Category Archives: safety

Autoliv Confirms it is Taking Business Away from Takata

Posted on 16 January 2015 by Ken Zino

Swedish Autoliv, a global automotive safety supplier, says it now has agreements with “several different OEM’s for new supply capacity of up to 25 million airbag inflators for delivery during 2015 and 2016.” This of course is a direct fallout from the Takata airbag inflator recall. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Issues Record Number of Fines in 2014

Posted on 9 January 2015 by Ken Zino

During 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued more than $126 million in civil penalties, exceeding the total amount collected by NHTSA during its forty-three year history. Continue reading →

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Honda Pays Largest NHTSA Fine in History for Takata and other Safety Cover Ups

Posted on 8 January 2015 by Ken Zino

In responding to the Special Order, Honda admitted to under-reporting of written claims or notices of injuries or deaths over the past decade “due to errors related to data entry, computer coding, regulatory interpretation, and other errors in warranty and property damage claims reporting.” Translation: Honda got caught flagrantly violating U.S. regulations. Continue reading →

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EPA Proposes New Rule Limiting Toluene Diisocyanates

Posted on 8 January 2015 by Ken Zino

EPA today proposed a new rule limiting Toluene Diisocyanates, TDI, widely used in auto manufacturing. These chemicals are in use in residual amounts in the production of polyurethanes and consumer products, such as coatings, elastomers, adhesives, and sealants. Continue reading →

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More GM Ignition Switch Recalls – Happy New Year!

Posted on 2 January 2015 by Ken Zino

GM confirmed today another ignition switch recall of 84,000 sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. Chevrolet Silverado light-duty and heavy-duty pickups, as well as Avalanche, Tahoe and Suburban; GMC Sierra light duty and heavy-duty pickups, and Yukon and Yukon XL; Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and EXT models from 2011 and 2012, and 2007-2014 vehicles that have been repaired with defective parts. Continue reading →

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Chrysler Expands Takata Recall Nationally

Posted on 31 December 2014 by Ken Zino

Chrysler Group is expanding its current regional recall of Takata PSDI-4 driver airbag inflators to all 50 U.S. States and Federalized Territories at the request of NHTSA. Continue reading →

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Ford, BMW Expand Takata Inflator Recalls Nationally

Posted on 23 December 2014 by Ken Zino

The already grim news for air bag maker Takata, currently defying the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration on defective inflator recalls, increased with the announcement that BMW and Ford Motor are following NHTSA’s recommendation by expanding their safety defect campaigns to cover more vehicles across the U.S. Continue reading →

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Jaguar Recalls 2015 F, XF, XJ for Fires, Steering Loss

Posted on 16 December 2014 by Ken Zino

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 2015 F-Type, XF and XJ cars because the Front End Accessory Drive (FEAD) belt, Power Assisted Steering (PAS) pump pulley and/or battery positive cable at the alternator may detach. Continue reading →

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Ford Finally Kills MyTouch name with Sync3 as Replacement

Posted on 12 December 2014 by Ken Zino

In a ‘one more time with feeling’ encore, Ford Motor changed its tune on its much-derided and pioneering MyTouch voice recognition system by saying today that its future generation of infotainment and touch screen systems will be marketed as Sync3 globally. Continue reading →

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Toyota Recalls 423,000 Lexus Cars for Fire Risk

Posted on 5 December 2014 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor is recalling 423,000 Lexus vehicles in the United States because a leaking fuel system presents a fire hazard. Continue reading →

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Takata to NHTSA – Drop Dead

Posted on 4 December 2014 by Ken Zino

Since 2008, ten of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world that use Takata air bags have recalled more than 10 million cars in the United States – more than 17 million globally – to replace inflators. Potentially, enough vehicles are involved to severely hurt Takata’s financial results, if not put it out of business entirely. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Fusion Sedans for Defective Ignition Switches

Posted on 20 November 2014 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor is recalling 65,000 Fusion sedans in North America because ignition switches with a computer programing defect allow key removal even if the transmission is not in Park. Continue reading →

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GM Mum to NHTSA, Customers as it ordered 500,000 Replacement Ignition Switches from Supplier Delphi

Posted on 11 November 2014 by Ken Zino

GM is in a tight spot here up against a legal strategy that is clearly designed to discredit its defense of senior executive actions. The cornerstone of that strategy is discarding the Valukas report. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Opens Cover-up Probe on Honda Takata Airbag Deaths

Posted on 4 November 2014 by Ken Zino

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, has opened an invention into allegations that Honda knew of several airbag deaths from defective Takata inflators years before it reported the fatalities to the safety agency. Continue reading →

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More Chrysler Group Recalls on Dodge and Jeep SUVs

Posted on 3 November 2014 by Ken Zino

A week after Chrysler Group’s dismal finish on the initial quality survey from Consumer Reports and the firing of its head of quality control, the company is recalling its best-selling Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee models for defective airbags and malfunctioning electronic stability controls. More 250,000 are involved in the latest, supplier- caused quality problems. Continue reading →

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