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Category Archives: safety
Ford to Pay Record $17.35 Million NHTSA Fine on Recall
This was apparently the second plea bargain by an automaker this year to avoid protracted litigation with NHTSA over a safety defect. Chrysler recently negotiated a deal on Jeep gas tank fires. Neither automaker admitted guilt in the NHTSA deals, an important defense in product liability litigation that always surrounds major recalls. If the document was leaked from the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency, then the agency is in clear violation of SEC regulation FD, for full disclosure, which says in essence that material information should be released to all, not selectively. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, litigation, news analysis, recalls
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, ford recall fine, Ken Zino, nhts
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Ford C-Max Recalled for Roof Defect
Ford Motor Company is recalling 2013 model C-Max hybrid vehicles, without panoramic roofs, because the roofs do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201 – Occupant Protection in Interior Impact. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, c-max hybrid recall, Ken Zino, nhtsa
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GM Recalling 2014 Silverado, Sierra Pickups for Bad Airbags
GM is recalling its new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks because of defective airbags. While admitting an embarrassing safety defect on its most recent major product revision, GM told NHTSA in the required recall filing that the welding on the passenger airbag inflator might fracture when the airbag deploys, allowing some gas from the air bag inflator to vent behind the instrument panel, instead of into the air bag. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, gm recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa, takata
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Halliburton to Plead Guilty to Criminal Destruction of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Evidence
Halliburton Energy Services will plead guilty to destroying evidence in connection with the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the Department of Justice said today. Halliburton was charged with one count of destruction of evidence according to an information filling today in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fools 'n frauds, litigation, news
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, bp, deepwater horizon, gulf oil spill, halliburton, Ken Zino, Macondo well
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Fuel Company Head Charged in Kickback Scheme
The former owner and operator of two Florida-based airline fuel supply companies appeared today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on charges of a kickback scam and defrauding Illinois-based Ryan International Airlines. Continue reading
Posted in energy, fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, homeland security, Ken Zino, ryan air
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Michelin Recalls Popular Pickup Truck and SUV Tires
No deaths, injuries or accidents have been reported in connection with these recalled tires, according to the required NHTSA filing from a company usually known for its fastidious quality control procedures. Michelin said it has identified and fixed the issue that prompted the recall without proving details. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, michelin, nhtsa, tire recall
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Osteopathic Group Wants Ban on Distracted Driving Devices
The American Osteopathic Association has come out in favor of legislation banning activities that cause distracted driving. Citing a growing body of research that show 660,000 drivers use cell phones or electronic devices, the health care organization of 104,000 osteopathic physicians said the public health problem needs a legislative solution. Continue reading
Consumer Electronics Association Denies Distracted Driving
In a cynical, profit-motivated move, the head of the Consumer Electronics Association today said he would support a campaign to end texting and driving. “I have made a personal commitment not to text and drive, and to use my devices ‘responsibly’ while operating my car,” claimed Gary Shapiro the head of the pressure group for the $209 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. Continue reading
Class Action Suit Filed Against MyFord Touch System
A well-know, or infamous, national law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that Ford Motor Company’s MyFord Touch, MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch touchscreen systems are defective. The firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro claims that the system often freezes, fails to respond to voice and touch commands and will not connect to mobile phones. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, litigation, news analysis
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, cell phones, distracted driving, ford mytouch, infotainment, Ken Zino, telematics
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Oil Recycling Company and Owner Guilty of Toxic Crimes
A North Carolina used oil recycling business and its owner plead guilty to unlawful handling of PCB-contaminated used oil and other crimes today. Benjamin Franklin Pass, 60, and P&W Waste Oil Services Inc. of Wilmington, N.C., pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina for violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act, as well as for making false statements and failing to pay several years of taxes. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fools 'n frauds, litigation, people
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, epa, Ken Zino, oil recycling, pcbs, toxic waste
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Auto Thefts Rise in the Summer Months
Every 44 seconds a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA data also show that only 52% of stolen vehicles are recovered. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, insurance, news analysis, transportation
Tagged auto theft, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, nhtsa, stolen cars
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Shell Settles Clean Air Act Violations for $115 Million
Shell will spend $1 million on a state-of-the-art system to monitor benzene levels of the refinery and chemical plant near a residential neighborhood and school and to make the data available to the public through a website. Shell’s agreement to recover and recycle waste gases at its chemical plant is a first of its kind. Continue reading
Posted in energy, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, clean air act, epa, Ken Zino, shell doj
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July 4th Fiasco as Chrysler Group Issues Four Recalls
Late in the day before the U.S. July 4th holiday, the Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group issued statements on four separate safety recalls. This obvious ploy to minimize damaging publicity about the its latest quality gaffs came as the Center for Auto Safety renewed efforts to have NHTSA crash test a proposed fix covering Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee SUVs for fuel-system fires. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, Chrysler recalls, dodge recalls, jeep recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa, ram recalls
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Honda Re-Recalls Fit for Window Switch Fires
Honda is re-recalling 2007-2008 Fit subcompacts that were covered under previous recall for fires, 10V-033, because the fix did not work. The repair in this earlier recall “may have been insufficient,” Honda said in an embarrassing NHTSA filing just made public. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, fit fires, honda recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa
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Supreme Court Dismisses Ethanol Waiver Case
The United States Supreme Court today dismissed a petition by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers or AFPM challenging an EPA regulation that allows for 15% ethanol in gasoline. Continue reading
