Tag Archives: Automobile Safety

Summertime Driving Safety

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The summer holidays are just about here and everyone is looking forward to vacations and summertime activities. Unfortunately this also means an increase in accidents and injuries. Inexperienced teen drivers will be spending more time on the roads, children out of school will be spending more time outdoors, there will be an increase in RV’s, bikes, and motorcycles on the roads, and in general, a greater hub of activity everywhere.

  • Safe driving practices are the best way to deal with increased traffic. Try to stay calm, drive at a safe speed and be courteous to other drivers. Speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic and not yielding the right-of-way can lead to collisions.
  • Make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up, and babies and young children are in car seats or booster seats. Proper use of seat belts and child car seats is the best way to reduce vehicle-related injuries and fatalities.
  • Summer also brings increased construction on roads and highways. Keep road workers safe by being prepared to stop and slow down in construction zones. Keep your gas tank full, in case you need to change your route or are caught in traffic along the way.
  • People driving RV’s and trailers are usually inexperienced with such a large load. Take extra precaution while driving these vehicles, and give them the room they need to maneuver. Don’t let items block your view of the road, make sure loads are securely tied down, and slow down.
  • Make sure your vehicle is in good running condition before your go. Always keep a roadside emergency kit and a first aid kit for emergencies.
  • Plan your route before you go. If you don’t have someone to read the map or GPS for you, pull over if you need to review your route. Distractions behind the wheel greatly increased your chance of an accident.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going and if you become tired, stop to rest and stretch your legs. It’s better to arrive late than not arriving at all.
  • Finally, Don’t Drink And Drive!

Nissan Recalls Sport Utility Vehicles

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Nissan has issued a recall for certain 2010 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra vehicles manufactured between February 22, 2010 to March 13, 2010. There is a potential for two problems affecting these vehicles.

  • The fasteners securing the passenger front air bag module may not be torqued to the proper specifications which could affect the deployment of the passenger front air bag.
  • The fasteners securing the steering shaft positioning bracket may not be torqued to the proper specifications which could result in the fasteners coming out of the steering column positioning bracket, resulting in poor handling of the vehicle.

Dealers will inspect the steering column and the passenger front air bag fasteners and any missing fasteners will be replaced and all loose fasteners will be re-tightened to the proper torque specifications free of charge.

GM Recalls Vehicles Due To Fire Hazard

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In one of the biggest recalls this year, GM will be recalling almost 1.5 million vehicles for the windshield washer heating mechanism. The system was recalled two years ago due to a short circuit on the circuit board that could overheat the control-circuit ground wire. Dealers at the time installed an in-line fuse in the heated washer module wiring, but there were still reports of overheating incidents, including five fires. GM will remove the problematic device completely and pay the vehicles’ owners $100 because the company that makes the new technology went bankrupt and there is no way to repair it. The vehicles affected are:

  • 2006-09 Buick Lucerne
  • 2008-09 Buick Enclave
  • 2008-09 Cadillac CTS
  • 2006-09 Cadillac DTS
  • 2007-09 Cadillac Escalade
  • 2007-09 Cadillac Escalade ESV
  • 2007-09 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  • 2007-09 Chevrolet Avalanche
  • 2007-09 Chevrolet Silverado
  • 2007-09 Chevrolet Suburban
  • 2007-09 Chevrolet Tahoe
  • 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  • 2007-09 GMC Acadia
  • 2007-09 GMC Sierra
  • 2007-09 GMC Yukon
  • 2007-09 GMC Yukon XL
  • 2006-09 Hummer H2
  • 2007-09 Saturn Outlook

GM said customers would begin receiving recall letters this month, but they could contact their dealers now and make an appointment to have the heated washer system removed.

Chrysler Recalls More Vehicles

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There have been no reported accidents or injuries, but Chrysler will be recalling almost 700,000 2006-2007 Jeep Wranglers and 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

The Jeep Wranglers, made from May 15, 2006 to August 9, 2010, may experience a brake fluid leak due to the front inner fender liner rubbing against the brake fluid line. If the line begins to leak, the loss of brake fluid could lead to a loss of brakes.

The Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans, made from February 2007 to September 2007, may have improperly placed wires that can come into contact with the sliding door hinges. If the wire insulation is rubbed through, a potential fire hazard may result.

Chrysler will notify owners and dealers about the repairs, which will be made free of charge. The recall is expected to start later this month.

Unintended Acceleration In Fords

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are investigating reports of gas pedals becoming trapped by floor mats in some 2010 Ford Fusions and Mercury Milans.

A Ford spokesman said the problem was due to drivers stacking all-weather mats on top of floor mats that come with the vehicle. Ford’s all-weather mats have warnings advising customers not to pile them and to secure them properly to the floor.

Safety officials said the investigation covers about 250,000 Fusions and Milans. The preliminary investigation is meant to try to verify whether the complaints have merit and gauge the seriousness of any potential problems. So far, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries related to this problem.

The Cost Of Black Boxes On Automobiles

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The automotive safety bill progressing through Congress promises to make automobiles much safer for consumers, but in the process, they will also become more expensive. The reason for this is that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) hopes to equip all vehicles with ‘black boxes’ similar to those installed in aircraft.

Some estimates say that more than half of the new cars and trucks on the market today are already equipped with these event data recorders. The device, a small computer mounted in the passenger compartment, continuously records and deletes the most-recent few seconds of data about the vehicles speed, acceleration and deceleration, and other performance factors. They are also part of the airbag control unit, which uses vehicle data to determine when to deploy airbags.

The problem with the already existing computers is that they are not durable enough to withstand a crash. In order to do this, they must be made waterproof and fireproof, adding more bulk and complexity which will lead to a total new design of the system. This could increase the price tag of a vehicle by $4,000 to $5,000 more.

While the NHTSA advertises these ‘black boxes’ as a good thing for consumers, it’s an even bigger business opportunity for the suppliers of the technology. If the bill passes, the regulations would take effect beginning in the 2015 model year, but the specifications that NHTSA will mandate for the ‘black boxes’ have not been determined yet.

Automobile Recalls For May 2010

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Below are some of the automobile recalls for May 2010

  • Ford is recalling certain 2010 Fusion, Milan, and Escape vehicles manufactured between February 27, 2010 to March 26, 2010 for a park rod guide retention pin that may have not been properly installed. A vehicle parked without an engaged park pawl and without an applied parking break may roll causing an accident. Ford will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
  • General Motors is recalling some 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC 2500, 3500, and 4500 Savana vans for a defective generator that may develop a short in the voltage regulator. This short could eventually lead to enough heat generated to cause an engine fire. Dealers will inspect and replace generators if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on April 12, 2010. Owners can contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • General Motors is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac SRX, equipped with 2.8L V6 engines, for pre-ignition problems. This problem may occur due to the use of low octane (regular fuel) as opposed to the high octane (premium fuel) recommended in the owners manual and on the fuel filler door. If pre-ignition occurs, you may hear a pinging or knocking sound from the engine. This may result in a connecting rod or piston breaking. The problem will be corrected by dealers reprogramming the engine control module. The recall is expected to begin before June 11. Owners can contact Cadillac customer assistance at 1-866-982-2339 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com
  • Honda is recalling some 2010 Acura ZDX vehicles manufactured between November 12, 2009 to March 22, 2010 for dashboard covering material that has no been properly laser scored. During a crash, the airbag will not deploy properly leaving passengers vulnerable to injury. Acura dealers will inspect and replace the part free of charge. The safety recall began on April 21, 2010. Owners may contact Acura Client Services at 1-800-382-2238. Honda’s recall campaign number is R34.
  • Porsche is recalling some 2010 Panamera S, 4S, and turbo 4 door sedans for a possible malfunction of the seat belt mount. If the front seats are adjusted towards an extreme position, the belt mount could detach form the anchoring system. Dealers will install additional locking elements free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-545-8039.

Toyota Stops Sales Of Lexus Luxury Sedans

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Last Wednesday Toyota announced it would be recalling some 2009-2010 Lexus LS 460 and LS 600h luxury sedans in the United States and Japan because of the steering wheels ability to fall out of alignment. On Monday, Toyota announced a stop sales on these vehicles. The sales stoppage and recall cover cars equipped with the company’s variable gear ratio steering system that’s an option on the LS 460 and standard on the LS 600h.

The Lexus sales stoppage is expected to last a while since Toyota does not have a solution to the problem yet but will send out official notice of the recall in the mail next month. Toyota expects it will have a remedy for the problem before the end of June. In the meantime, Toyota is not advising LS owners to park their cars. Lexus believes that the involved vehicles are safe to drive. “In some cases the steering wheel can be 90 degrees out of alignment with the wheels of the car,” Lyons said. “But the problem has only been reported in instances of a very tight and very quick turns.” In all reported cases, he said, the steering wheel realigned itself after about 5 seconds of driving straight.