Tag Archives: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Safe Summer Driving – 2024 Memorial Day Weekend Tips

Posted on 22 May 2024 by Ken Zino

With the un-official summer driving season due to begin this Memorial Day weekend, here’s a NON-CRASH COURSE in safe driving. Harmless driving is more than keeping a gas tank sufficiently full. Always plan enough time on long trips to stop, to stretch, get something to eat, return calls or text messages, and change drivers or rest if you feel drowsy. Above all don’t drive distracted; defy speed limits, and do drive sober. Both alcohol and drugs whether legal or illicit can cause impairment. It is illegal to drive impaired by any substance in all states – no exceptions. They can and do ruin the skills critical for safe and responsible driving such as coordination, judgment, perception, and reaction time. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Again Warns Drivers on Steering Wheel Decals

Posted on 16 May 2024 by Ken Zino

NHTSA said it is aware of at least one other driver who suffered a severe injury from an aftermarket steering wheel decal in a vehicle crash. In that case, the driver lost sight in one eye after the rhinestone-adorned decal dislodged from the steering wheel and hit the driver in the face. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Investigation Opened on Ford Blue Cruise Fatalities

Posted on 29 April 2024 by Ken Zino

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting a preliminary investigation of Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle crashes with Blue Cruise autonomous driving on freeways at night according to documents made public by the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) today. The crashes which killed three people occurred when Blue Cruise was in use just before the collisions. Continue reading →

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Hyundai Expands Genesis Sudden Power Loss Recall

Posted on 29 April 2024 by Ken Zino

“The low-pressure fuel pump assemblies in the vehicles may contain impellers that can deform under certain environmental conditions, such as high ambient temperature. Deformation of the impeller could cause the impeller to interfere with the fuel pump housing, resulting in a mechanical resistance that could lead to a shutdown of the fuel pump,” the NHTSA filing said. Continue reading →

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Sudden Power Loss Recall – Bronco Sport, Maverick Trucks

Posted on 22 April 2024 by Ken Zino

“An insufficient calibration strategy for detecting sudden battery degradations during a drive cycle can lead to (a) a vehicle that is unable to restart after an auto start/stop event or (b) experience a stall while coming to a stop at low speed. Either may be accompanied by a loss of 12-volt accessories, including hazard lights,” Ford said in the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which the Federal safety agency made public today. NHTSA prompted the recall. Continue reading →

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April 20 – aka 420 – Marijuana Impaired Driving is Illegal

Posted on 20 April 2024 by Ken Zino

Today being 420 for stoners,* AutoInformed says don’t believe that marijuana won’t affect your driving. Driving impaired by any substance—alcohol or other drugs, whether legal or illegal—is against the law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Continue reading →

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Ford Again Recalls Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs for Fires

Posted on 15 April 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling more than 420,00 2022-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022 Escape vehicles because of engine fires. Affected SUVs are equipped with 1.5-liter engines where a fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment, Ford said in the required filing that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public this morning. This is an expansion of a previous fire recall since the original remedy was inadequate on what was then called the Dragon engine. Continue reading →

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Volkswagen Recalls Audi E-Tron models for Battery Fires

Posted on 1 April 2024 by Ken Zino

Volkswagen Group is recalling various 2022-2024 Audi E-Tron GT and the RS versions because the high-voltage battery may undergo a short circuit without warning and cause a fire. This is the result of the same safety defect that caused the recall of Porsche Taycan hybrids, according to documents released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading →

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Jaguar Land Rover North America Recalls I-Pace EVs

Posted on 18 March 2024 by Ken Zino

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 2019 I-Pace SUV vehicles, according to documents released this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The high-voltage battery in the electric Jaguar may overheat, which is a potential fire hazard. These vehicles were built at the Graz Vehicle Assembly Plant in Poland from 6 June – 31 October 2018 and use a Polish-built battery from Chinese LG energy Systems. They were previously recalled under NHTSA 23V369 and will need to have the new safety defect remedy completed. Continue reading →

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More Ford Safety Recalls on Bronco, Explorer, Maverick SUVs

Posted on 18 March 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling 2023-24 Bronco, 2020 Explorer and 2024 Maverick SUV models, according to documents released this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Affected vehicles with various safety defects include Bronco child safety locks, previously recalled Explorer rearview cameras, and Maverick fuel tank leaks or potential fires. Continue reading →

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Another Tesla Software Recall – Pedestrian Warnings

Posted on 18 March 2024 by Ken Zino

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is recalling 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles, according to documents released this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A factory reset over the air (OTA) muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, “Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles,” which could increase the risk of collision.* Continue reading →

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Nissan and Infiniti Recalls for Bad Airbags

Posted on 11 March 2024 by Ken Zino

Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling model-year 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50 and 2023 Rogue vehicles because of bad airbags that might not  protect the driver, according to the required filling that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public this morning. Quick action by Nissan limited the scope of the potential safety defect. Continue reading →

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Kia Recalls 2024 Tellurides for Sudden Engine Failures

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Kia America  (Kia) is recalling 2024 Telluride vehicles because the engine valve springs may break while driving, which can result in a sudden loss of power and possibly create a hole in the engine block, which is a fire hazard. Abnormal engine noise, check engine light illumination, and a rough running engine are warning signs that the driver may notice before the engine fails. Tellurides are made in Georgia at a non-unionized plant.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released the required recall filing. Kia told NHTSA that “The engine valve springs may break while driving due to fatigue cracking as a result of damage to the springs during manufacture by the supplier. A broken valve spring may result in a loss of motive power. In rare cases, a hole in the engine block may occur due to a broken valve entering the combustion chamber.” Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz Recalls GLC models for Headlight Glare

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling more than 15,500 vehicles because the headlights may be incorrectly adjusted too high during production and create a glare for oncoming traffic. As such, these luxury vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

The recall was made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Th recall appears to have been set in motion by an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rating of GLC (253 platform) vehicles more than one year ago, including their headlamp adjustments. Continue reading →

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Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra Pickup Recall for Bad Tailgates

Posted on 12 February 2024 by Ken Zino

Only 2500 and 3500 (HD) series vehicles that are equipped with the manual gate with power lock and release (RPO QT5) are affected by this recall. HD series vehicles with other tailgate configurations are not affected by this recall, GM said in the filing. GM has also stopped delivery of the vehicles. It is a violation of federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment until the defect is remedied. If the driver does not manually close the gate before beginning a drive, cargo in the bed of the truck may exit the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Continue reading →

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