Safety
Mercedes Recalls 137,000 M-Class SUVs for Cruise Control Fault
Mercedes has announced a recall for approximately 137,000 of its M-Class SUVs for an issue surrounding the vehicle’s cruise control. The issue itself is that in some circumstances applying the brakes does not automatically turn off the cruise control – as it’s designed to. Affected vehicles include the 2000 – 2002 M-Class as well as…
2012 Volvo S60 Drives Away With IIHS Top Safety Pick Award
Another one makes the cut. Add the 2012 Volvo S60 to the list of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award winners. That means it earned good performance ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection. It also comes with standard electronic stability control (ESC), which is also needed to win…
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…
Arizona Bill Would Outlaw Kids Riding Loose in Pickup Beds
Some would argue that common sense disappeared back in the 1980s. In fact it seems more and more laws are being introduced to save us from our own stupidity. In Arizona, state lawmakers recently passed a bill that would prohibit children under the age of 18 from riding freely in the back of a pickup…
Mercedes Launches Teen Driving School in The U.S.
In fact standard driver training in the US consists of just 30 hours of classroom learning and 6 hours of practical driving.
NASA Report Exonerating Toyota Unintended Acceleration Claims Being Challenged
Lawyers for a group of plaintiffs in the Toyota unintended acceleration case are challenging a NASA report that found the automaker was not at fault for the alleged issues that led to a massive recall of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The plaintiffs lawyers filed papers in a California court last week stating they intend to disprove the…
2011 Mazda 3 Scores Top Pick In Safety From IIHS
The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety awarded the Mazda 3 with its Top Pick honor in the small car category. The Mazda3 met the criteria by scoring a “Good” rating in all crash test categories (front, side, rear and rollover) and has electronic stability control. The Mazda3 is the first car from the automaker to…
Hyundai Elantra Recall Affects 190,000 Models for Airbag Problems
Hyundai has recalled over 190,000 Elantra models over concerns that the passenger side airbags might not work properly. The Elantras were from the last generation, built from July 2006 to November 2008, and cover model years 2007 to 2009. The recall deals with a defect in the airbag seat sensor that detects a person’s weight…
2011 Honda Odyssey Recalled for Super Strong Wiper Motor, Weak Wiper Linkage
Issuing its second recall in as many days, Honda has announced it is taking steps to replace a potentially faulty front wiper linkage rod on the 2011 Odyssey. The recall affects 33,341 vehicles where the wiper linkage could be bent if the wiper motor is turned on, but the wipers themselves are frozen to the…
2011 Honda Civic Recalled for Faulty Fuel Pump
Honda has announced a recall of 18,056 Civics from 2011 model year due to a fuel pump that could malfunction. Honda says the fuel pumps could have been damaged in the production process and that in the case of a roll-over accident could cause gasoline to leak from the tank. Owners of vehicles affected by…
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…
Ford, NHTSA Still in Talks Over Larger F-150 Airbag Recall
A more significant recall of Ford F-150 trucks is probable, as talks between the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continue. In February Ford issued a recall of 144,000 F-150 models dating from 2005-2006 in response to a request by the government agency. That recall was not, however, satisfactory, with NHTSA requesting…
Mini Countryman Receives Top Safety Pick
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the Mini Countryman its “2011 Top Safety Pick,” the first Mini to do so. The sort-of-SUV received “Good” ratings in front, side, rollover, and rear impact protection, ensuring that owners won’t get beat up if they ever take theirs rally racing. The Countryman comes with electronic stability…
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…
Lap Belt Lawsuit Okayed By Supreme Court
The Williamson family claims that if Thann had been wearing a shoulder belt like the rest of the occupants, she would be alive today and believes that Mazda put cost considerations before safety.
Toyota Recalls 2.17 Million Vehicles For Stuck Accelerator
Anyone who was not comatose in 2009 remembers the Toyota unintended acceleration scandal, which saw millions of Toyota and Lexus products recalled due to what was eventually deemed to be a mismatch between floormats and the accelerator that could cause the pedal to stick. Now, Toyota is recalling a further 2.17 million cars and trucks…
Toyota Highlander Hybrid Under Investigation for Stalling Issues
In a notice posted on its website; NHTSA said it had opened a ‘preliminary’ investigation into 43,941 Toyota Highlander Hybrids from the 2006 model year, after receiving no fewer than 32 separate complaints.
144,000 Ford F-150s Recalled for Accidental Airbag Deployment; Larger Recall Pending
Ford has announced it will recall a total of 144,000 F-150 pickup-trucks due to airbags that could deploy by accident. The recall affects just those trucks from the 2005-2006 model years, however, a more widespread recall is pending. Ford initially refused to recall the trucks at all, prompting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)…
Avoid Potholes With Tips From AAA
As if driving through the snow and slush weren’t enough, the tail end of winter has to throw potholes into the mix as we start to transition to spring driving conditions. As the snow begins to melt, potholes start springing up (just like flowers) and causing drivers a whole new set of concerns on the…
GM Recalls 50,000 Cadillac CTS Models for Rear Suspension Issue
General Motors has announced a recall of more than 50,000 Cadillac CTS models due to rear suspension issue. The recall affects 44,000 vehicles in the U.S. from the 2009 and 2010 model years. According to GM, several nuts in the rear suspension could loosen resulting in the rear wheel to become unstable. This could cause…
Suzuki SX4, Grand Vitara Recalled Over Defective Pulley
Suzuki is recalling their SX4 compact and Grand Vitara SUV over a faulty tensioner pulley that could cause steering difficulties and engine stalling if it causes the accessory belt to detach while driving. Dealers will replace the pulley at no charge starting February 16th. The recall affects 32,291 vehicles. [Source: NHTSA] Hit the jump to read the…
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…
Toyota Unintended Acceleration Report Exonerates Electronics
An investigation by NASA has cleared Toyota‘s electronics systems of causing the unintended acceleration phenomenon that was widely reported in 2010. The Department of Transportation, who oversaw the investigation, released a statement claiming “NASA engineers found no electronic flaws in Toyota vehicles capable of producing the large throttle openings required to create dangerous high-speed unintended…
2011 Ford Explorer Recalled for Faulty Second-Row Reclining Seats
Ford‘s brand-new 2011 Explorer has just been hit with a recall for faulty second-row reclining seats. Recently awarded North American Truck of the Year, the recall affects just under 2,000 vehicles build between July 15 and December 13 of last year and sold in both the U.S. and Canada. Customers will begin being notified on…
