Due to the federal government shutdown, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have announced that they will be forced to close several branches of the agency and cut back on over fifty percent of their employees. While functions funded by the Highway Trust Fund will continue; defect investigations, field crash investigations, review of consumer complaints, and notifications of new vehicle and equipment recalls will all be suspended. Continue reading
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Infiniti M35 And M45 Engine Stalls
Nissan is recalling certain 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and 2006-2010 Infiniti M45 vehicles because the accelerator pedal sensor signal could deteriorate resulting in the engine unexpectedly going into fail-safe (limp home) mode. The NHTSA Campaign Number is 13V-430. Continue reading
Ford Advances In Car Connectivity
Ford today announced it will acquire Livio, a Ferndale, Mich.-based software development startup, in order to further extend their ability to meet consumers’ growing demand for safe, seamless access to the electronic content while in their vehicles. Continue reading
Auto Backup Camera Debate Continues
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 300 fatalities and 18,000 injuries occur each year as a result of accidents caused by vehicles backing up, with almost 45% of these fatalities involve children under five. A lawsuit filed in New York today, has the Consumers Union and the advocacy wing of Consumer Reports magazine hoping that it will force the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to take steps in setting rear visibility standards for light vehicles. Continue reading
Chrysler IPO Filing Pressures Fiat
Chrysler is reluctantly preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) of shares owned by the United Auto Workers (UAW) trust after failing to reach an agreement on the value of the stock with the trust. Chrysler shares haven’t been publicly traded since 1998, when the company merged with Daimler AG who is now a majority owner of Italian automaker Fiat SpA. Continue reading
Honda Inadvertent Airbag Deployment
After an investigation started in June by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Honda has decided to recall certain 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey minivans and 2003 Acura MDX sport utility vehicles because of a problem with airbags. Continue reading
BMW Intermittent Rear Lamp Functions
BMW is recalling certain 2008 through 2010 5-Series passenger cars because they could experience intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more of the rear lamp functions. Approximately 134,100 vehicles could be affected by the recall. The NHTSA Campaign Number is 13V-407. Continue reading
Stalling Ford Focus Electric Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) have opened a preliminary evaluation (PE13-013) into certain 2012-2013 Ford Focus electric vehicles after receiving thirty complaints of the vehicles shutting down while driving. The complaints show an increasing trend, with most received within the past five months. Continue reading
