Tag Archives: nhtsa

Volt Fire Hearings Pits Ideologues versus Engineers

In the end how you view this low-voltage Congressional short circuit – with lots of smoke but no fires – depends on how you view Obama Administration actions that used taxpayer-funded subsidies to encourage production of the Volt. These include $151.4 million in stimulus funds for LG Chem, which produces lithium-ion polymer battery cells for the Volt, and $105 million given directly to GM, as well as an end-user federal tax credit of up to $7,500 per Volt purchased. Such subsidies will likely be hotly debated for all industries during the election. Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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U.S. Auto Fatalities Drop to Lowest level in More than 60 Years

The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA – today released 2010 fatality and injury data showing highway deaths fell to 32,885 for the year, the lowest level for auto fatalities since 1949. What was termed a record-breaking decline in traffic deaths occurred as American drivers traveled nearly 46 billion more miles during the year, an increase of 1.6% compared to 2009. Continue reading

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Camry Gets Top NHTSA Safety Rating. Accord Still Leads

Starting with 2011 models, NHTSA introduced tougher tests and more rigorous requirements for its five-star safety ratings that provide more information about safety performance and crash-avoidance technologies. Safety rating changes include a new side barrier test and a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side. New overall safety ratings, which combine the results from the various tests, are now provided. Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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Teaching Teens of Deadly Distracted Driving with Video Game?

The Department of Transportation has launched a new page on a redesigned website aimed at educating teenage drivers about the dangers of distracted driving, which is now responsible for about 5,500 deaths and 500,000 injures annually in the U.S. Continue reading

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