nhtsa

Van Swearington

NHTSA Investigating Ford Explorers Over Concerns Exhaust Could Enter Cabin

Federal regulators are investigating complaints from more than 150 Ford Explorer owners that potentially dangerous exhaust fumes may be leaking into the SUV’s cabin.
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NHTSA Is Looking Into Fatal Crash Of Tesla Model S In Autopilot Mode

NHTSA Is Looking Into Fatal Crash Of Tesla Model S In Autopilot Mode

Last fall, Tesla released a beta version of Autopilot, a software upgrade that would let the car take over some driving functions, including steering, cruise control, and lane changes. Today, the company announced some sad news: the first fatal crash in of one of the company’s vehicles while in autopilot mode happened in northern Florida in May. [More]

NHTSA

Airbags In 2001 To 2003 Hondas And Acuras Are The Most Dangerous, Need To Be Fixed Now

Since people now tend to keep our cars longer than we used to, there are still plenty of model year 2001, 2002, and 2003 cars from Honda and Acura still on the road. Recent tests show that each time one of the vehicles’ airbags deploys, there’s up to a 50% chance that it will rupture, posing a serious risk to drivers and passengers. [More]

Van Swearington

Jeep Recalled For Gear Shift Issue Linked To Star Trek Actor’s Death

When Fiat Chrysler (FCA) recalled 811,000 Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles in April over concerns about the cars’ confusing electronic gear shifter, the carmaker said it was aware of more than 100 crashes, including 41 injuries, resulting from drivers inadvertently leaving their vehicles in gear with the engine running. The issue is now being linked to the death of a young actor over the weekend.  [More]

(Van Swearington)

Kia Recalls 219K Minivans Because Hoods Shouldn’t Just Fly Up

There’s nothing worse than driving down the road only to have the hood of your car all of a sudden fly up, obstructing your view. Okay, that likely doesn’t happen often, but for more than 219,000 owners of recently recalled Kia Sedona minivans it is certainly a possibility. [More]

Tesla Denies Report Of Possible Safety Defect In Model S & “Troubling” Nondisclosure Agreements

Tesla Denies Report Of Possible Safety Defect In Model S & “Troubling” Nondisclosure Agreements

Yesterday, regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had begun looking into possible issues with the suspension on Tesla’s Model S sedans, but the high-end electric vehicle maker is currently denying that there are any safety issues with the Model S suspensions, or that there is a formal investigation into the matter. [More]

Phil's 1stPix

NHTSA: Self-Driving Cars Need To Be Twice As Safe In Order To Reduce Traffic Deaths

Proponents of self-driving vehicles claim the new technology will decrease the number of crashes occurring on the roadways, thereby reducing the number of driver and pedestrian deaths. But for that to happen, regulators say the new industry must take significant steps to improve autonomous vehicle safety.  [More]

Mike Mozart

Toyota Promises Automatic Braking Will Be Standard In Most Models By 2017

Just days after automakers and federal regulators reached a deal that would make forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking standard in vehicles by 2022, Toyota says it’ll do one better — make these safety features standard years ahead of schedule.
[More]

Consumer Reports

Automatic Emergency Braking To Be Standard In Cars By 2022

A number of cars being sold today already have forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking as available optional safety features, but automakers and federal regulators have reached a deal that will make these features standard in almost every car sold in the U.S. by 2022. [More]

Audit Finds NHTSA Investigators May Lack Training To Spot Defective Cars

Audit Finds NHTSA Investigators May Lack Training To Spot Defective Cars

Eight months after a Department of Transportation audit criticized the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for failing to hold automakers responsible for defects, a second audit is raising additional concerns about NHTSA’s ability to sniff out problem automobiles.  [More]

Regulators: Google’s Computers Can Be Considered Drivers In Autonomous Vehicles

Regulators: Google’s Computers Can Be Considered Drivers In Autonomous Vehicles

Just a month after federal regulators took steps to ease restrictions for self-driving cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has let one tech company know that its artificial intelligence system could be considered an actual driver under federal law.  [More]

Honda Officially Recalls 2016 Civics Over Engine Failures, Continues Halt To New Sales

Honda Officially Recalls 2016 Civics Over Engine Failures, Continues Halt To New Sales

A week after directing dealers to stop selling the newest model Civic sedans after detecting a problem in the vehicles that could lead to engine failure, Honda has announced an official recall of the affected cars.  [More]

Honda Orders Stop-Sale Of 2016 Civics Over Possible Engine Failure; Recall Pending

Honda Orders Stop-Sale Of 2016 Civics Over Possible Engine Failure; Recall Pending

Just months after hitting the market, Honda has ordered all 2016 Civics to remain on their dealers’ lots after finding a problem in the vehicles that could lead to engine failure.  [More]

Fiat Chrysler Recalling 389K SUVs (Again) To Fix Wiring Issue That Can Lead To Sun Visors Catching Fire

Fiat Chrysler Recalling 389K SUVs (Again) To Fix Wiring Issue That Can Lead To Sun Visors Catching Fire

In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Fiat Chrysler over Jeep and Dodge SUVs that were recalled in July 2014 for a wiring issue that could cause sun visors to burst into flame. NHTSA wanted to see how effective that recall remedy had been, after post-recall reports of problems continued. Chrysler is now recalling almost 389,000 SUVs in the U.S. for a second time for that same issue. [More]

BMW To Pay $40M For Failing To Recall Mini Coopers In A Timely Manner

BMW To Pay $40M For Failing To Recall Mini Coopers In A Timely Manner

Three months after federal regulators opened a probe into whether BMW failed to recall more than 30,000 Mini Cooper cars in a timely fashion after certain models did not meet side impact crash standards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined the car manufacturer $40 million after finding a series of violations.  [More]

Fiat Chrysler To Pay $70M For Allegedly Failing To Disclose Crash Deaths & Injuries

Fiat Chrysler To Pay $70M For Allegedly Failing To Disclose Crash Deaths & Injuries

Fiat Chrysler will pay a $70 million fine to federal regulators over allegations it under-reported injuries and deaths related to vehicle crashes.  [More]

Ford Becomes The Latest To Halt Use Of Scandal-Shadowed Takata Airbags

Ford Becomes The Latest To Halt Use Of Scandal-Shadowed Takata Airbags

In the middle of a massive recall scandal involving airbag inflators that can explode and spew potentially lethal shrapnel at passengers, auto parts company Takata has already lost business from Nissan, Toyota, and Honda. Now comes news that Ford is also ending its use of Takata inflators. [More]

Kia Recalling 256K Soul Compact SUVs Over Possible Steering Failure

Kia Recalling 256K Soul Compact SUVs Over Possible Steering Failure

Cars will take you wherever you want to go — that is, if you can point them in the right direction. That’s why steering is so important, and why Kia Motors is recalling more than 256,000 Soul compact SUVs in the United States, over concern that defective glue could make the steering system fall apart. [More]