On May 19, 2014 a U.S. Department of Transportation investigation determined that a defect exists in some Takata airbags and prompts the airbag supplier to issue a national recall. The defect affects frontal driver and passenger side airbag inflators used in vehicles manufactured by BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. According to the recall report, these inflators were made with a propellant that can degrade over time and rupture, sending fragments that could injure vehicle occupants. The defect is blamed for six deaths worldwide. Continue reading
Category Archives: Automotive News
BMW Customer Care Package Campaign
The owners of certain 2008-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with 4.4-liter V-8 (N63B44O0) engines are finding that when they go to their dealership for routine service, there is a recall affecting their vehicles that they have not been notified about.
In June 2013, dealerships received a service bulletin for the N63 powerplant, which amended the oil capacity requirements of the engine, adding a full (1) US quart to the capacity of the motor, citing “increased oil consumption” in the twin turbo V8. In December 2014, BMW released a “customer care package” campaign (SI B00 13 14) affecting almost all 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, X5, and X6 model lines have names ending with “50i” and equipped with N63 engines. Instruction for the program include tests on engine performance that will be sent to BMW for review. Continue reading
Fiat Chrysler Investigated For Recall Deficiencies
In October 2014, the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an audit query to investigate the delays of recall campaigns 13V-528 and 13V-529, after owners complained about difficulty obtaining service appointments and part availability issues. The NHTSA experienced additional concerns with the administration, execution, and pace of an additional 22 safety recalls as a result of complaints from vehicle owners involving part availability issues, lack of notification, and misinformation from dealers. Continue reading
NHTSA Promises To More Aggressively Enforce Auto Safety
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have revealed their plans to more aggressively enforce automobile safety after admitting to missing signs of ignition problems affecting millions of GM vehicles. The Administration will be using a team of auto safety system experts who will spend a year advising the NHTSA about implementing new reforms to strengthen its investigation processes, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Continue reading
Vehicle Safety Improvement Act Of 2015
The House of Energy and Commerce Committee have introduced a safety bill designed to increase penalties for auto, tire, and auto parts makers that fail to recall defective products or notify the government of safety problems. The Vehicle Safety Improvement Act, introduced Feb. 27, 2015, hopes to address a number of shortfalls in the current system by enhancing congress oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and making safety information more readily available to consumers. Continue reading
Are You Still Waiting For Airbag Replacement Parts?
With a record number of recalls released last year, people visiting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to check the VIN number of their vehicle to see if it has been recalled, may experience problems accessing the information they are looking for. The service has been slow after automakers released another round of recalls for defective Takata airbags. About 33.8 million vehicles, manufactured by 11 different automakers, have already been recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver’s side and/or passenger’s side, because they could deploy with too much force, injuring and in some instances killing occupants. Six fatalities and over 100 injuries have already been linked to the problem. Continue reading
Takata Airbag Recall Expands Again
Takata continues to make the news as Japans three biggest automobile manufacturers, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, announce that they are expanding the recall for faulty airbags. Over 30 million vehicles world wide have been recalled over the defect and it has been linked to six deaths and over 100 injuries. Although it is not known for sure why Takata airbags are prone to exploding some suspect the ammonium nitrate used to inflate them can overheat, especially in high humidity, and shower passengers and drivers with shrapnel from the canisters holding them. Continue reading
Government Incentives Recommended To Improve EV & Hybrid Sales
According to a study done by the National Research Council (NRC), if electric and plug in hybrid vehicles are to be adopted by consumers, the Federal government must continue to provide incentives for buyers. Currently, vehicle cost, battery technology, and lack of consumer knowledge are some areas that the federal government need to address. Developing less expensive, better performing batteries to reduce cost, and a market strategy, is needed to create awareness and overcome customer uncertainty. Continue reading
