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Category Archives: safety
New Ford Recalls: 2022 Model Explorer, Ranger, F-Series
On some 2022 Explorer and Ranger vehicles equipped with 2.3-liter engines, the fuel line may be loose due to improper tightening of the fuel line connection. There is a potential for fires. On some 2022 F-150 vehicles. The right-side instrument panel cover may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag to not deploy as intended. During air bag deployment, the air bag cover my break and project fragments into the vehicle, or the air bag may deploy improperly, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Continue reading
Deadly Cocktail – Marijuana and Alcohol
“Alcohol impairment is associated with almost 30% of the fatalities on our roadways, and we have made very little progress to reduce this toll over the past three decades. Now we are adding another impairing substance to the mix,” IIHS President David Harkey said ahead of his presentation at the annual meeting of the Governors’ Highway Safety Association in Louisville, Kentucky. Continue reading
An Idea Whose Time has Come – Smart Infrastructure
The SMART Grants Program – the latest example of how government can effect change for its people – comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden on 15 November 2021. The Infrastructure law – almost universally opposed by the Republican party, whose members are still trying to overturn the last election while endorsing political violence – will offer up to $100 million in grants annually over the next five years. It will fund projects that use data and technology to solve real-world challenges facing communities today, the Administration said in a release. Continue reading
Posted in autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, milestones, transportation
Tagged Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation program, ATTAIN, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Biden-Harris Administration, dot, fhwa, Ken Zino, Pete Buttigieg, SMART Grants Program
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Ford Fires: 200k Expeditions and Navigators Recalled
No cause of the Expedition and Navigator fires has been identified to date. Ford “believes they originate in the blower motor, which is located on the passenger side interior behind the glovebox.” Ford was alerted by NHTSA of the potential fire problem during October of 2020 because of consumer complaints to the Federal safety Agency. Mailing of owner notification letters is expected to begin September 12, 2022 and is expected to be completed by September 16, 2022. The supplier of the defective part is the ironically named Detroit Thermal Systems of Romulus Michigan. Continue reading
Night Testing Scores of Pedestrian Automatic Braking Poor
However, since reaching a low point in 2009, federal estimates for 2021 show pedestrian crash deaths have risen ~80%. The ~7300 pedestrians killed in 2021 accounted for almost a fifth of all traffic fatalities. Three-quarters of those fatalities occur at night, when research shows most pedestrian AEB systems are less effective. Continue reading
New 2022 Jeep Gladiators Recalled for Rollaways
An improperly crimped parking wheel could become loose and move towards the rear of the transmission housing and potentially compromise the engagement with the parking pawl. Compromised engagement of the parking wheel to the parking pawl could result in a loss of park position which may result in inadvertent vehicle movement, which could cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Jeep Gladiator recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa, zf
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CJPT expels Hino over Emission Data Certification Fraud
In a move that appears to be an attempt to isolate Hino’s owner Toyota from the ongoing legal and other liabilities in the matter that started in 2003, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation “suggested that the misconduct committed by Hino is incompatible with CJPT’s * aspirations and goals and that the continued inclusion of Hino in activities will not gain the understanding of its customers and the public,” the Toyota statement said. Continue reading
Fires! Park 2020-22 Hyundai Palisades, Kia Tellurides Outside
Hyundai Motor America and Kia America are telling owners of some Model Year 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles park their cars outside and away from homes and other structures until their vehicles have been repaired, due to new recalls for the risk of fire. More than 280,000 SUVs are potentially involved. Continue reading
GM Recalls 500,000 2021-22 SUVs for Bad Seat Belts
“The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left- or right-side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed,” was the defect cited in a mandatory NHTSA filing made public today. GM had reports of the problem going back to October of 2020. Workers at GM supplier ZF Occupant Safety Systems manufacturing plant in Mexico may have not properly followed processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation. Continue reading
Ford Recalls 2022 Maverick Pickups for Bad Airbags
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered the problem in June of 2022 during a FMVSS 226 compliance audit on a 2022 model year Maverick. The displacement results for the front lower primary target were 111.9 mm, which exceeds the federal regulation of 100 mm. Side curtain air bags that may not meet the displacement requirements of FMVSS 226 S4.2.1 Ejection increase the risk of injury in a crash. No warning of the existence of potential deadly problem occurs before an accident. Continue reading
NHTSA: Bad Brakes on 1.7M Fords, Lincolns?
These vehicles were not part of the 11 August 2020, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) safety recall 20V-469 on Model Year (MY) 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles that addressed front brake hoses (jounce hoses) rupturing prematurely. The cause was due to consistent localized failures of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue during suspension and steering movement. The recall replaced both front brake jounce hoses with a new revised braid material and bled the brake system. Continue reading
Ferrari NA Recalls 2005-2022 Models for Brake Failures
The repair consists of replacing the brake fluid reservoir cap and updating the software where applicable in the affected vehicles to provide for a different warning message if the vehicle should lose sufficient brake fluid. Continue reading
Posted in recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Ferrari North America recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa
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New Side-Crash Tests: Few Mid-Size Cars Rated Good
New Side-Crash Tests: Few Mid-Size Cars Rated Good Continue reading
Posted in insurance, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, iihs, Ken Zino, side impact tests, Top Safety Pick award
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FCA Emissions Fraud: Accountability or Accountancy?
Whether this accountable enough or not is subject to debate. Critics say that this is just cash register justice whereby wealthy corporations buy their way out of criminal trouble and recover the costs through ongoing operations. Defenders point to the amount – a $300M criminal penalty – along with the organizational probation where FCA will be monitored for its regulatory behaviors. There are also outstanding individual criminal cases.
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FAA Publishes Guidelines for Vertiports
The design standards are a critical step for the guidance of airport owners, operators and infrastructure builders or developers to begin designing facilities that will support operations of AAM aircraft that are electrically powered and take-off and land vertically – either at ground level or on top of structures. Continue reading →