For the better part of two years, carmakers have been notifying owners of vehicle included in the massive shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags recall. Given the sheer volume of and airbags involved, it’s understandable that not all repairs can be done right away, but some drivers are finding out that they may not only have to wait a year for the fix, they shouldn’t have anyone else in the front seat with them during that time. [More]
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Why Is Subaru Telling Me To Keep People Out Of The Passenger Seat For The Next Year?
By 5.1.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Ford Recalls 441,000 Vehicles Over Fire Risk, Door Latch Issues
By 3.29.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Driving a car that is on fire or that has doors popping open is impressive, but not recommended. For that reason, you should be aware of Ford’s latest recalls. [More]
Hyundai Recalls 1 Million Cars With Possibly Defective Seatbelts
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
After at least two incidents where Hyundai seatbelts detached during a collision, the carmaker is recalling nearly one million sedans to address a possible defect. [More]
White House To Rescind EPA Mileage, Greenhouse Gas Standards
By 3.15.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Following a request by auto industry lobbyists for new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to rescind the agency’s longterm fuel-economy and emissions standards, President Trump is expected to announce that his administration will indeed undo the guidance locked in during the last days of the Obama White House. [More]
BMW Recalls 121K SUVs Over Defect That Could Render Vehicle Useless
By 3.10.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Just like a pathogen can infect a tiny cut in your skin and end up wreaking real havoc on your body, if a bit of water starts getting into the wrong place on your car it could set off a chain of events that leaves you with a car that won’t move. [More]
Mercedes Recalls 354K Vehicles Over Fire Risk
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: You don’t want your vehicle to catch on fire. For that reason, Mercedes-Benz is recalling more than 354,000 vehicles. [More]
Mazda Recalls 174K Vehicles Because Seats Shouldn’t Unexpectedly Move
By 2.14.17
Adjusting your seat position while driving can be dangerous, but it can be even more hazardous if you don’t know your seat is going to move. That’s why Mazda has recalled nearly 174,000 vehicles with seats that can unexpectedly change position. [More]
Nissan Recalls Altimas, Because Rolling Down The Window Shouldn’t Open The Door
By 2.7.17 — Updated: 2.8.17
We’re all used to the idea of pressing a button to roll down your car window. What we’re not used to — because it would be insanely dangerous — is pressing the window button and having the door open instead. [More]
600,000 Audi Vehicles Recalled Over Fire Hazard, Airbag Issues
By 1.30.17
Audi’s parent company Volkswagen is kicking off the week in style, announcing two separate recalls — one involving a potential fire risk, the other for faulty airbags — covering a total of nearly 600,000 vehicles. [More]
Honda Recalls 650K Minivans Over Concerns About Second-Row Seats
By 12.29.16
If you’re ever in a car crash, you don’t want your seat sliding around in its tracks. Which is why Honda is recalling nearly 650,000 minivans with second-row seats that can come unlocked and move around after a collision. [More]
Regulators Investigating 1M Dodge Trucks, SUVs Linked To Rollaway Incidents
By 12.20.16
Six months after confusing gear shifters made headlines following the death of Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin, federal regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into one million Dodge trucks and SUVs with similar shifters after receiving more than 40 complaints the vehicles have rolled away after drivers put them in the “Park” position. [More]
Proposed Safety Rule Would Require Cars Be Able To “Talk” To Each Other
By 12.13.16
The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed a new rule that would mandate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) on all new cars, saying the technology has enormous potential to reduce crashes and possibly save lives. [More]
Regulators Speeding Up Takata Recall, Update List Of Affected Vehicles
By 12.9.16
When federal regulators took over the messy Takata airbag recall in May 2015, they provided a timeline in which carmakers were to have shrapnel-shooting safety devices replaced. With more than 42 million vehicles having potentially dangerous airbags in their dashboards and steering wheels, the campaign was bound to take some time. But it’s not progressing enough, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as it moves to speed up the process by providing a replacement schedule and more complete list of affected vehicles. [More]
Hacker’s Company Handing Out Code That Can Turn Any Car Into A Self-Driving Vehicle
By 12.1.16
Does making a product free mean you don’t have to answer to authorities who might come knocking later? One experienced hacker seems to think his startup can avoid liability while giving away code for a software kit to convert cars into self-driving vehicles. [More]
Safety Regulators Hope A “Driver Mode” On Phones Would Curb Distracted Driving
By 11.23.16
Whether it’s Tweeting, SnapChatting, playing Pokémon Go, or just sending a text while on the road, it’s clear that smartphones present a potentially deadly distraction for drivers. Most states have banned or restricted texting while driving, but these problems persist. Now federal safety regulators are proposing new guidelines to curb distracted driving, including asking phone manufacturers to include a “Driver Mode” that would limit the use of a smartphone while behind the wheel. [More]
NHTSA: New Hybrid, Electric Cars Must Make Noise So Pedestrians Hear Them Coming
By 11.14.16
Even if car doesn’t have an engine to rev, it still has to make enough noise to warn pedestrians that it’s coming. So says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which just released a new rule that says all hybrid and electric vehicles have to produce an audible sound when traveling at low speeds. [More]
Evenflo Recalling 30K Booster Seats Because Kids Can Loosen The Harness
By 9.21.16
Kids have a way of figuring out how to do exactly what they shouldn’t, which is why car seat maker Evenflo is recalling about 30,000 booster seats over concern that some children have figured out how to loosen the harness all by themselves. [More]
NHTSA Taking A Road Trip To Remind Motorists To Fix Recalled Vehicles
By 8.10.16
If you don’t remember to get your recalled vehicle fixed, what if some kindly bureaucrats came to the lot where you’re parked to remind you? That’s what employees of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and some auto manufacturers are doing this week. They’re on a tour that’s like a political campaign, but not asking people to vote: they’re asking motorists to repair their vehicles and install their child safety seats correctly. [More]
