Tag Archives: nhtsa

Ford Maverick Pickups Recalled for Tail Light Failures

Posted on 6 May 2024 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 243,000 Maverick vehicles. The Body Control Module (BCM) on 2022-2024 models may deactivate one or both rear tail-lights without warning. The problem appears to simple math error during the design phase of product development. The rear lamps use two position bulbs on a single circuit. However, the BCM current threshold was calibrated to the current draw for one bulb. This is a variation and expansion of a previous rear light recall. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Makes Automatic Emergency Braking Mandatory

Posted on 30 April 2024 by Ken Zino

“The new vehicle safety standards we finalized today will save hundreds of lives and prevent tens of thousands of injuries every year,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is not only making historic investments in transportation, but it’s also ushering in a new era of safer travel by ensuring new cars and light trucks are equipped with automatic emergency braking, making our roads safer for drivers and pedestrians alike.” 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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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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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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Almost All New US Light Vehicles have Automatic Braking

Posted on 29 December 2023 by Ken Zino

All 20 participating automakers have fulfilled a voluntary pledge to equip nearly all the light vehicles they produce for the U.S. market with automatic emergency braking (AEB), according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Five new manufacturers installed AEB on more than 95% of the light vehicles they produced between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, to meet the deadline set in a previous agreement.* General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati and Porsche all dramatically increased the proportion of their vehicles equipped with the technology to meet the target. Kia, which was already close last year, also crossed the finish line.

Audi, BMW, Ford/Lincoln, Honda/Acura, Hyundai/Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan/Infiniti, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen and Volvo fulfilled the voluntary commitment in previous years. Continue reading →

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Tesla Model S and X Recalls for Failed Side Impact Protection

Posted on 26 December 2023 by Ken Zino

Tesla is recalling more than 120,000 model year 2021-2023 Model S and X vehicles, according to documents just released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The cabin doors can unlock during a crash. These Tesla models fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214 “Side Impact Protection.” Continue reading →

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New Toyota, Lexus Airbag Recall ~1 Million US Vehicles

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Ken Zino

The recalled cars, SUVs and vans have the so-called Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat that could have been improperly manufactured, causing a short circuit. This would prevent the airbag system from properly classify the occupant’s weight, and the airbag may not deploy as designed in certain crashes, increasing the risk of injury. Continue reading →

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Kia Soul and Seltos Recalls for Sudden Airbag Inflation

Posted on 18 December 2023 by Ken Zino

The side curtain airbag may inflate inadvertently without a deployment command from the ACU increasing the risk of injury to an occupant and may also create a driver distraction increasing the risk of a crash, Kia said in the required safety defect recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The initial explosion came in a parked vehicle. There are no known crashes, injuries or fatalities. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls F-150s, Mustangs for Software, Hardware Defects

Posted on 12 December 2023 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company is recalling late model F-150s, F-150 Lightnings and Mustangs for various safety defects that involve bad programing and improper assembly, according to documents made public this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Ford does not publicly release its safety recalls.   Continue reading →

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Chrysler Recalls ~273,000 Ram Pickups for Software Glitch

Posted on 9 October 2023 by Ken Zino

The recalled Ram trucks began  production on 25 June 2021, when the first 2022 MY vehicle was produced, and ended on 2 August 2023, when vehicles were no longer built with an incompatible rear-view camera system and radio combination. Similar vehicles not included in this recall are equipped with a compatible rear-view camera and radio combination or were built after the suspect period. Continue reading →

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Nissan Recalls All 2023 Ariya EVs for Sudden Power Loss

Posted on 9 October 2023 by Ken Zino

Nissan North America is recalling all 2023 Ariya crossover electric vehicles. The inverter software may detect a short circuit and shut down the EV system, resulting in a loss of drive power. The latest programing glitch with EVs was made … Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls 2023 Super Duty Pickups for Failing Axles

Posted on 6 September 2023 by Ken Zino

Personnel at the axle shaft supplier Mid-West Forge Corp. in Ohio entered an incorrect process parameter into one of the two machines that perform electromagnetic induction heat treatment of the recalled left rear axle shafts. The axle shafts did not meet Ford’s torsional yield and case depth design specifications in the fractured area. Returned parts had fractured at ~44 mm from the flange, indicating an area of incomplete induction heat treatment. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Proposes Rule Expanding Seat Belt Use Warnings

Posted on 22 August 2023 by Ken Zino

In 2019, NHTSA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a variety of issues related to potential rear seat belt warning requirements. The feedback from the 45 comments received years ago was incorporated [Finally? Slowly?] into the development of the newly issued NPRM. Continue reading →

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USDOT Proposes 58 MPG Fuel Economy Standard

Posted on 28 July 2023 by Ken Zino

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today issued a proposal to update fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks. The “preferred alternative” among several in NHTSA’s proposal includes a 2% per year improvement in fuel efficiency for passenger cars and a 4% per year improvement for light trucks beginning in model year 2027. This increases through model year 2032, potentially reaching an average fleet fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon by 2032. However, NHTSA notes that real word fuel economy is ~20-30% lower than estimated CAFE fuel economy.* Continue reading →

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