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Category Archives: safety
NHTSA Scolds Ford over Minivan Torque Converter Recall
In an unusual acknowledgement of the Ford recall (11S25 or 12V-006) just made public, NHTSA said Ford made assertions – also unusual in my experience – in its required defect filing that are untrue and violate federal safety regulations. Continue reading
BMW Mini Recall Active for Turbo Engine Fires
BMW is recalling almost 90,000 Mini models equipped with a turbocharged engine because the electric pump that cools the turbo after engine shutdown can fail and catch fire. Models built from 14 November 2006 through January of 2011 are covered by the Mini recall. Previously BMW had trouble with a similar pump used on V8 engines. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto recalls, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bmw recall, Ken Zino, min turbocharger recall, mini recall, recalls
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Ford Escape Recall Active for Engine Compartment Fires
A Ford Escape recall for engine fires is now in place for 245,000 2001-2002 model year vehicles, after a previous recall didn’t solve the safety defect. However, due to a parts delay, the latest fix may not be immediately available. Ford said it will instruct owners to park their vehicles outside until parts are ready. In April of 2007 Ford had recalled connectors on the Escape anti-lock braking system for improper seals. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was in the process of conducting an engineering analysis of the ongoing Escape fire problem. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, escape fire recall, escape recall, Ken Zino, nhtsa, recall
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Chinese Maker to Pay EPA $680,000 Fine for Dirty ATVs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a $680,000 settlement with recreational vehicle manufacturers, Loncin (USA), Inc., Longting USA LLC, and Chongqing Longting Power Equipment Co., Ltd., to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) caused by the import of 7,115 uncertified recreational vehicles into the United States. It was the latest in a series of actions against the Chinese company and its agents. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news, news analysis, results
Tagged atv emissions, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, caa, caa violations, chinese atvs, chongqing longting power equipment, clean air act, emissions, epa fines, Ken Zino, loncin, longting usa, motorscience, pep boys, uncertified vehicles
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First Lifetime Hybrid Battery Warranty On Hyundai Sonata
The announcement appears to be an opportunistic and pre-emptive use of public relations, given current Chevrolet Volt battery fire concerns. The Chevrolet Volt uses the same supplier – LG Chem – as the 2011 model Sonata Hybrid. Model year 2012 Sonata hybrid versions are just about to go on sale since Hyundai is still clearing out inventories of its 2011 Sonata Hybrid. This is a rare sales setback for Hyundai, which also captured the North American Car of the Car of the Year award for its Elantra compact car at NAIAS, and reflects a larger hybrid sales problem that most automakers have. Continue reading
Midas Sued in Europe for Breach of Contract
The unwelcome development for Midas shareholders comes as the Midas board of directors is exploring the possible sale of the company during an ongoing strategic review. Share prices have ranged from a 52-week high of $9.50 to a 52-week low of $5.08. Currently Midas is trading at $8.46. Midas during the first nine months of 2011 had net earnings of $4.4 million ($0.32 per diluted share), an increase from $2.3 million or $0.17 per diluted share in 2010. Midas pays no dividend. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, economy, litigation, news
Tagged Alan D. Feldman, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Ken Zino, mds, mesa, MESA S.p.A., midas
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NHTSA Keeps Chevrolet Volt Battery Fire Probe Open
GM said this morning that it was “optimistic” that no recall would be required, a politically sensitive issue since the federal government, which NHTSA is part of, still holds a large 27% stake in GM. For GM’s part, a safety recall is arguably more damaging to the reputation of the Volt than the proposed customer service action. Last year Chevrolet sold 7,671 Volt models , which cost more than $40,000 without taxpayer subsidies to its mostly rich buyers, another political controversy in itself. Continue reading
GM Changes Chevrolet Volt to Protect Battery to Stop Fires
It was not immediately clear whether NHTSA would require that Chevrolet Volt EVs be recalled or whether the modifications can be done as a customer satisfaction procedure. There remains at this moment an ongoing NHTSA engineering analysis, which could lead to a recall. GM said it was “optimistic” that no recall would be required, a politically sensitive issue since the federal government still holds a large stake in GM. Continue reading
Car Spy Jim Dunne Catches Revised Lincoln MKS or MKZ?
Following the Ford Jaguar debacle, success is also not a word that can be applied to Ford’s management of Lincoln, which is a poseur in the world of luxury cars dominated by the German Brands and Toyota’s Lexus, which even though it was out of the U.S. market for five months this year because of the Japan earthquake, still managed to outsell Lincoln by a better than 2:1. Continue reading
Federal Appeals Court blocks Enforcement of EPA Cross State Rule until Dozens of Power Company Lawsuits are Resolved
The rule requires reduction in emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which the auto industry successfully undertook decades ago. The Appeals court will consider the legality of the rule sometime next year. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news, news analysis
Tagged air pollution, alternate fuels, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, co2, coal, coal powerplants, cross state pollution, epa, EVs, Ken Zino, so2
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Michigan Made Chevrolet Sonic Recall for Missing Brake Pad
How a car without brake pads could leave the Orion Township assembly plant, or pass a pre-delivery inspection was not addressed in the terse NHTSA filing. The embarrassing safety defect comes just before the public unveiling of the 2013 Sonic RS performance model – 138-horsepower from a turbocharged engine – at the North American International Auto Show in January. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto recalls, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet sonic recall, Ken Zino, naias, nhtsa, recall, sonic recall, sonic rs
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The Top Stolen Cadillac Escalade Has New Antitheft Devices
Cadillac Escalade is more than 6 times as likely as the average vehicle to be targeted by thieves and has overall theft losses more than 10 times as big, according the Highway Loss Data Institute – HLDI. So little wonder that Cadillac in a release today is touting what it claims are new security enhancements developed to thwart thieves on Escalade models. Continue reading
Nissan Recall Active for Oil Leaks. Infiniti Recall too
This is the fourth major Nissan recall since the end of November. Earlier recalls involved sudden stalling on Sentra models; Juke turbocharger boost sensors; and defective Rogue electric power steering control computers. Continue reading
New DOT Rule Decreases Truck Driver Operating Times
“This final rule is the culmination of the most extensive and transparent public outreach effort in our agency’s history,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.
Ferro, an Obama Administration appointee, is former trucking association executive and lobbyist. Prior to her appointment as the head of truck safety at the Department of Transportation, Ferro was president of the Maryland Motor Truck Association for six years. Moreover, the association supported the Bush Administration increase in driver hours. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, news analysis, people, safety, transportation
Tagged anne s. ferro, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, dot, driver hours of service, fmcsa, hos, Ken Zino, truck drivers
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