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Video: Motor Recall app makes game out of identifying vehicle lights at night

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

motor recall app

What will they think of next? This is an app called Motor Recall, and if you’re at all like us, it’s pretty much the equivalent of any nighttime car ride as a kid – see a pair of headlights or taillights, pick out the make, model and if you’re lucky/good, the year. Now, the clever folks at Case By Case Studios have turned that time-honored way of surviving a long drive into an app.

Loaded with over 250 different headlight and taillight patterns, players have the choice of either matching the headlights with taillights in a game called Match, or out and out guessing which vehicle is being shown, not surprisingly, called Guess. Players can score points and unlock even rarer vehicles the longer they play. Case By Case is claiming that it will continue to update with new vehicles to keep you guessing, which makes us quite excited for this new game. Could be a great time waster.

Take a look at the demo trailer below. Motor Recall is only available in the Apple App Store, but we’d expect it to arrive on other platforms in the future.

Continue reading Motor Recall app makes game out of identifying vehicle lights at night

Motor Recall app makes game out of identifying vehicle lights at night originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford to pay $17.35 million over Escape recall

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Ford, Earnings/Financials

First-Generation Ford Escape front three-quarter

Ford had a bit of a recall spree around this time last year, with a pair of issues on the then-new 2013 Escape, followed by a recall of 423,000 2001 to 2004 Escapes because they might accelerate of their own accord. Accordingly, Uncle Sam pasted Ford with a $17.35 million fine because it took too long to inform customers, according to a report from Automotive News.

Ford agreed to settle with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accepting the fine but not admitting fault. The recall, which afflicted Escapes with the 3.0-liter V-6 along with 217,000 Mazda Tributes from 2001 to 2006 and 2008, was due to faulty gas pedals that could stay down after a driver removed their foot.

Ford issued a statement regarding the fine, saying, “We take the safety of our customers seriously and continuously evaluate our processes for improvements. While we are confident in our current processes for quickly identifying and addressing potential vehicle issues, Ford agreed to this settlement to avoid a lengthy dispute with the government.”

Ford to pay $17.35 million over Escape recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Chrysler resolves recall issue with NHTSA, will inspect, upgrade affected Jeeps

Filed under: SUV, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Jeep

Chrysler made big news earlier in the month by refusing a recall request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty. Last week, NHTSA boss David Strickland countered by defending his agency’s request for the recall of 2.7 million Jeep SUVs. Today marked the deadline for Chrysler to formally respond to NHTSA, and it seems that both parties have met in the middle with Chrysler inspecting and upgrading some of the affected vehicles without using the word “recall,” which would constitute the admission of a defect; instead, Chrysler said that it is conducting a “voluntary campaign.”

At issue on these vehicles is the positioning of the fuel tank behind the rear axle that could get damaged during a rear-end collision. NHTSA has stated that at least 51 people have been killed in rear-end collisions involving these Jeeps after the vehicles caught fire, to which Chrysler countered by pointing out that both models “met and exceeded” the requirements for fuel-system integrity.

As a compromise on the situation, Chrysler says that it will inspect all pre-2004 Grand Cherokees and pre-2007 Liberty models and, “if necessary, provide an upgrade to the rear structure of the vehicle.” According to Automotive News, this upgrade will consist of adding a trailer hitch that will presumably better protect the rear-mounted gas tank. Vehicles already equipped with a factory or Mopar hitch will not be modified. Chrysler’s official statement on the matter is posted below, but no additional information has been released, such as when the campaign will begin and how many vehicles could be affected.

Continue reading Chrysler resolves recall issue with NHTSA, will inspect, upgrade affected Jeeps

Chrysler resolves recall issue with NHTSA, will inspect, upgrade affected Jeeps originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA boss Strickland weighs in on Jeep recall fracas

Filed under: SUV, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Jeep

David Strickland

Adding yet another chapter to the ongoing Jeep recall story, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) head David Strickland has gone on record to defend the government’s request that Chrysler recall 2.7 million out-of-production Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty vehicles after the agency investigated fiery rear-end collisions that have reportedly killed at least 51 people over the years. In statements made to The Detroit News, Strickland said, “We felt very strongly that the process that we undertook and the findings that we made and … we made the decision to issue a recall request. We do not take that very lightly.” The top US auto safety regulator stopped short of telling owners to park their cars until the automaker takes action. “They can make their own risk assessment and their own choices,” he said.

Chrysler does not intend to recall the models, insisting the “vehicles met and exceeded all applicable requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 301, pertaining to fuel-system integrity” when they were manufactured and sold. “The company does not agree with NHTSA’s conclusions and does not intend to recall the vehicles cited in the investigation. The subject vehicles are safe and are not defective,” Chrysler announced last week in a statement. “We believe NHTSA’s initial conclusions are based on an incomplete analysis of the underlying data, and we are committed to continue working with the agency to resolve this disagreement.”

Legally, Chrysler has until June 18 to formally respond to NHTSA’s request. If the automaker does not take action, NHTSA is expected to issue a formal finding and seek a recall.

NHTSA boss Strickland weighs in on Jeep recall fracas originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Honda

2011 Honda Odyssey minivan

2011 Honda Odyssey – Click above for high-res image gallery

The past couple weeks haven’t been kind to the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Two weeks ago, Honda issued a recall for 33,000 minivans for faulty windshield wipers, and now a second recall has been issued for faulty front driver and passenger windows that can come off track, rendering the window inoperative. This new recall covers 2,800 vehicles, which at least shows that Honda caught this problem before it became too widespread.

Honda filed the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, adding that a supplier used a faulty primer fluid when making the glass. If the glass isn’t replaced, NHTSA says on its website that “the window may shatter into the passenger cabin causing a risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.”

To remedy this problem, dealers will replace the affected window glass free of charge. The recall will be officially announced on or before April 15. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey: Review

2011 Honda Odyssey

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan

Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Buick, Cadillac, GM

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and General Motors have announced the recall of 10,000 vehicles. According to The Detroit News, certain 2011 Cadillac SRX and 2011 Buick Lacrosse models may have been built with a defect that can prevent the vehicle’s defroster from effectively clearing the windshield. NHTSA is concerned that the reduced visibility could lead to an accident.

The problem was discovered to during a production trial, in which one in 50 vehicles exhibited the defect.

At the moment, no crashes or incidents have been reported as a result of the programming error, though it’s worth noting that only a third of the 10,179 vehicles covered by the recall actually belong to customers. The rest are either unsold or are awaiting delivery.

GM dealers will reprogram the HVAC software to fix the bug free of charge.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac SRX

2011 Cadillac SRX

Gallery: 2011 Buick LaCrosse

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010-2011 Saab 9-3 faces recall over possible fuel pump defect

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Recalls, Safety, Saab, Luxury

2010 Saab 9-3

2010 Saab 9-3 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Saab has announced that it is recalling around 4,400 9-3 models for defective fuel pumps. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that the vehicles made have been built with pumps that did not meet the correct specifications, and as a result, the pumps may seize, causing the engine to stall. NHTSA believes that the defect could potentially increase the risk of an accident. As far as we know, no incidents have been reported as a result of the issue.

Saab will replace the fuel pumps free of charge, and the campaign is expected to get under way on or around February 18. Owners may contact Saab directly at 1.800.955.9007 or visit the NHTSA site for more information on the recall. Hit the jump for a look at both notices.

Gallery: 2010 Saab 9-3

2010 Saab 9-3

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading 2010-2011 Saab 9-3 faces recall over possible fuel pump defect

2010-2011 Saab 9-3 faces recall over possible fuel pump defect originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM expands axle pin recall to include more pickups, SUVs

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Recalls, Safety, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2011 GMC Sierra

It would seem that General Motors has discovered that the defective axle cross pins responsible for a recent recall were installed in more vehicles than originally thought. The automaker has expanded the recall to cover a total of 26,751 vehicles, up from the 1,262 units in the original notice. As of right now, certain 2011 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe models as well as GMC Canyon, Sierra and Yukon models are included in the newest recall.

As with before, the vehicles were built with rear axle cross pins that may not have been heat treated. As a result, the pieces could fracture and move out of position. If this happens, the defect could actually cause the rear axle to lock up while driving. Needless to say, the problem could easily cause an accident.

GM will replace the pins free of charge, though the recall isn’t scheduled to get underway until January 25. The company says that while one owner did experience a loss of power to the rear axle as a result of the defect, no accidents have been reported. Hit the jump to take a look at the full recall notice.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading GM expands axle pin recall to include more pickups, SUVs

GM expands axle pin recall to include more pickups, SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 136 recall campaigns in 2010 have covered 17.2M autos, and it’s still not a record year

Filed under: Recalls, Safety

Toyota recall pedal fix parts

It’s been a banner year for big recalls, or at least it feels that way. What with high profile recalls from Toyota for everything from runaway vehicles to brake issues and a host of smaller problems from nearly every automaker in the market, it certainly felt like 2010 was at the top of the recall heap. Only it wasn’t. According to Ward’s Auto, a total of 136 recalls sent 17.2 million vehicles back to the dealer this year, and while that’s an impressive sum, it still falls short of the record. Way back in 2000, manufactures recalled 24.3 million vehicles due in part to the now infamous Ford Explorer/Firestone tire scandal.

Still, while this number’s figure falls short of the big double-oh, recalls crept up by 800,000 units compared to 2009. Not surprisingly, Toyota led the way with 17 recalls covering around 6.6 million vehicles in 2010, but according to Ward’s, the automaker still has plenty of work to do on some of the recalls from last year. Toyota is still only 65 percent of the way through repairing the 5.6 million vehicles that were recalled this year for faulty floor mats. That figure includes 80 percent of the trapped-pedal cars that were recalled in 2009.

And what of other automakers, you ask? Ward’s reports that combined, the Big Three brought back around 4.6 million vehicles. Head over to Ward’s Auto to see the full breakdown for yourself.

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Report: 136 recall campaigns in 2010 have covered 17.2M autos, and it’s still not a record year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Camry pedal recall prompts secondary repair, Toyota denies it’s recalling a recall

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Toyota pedal assembly

“On November 30, 2010, Toyota issued a Technical Service Bulletin that instructs technicians how to repair two weld nuts that may be damaged when removing the bolts used to attach the accelerator pedal to the bulkhead.” So says the automaker in a statement you’ll find after the jump.

It seems this pair of weld nuts on the 2007-2010 Toyota Camry and 2005-2010 Avalon are occasionally stripped during the process of performing one of two recalls instituted last year by Toyota – either inserting a little metal spacer in the throttle pedals in order to ensure the pedals don’t stick in the open position or when slicing three-quarters of an inch off the bottom of the pedals so that they can’t interfere with the floor mats.

According to Toyota, it’s not particularly uncommon for nuts such as this to become stripped when removed, which is certainly true. Where some reports differ from Toyota’s own statement is whether or not owners prompted the secondary repairs after noticing that their pedals weren’t firmly attached to their cars after the original recalls were completed.

Consumer Reports writes that “as many as 500 owners of those cars have complained of gas pedals that feel loose or have play side-to-side.” Toyota, on the other hand, claims that “no customer vehicles on the road are affected” and that “suggestions that this TSB was issued to resolve customer complaints about accelerator pedal feel after the recall or that this TSB is a recall are wrong.”

Whose report is accurate? That’s up for discussion. Feel free to read Toyota’s official statement after the jump and read CR’s initial report here and try to figure out this mess for yourself.

[Sources: Consumer Reports, Toyota]

Continue reading Camry pedal recall prompts secondary repair, Toyota denies it’s recalling a recall

Camry pedal recall prompts secondary repair, Toyota denies it’s recalling a recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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