national highway traffic safety administration
Study Reveals Spike In Road Fatalities During Tax Day
Nothing is certain but death and taxes. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study which consisted of researcher Dr. Donald Redelmeier and colleague Christopher Yanell of the University of Toronto comparing the number of fatalities during each tax deadline day to the number of fatalities occurring on regular days. The statistics show that the…
NHTSA Distracted Driving Guidelines Includes Static Navigation Images
Last month, NHTSA issued guidelines to establish criteria for reducing distraction from electronic devices installed by manufacturers while the vehicle is in motion, but those rules come with some surprising stipulations. One of those strange recommendations said “dynamic, continuously moving maps are not recommended.” In other words, the navigation display that updates in real-time to show…
Volkswagen Passat, GM Trucks NHTSA Probes Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it closed the investigations surrounding possible fires on the Volkswagen Passat and cracked cooling fans on various GM trucks without issuing a recall or fines to either automaker. Originally the 2002-03 model year Passats were under investigation for possible ignition coil fires in July 2010 but…
Ford Taurus Under NHTSA Investigation for Sticky Throttle
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a preliminary investigation regarding approximately 360,000 units of Ford Taurus produced from 2005 through 2006. According to 14 Taurus owners, the Ford Taurus has experienced incidents of stuck throttle due to cruise control cable detachment. NHTSA revealed that most complaints described that the Taurus would experience,…
2,983 Nissan Muranos and Rogues Recalled for Faulty Tire Pressure Monitoring
Nissan has just announced that it is recalling 2,983 2012 Murano and Rogue models that were manufactured from November 23, 2011 through to January 11, 2012. During the assembly of these 2012 Murano and Rogue vehicles, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) was not activated. As a result, the system is unable to warn the driver…
NHTSA Expands Investigation into Side Airbag Problems
After multiple recalls issued out by several different automakers, NHTSA is expanding their investigation into what is causing these potentially faulty side airbags. It appears that the impacted makes and models contain airbags that may have been manufactured with an ineffective mix of inflation gasses. Vehicles that have already been recalled for this exact issue…
2012 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX SUVs Recalled Over Fuel Leak
A recall of 2012 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX sport-utility vehicles has just been announced. According to American Honda Motors, about 8,709 Pilot and Acura SUV models have “vent shut float (VSF) valve” issues. If left unattended, the faulty VSF valve could cause a fuel leak, which means an increased fire risk. If you drive…
NHTSA Announces New Test Dummy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a new test dummy yesterday in an effort to further improve its crash testing procedures. The new dummy weighs 74 pounds and is meant to simulate a child nearing the maximum recommended size for a car seat: 80 pounds. That figure was recently revised by NHTSA, where the…
BMW Fined $3 Million for Delays in Reporting Defects
BMW has been charged with a U.S. civil penalty for a failure to report auto-safety defects and recalls in a timely manner for approximately 338,700 vehicles in 2010. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), BMW was reviewed in 2010 when the German automaker routinely did not disclose enough information regarding defects and…
NHTSA Looking to Mandate Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Tech
In the continued pursuit to make our roadways as safe as possible, several automakers, like BMW, have been researching vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology which could become mandatory in the future. A decision will come next year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in whether or not it will mandate the technology for future vehicles. While…
Safety Group Pushes for Jeep Grand Cherokee Recall as SUV Claims 14 More Lives
Calls for a recall of the 1993 to 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee have been redoubled after the release of a new report documenting the growing list of fatalities associated with the SUV. The report, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has added 14 more deaths to the SUVs total, resulting from fires…
Tips To Ensure Your Car Is Road Ready This Holiday Season
It’s officially winter and it’s also the holiday season – is your car ready for all those road trips? Before heading out to visit family and friends long distance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that you check your vehicle before heading out and to drive with extra caution this season. Here is…
Infiniti M45 Under Investigation By NHTSA For Fuel Gauge Defect
An investigation of the Infiniti M45 has been launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the fuel gauges of the 2003-2004 M45’s. The investigation was prompted by consumer complaints about the fuel gauge readings being inaccurate. According to NHTSA there have been 43 reports filed concerning faulty gauges in the luxury sedan. Of these, 23 cases…
Pontiac G8 Recalled For Delayed Airbag Deployment
The Pontiac G8, the brand’s last hurrah before GM completely discontinued its operations, is now subject to recall due too concerns regarding the front passenger air bag module. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the air bags may suffer from a possible delay in airbag deployment at the moment of a collision,…
2012 Chevrolet Equinox And GMC Terrain Crossovers Recalled For Malfunctioning Tire Pressure Monitoring System
34,000 units of GM’s 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers are recalled due too improperly calibrated tire pressure monitoring systems. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, requires all tire pressure monitoring systems to illuminate a warning signal when the tires are below 25 percent of the vehicle’s recommended psi. However, the sensors fitted into…
MINI Cooper S Engine Fire Concerns Prompt Safety Investigation
The British hot hatch just got hotter. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12 complaints were received in regards to MINI Cooper S engine fires, 5 of them resulted to total vehicle loss. Concerned that this is not an isolated incident, NHTSA has announced an investigation on 36,000 2007-2008 Mini Cooper S, Mini…
GM Develops Auto Industry’s First Front Center Air Bag [Video]
General Motors will be offering the industry’s first front center air bag in select vehicles. This inflatable restraint will help to protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle. You’re going to have to wait a bit for the new front…
How To Cut Out Distracted Driving Habits
It’s surprising to learn that with all the information out there about the dangers of distracted driving, according to a recent Virginia Tech study, it is still responsible for 80 percent of all car crashes. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving is the main factor for about 5,500 automotive fatalities…
School Bus Safety Tips For Kids And Drivers
The countdown to the first day of school is on. Just as important as it is to get everything ready for the big day, it’s also a good idea to go over a few school bus safety tips. After all, it’s been a long summer and you may have to do a little homework to…
Ford Mustang Transmission Problems, As Shown By Owners [Video]
We reported on Ford’s investigation and potential recall of its 2011 and 2012 V6-engined Mustangs, which have developed problems with the 6-speed manual transmission. Now here’s what they’re actually like, as recorded by Ford customers. The videos show an inability to grasp second or third gear with the clutch depressed. At speeds, the gears grind…
Nissan Leaf Earns Five Stars Overall In NHTSA Tests
The 2011 and 2012 Nissan Leaf for earned five stars in crash testing performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For the front crash and dynamic rollover test, the Leaf received four stars, but overall scored five stars. Combine that with the Top Safety Pick Award it won from the Insurance Institute for…
White House Lowers CAFE 2025 Target to 54.5 MPG
After much debate, the White House has lowered its CAFE target for 2025 from 62 MPG to 54.5. The original 62 MPG figure has been dragged through the dirt before, having previously been lowered to 56.2 before this current figure. But now, the 1.7-mpg drop helps ease the concerns, however slightly, expressed by the auto…
Honda CR-V Under Investigation for Headlight Failures; Recall Possible
If you own a 2002 to 2004 Honda CR-V it could be the subject of a recall in the near future after federal safety regulators announced an investigation into headlight failures for those model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced an early investigation into almost 300,000 of the Honda soft-roaders after…
2011 Scion tC Earns NHTSA Top Overall Crash Test Rating
Another one makes the list. This time around, it’s the all-new 2011 Scion tC sports coupe that’s been awarded the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) top overall rating of five stars. The Scion tC, which made its way to dealerships in October 2010, earned top ratings in the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) and…
