Safety
2007-2010 Volvo S80 Recalled For Fault TPMS System
Volvo made a bit of a mistake with their 2007-2010 S80s; it turns out that the tire pressure labels affixed to the vehicles are incorrect, and so is the information inputted into the tire pressure monitoring system. Volvo will replace the stickers and re-flash the TPMS software, and encourages owners to contact them at 1-800-458-1552…
Toyota Recalls 39,000 Lexus LX470 For Defective Steering Shaft
When it rains, it pours, and nobody knows that better than Toyota. With recalls popping up like weeds, the company is forced to endure yet another ignominy by recalling 39,000 Lexus LX470 SUVs from the model year 2003-2007. These top of the line trucks appear to have a defect in the steering shaft, that can…
Toyota Recalls 373,000 Avalon Models to Fix Steering Column
Just when Toyota‘s bad news seemed to have ceased, the Japanese automaker is announcing yet another recall – this time affecting 373,000 Avalon models in the United States. The vehicles included in the recall date from 2000-2004 and the issue involves the steering column, which could lock-up under cornering. According to Toyota, a defect in…
Jaguar Recalls XF and XK Models With 5.0L Engines Over Fuel Pump Malfunction; It’s Deja Vu All Over Again
In an echo of eras past, Jaguar is recalling their XF sedan and XK coupe for a faulty fuel pump that may cause the engine to unexpectedly die. The problem occurs only on cars with the 5.0L V8, and is caused by the fuel pump not activating due to the fuel pump relay not properly…
Nissan Cube Recalled for Possible Gas Leak Resulting from a Crash
Nissan has just announced a recall for the 2009-10 Cube model for a recall involving the fuel system. According to a NHTSA press release, the vehicle did not pass its fuel leak test, in which the amount of fuel leaking from the car exceeded, “allowable limits” in the agency’s crash test. A fire could result…
Subaru Issues Recall, Stop-Sale Order On Some Legacy And Outback Models
We’ve lost track of how many recalls have been issued for the Subaru Legacy and Outback, so much so that we had to check and make sure that this story was recent and not run within the previous couple weeks. While this currently recall, affecting 809 vehicles is relatively minor, the consecutive recalls on Subaru’s…
Honda Partners With Carfax To Expand Recall Information
Potential buyers of Honda and Acura vehicles will now have no reason to buy a lemon after the company agreed to give all recall data to Carfax. “Recall completion is critically important to us,” said Jim Roach, senior vice president of Parts & Service for American Honda. “By working with Carfax, American Honda provides another…
2011 Mercedes CL-Class Gets ‘Corrective Braking’ to Keep You on Track
Mercedes continues to roll out new safety features for its luxurious cars, the latest being for the updated 2011 CL-Class models. The latest innovations include Active Lane Keeping Assist (a similar system is found on the 2011 Infiniti M), as well as Active Blind Spot Assist. The first, Active Lane Keeping Assist works much like…
Volkswagen Recalls Routan For Wiring Defect
Volkswagen is recalling its Routan minivan for a wiring defect that could lead to a short circuit and a possible fire. According to the company, the wiring harness was improperly routed, leading to the possibility of the harness insulation being worn down by repeated contact with the sliding door mechanism. Volkswagen will fix the problem…
Bridgestone Announces Safety Scholars Video Finalists: Vote for Your Favorite
Bridgestone has just announce the finalists in its annual Safety Scholars Teen Driver Video Contest and as always, we’re seriously impressed. The 10 finalists were picked from 1,375 videos submitted by 16 to 21 year-olds from across the U.S., all with the message to drive safe. It’s no surprise that distracted driving was the main…
BREAKING: Toyota Unintended Acceleration Is B.S., According To NHTSA And D.O.T., Driver Error Blamed
While Toyota takes a lot of flack for having a product line that’s geared more towards the common people than enthusiasts, many speculatedthat the scandal regarding Toyota’s unintended acceleration accusations was largely a combination of schadenfreude and political motivated rhetoric. People love to see the big guy take a fall, and this was no exception….
Toyota Opens Six Product Quality Field Offices to Bolster Image, Address Customer Concerns
Toyota has announced that it will open six new product quality field offices (PQFOs) in different regions in North America next month, as it continues to reclaim its long-standing reputation for building quality vehicles. Earlier this year, Toyota opened its first such field office in New York and is set to open a second one…
Report: Toyota Engine Complaints First Surfaced In 2007
A recall of more than 100,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles this past week was originally known about in 2007, after complaints regarding the defective valve springs began to surface at that time. So far, Toyota has only listed a vague explanation for the defect, with a company spokeswoman stating that “The problem occurs when foreign…
Lexus Recalls IS, GS and LS Models for Faulty Engine Valve Springs
After admitting it sold as many as 270,000 vehicles with defective engines, Lexus has now announced it will recall those models, which include 138,000 Lexus IS, GS and LS models in the United States. The issue relates to the possibility that the engines could have been built using faulty valve springs which could result in…
Suzuki Recalls Kizashi Sedan for Glovebox Issue
Suzuki has issued a recall for its new Kizashi mid-sized sedan. A recall is never a good thing, particularly for a brand like Suzuki that is struggling to find a foothold in the U.S. market. It’s even worse when it’s for the bran’s all-new model – which by all accounts has received glowing reviews. According…
Lexus Says 270,000 Vehicles Have Faulty Engines; Recall Likely
In yet another blow to the company’s image, Toyota has announced that 270,000 of its vehicles are equipped with faulty engines. The problem is quite the opposite of the “unintended acceleration” issue, with Toyota stating that the engines could simply stall while the cars are in motion. No recall has been announced, but one is…
Toyota Shareholder Asks CEO To Stop Crying on TV
Nobody likes a man who cries. Well, unless you’re Chris Brown, and crying at the BET Awards “saves your career.” There’s no crying in Baseball, and certainly no crying in Congressional hearings, well, unless you’re just plain guilty of everything they say you did…. Toyota‘s shareholders have noticed that. During a June 24th meeting, company…
Kids as Bad As Alcohol When Driving
We guess that the standards “Don’t make me come back there” or “If you don’t shut up, I will turn this car around” just aren’t cutting it anymore. Drivers need some new empty threats, because a study has found that kids fighting in the back of a vehicle can impair the driver’s skills as much…
The Case For the “California Roll”
Everyone knows about the “California Roll,” right? Whatever they call it in your neck of the woods, it’s when you roll slowly through a stop sign instead of coming to a complete stop. This author was recently unfairly ticketed by a Redondo Beach, CA Police Officer, who witnessed yours truly perform this very move, on…
Drunk Driver Crashes Into Judge Who Let Him Off… For DUI
A Gaithersburg, MD man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for drunkenly crashing his car into an elderly couple. The driver of the other car was none other than Edwin Collier, a retired judge. The same judge, in fact, who had let the drunk driver, Rene Fernandez, off with probation after his first…
Volkswage Routan Recalled Over Fire Risk
Volkswagen is recalling its Routan minivan, but not to worry, they barely sold any of them in the first place. The recall affects 15,902 vans from 2008-09 and follows a recall by Chrysler of the mechanically similar Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan. Like the Chrysler vans on which the Routan is based, the…
BMW Recalls 1 Series for Fire Concerns
BMW has halted deliveries and placed a recall on all 2008-2011 model year 1 Series models due to the risk of a fire in an accident. The issue is related to insufficient space between the seat belt tensioners in the B-pillar and the insulation surrounding those parts. BMW is worried that in the case of…
Nissan Introduces ‘Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians’ System for New Leaf EV
Ahead of any possible legislation requiring electric cars and hybrids to come equipped with noise-makers, Nissan is announcing the introduction of what it calls the ‘Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians’ system for its new Leaf electric vehicle. The system finds a balance between driver comfort and alerting pedestrians of an approaching vehicle. The “sine-way sound…
Teens Get To Simulate Distracted Driving on the Distractology 101 Tour
It’s easy to get distracted while you’re driving – especially if you’re a teen. Sometimes, the siren song of the cell phone can be too much to resist. In fact, recent studies state drivers under the age of 20 have the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes at 16 percent. To combat…
