If you are the owner of a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, you are probably aware of the repeated problems experienced by many drivers. With over four hundred complaints and eight recalls, this model year Grand Cherokee has gained a reputation as a lemon vehicle. Airbag, electrical, electronic stability control (ECS), vehicle speed control, and brake problems have been blamed for unsafe driving conditions and accidents on several occasions. Continue reading
Category Archives: Automotive News
RECALL Act – Repair Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives Act
A new legislation introduced to the senate this week, would force states to inform drivers about safety recalls on their vehicles and require them to have repairs done before renewing their registration. The Repair Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives, or RECALL Act, has been introduced to address the millions of vehicles that have unfixed recalls and concerns that less that 70% of vehicle repairs are done within 18 months of being recalled. The bill has already received support from several consumer groups including the Center for Auto Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and even some automakers.
Google & Apple Battle For Automobile Dashboards
After years of being treated as an interesting side business, automobiles have become the next target for Apple and Google, with Apple assigning 200 engineers to work on electric vehicle technology and Google saying it sees the public going driverless within five years. The most immediate battle, however, is the development of the next generation dashboard systems. Continue reading
IIHS Study Shows Improvements In Automobile Safety
A recent study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) looked at driver fatality rates in 2009-2012 model year vehicles. The study found nine models that are so safe that they had a driver death rate of zero. (Only eight years ago there were no car manufacturers who could make this claim.) These mostly 2011 models, show how the chances of dying in a car crash have steadily decreased over the last few years. Improvements in car safety such as electronic stability control, which was not required by federal mandate until 2011, have been a huge factor in preventing automobile accidents. “We know from our vehicle ratings program that crash-test performance has been getting steadily better,” according to David Zuby, IIHS’ executive vice president. “These latest death rates provide new confirmation that real-world outcomes are improving, too.” Continue reading
Recall Delays Put Drivers In Unsafe Driving Situations
Months after receiving recall notices, millions of vehicle owners are still waiting to hear how long it will take to get recalls repaired. Delays in the recall system have resulted in unsafe conditions as owners continue to drive with defects. Sometimes the companies or dealers offer free loaner cars, but most of the time they don’t. This leaves car owners with a difficult decision of whether they should continue driving and hope the problem doesn’t affect them, or rent a car. In some circumstances it may take months or even years before parts become available.
NHTSA Investigates Ford Super Duty Trucks
According to a recent investigation report, the NHTSA have opened a probe into the 2013 recall of certain 2011-2012 Ford F-350, F-450, and F-550 Ambulance package vehicles equipped with a 6.7L diesel engines. In October 2013 these vehicle were recalled due to an exhaust sensor problem that led drivers to experience loss of power followed by an engine stall. To date, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has experienced 30 more complaints affecting vehicles both within and outside the scope of the subject recall. Continue reading
Auto Recalls Expected To Increase In 2015
Newly appointed head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mark Rosekind is warning vehicle owners to expect automobile recalls in 2015 to surpass the record set last year. In 2014, the NHTSA was under scrutiny by safety officials and advocates for their slow response to recalls involving Takata airbags and GM ignition switches. Continue reading
Should Foreign Safety Recalls Lead To U.S. Recalls?
With a record number of recalls this year, the automobile industry has been under tight scrutiny. But even with increased efforts to address problems, known safety recalls continue to evade the United States market. According to a New York Times review of over 500 international recalls, there have been dozens of instances within the last ten years which have prompted recalls or other safety related actions in foreign countries, that have not been treated the same in the United States. Continue reading
