NHTSA
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…
Toyota Corolla Under Investigation for Airbags that Fail to Deploy
Toyota is facing the potential for more recalls as the government’s safety agency has announced an investigation into the Corolla for airbags that failed to deploy. In total the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is examining 170,000 Corolla models after receiving a complaint from one driver who claimed the airbags in his 2008 Corolla did…
NHTSA Investigating Kia and Subaru Models For Safety Defects; Recall Possible
The Subaru Impreza and Kia Sorrento are currently under the scrutiny of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as the government agency is investigating the cars for serious defects. Approximately 50,000 Sorrentos from 2011 could lose power because of a transmission intermediate driveshaft that could fail, according to four complaints received by the feds. Five more…
Keyless Ignitions Could Become Mandatory, Or Banned, Depending On NHTSAs Whims
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the possibility of making keyless ignitions a mandatory item for cars, as a means of providing drivers with a way to shut off the engine quickly in case of emergencies. NHTSA is also considering banning the devices altogether, and mandating the use of a physical key, since…
Chevrolet Cruze Recalled Due To Steering Defect
General Motors will recall 2,100 Chevrolet Cruze sedans after a steering wheel came loose from the car’s steering column recently. General Motors claims that no injuries resulted from the problem, and a bolt that was not properly installed was the culprit. “We made a mistake, but we’re confident that we’ve got it fixed,” said GM…
Ford Should Expand F-150 Recall NHTSA Boss Says
The agency in charge of vehicle safety is continuing to push for a more wide-spread recall of the Ford F-150 pickup truck, a sign that Ford has failed to appease the government body with its first recall notice. Back in February Ford announced a recall for 144,000 F-150 models from 2005-2006, although the National Highway…
NHTSA Reports 2010 As Record Low For Traffic Deaths
The United States Department of Transportation reported that 2010 was a record low for traffic fatalities, besting the previous record of 2009. While that year saw 33,808 deaths, 2010 saw a drop to 32,708. Both the DOT and NHTSA credit public awareness campaigns and stricter law enforcement, with programs against impaired driving, distracted driving and even…
2011 Volkswagen Jetta Recalled For Faulty Wiring
Volkswagen is recalling 71,403 2011 Jetta models due to a problem with the vehicle’s wiring. The issue affects the vehicle’s horn and anti-theft system, and Volkswagen said no injuries have been reported. Owners can check their vehicles build date to see if it falls within the specified range (March 2010 to March 2011) by checking…
Continental Recalls Tires on F-Series Pickups
Continental said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, that the affected tires, if overloaded or under inflated, could cause the belt edges to separate and the tread to become detached from the tire.
NHTSA to Investigate Car Seat Heaters
Always on the vanguard of public safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating whether overenthusiastic seat heaters pose a health and safety risk, citing 150 people who have been injured by leaving their buns in the oven for too long. In one case, a parapeligic man suffered burns in his Chevy Silverado after…
Federal Government To Make Hybrid Sound Emitting Devices Mandatory
The Hyundai Sonata’s production delay due to the removal of an on-off switch for its sound emitting device looks like a smart move now that the federal government is looking to not only make the devices mandatory for hybrid and electric cars, but bar automakers from allowing drivers to cancel the systems via a dash…
Kia Recalling 70,000 Optimas for Transmission Issue
However, Kia also says that so far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not recorded any instances of injuries resulting from the problem.
Jeep Wrangler Recalled for Drivetrain Issues
The 2010-2011 Jeep Wrangler has been recalled over improperly torqued front and rear axle fasteners, which could degrade steering abilities and cause an accident. NHTSA says the 19 improperly adjusted fasteners could result in “noise, or ultimately, degradation in steering and handling characteristics.” Anytime there are loose bolts in the drivetrain is a problem, so…
Mazda6 Recalled for Fire Risk Due to Spiders
But how do you fix a problem like this? Well, NHTSA and Mazda say that dealers will first, inspect and clean out the vent line and then, install a small spring, so these spiders can no longer make a home in it.
Plan to Make Back-Up Cameras Mandatory by 2014 Delayed
A plan that would see back-up cameras installed in all vehicles by 2014 will take longer to roll out than originally planned. According to a recent report by The Detroit News, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked Congress for an extension in order to look over information gathered from a recent pubic comment…
Volkswagen, Audi TDI Diesel Vehicles Under Investigation By NHTSA Due To Faulty Fuel Pump
NHTSA is investigating certain Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDI cars, as well as the Audi A3 TDI for a suspected fuel pump defect that could cause vehicles to stall at highway speeds and render them unable to restart. The agency claims that it has received 160 complaints and one accident report relating to the defect. The TDI…
Ford F-150 Recalled Over Faulty Door Handles
Apparently, the door handles incorporate a fragile embossment that may fracture under normal use. This, says the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration can cause the handles to not latch properly, potentially causing the doors to fly open during an accident.
Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti QX4 Under Investigation for Corrosion Issues
Traditionally, unibody cars or trucks suffering from serious structural corrosion are usually scrapped, the damage is simply too expensive and costly to repair; as a result NHTSA will probably have to look at other options instead of a TSB or recall.
Volkswagen Passat Under Further Investigation by NHTSA for Fire Risk, Recall Likely
After opening an initial inquiry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a more thorough investigation of nearly half a million Volkswagen Passat models for a potential fire risk. The investigation surrounds 490,000 Passat models dating from 2001 to 2007 and deals with ignition coils on the 2.0T 4-cylinder engines. The initial inquiry into…
2011 Honda Odyssey Earns Best-Possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in New Crash Test Ratings
It’s a five-star day for the 2011 Honda Odyssey, as the vehicle just earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) best-possible Overall Vehicle Score. And under NHTSA’s new system of safety ratings, the Odyssey is one of the first vehicles ever to earn five stars in each seating position for all three crash tests,…
NHTSA Investigating 2010 Ford Fusion For Defective Wheel Studs
NHTSA is beggining an investigation into the 2010 Ford Fusion, after recieving complaints of cracking wheel studs on the popular family sedan. Over 280,000 vehicles may be affected by the problem. Wheel studs hold the wheel in place on the vehicle, and a failure could be catastrophic. Interestingly, NHTSA claimed that “Three complaint vehicles belong…
Saab 9-3 Recalled Over Fuel Pump Defect
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the cars affected were originally fitted with fuel pumps that did not meet the correct specifications.
NHTSA Says 2010 Was A Banner Year For Recalls
With 20.3 million vehicles recalled last year, 2010 was a record year for voluntary recalls, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Saftey Association. While nearly 31 million vehicles were recalled in 2004 (the peak year on record), 2009 only saw 16.6 million cars recalled. In addition, 3 out of 5 vehicles recalled…
Chevy, GMC Trucks Under Further Investigation for Rusting Brake Lines
In the course of its investigation, NHTSA initially targeted 6 million vehicles, but later reduced this 1.8 million when it decided that only vehicles being driven in rust belt states (where the roads are salted in winter) are adversely affected.
