Tata’s Nano city car is being investigated for a series of fires in India related to the car. A Tate spokesman said that the company was “conducting a probe” into the matter. The Nano, which costs about $2,500, is billed as the world’s cheapest car. Initial reports of fires were said to be unrelated incidents,...
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We’re all a little sad to see the end of summer. We usually send it off with a long weekend, lots of backyard BBQs and a few pool parties. Since most of these types of shindigs involve alcohol, there’s always an increased risk of intoxicated drivers on the road. That’s why the National Highway Traffic...
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However, the center also said that these post-crash fires, on their own do not establish a manufacturing defect with the vehicles.
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Clear of any bad PR for at least a few weeks, Toyota has been hit by yet another safety issue with its cars, announcing a recall of 1.1 million Corolla and Matrix models. The recall involves the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine in the cars and as such also affects 200,000 Pontiac Vibes. Models affected include the...
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Great news for Ford – the 2011 Fiesta earned a 2010 Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This marks the first time a mini-car has picked up an award since the introduction of a new roof strength test. And if that was reason enough to celebrate, this nod also makes...
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After receiving 1,100 complaints regarding the 2005-2007 Toyota Matrix and Corolla, NHTSA has decided to broaden their investigation into the vehicles, after launching a preliminary inquiry in November of 2009. According to reports, Toyota told NHTSA that a problem with the car’s ECU (engine control unit) that causes stalling, rough shifting and stops the car from re-starting...
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It’s good to be good – especially when you’re singled out for it. And that’s what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just did with the 2011 Cadillac CTS and Infiniti M37/M56, which earned Top Pick Safety Awards in the large luxury class and earned the top rating of good in recent roof strength...
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We all know that obesity has an adverse effect on our health, but did you know that is also has a detrimental effect on fuel economy and car safety? Those are the findings coming out of a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). General findings from this new report...
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How bizarre does this sound? A single pedal that can be used for braking and accelerating could change the way we drive – but are we up for it? This invention, which has been around for 20 years, is finally getting some attention. It’s brainchild of Japanese inventor Masuyuki Naruse, who claims that putting the...
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You look at the survey headline: “86 Percent Of Teen Drivers Are Distracted.” Of course, you go right to the evils of the cell phone – talking, texting, sending and reading email – or using advanced in-car features. Results from a survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine found that 86 percent of those polled...
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Here’s a novel idea: Seattle have started posting different speed limit signs along I-5 now, depending on traffic volume. Dubbed the Smarter Highways project and brought to you by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), these new signs serve multi purposes: to relieve congestion; to indicate when motorists should merge; or when a lane...
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Luxury can also be safe. The latest vehicle to win an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award is the Cadillac SRX, a midsize luxury SUV. It earned the IIHS’s top safety designation after getting a good rating for rollover protection. The Cadillac SRX had previously earned good ratings for front, side,...
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At present a number of vehicles on sale in Europe are available with TPMS systems, but so far, based on market research, there appears to be only small numbers of customers opting for them.
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Mazda is expected to recall 200,000 Mazda3 and Mazda5 compacts over a faulty steering system, with power steering pumps and lines being the target of the recall in particular. NHTSA has been investigating 33 complaints of malfunctioning power steering systems, with 3 cases leading to accidents after a loss of steering control. According to reports,...
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They may be safe enough to race in, but these safety seats are made especially for your little passengers. Recaro, makers of automobile and race car seat technology as well as an innovator in side impact protection, has introduced the ProSERIES line of car seats. It’s Recaro’s latest addition to their line of child seats based...
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Pop quiz: What does the symbol above – found on the dashboard of cars and trucks made after 2008 – stand for? A) Warning: big hips ahead B) Yikes! Have you put on weight? C) Oh no! Your big mug is empty D) Danger! A viking helmet is heading right for you! Actually, it’s none...
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Mercedes-Benz‘s G-Class pimpmobile SUV is being recalled for turn signal covers that were deemed a no-no by NHTSA. According to the agency, “impact over time the signal’s ability to meet the minimum requirements of FMVSS 108.” For those of you not up on obscure governmental regulations, this means that the covers could obscure the signals,...
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As early leaked reports indicated, Toyota is being exonerated after Congress pushed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reveal the preliminary findings of its investigation into the cases of “unintended acceleration” of Toyota vehicles. A Department of Transportation investigation of the black box recorders in 58 Toyota vehicles involved in “unintended acceleration” crashes...
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You can bet that BMW is celebrating this win. The redesigned 2011 BMW 5 series just earned good ratings in all four safety evaluations, garnering it an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick status among large cars. Adding to the accolades is the fact that this first 5 series ever to earn...
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Honda has announced a recall of 428,000 vehicles in both the U.S. and Canada due to a problem with the ignition system that could cause a vehicle to roll away. The recall affects Honda Accord, Civic and Element models from 2003 and 2004 as well as the Acura 1.7EL in Canada. The models in question...
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We all have that one commercial that makes us tear up. We may not admit it, but every time it comes on, we stop what we’re doing and reach for a tissue. A new Subaru commercial falls into this category, and if you’re a parent, it will tug on your heartstrings more than just a...
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Do you clench the steering wheel in fear every time a big rig passes you on the highway? Loosen your grip a little bit – a mandate for the installation safety systems, courtesy of The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), may be on the horizon. Right now, automakers must legally install stability control to...
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Seriously, how can we live in a country where this can happen? Last Saturday, Jonathan Schoenakase of Quincy, Illinois was arrested for operating the pictured vehicle, a courtesy shuttle home from local bars to keep drunk drivers off the road. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, local taxi companies lobbied to make it illegal....
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You know how car alarms go off and no one pays any attention to them? Sure, they’re annoying, but now that we’re used to them, it just becomes part of the urban white noise. Forget installing a car alarm – if you want to protect your car against theft, just paint it pink. We’re not...
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