The Tata Nano was supposed to be a cheap, simple car built for the people, but so far it has caused nothing but problems for the Indian automaker. First it was an electrical issue that caused the Nano to catch fire which was the catalyst for a recall of 70,000 Nano’s. Now a faulty starter...
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What started out as a nice recreational drive “with no particular destination” turned into a fight for survival as Arizona State University Senior Lauren Elizabeth Weinberg was found stranded with her Toyota Corolla in a heavy snowstorm in northeastern Arizona for 10 days. Weinberg told Arizona police that she left her mother’s home in Phoenix...
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In a very ironic story, battery maker A123 Systems Inc. has admitted to a potential safety issue in batteries it supplies to Fisker Automotive. What’s the irony in that? Well, General Motors, which is currently dealing with a fire safety issue of their own with their Chevy Volt, will be turning to A123 Systems’ batteries...
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Everyone had to know this was coming the second General Motors announced the For My Vehicle (FMV) OnStar system, an aftermarket setup that can be implemented on any vehicle. The second OnStar’s FMV would help recover a Chrysler, there would be news about it – and here it is. Last weekend, on December 18th, Jean...
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Often times we only hear the bad side of the story: cars getting stolen, thieves running off with your precious property, etc. But sometimes it’s nice to hear that there’s a happy ending to some of thefts thanks to Lojack. Lojack helps retrieve countless vehicles a year, but some of the incidents are more peculiar...
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Last week, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced that 2012 earned a record number of “top safety picks,” but the automotive industry is looking to set the record number even higher. Cadillac‘s 2012 SRX crossover and CTS sports sedan and wagon models received a crash safety rating of 5-star overall. According to the National...
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A recall has been issued by Infiniti on the 2011 FX crossover and the 2012 M coupe. A faulty oil filter component is being cited as the culprit of the problem. Infiniti says that certain bolts that connect the engine oil cooler to the oil filter were not manufactured to the specific strength specifications which...
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2011 has been the year of the recall for General Motors. Hardly a week goes by when a new vehicle recall from GM is not making news. The latest addition to this list is the Cadillac SRX. In particular, SRX models built in Mexico between 2010 and 2011. Roughly 20,000 vehicles are said to be...
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If Chevrolet isn’t careful they may start to be known as the “Burning Bow-Tie Brand” to some of their customers. General Motors is recalling 15,627 Chevrolet Captiva crossovers from the 2011-12 model years because there is a chance the cars may catch fire on the road. The issue stems from power steering fluid overheating under...
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Owners of a 2011 Toyota Tundra should look out for a recall notice, as Toyota will be recalling 502 of them for a wrong label on the pickup truck. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota lists the wrong load-carrying capacity on the faulty labels. The recall will begin in February with Toyota...
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This probably doesn’t come to as a surprise to many – since we’re all guilty of it – but Consumer Reports has taken a poll that reveals 40-percent of American car owners will delay the maintenance of their vehicle due to finances. More eye-opening is the fact that younger drivers, 18-34 years of age, tend...
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An investigation of the Infiniti M45 has been launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the fuel gauges of the 2003-2004 M45’s. The investigation was prompted by consumer complaints about the fuel gauge readings being inaccurate. According to NHTSA there have been 43 reports filed concerning faulty gauges in the luxury sedan. Of these, 23 cases...
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An automatic transmission defect initiated a recall for 2011 Ford F-150, 2012 F-250, F-350,F-450 and F-550 pickup trucks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 16,091 examples of Ford trucks may suffer a problematic brake shift interlock switch. This defect may allow the transmission to shift out of park without the need of...
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In a display of continuing safety advancements in automobiles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that more vehicles have earned the “top safety pick” this year after manufacturers have strengthened the roofs of their vehicles to improve its rollover safety. Sixty-nine cars, thirty-eight SUVs, five minivans, and three pickups made the “top safety pick”...
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Volkswagen, the parent company of Audi, has announced a recall for the 2012 Audi A6. According to the NHTSA, the recall is directed to A6 models made between April 8 to May 26, 2011, concerning the head-curtain airbag units. Due to seams that may not have been properly...
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Kids come in all different shapes and sizes – so does one type of car safety seat fit all? An important question that seems to be popping up more frequently is if overweight children need a car seat that’s designed just for them – and according to a new study, the answer is no. The...
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Last month, GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the Chevy Volt’s fire hazards after the electric vehicle suffered collision. As investigations continue, GM’s Opel react by announcing the delay of Ampera deliveries throughout Europe until a solution to the defect is found. An Opel spokesman explains that Opel is, “not currently delivering the cars...
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Allstate Insurance and the National Safety Council put together a report suggesting that an estimated 2,000 teen lives and $13.6 billion could be saved each year if all states enforce a comprehensive graduated driver licensing program (GDL). While GDL programs are officiated in all 50 states, earning a driver’s license in some states are more...
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General Motors is targeting a safety issue with new equipment that until now has been unaddressed. They plan to release a front-seat center-airbag (pictured above) that deploys between the driver and passenger seats. The new feature is supposed to improve safety in the event of far-side impact crashes, which statistics show to be responsible for...
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The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) is pushing for a new rule that will standardized the time it takes for keyless ignitions to shutoff a vehicle to avoid accidents of unintended acceleration following the aftermath of Toyota‘s record recalls. The accident that started Toyota’s recalls involved a 2009 Lexus ES350 that filled four people...
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After encountering 30 incidents involving cracked wheel studs and steel wheels separating from the vehicles, Ford will be recalling 128,616 2010 and 2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans to fix the issue. An investigation by NHTSA led to the recall, though no injuries have been reported. Ford will notify owners of the affected vehicles, inspect them...
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is flatly denying any wrongdoing around the time it took to release data suggesting the Chevrolet Volt might catch fire. Earlier this week reports surfaced that Volts suffering severe crashes might be at risk of catching fire. GM hasn’t released an official statement explaining the phenomenon, but information...
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The all-new 2012 Toyota Camry has received a five-star composite safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The redesigned 2012 Camry was able to achieve the five-star rating despite the NHTSA’s new, more rigorous testing procedure that’s targeted to raising the bar for overall vehicle safety. Featuring a reinforced body structure that...
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Nonetheless despite the highly publicized battery fires, reportedly caused by coolant leaking and then crystalizing to cause electrical shorts, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (which reported no fires as the result of its own crash testing) has no plans to change the five-star crash rating it awarded the Volt earlier this year.
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