Category Archives: safety

Chevrolet Corvette Recall on for 2011 and 2012 Coupes

The rear hatch on Corvette Coupes made from 24 January 2011 through 1 September 2011 could separate in a crash, thereby increasing the risk of injury. A stop sale is in place. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Recall for Leaking Diesel Engine Fuel Lines Active

A Volkswagen recall is now active for leaking fuel lines on Jetta, Golf and Audi A3 vehicles. The 2-liter TDI diesel engine is susceptible to a resonance that cracks the number two cylinder fuel line. The resonance is caused by the operation of the EGR system, which decreases emissions of nitrous oxides, a particular problem with diesel engines. More than 168,000 VW and Audi cars are affected by the fuel line safety defect, which because of the high pressure fuel system makes the cars susceptible to fires if the fuel line fails. Continue reading

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NHTSA Probes GM Electric Power Steering Sudden Failure

Complicating matters for General Motors is the EPS system used in those vehicles is the same as that used in 2005 -2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 models. In March of 2010, GM recalled more than 1 million of them to fix a defect with the EPS assist motor. Continue reading

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Facebook Posting Costs Chicago BMW Salesperson His Job

A National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge ruled this week that Knauz BMW, a Chicago area car dealership, did not wrongfully terminate an employee for his Facebook postings. Back in May the NLRB alleged unlawful termination of an employee … Continue reading

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General Motors to Debut World’s First Center Airbag in 2013

A GM analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System database (FARS) found that far-side impact crashes accounted for 11% of the belted front occupant fatalities in non-rollover impacts between 2004 and 2009. Also implied in the data GM looked at is that much more work remains to be done on interior design, including seat belts that don’t hold an occupant laterally, the now ubiquitous center consoles that are causing serious and fatal injuries, and the seat itself, which allows deadly movement. With intense engineering, some of these problems could be dealt with by passive solutions, which could be far less expensive than adding another airbag to every new vehicle. Continue reading

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EPA Sues MotorScience for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations. More than 24,000 Chinese Vehicles Were Illegally Imported

The United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today filed a civil complaint against MotorScience, Inc. and the owner of the company for allegedly causing the importation of more than 24,000 uncertified vehicles from China that … Continue reading

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Hyundai Recall Active on Veracruz and Santa Fe SUV Airbags

The recall appears to have been prompted by a request for an explanation about a high number of warranty claims by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Continue reading

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Kia Recall on Sorento Passenger Airbag Trails Service Bulletin

A Kia recall is now active for model year 2007-2008 Sorento passenger cars manufactured from June 15, 2006 through November 27, 2007. The safety recall is prompted by a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) analysis that showed complaints about the passenger side airbag were higher than those of other vehicles. The Korean maker Kia disagreed, but has recalled the Sorento to prevent a dispute with NHTSA and it obvious negative effects on its quality image.

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Volkswagen Recall Active on Jetta Sedans for Burning People

A Volkswagen Recall is now underway in the United States on almost 3,000 Jetta sedans because the stainless steal exhaust tips extended too far, resulting in complaints from customers that they are being burned. These port-installed exhaust tips extend beyond the original length of the factory installed exhaust system. Continue reading

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NHTSA Ups Scrutiny of Failing Chrysler Minivan Headlights

According to NHTSA, the minivan headlights randomly shut off and remain dark on Town & Country and Dodge Caravan minivans. More than 600,000 vehicles are potentially affected according to a NHTSA filing. Continue reading

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NTSB Wants Cell Phone Ban for Commercial Drivers

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended banning the use of all types of cell phones by commercial drivers except in emergencies. The Safety Board said cell phone use by the driver of an 18-wheel semi truck was the … Continue reading

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Honda Recalls 310,000 Pilot SUVs for Defective Seat Belts

The latest quality gaff from the Japanese maker once known for its quality follows Honda recalls announced over the Labor Day weekend for fires on more than a million vehicles globally. During the past year or so, Honda has issued more than 22 public statements about various safety defects and recalls in the U.S. Continue reading

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Honda Recalls a Million Vehicles for Fires, Software Problems

The latest Honda recalls are part of much larger global quality problems that affect almost one million Honda vehicles with potential fatal safety defects, including the Honda Fit, which was already recalled in the U.S. Worse, Honda recalls during the last year show that Honda’s once vaunted reputation for manufacturing and design quality is in shambles. Continue reading

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Most Active Speed Traps Revealed in U.S. and Canada

A speed trap exists in NMA’s view wherever traffic enforcement is “focused on extracting revenue from drivers instead of improving safety.” NMA opposes the use of enforcement tactics that are intended to generate revenue from technical violations of “under-posted” speed limits. Continue reading

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2012 Cadillac SRX Dries Wet Brakes Automatically

Building on ESC technology, Cadillac has announced that 2012 SRX SUVs will use its electronic stability control (StabiliTrak) to automatically dry wet brakes. This is not as frivolous as it may seem on first glance: data that predates Hurricane Irene, the U.S. Department of Transportation says 620,000 crashes on the nation’s roadways in 2009 or 10% occurred in the rain. Continue reading

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