NHTSA
Mandatory Throttle-Override System Proposed by US Regulators
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Following the rash of alleged self-accelerating cars, U.S. regulators are calling for all automakers to make throttle override mechanisms standard equipment in every light vehicle. This issue came to light after Toyota’s unintended acceleration case, which spurred NHTSA to begin looking into override technology in 2010. Essentially, the required system would ensure that the brake will overpower…
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…
Where do MPG Ratings Come From?
Every new car has a bit of paper full of numbers stuck to it. No, not the price tag, the other piece of paper… the EPA label. Displaying the car’s rated fuel economy, these numbers can make or break a car buyer’s decision. Ever wonder how those numbers are determined? Read on. When a car…
Ford E-series Not Recalled, NHTSA Ends Investigation
Normally, any story about car fires, recalls and safety hazards has the same content: “fill-in-the-blank automaker is recalling fill-in-the-blank cars because they might explode, fall apart or some other terrifying nonsense.” Not this time. Instead, Ford is dodging a maelstrom of bullets after the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration found that there is no need to…
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Under Fire Investigation
Possible engine fires in the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze are being investigated by NHTSA after two have been completely destroyed. Luckily no injuries have been reported with the fires, which Cruze owners are reporting began while the cars were moving. One complaint from a Cruze owner said, “The car was totally engulfed within five minutes of…
2010 Jeep Wrangler Under Investigation for Possible Fire Risk
Four Jeep Wrangler SUVs have been completely destroyed due to a fire, with eight total incidents having been reported to NHTSA. Most of the reports state that the fires began while the vehicles were moving. In one instance however, the Wrangler was parked and running when it suddenly turned off. The owner attempted to restart…
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…
Congress Requests NHTSA to Address Jeep Wranglers Death Wobble – Video
Back in February, San Francisco, California-based KGO-TV had a news report on a “death wobble” affecting 2005-2010 Jeep Wrangler owners. A month later, two members of the House of Representatives have written a letter to NHTSA to get some answers as to what’s going on. The members of Congress are describing the death wobble as…
Land Rover Recalls SUVS Over ‘Catastrophic’ failure
If you own a 1995 to 1999 Land Rover Discovery, a 1999 to 2004 Discovery II or a 1995 Range Rover Classic, and had recently replaced its rear drive-shaft coupling, you need to read on. The problem: certain rear drive-shaft couplings manufactured as replacement parts between April 2011 through November 2011, carrying parts number TVF100010,…
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Recall Issued, Company Fights Decision
It’s a case of technicality versus practicality: The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration told Hyundai to replace the center rear seat belts in 14,728 Sonata Hybrids made between 2011 and 2012, but the Korean automaker declined. It comes down to a dispute over why the belts need to be changed. U.S. safety regulations prohibit using “a release…
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…
NHTSA Expands Ford Sticky Throttle Investigation to 1.92 Million Cars
NHTSA announced today that it is increasing the number of Ford vehicles under investigation for sticking throttle issues to 1.92 million automobiles. Previously, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initially announced an investigation into 360,000 Ford Taurus’ built from 2005 to 2006. Now NHTSA has expanded its inquiry to include all Ford Taurus’ and Mercury Sables (same…
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,…
Ford Focus Replacement Front Suspension Recall, 10,000 Units Affected
A recall issued today could potentially affect 10,000 Ford Focus models. Gabriel, a company that provides ReadyMount suspension assemblies says that its set up for 2000-2005 Ford Focus models did not include a necessary washer. This omission can cause the suspension assembly to fall apart, resulting in an injury while being installed. Additionally, if the part is already…
Volvo Recalls 17,000 Vehicles Over Faulty Wiring, Airbag Issues
Volvo has issued a recall for 17,000 vehicles today, for risk of front/side airbags not deploying in a crash. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of side airbag issues in the past few weeks, but Volvo is very specific about why this occurs. 2012 models of the Volvo S60, S80, XC60 and XC70 are…
Backup Camera Rule Delayed, Again
A decision expected today regarding a new rule that may make backup cameras mandatory for all new cars and light trucks sold in the U.S., is delayed until the end of the year — at the earliest. Part of a law signed in 2008 by George W. Bush required the mandate be issued by the end…
Nissan Recalls 79,275 Vehicles Due to Fire Risk
Nissan is recalling 79,275 vehicles after finding that an improperly tightened fuel pressure sensor may lead to gas leaks and an increased risk of fire. The vehicles affected are certain 2011-12 Jukes, Infiniti QX and Infiniti M vehicles. The leak is prone to happen because of heat and vibration, loosening the sensor and allowing the…
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…
Backup Cameras May Become Mandatory on all New Vehicles
Backup cameras used to be a premium feature, but that will change thanks to a federal mandate expected Feb. 29. If it goes through, the little screens that keep drivers from backing into objects will be required on all new US vehicles. The move is meant to cut down on the current death and injury…
Chevrolet Trailblazer Door Fires Under Investigation
309,000 Chevrolet Trailblazers are currently under investigation for possible fires on the driver’s side doors of the vehicles. The affected model years are 2006 and 2007, the fires seem to be caused by the driver’s side power window switch or related electrical parts. A dozen complaints have been filed with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,…
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…
Ford Recalling 2012 Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators for Faulty Head Restraints
Ford says that the issue concerns insufficient welds on the support brackets, on the right and side, second row seat only, the other seats in these vehicles are not affected by the recall.
