Safety
Mercedes-Benz Tops 2 Million SUVs Sold
Don’t head to the optometrist just yet. If the parking lot outside the California Pizza Kitchen and P.F. Chang’s seems particularly crowded with Mercedes-Benz SUVs, you’re probably seeing just fine. The company had some good news to release with the new year, they managed to surpass the 2 million SUVs sales mark. According to a…
2013 Ford Fusion To Get Lane-Departure Warning Device
The lane-departure warning system will soon be found in a mainstream American family sedan as Ford introduces the new 2013 Ford Fusion at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The 2013 Fusion will feature a digital camera mounted on the windshield that will detect lane markers and position itself between them. If the driver allows…
Chevrolet Volt, Fiat 500 Named Top Flops of 2011
Efficiency is the new black for automakers and consumers alike. Even Porsche customers can get their gas guzzling Cayenne fix in a more efficient hybrid now or diesel soon, which is why it might come as a surprise that two new fuel-efficient guppies in the veritable ocean that is the U.S. car market seem to be floundering….
Massive Honda Airbag Recall Expanded Further
Honda‘s latest addition to its airbag recall affecting older Accords, Civics, Odyssey’s, Pilots and Acuras bumps the total number of recalled vehicles to more than 3.7 million. The issue came to light three years ago, and has already caused one death and at least a dozen injuries due to airbags in some vehicles deploying with too…
Woman Survives 10 Days in Her Toyota Corolla
What started out as a nice recreational drive “with no particular destination” turned into a fight for survival as Arizona State University Senior Lauren Elizabeth Weinberg was found stranded with her Toyota Corolla in a heavy snowstorm in northeastern Arizona for 10 days. Weinberg told Arizona police that she left her mother’s home in Phoenix…
Cadillac CTS, SRX Earn 5-Star Crash Safety Rating [Video]
Last week, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced that 2012 earned a record number of “top safety picks,” but the automotive industry is looking to set the record number even higher. Cadillac‘s 2012 SRX crossover and CTS sports sedan and wagon models received a crash safety rating of 5-star overall. According to the National…
Chevrolet Captiva Recalled Over Fire Risk
If Chevrolet isn’t careful they may start to be known as the “Burning Bow-Tie Brand” to some of their customers. General Motors is recalling 15,627 Chevrolet Captiva crossovers from the 2011-12 model years because there is a chance the cars may catch fire on the road. The issue stems from power steering fluid overheating under…
40-Percent of American Car Owners Ignore Maintenance to Save Money
This probably doesn’t come to as a surprise to many – since we’re all guilty of it – but Consumer Reports has taken a poll that reveals 40-percent of American car owners will delay the maintenance of their vehicle due to finances. More eye-opening is the fact that younger drivers, 18-34 years of age, tend…
Ford F-series Pickup Trucks Recalled For Automatic Transmission Defect
An automatic transmission defect initiated a recall for 2011 Ford F-150, 2012 F-250, F-350,F-450 and F-550 pickup trucks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 16,091 examples of Ford trucks may suffer a problematic brake shift interlock switch. This defect may allow the transmission to shift out of park without the need of…
Record Number of IIHS Top Safety Picks For 2012
In a display of continuing safety advancements in automobiles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that more vehicles have earned the “top safety pick” this year after manufacturers have strengthened the roofs of their vehicles to improve its rollover safety. Sixty-nine cars, thirty-eight SUVs, five minivans, and three pickups made the “top safety pick”…
2012 Audi A6 Recalled For Airbag Defect
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Volkswagen, the parent company of Audi, has announced a recall for the 2012 Audi A6. According to the NHTSA, the recall is directed to A6 models made between April 8 to May 26, 2011, concerning the head-curtain airbag units. Due to seams that may not have been properly…
Opel Ampera Deliveries Halted Amid Chevrolet Volt Fire Investigations
Last month, GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the Chevy Volt’s fire hazards after the electric vehicle suffered collision. As investigations continue, GM’s Opel react by announcing the delay of Ampera deliveries throughout Europe until a solution to the defect is found. An Opel spokesman explains that Opel is, “not currently delivering the cars…
A Comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing Program Proposed
Allstate Insurance and the National Safety Council put together a report suggesting that an estimated 2,000 teen lives and $13.6 billion could be saved each year if all states enforce a comprehensive graduated driver licensing program (GDL). While GDL programs are officiated in all 50 states, earning a driver’s license in some states are more…
GM Crossovers Get Innovative New Airbag, Lane Departure Technology
General Motors is targeting a safety issue with new equipment that until now has been unaddressed. They plan to release a front-seat center-airbag (pictured above) that deploys between the driver and passenger seats. The new feature is supposed to improve safety in the event of far-side impact crashes, which statistics show to be responsible for…
Nissan Recalls Nearly Every Juke Sold For Door Lock, Turbocharger Defects
Nissan is recalling 118,000 Juke crossovers world wide due to a pair of defects that could pose problems for owners. Nissan says that the door locks could freeze in cold-weather, presenting an annoying problem for owners in cold climates. In addition, a boost pressure sensor on the turbocharger may malfunction, causing a check engine light…
Fiat 500 Gets Three Star Crash Test Rating, Lowest Of All New Cars
The slow-selling Fiat 500 hit another snag after NHTSA gave the compact car a three-star crash test rating, a dismal score in an era where five-star ratings are practically ubiquitous. While the 500 got four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests, the side impact result was a poor two stars. Only the now-dead…
Ford Recalling 128,616 Fusions, Mercury Milans, For Wheel Defect
After encountering 30 incidents involving cracked wheel studs and steel wheels separating from the vehicles, Ford will be recalling 128,616 2010 and 2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans to fix the issue. An investigation by NHTSA led to the recall, though no injuries have been reported. Ford will notify owners of the affected vehicles, inspect them…
NHTSA Denies Wrongdoing In Chevrolet Volt Fire
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is flatly denying any wrongdoing around the time it took to release data suggesting the Chevrolet Volt might catch fire. Earlier this week reports surfaced that Volts suffering severe crashes might be at risk of catching fire. GM hasn’t released an official statement explaining the phenomenon, but information…
Dozens of Worried Chevy Volt Owners Have Requested Buy Backs
Despite GM recanting their statement that they’d buy back Chevy Volts from concerned customers, a couple dozen have come forward requesting buy backs of their plug-in hybrids. The buy back statement originally came from GM CEO Dan Akerson, but GM’s PR department stepped in by backpedaling on that offer. Nonetheless, after receiving a couple dozen…
2011 Nissan Rogue Recalled For Power Steering Defect
r 2011 Nissan Rogue models have been issued a recall due to possible incorrectly installed circuit boards within the Rogue’s electronic power steering assist control unit. According to Nissan and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this defect could cause additional stress on the solder of the terminal to the circuit board and may lead…
MIT Algorithm Can Predict Red Light Runners
Statistics gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that 700 of 7,000 traffic related fatalities in 2008 were caused by drivers that failed to stop at red traffic lights. What’s more, the red light offenders and the victims involved in the accident (whether passengers, pedestrians, or the driver of the other vehicle) share…
Nissan Previews New Safety Tech, Including “Unintended Acceleration” Override [Videos]
Nissan showed off three new safety technologies this week in Japan, all three of which are slated to make their way into various Nissan and Infiniti models in the upcoming years. The first of these three new technologies is a rear camera multi-sensing system, which is Nissan’s result of evolving its Around View Monitor by…
Honda Adds Almost 1 Million New Vehicles To Airbag Recall
Honda‘s airbag woes grew significantly after they recalled an almost 1 million additional vehicles. The issue involves airbag pressure in 2001 and 2002 Accords, Civics and Odysseys from 2001 through 2003, CR-Vs from 2002 to 2003 and 2003 Pilots. The recall also affects 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TLs and 2003 3.2 CLs. The latest development…
General Motors Recalls Almost 2000 Full-Size Vans
If you own a new GMC or Chevrolet van, there’s a chance the airbags might not be safe. The notice comes after General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that airbags in 1,798 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans manufactured between June 2, 2011 and October 17, 2011 have faulty airbag systems that fail…
