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Category Archives: recalls
Hewlett-Packard Fined $425,000 for Not Reporting Defective Lithium Ion Batteries that Seriously Injured Consumers
The controversy is of interest to the auto industry since its use of lithium ion batteries in electrical vehicles and hybrids is growing at exponential rate, with millions of battery packs soon to be on U.S. roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its investigation of fires in Chevrolet Volt EVs last week. Nevertheless many consumers remain wary of the emerging technology and it remains to be seen if the Volt brand is damaged. Continue reading
Kia Airbag Recall Active for Optima and Rondo Models
If the so called clock spring contact assembly becomes damaged, the driver’s air bag electrical circuit will have high resistance condition, which will cause the “AIR BAG” warning lamp on the instrument panel to illuminate. It’s possible the resistance would prevent the air bag from inflating in an accident. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Ken Zino, kia airbag recall, kia recall, nhtsa, optima recall, recalls, rondo recall
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NHTSA Closes Volt Battery Fire Investigation with No Recall
NHTSA also said it remains unaware of any real-world crashes that have resulted in a battery-related fire involving the Chevy Volt or any other electric vehicle. The world’s most prominent auto safety agency set a precedent back in November by opening a safety defect investigation without any supporting data from real-world incidents. Continue reading
NRC Agrees Toyota Unintended Acceleration Mechanical – but NHTSA Didn’t Address Auto Electronics Safety Concerns
One simple step – the requirement of electronic data recorders that would show the actual driver or computer inputs immediately before and during an accident – doesn’t appear immanent. While this will end many false accusations used by product liability attorneys to garner huge fees from large lawsuits against automakers, there appears to be little appetite for the reform in lawyer- dominated Washington. Continue reading
NHTSA Scolds Ford over Minivan Torque Converter Recall
In an unusual acknowledgement of the Ford recall (11S25 or 12V-006) just made public, NHTSA said Ford made assertions – also unusual in my experience – in its required defect filing that are untrue and violate federal safety regulations. Continue reading
BMW Mini Recall Active for Turbo Engine Fires
BMW is recalling almost 90,000 Mini models equipped with a turbocharged engine because the electric pump that cools the turbo after engine shutdown can fail and catch fire. Models built from 14 November 2006 through January of 2011 are covered by the Mini recall. Previously BMW had trouble with a similar pump used on V8 engines. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto recalls, autoinformed.com, automotive news, bmw recall, Ken Zino, min turbocharger recall, mini recall, recalls
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Ford Escape Recall Active for Engine Compartment Fires
A Ford Escape recall for engine fires is now in place for 245,000 2001-2002 model year vehicles, after a previous recall didn’t solve the safety defect. However, due to a parts delay, the latest fix may not be immediately available. Ford said it will instruct owners to park their vehicles outside until parts are ready. In April of 2007 Ford had recalled connectors on the Escape anti-lock braking system for improper seals. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was in the process of conducting an engineering analysis of the ongoing Escape fire problem. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, escape fire recall, escape recall, Ken Zino, nhtsa, recall
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NHTSA Keeps Chevrolet Volt Battery Fire Probe Open
GM said this morning that it was “optimistic” that no recall would be required, a politically sensitive issue since the federal government, which NHTSA is part of, still holds a large 27% stake in GM. For GM’s part, a safety recall is arguably more damaging to the reputation of the Volt than the proposed customer service action. Last year Chevrolet sold 7,671 Volt models , which cost more than $40,000 without taxpayer subsidies to its mostly rich buyers, another political controversy in itself. Continue reading
Michigan Made Chevrolet Sonic Recall for Missing Brake Pad
How a car without brake pads could leave the Orion Township assembly plant, or pass a pre-delivery inspection was not addressed in the terse NHTSA filing. The embarrassing safety defect comes just before the public unveiling of the 2013 Sonic RS performance model – 138-horsepower from a turbocharged engine – at the North American International Auto Show in January. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, auto recalls, autoinformed.com, automotive news, chevrolet sonic recall, Ken Zino, naias, nhtsa, recall, sonic recall, sonic rs
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Nissan Recall Active for Oil Leaks. Infiniti Recall too
This is the fourth major Nissan recall since the end of November. Earlier recalls involved sudden stalling on Sentra models; Juke turbocharger boost sensors; and defective Rogue electric power steering control computers. Continue reading
Ford Employees to Beta Test Latest My Ford Touch Patch
Ford Motor Company will beta test new software designed to ease myriad consumer complaints about the My Ford Touch infotainment system, which caused Ford and Lincoln vehicles to sink to below average in Consumer Reports quality ratings.
Ford’s overall reliability rank among 28 major car makes slipped from the 10th to the 20th spot this year—the biggest drop for any major nameplate in Consumer Reports 2011 Annual Auto Survey. The badly needed software upgrade is coming for 2013 models – and to owners of existing My Ford Touch equipped vehicles. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, news, news analysis, people, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive electronics problems, automotive news, Ken Zino, lincoln my touch patch, microsoft software problems, My Ford Touch, my ford touch patch, my touch, my touch beta testing
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Ford Recall Active for Wheels Falling off Fusion, Mercury Milan
NHTSA started the Ford wheel safety defect investigation in January of this year based on complaints from Ford owners, and upgraded it to an engineering analysis in July. It appears that NHTSA forced the Ford recall after a meeting early in November as complaints continued. Two root causes for the latest Ford recall for a safety defect were listed in the required NHTSA documentation: Hayes supplied steel wheels could be defective; and so could Mexican-built Brembo disc brakes. Continue reading
Nissan Rogue Recall Active for Electric Power Steering
The latest safety defect caused by automotive electronics involves a Nissan Rogue recall for more than 7,000 of the popular crossover SUVs because of a defective circuit board for the power steering. A sudden loss of steering assist is possible, … Continue reading
Honda Recall for Goldwing Motorcycle Fires Active
This safety defect follows the admission by Honda last week that Honda is once again expanding a recall covering the driver’s side airbag installed on its most popular cars, crossovers and minivans built in 2001 and 2002. This ongoing global safety defect has resulted in recalls in North America, Japan, Australia and other regions. Continue reading
Posted in news, news analysis, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, goldwing fires, honda goldwing recall, Ken Zino, nhtsa, recalls, safety recall
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Honda Airbag Recall Grows. More than 300,000 Vehicles Added
Initially, Honda only recalled 4200 vehicles three years ago and ignored the rest of the world. However, this Honda problem was ongoing as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was fining Toyota for safety defect cover-ups – ones that ultimately resulted in millions of dollars in fines and a shredded Toyota corporate and vehicle quality reputation. During the past year or so, Honda has issued more than 22 public statements about various safety defects and recalls in the U.S. Continue reading
