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Category Archives: safety
Ford Bronco Recalls – Shocks and Batteries
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is recalling 149,449 2021-2024 Bronco vehicles. The rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external reservoir. Ford is also recalling a previous recall on 272,817 2021-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022-2023 Maverick vehicles. The 12-volt battery may experience degradation and suddenly fail. If the battery suddenly degrades during a drive it can lead to a vehicle that is unable to restart after an auto stop/start event or experience a stall while coming to a stop at low speed. Either of these conditions may be accompanied by a loss of 12-volt accessories, including hazard lights. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, car sharing, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Chinese Camel EFB battery failures, Ford Bronco and Maverick Battery Recalls, Ford Bronco shock absorber recall 25S01, Ford Motor Company, Ken Zino, NHTSA 24V267 or 24V-267, NHTSA recall 25V019 or 25V-025, NHTSA recall 25V025 or 25V-025, X @KenAutoinformed
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Hybrid Crossing Beacons Often Ignored by Pedestrians
Traffic signals known as pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) allow walkers who need to cross a busy road to evoke a stoplight by pressing a button. However, while the devices are great at getting drivers to yield, many pedestrians don’t bother to activate them before crossing, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Pedestrians are more likely to activate rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), even though they’re less effective at getting drivers to stop.
“It’s well-documented that both of these common pedestrian warning signals make drivers more likely to yield and allow walkers to cross the street safely,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “But they can only do that if pedestrians push the button to activate them. This study offers valuable lessons for how we can make that more likely.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news analysis, people, safety, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, pedestrian hybrid beacons, Raul Avelar, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, X @KenAutoinformed
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Kia Software Recall for Failed Headlights and Tail Lights
Kia America is recalling ~75,000 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles because of loss of headlights and tail lights from a software logic error. Hyundai Mobis in Korea produced the defective component. The safety defect first occurred in Korea.
In the required safety defect filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Kia said, “A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.” Continue reading
HF Sinclair Plea Deal – Climate- and Health-Harming Emissions
The Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) announced today a proposed settlement with HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC, an HF Sinclair Corp. subsidiary, resolving alleged Clean Air Act and New Mexico Air Quality Control Act violations at the company’s oil refinery in Artesia, New Mexico. The refinery is adjacent to a community overburdened by pollution. This settlement is part of the Justice Department and EPA’s ongoing commitment to address unlawful pollution in historically marginalized and dis-proportionally impacted communities.
“This settlement reinforces the United States’ commitment to protect communities from illegal refinery benzene and VOC emissions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Katherine E. Konschnik of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Under the settlement, the refinery will make significant capital investments in pollution controls and implement additional programs to improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the residents of Artesia, including the students at Roselawn Elementary School.” Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, litigation, news, news analysis, public health
Tagged Artesia New Mexico, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, clean air act, doj, epa, hazardous air pollutants, HF Sinclair Corp, HF Sinclair Navajo Refining, Katherine E. Konschnik, Ken Zino, New Mexico Air Quality Control Act, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, X @KenAutoinformed
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Toyota’s Hino Motors Emissions Fraud – $1.6B Plea Deal
The U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and State of California reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions, valued at more than $1.6 billion, with Hino Motors Ltd., Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. and Hino Motors Sales U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, Hino) for violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States. These resolutions are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
“Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) yesterday. “Hino’s actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and import laws.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, car sharing, engineering, environment, fools 'n frauds, global warming, litigation, milestones, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Department of Justice, carb, department of justice, epa, fbi, Hino Motors Ltd., Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A., Hino Motors Sales U.S.A., Justice Department case 198-01902, Ken Zino, Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors, X @KenAutoinformed
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Grass Isn’t Always Greener – SEC Fraud Charges Joecool
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced litigated charges against Joecool.com, LLC and its CEO, Joseph Ariel Haber, for alleged misappropriation and misuse of investor funds, as well as false and misleading statements to investors. There are also charges against recidivist securities law violator Robert Tye Cournoyer for his alleged false and misleading statements to investors and for acting as an unregistered broker.
The SEC’s complaint, filed in federal district court in Nevada, Case No. 25-cv-00076, alleges that between at least November 2019 and February 2024, Joecool raised approximately $2 million from investors through an unregistered securities offering by representing that investor funds would be used to produce, package, promote, and sell various CBD-infused coffee products. The SEC requested “a trial by jury on all claims so triable.” Continue reading
Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation, news, news analysis, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Joecool.com fraud charges, Joseph Ariel Haber, Ken Zino, Robert Tye Cournoyer, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, securities law violations, X @KenAutoinformed
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CARB Eases Portable Generator Rules Because of Wildfires
In California, every portable generator rated at or below 19 kilowatts must be certified to California emission standards in order to be legally sold. “However, in some areas, there is currently a shortage of California certified portable generators available for sale due to the increased demand resulting from on-going wildfires. During this emergency, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will exercise maximum discretion with regard to the sale and use of new generators less than 19 kilowatts in size by temporarily allowing (through June 30, 2025) the import, distribution, sale, and offer for sale of U.S. EPA certified generators,” CARB said over the weekend. Continue reading
Posted in energy, environment, global warming, news, news analysis, public health, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Air Resources Board, California Wildfires, carb, Ken Zino, portable generators, U.S. EPA certified generators, X @KenAutoinformed
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New Tesla Recall for Bad Computers
Tesla, Inc. is recalling ~240,000 2024-2025 Model 3, Model S, 2023-2025 Model X, and 2023-2025 Model Y vehicles because a computer circuit board may short circuit, according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“On a small percentage of affected vehicles, upon vehicle power up, a reverse current may cause a shorting failure on the car computer board, resulting in the loss of rearview camera functionality,” Tesla said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, elon musk, FMVSS 111 rear visibility, Ken Zino, NHTSA 25V002 or 25V-002, Tesla recall SB-25-00-001, Tesla Recalls, X @KenAutoinformed
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Seventh Big Rigging Guilty Plea in Michigan Asphalt Industry
The former president of a Michigan asphalt paving company pleaded guilty last Wednesday for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids for asphalt paving services contracts in Michigan, the U.S. Justice Department said today. Documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, show that Timothy Baugher, former president of Pontiac-based Asphalt Specialists LLC (ASI), conspired with F. Allied Construction Company Inc. (Allied), and employees from those companies to rig bids in each other’s favor. Baugher participated in the conspiracy from July 2017 through May 2021.
Wednesday’s guilty plea is the 10th in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation into collusion in the Michigan asphalt paving industry. Baugher’s former employer, ASI, and another former ASI executive also pleaded guilty for their participation in the conspiracy with Allied in January 2024. Allied and two of its executives previously pleaded guilty in August 2023 for their participation in the conspiracy. On Aug. 15, 2024, ASI was sentenced to pay a fine of $6,500,000.
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Posted in auto news, car sharing, fools 'n frauds, litigation, news analysis, people, transportation
Tagged Asphalt Specialists LLC, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Doha Mekki, F. Allied Construction Company, Ken Zino, Timothy Baugher, U.S. Justice Department Antitrust Division, X @KenAutoinformed
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Tesla Recall for Bad Airbags and Windshields
Tesla is recalling some 2024-2025 Model S and Model X vehicles for failure to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, “Occupant Crash Protection” and 212, “Windshield Mounting.” The driver’s air bag could tear during deployment, according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, car sharing, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, elon musk, FMVSS 208 and 212, Ken Zino, NHTSA recall 24V967 or 24V-967, Tesla 2024-2025 Model S and Model X airbag recalls, Tesla recall SB-24-20-001, X @KenAutoinformed, ZF-Lifetec Mexico
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Ford Motor Battery Fire Recalls – Escape and Corsair Hybrids
Ford Motor (NYSE: F) is recalling 20,484 Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs from model years 2020 to 2024 because of defective batteries, according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high-voltage battery cells used in the compact hybrid vehicles may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure. The supplier is Samsung SDI Hungary. Ford has been aware of the safety defect since September of 2024.* The high voltage cell’s separator layer between its cathode and anode may be susceptible to damage as a result of the cell manufacturing process. Separator damage may result in a cell internal short circuit leading to sudden power loss and battery fires. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, car sharing, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Escape hybrid recalls, Ford and Lincoln hybrid recalls, Ford Motor battery fire recall 24S79, Ken Zino, Lincoln Corsair hybrid recalls, NHTSA Recall 24V950 or 24V-950, Samsung SDI Hungary, X @KenAutoinformed
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Kia Niro Recalls for Air Bags or Seat Belts
Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge as required by long-standing Federal safety regulations. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed 14 March 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia’s number for this recall is SC332. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA 25V024. Continue reading →