Category Archives: safety

Jeep Fuel Tank Fire Fix Inadequate Center for Auto Safety Says

The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer pressure group closely aligned with product liability lawyers, says the proposed recall fix for Jeep fuel system fires is inadequate. CAS is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to crash test the proposed fix that would install trailer hitches on Jeep SUVs that do not already have them. “Chrysler’s announcement means the argument shifts from whether the 1993-98 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-07 Liberty’s are unsafe and whether there will be a recall to what the recall remedy will be and how to make the Jeeps safe from rear impact fires,” CAS said in a statement. CAS wants Chrysler to install skid plates under the fuel tanks instead. Continue reading

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Chrysler Finally Agrees to Fix Jeep Fuel Systems after a Long NHTSA Probe and Formal Recall Request

Chrysler Group will recall 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Jeep Liberty vehicles, it announced this afternoon. The reversal follows two years of investigation and a recent disagreement on 4 June between Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, when Chrysler refused to recall the vehicles. NHTSA appears to have stared down the Fiat-controlled company in what was a growing public relations disaster. Continue reading

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Multiple Ram Truck Recalls Active at Chrysler Group

Chrysler Group is recalling 2012 and 2013 Ram trucks for three different safety defects, according to NHTSA documents just made public. The recalls are for defective headlamps and taillights, as well as a bad weld affecting the front driveshaft. The latest safety defects come shortly after Chrysler Group refused a NHTSA request to recall almost thee million Jeeps for an allegedly defective fuel tank design. Continue reading

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NHTSA Forces Expanded GM Recall because of Fires

In this safety defect, water may enter the driver’s door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. Continue reading

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Automaker Defense of Hands-Free Devices Hooey AAA Says

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is taking on the oft-used automaker defense their profitable selling of hands-free electronic devices that are expanding exponentially in new cars. The latest data show that dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers “keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.” Continue reading

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U.S. Sues ExxonMobil over Pegasus Pipeline Oil Spill

The complaint covers ExxonMobil’s unlawful discharge of heavy crude oil from a 20-inch-diameter interstate pipeline – the Pegasus Pipeline – that ruptured in Mayflower, Arkansas on 29 March 2013. Continue reading

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Third Chrysler Recall in Week Since it Spurned NHTSA

Chrysler Group is recalling approximately 14,800 Dodge cars to recalibrate their powertrain control modules. It was the third recall in a week after Chrysler spurned a request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall almost 3 million Jeeps because of an allegedly defective fuel tank design. Continue reading

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Press Preview Failure Prompts Global Aston Martin Recall

More than 2,800 sports cars are affected because of a gas pedal manufacturing defect that first appeared at a press preview in March. Aston Martin in the required NHTSA filing said that it suspected ‘heavy use” of the pedal was the root cause, bringing another shade of meaning to the term lead-foot. Continue reading

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Chrysler Recalls 600,000 Jeep SUVs for Safety Defects

Only days after Chrysler Group refused a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration request to recall 2.7 million Jeep models because of allegedly unsafe fuel systems, the company is initiating a safety recall on defective Jeep airbag modules. The Fiat-controlled automaker is also conducting another Jeep recall because of a defective transmission oil cooler line. Continue reading

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NHTSA Opens Ford EcoBoost Investigation for Stalling

The turbocharged engine is already subject to two class action suits alleging that the intercooler design is defective. These safety and legal matters are now looking like just the beginnings of potentially prolonged and image-damaging actions about Ford’s claimed fuel economy breakthrough with the downsized EcoBoost engine. Continue reading

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NHTSA Looking at Expanding GM Airbag Recall to 400,000

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is scrutinizing two small GM airbag recalls to see if the number of vehicles with the safety defect should be expanded from 7,000 vehicles to more than 400,000 2012 models. Continue reading

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Ford Motor Recalls 465,000 2013 Models for Fuel Leaks

In a statement provided at AutoInformed’s request, a Ford spokesperson said that it first became aware of the fuel leak defect because of warranty data – more than 600 consumer complaints – but declined to name the supplier of the defective delivery module in the tank. Continue reading

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Recall for Wheels Falling Off 2013 Cadillac SRX Crossovers

GM is recalling 2013 Cadillac SRX crossovers with 18-inch wheels because the lug nuts loosen and some wheels are falling off. The lug nuts are coated with a blue-tint Teflon coating that allows them to loosen. If this happens, a grinding or rattling noise can occur, and a vibration is felt in the steering wheel. If ignored, the wheel studs fracture sending the wheel on its own way. Continue reading

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Subaru Steering Wheels Disconnecting. Recall Active

Subaru is recalling model year 2013 Outback and Legacy models manufactured in Indiana from February 2012, through June 2012 because the inner and outer shafts of the steering column may become disengaged from one another. The result in at least three instances is loss of steering from of the defective column from NSK Steering Systems America in Vermont. Continue reading

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Fiat Recalls Maserati, Alfa Romeo Cars for Suspension Failures

The lack of a zinc coating on rear suspension parts is prompting the recall of 2005 to 2008 Maserati Quattroporte, 2008 Granturismo and 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C cars. More than 7,400 Italian built vehicles are involved because the rear tie rods can corrode and ultimately fail, resulting in the loss of vehicle control, thereby increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading

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