is increasingly mandatory equipment under the constantly expanding global regulation of vehicles. According to studies, this active safety system can prevent up to 80% of all skidding accidents. Continue reading

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Toyota offers Protection from Lease Wear and Use Charges

Toyota Financial Services and Lexus Financial Services are introducing what is called an Excess Wear & Use (EWU) Protection Plan. The plan limits financial responsibility for items such as dings, dents, scratches, and missing parts or equipment when the lease … Continue reading

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Lockheed Martin Fined $15.85 Million for Taxpayer Rip-off

“It is troubling that a large defense contractor with long-established contractual ties with the United States failed to undertake appropriate measures to ensure the integrity and validity of the costs it submitted to the United States,” said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. It is more troubling that seven years of fraud when revealed took another seven years for the Federal government to resolve. Continue reading

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Honda Recalls CR-V Models for Suspension Failure

The latest Honda safety recall came a month after Consumer Reports said that Subaru for the first time has earned the top score in automaker report cards for 2012. Honda, the winner for the past four years, slipped to fourth place among 13 major automakers behind Mazda and Toyota. Continue reading

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Hyundai Recalls Some Sonata Hybrids for Seat Belt Defect, But Asks NHTSA to Ignore More than 13,000 in Customer Use.

NHTSA had no immediate comment on the request, which covers a center rear safety belt with a release mechanism that detaches both the lap and shoulder portion at the lower anchorage point. This design is legal for non-folding rear seats, but for the folding ones installed in the Sonata hybrid. NHTSA alerted Hyundai of the violation of federal regulations as part o its ongoing compliance testing. Continue reading

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Nissan Recalls Infiniti M45 for Bad Electronic Gas Gauges

In the pre-Toyota cover-up fines from NHTSA, it appears that Nissan ignored the safety problem and warranty data. In the post Toyota fine era at NHTSA, the number of recalls from Japanese makers, not coincidentally, has accelerated dramatically.

This is the sixth major Nissan recall since the fall. Earlier recalls involved Nissan and Infiniti gasoline leaks, oil leaks, sudden stalling on Sentra models, Juke turbocharger boost sensors, and defective Rogue electric power steering control computers. Continue reading

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Software Change Causes Regal Recall for Parking Lamps

Buick is recalling 2012 model Regal sedans because a software change was not adequately tested and it made the parking lamps inoperative. In either the headlamp position or the parking light position, the so-called body control module would not turn on the lights as is required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108. Continue reading

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BizJet Pays $11.8 M Fine under Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

BizJet International Sales and Support will pay an $11.8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for bribing government officials. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based aircraft maintenance company with links to Lufthansa was under investigation by the Department of Justice for bribing government officials in Latin America to secure contracts to perform aircraft services for government agencies. Continue reading

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NHTSA Investigating Ford Taurus Runaway Throttle Complaints

Complaints allege engine speeds as high as 4,000 RPM after shifting into Park or Neutral. Some complaints report that it was difficult to slow the vehicle with the brakes during the incident and one report indicated that when the car was finally stopped, it was partially in an intersection after going through a red light. Continue reading

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