Category Archives: safety

Only Two Detroit Vehicles Make Consumer Reports Top Picks

Posted on 23 February 2016 by Ken Zino

The Chevrolet Impala ($39,110) repeated as the Top Pick in the Large Car category, and joins the Ford F-150 ($51,630-$57,565) as the only Detroit Three winners this year. Continue reading →

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FAA Fines R&R Conner Aviation for Safety Violations

Posted on 19 February 2016 by Ken Zino

The FAA alleges that beginning on 16 September 2013, RCA operated the chopper on at least four flights around Detroit, Oregon, when it did not comply with four airworthiness directives and with parts that were past their replacement dates. Continue reading →

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The Un-luck of the Irish – St. Patrick’s Day Drunks

Posted on 16 February 2016 by Ken Zino

St. Patrick’s Day – when it’s said everyone is Celtic – is sometimes heartbreaking because of drunk drivers behind the wheel. NHTSA says that during St. Patrick’s Day from 2009 to 2013, there were a total of 276 lives needlessly lost in drunk-driving crashes. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Warns About Keyless Ignition Dangers

Posted on 12 February 2016 by Ken Zino

Without the machine-cut steel key and an ignition interlock safety system, a driver could walk away from the vehicle without putting the car in ‘Park”, leaving it able to roll away. If the ignition is left on, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning could also occur in a garage or enclosed space. Continue reading →

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NHTSA – Artificial Intelligence is ‘Driver’ in Autonomous Cars

Posted on 11 February 2016 by Ken Zino

“Google says its robot technology failed and handed over control to a human test driver 272 times and the driver was scared enough to take control 69 times,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project Director. Continue reading →

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Dodge Charger Tire Jacks Recalled for Sill Failures

Posted on 8 February 2016 by Ken Zino

FCA said it is aware of three hand injuries potentially related to this issue. Continue reading →

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Continental SRS Airbag Computer Defect Causes Global Recall

Posted on 4 February 2016 by Ken Zino

Honda has confirmed two injuries related to this SRS safety defect. Continue reading →

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Honda Recalls Expand Nationwide for Bad Takata Inflators

Posted on 4 February 2016 by Ken Zino

With this new Takata recall, ~ 8.51 million Honda and Acura vehicles have been or now are subject to replacement of a Takata driver and/or passenger front airbag inflator in the United States. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Trying to Raise Recalled Vehicle Repair Rates

Posted on 22 January 2016 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, has a new public awareness campaign called Safe Cars Save Lives that urges consumers to check for open recalls at least twice a year and to get their … Continue reading →

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Napleton Automotive Sues FCA for False Sales Reporting

Posted on 15 January 2016 by Ken Zino

FCA US and FCA Realty are being sued by two dealerships of the larger Ed Napleton Automotive Group in Federal Court in Illinois over allegations of false sales reporting. Continue reading →

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New Semi-Autonomous E-Class Premiers at NAIAS

Posted on 11 January 2016 by Ken Zino

What E-Class does to the art of driving and distinctive vehicle character is subject to debate. Will driving fun still exist? Continue reading →

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Takata Airbag Recall Expanded Again – Honda CR-V Models

Posted on 28 December 2015 by Ken Zino

Honda said it has enough replacement parts to begin recall repairs of the added vehicles immediately, nationwide. Mailed notification to registered owners of vehicles affected by this recall will occur within 60 days. Continue reading →

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Head Lawyer at VW Group Out in latest Emissions Twist

Posted on 23 December 2015 by Ken Zino

Michael Ganninger, 54, the Head of Legal Affairs of the Volkswagen Group and a 20-year veteran, is leaving the beleaguered company, allegedly at his own request. Continue reading →

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FAA Fines Boeing $12m. Huge Implications for Automakers

Posted on 23 December 2015 by Ken Zino

How this all plays out remains to be seen – the devil is in the details, as always. Consider that the ‘corrective action’ Honda used with the deadly defective airbag supplier Takata was simply to fire Takata as a supplier going forward. In this single instance, it works. Across the entire auto industry, it’s impossible to fire all suppliers if there is a serious legal, safety or regulatory problem. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Fines BMW $40M for Late Recalls, False Info

Posted on 21 December 2015 by Ken Zino

Under the Consent Order, BMW acknowledges that it failed to recall the non-compliant vehicles in a timely fashion. It also acknowledges additional violations discovered in NHTSA’s investigation, including failing in multiple recalls since its 2012 consent order to notify owners and dealers of recalls in a timely fashion and to provide required quarterly recall completion reports on time. Continue reading →

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