It’s been six months since Volkswagen admitted to modifying their diesel vehicles to pass emissions tests, but few details have emerged about how the problem will be corrected. A recent interim agreement between Federal authorities and Volkswagen could have the German automobile manufacturer buying back or repairing over 500,000 cars, but the details on how this will be done are still vague. Meanwhile, consumers have been left with unanswered questions. The problem does not pose a safety risk to drivers and vehicles will still pass inspection, but some owners living in California and states that enforce tough emissions rules, question whether the problem will affect their vehicle registration renewal. Continue reading
Category Archives: Automotive News
Rupturing Takata Airbag Claims Another Victim
A 17-year-old driver of a 2002 Honda Civic was killed last month after her Takata air bag ruptured during a rear-end crash. This is the 10th known U.S. death in addition to over 100 people that have been injured when their Takata airbags exploded with too much force. Continue reading
Does Your Vehicle Have A Safety Defect?
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was established in 1966 to give the Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) authority to issue and enforce vehicle safety standards. These standards set minimum performance requirements for those parts of the vehicle that affect its safe operation (brakes, tires, lighting) or that protect drivers and passengers from death or serious injury (air bags, safety belts, child restraints, energy absorbing steering columns, motorcycle helmets). Federal Standards are applicable to all vehicles and vehicle-related equipment manufactured or imported for sale in the United States and certified for use on public roads and highways. Continue reading
Takata Airbag Recall Affects Another 5 Million U.S. Vehicles
The NHTSA announced last week that an additional five million vehicles will be added to the Takata airbag recall, bringing the total number of vehicles affected in the United States to almost 19 million. The new list will affect automakers not previously included in the recall, including Volkswagen, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. The NHTSA have prioritized the replacement of the defective air bag inflators to ensure they are replaced quickly and addressing the highest risks first. Continue reading
2015 VW Tiguan And 2015 Audi Q5 Airbag Defect
The owners of certain 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan and 2015 Audi Q5 vehicles will be contacted by the manufacturer about a problem affecting the driver and right front passenger seat mounted side airbags. According to the defect report, a manufacturing error could result in airbag components being propelled into the passenger compartment when they are deployed, potentially injuring occupants. Continue reading
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Repeated Problems & Repair Attempts
As an owner of a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, you may have experienced repeated problems with your vehicle. The 2014 model year currently has nine recalls issued against it, and with over 650 complaints, the manufacturer continues to investigate problems.
One of the most recent and well known safety issues affecting the Grand Cherokee is security vulnerabilities that allow an unauthorized third party to access the vehicle control systems. Although Fiat Chrysler say that the defect is not a safety problem, they continue to conduct a remedial campaign in the interest of protecting its customers. Continue reading
Newer Model Vehicles Affected by Defective Takata Airbags
It’s been over a decade since the first known rupture of a Takata airbag, but safety regulators and automakers are still struggling to understand the extent of the problem. The company announced that 5.1 million U.S. vehicles have already been affected and recently reported an 11th death that may be linked to the defect. While most of the vehicles in previous recalls included older models, investigations are including newer models which could be subject to recall at a later date. Continue reading
NHTSA “Safe Cars Save Lives” Campaign Urges Drivers To Fix Recalls
The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a new public awareness campaign this week called “Safe Cars Save Lives”. The program is focusing on ways to encourage drivers to regularly check for open recalls and to get them fixed as soon as possible. According to NHTSA statistics, last year there were close to 900 recalls affecting 51 million vehicles nationwide, with an average 25 percent of recalls left unrepaired. Continue reading
