Report: NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Acura, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class front three-quarter action

BMW, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz are all going to avoid small recalls, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued petitions for “findings of inconsequential noncompliance” to the three manufacturers, according to Tire Business. Basically, the petitions allow the brands to avoid recalls for some very, very minor issues.

BMW had tire placards on 364 X6 M CUVs that stated the car could only handle four passengers, when in reality it had room for three in the back. Actual plausibility of fitting three real humans in the slope-roofed Bimmer aside, the Munich-based manufacturer argued it was inconsequential, as the placards were correct regardless of the number of passengers.

Honda’s case focused on 212 2011 and 2012 Acura TSX sedans equipped with 18-inch wheels. The TPMS systems on these cars were set for 17-inch wheels, rather than the larger hoops, but even with the lower settings, the tires maintain adequate load capacity.

Finally, Mercedes-Benz was the luckiest to get off, as it faced recalling 1,479 C-Class sedans built from March 2011 to August of the same year. While this affected the most cars, it’s far and away the least consequential for the German brand – the tire placards identify the spare tire size incorrectly. As the inflation levels were correct, there was no point in issuing a recall.

NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA opens investigation into Jeep Liberty over rust-related suspension failures

Filed under: SUV, Safety, Crossover, Chrysler, Jeep

2005 jeep liberty

Does the Jeep Liberty have an addiction to rust? Back in 2003, approximately 326,000 2002-2003 Liberty SUVs were recalled because their lower control arm ball joints could corrode excessively. Just three years later in 2006, the issue popped up again, which prompted a recall of 826,000 potentially rust-happy 2002-2006 Jeep models. Another three years passed when, in 2009, Chrysler sent out a recall notice to 42,469 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty owners located in cold-weather states. This time, the problem was related to the upper ball joints.

Now it seems the Jeep Liberty is ready to jump the gun on its next every-three-years recall because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 370,000 vehicles… for the same issue. According to The Detroit News, NHTSA has opened up an investigation that involves 2002-2005 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles. It’s still just an investigation at this point, but given the round-eyed CUV’s track record, we’ll be keeping an eye out for more on this situation.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: NHTSA opens investigation into Jeep Liberty over rust-related suspension failures originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Keyless start systems blamed for CO-related fatalities

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Lexus

Toyota Camry Hybrid pushbutton startAccording to WMGT Channel 41 of Georgia, automakers are facing increasing scrutiny regarding the safety of their keyless start systems. According to the NBC affiliate, there are at least three carbon-dioxide related deaths – one in New York, and a pair in Florida – that are being blamed on the technology.

In one case, the family of a Whitestone, New York man is suing Toyota for his wrongful death. According to an older report from the New York Daily News, the family alleges that on February 27, 2009, Mary Rivera parked her Lexus in the attached garage of the home she shared with Ernest Codelia Jr. and accidentally left the engine running. The next day, Codelia was found dead in his bed of carbon monoxide poisoning while Rivera was discovered unconscious on the bedroom floor. She survived the incident, but suffers from brain damage as a result.

Codelia’s family is alleging that that the keyless ignition system on the Lexus is to blame for the tragedy and that Toyota should have installed a shutdown switch to kill the engine if the vehicle is unoccupied or unmoved after a certain period of time. The lawsuit says that the keyless ignition system violates federal safety standards because owners can leave the vehicle running even with the key fob in their pocket.

It is at this point that we must note that in our experience, Toyota’s keyless ignition mechanism operates in essentially the same manner as every other system used by other automakers, and that cars equipped with the technology are programmed to deliver both audible and visual warnings if the driver attempts to leave the car without first shutting off the engine.

Rivera, meanwhile, has no recollection of leaving the car running, presumably because the engine is so quiet. The family’s lawyer says that she “somehow feels responsible” for the tragedy. Thanks for the tip, Jon!

[Sources: WMGT Channel 41, New York Daily News]

Report: Keyless start systems blamed for CO-related fatalities originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AP: Seven insurance companies sue Toyota over unintended acceleration-related claims

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

unhappy Toyota windshield sticker

Can’t say we didn’t see this one coming… According to the Associated Press, seven insurance companies* are suing Toyota in California court for damages in excess of $230,000. We suspect that figure could rise, as it’s derived from just 14 of the alleged 725 total accidents the insurers claim Toyota is at least partially at fault for.

The suit reportedly alleges that Toyota is at fault for accidents blamed on unintended acceleration because the Japanese automaker failed to equip its vehicles with a brake override system that would electronically force the engine to return to idle if both the accelerator and brake pedals were pressed at the same time. After the recall hubbub first began, Toyota announced that all of its future models will come with this technology.

For its part, a Toyota spokesperson unsurprisingly responded that “any allegation that a vehicle-based defect is the cause of unintended acceleration in this or any other complaint is completely unfounded and has no basis.” In December of 2010, Toyota agreed to settle a high-profile case in California regarding unintended acceleration in a Toyota Camry for $10 million, though it never admitted any wrongdoing. Four people were killed in that accident.

In October of 2010, Allstate filed suit against Toyota seeking $3 million in compensation as a result of 270 claims of sudden acceleration.

*The seven insurance companies bringing forth this suit are: American Automobile Insurance Co., Fireman’s Fund Insurance, National Surety Corp., Ameriprise Insurance, IDS Property Casualty Insurance, Motorists Mutual Insurance and American Hardware Mutual Insurance.

[Source: Associated Press via AOL Autos | Image: David McNew/Getty]

AP: Seven insurance companies sue Toyota over unintended acceleration-related claims originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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