Tag: safety

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe

Filed under: Budget, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan, Luxury

2013 Nissan Pathfinder

2013 Infiniti JX35Nissan may be forced to recall 110,000 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 crossovers, due to a number of customer complaints. Consumers report suddenly losing power, with repair facilities blaming the issue on faulty transmission cooler line connections. Both the Pathfinder and JX35 use a continuously variable transmission. As of right now, the only vehicles being investigated are from model year 2013.

Nissan has been cooperating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a report from Reuters, and it has developed a fix for the affected vehicles. It’s not clear whether this will develop into a full-blown recall, as there have been no known cases of injuries or crashes. But with a potential 110,000 vehicles prone to sudden power loss, a recall seems to be a likely outcome.

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe

Filed under: Budget, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan, Luxury

2013 Nissan Pathfinder

2013 Infiniti JX35Nissan may be forced to recall 110,000 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 crossovers, due to a number of customer complaints. Consumers report suddenly losing power, with repair facilities blaming the issue on faulty transmission cooler line connections. Both the Pathfinder and JX35 use a continuously variable transmission. As of right now, the only vehicles being investigated are from model year 2013.

Nissan has been cooperating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a report from Reuters, and it has developed a fix for the affected vehicles. It’s not clear whether this will develop into a full-blown recall, as there have been no known cases of injuries or crashes. But with a potential 110,000 vehicles prone to sudden power loss, a recall seems to be a likely outcome.

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Honda demonstrates new Vehicle-to-Pedestrian safety tech [w/video]

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Videos, Acura, Honda

We’re fresh from a balmy rooftop deck in downtown Detroit, where Honda held a meeting this week to discuss and demonstrate a few upcoming advanced safety features. A clear focus of the mini event was the company’s new Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) technology, with a suite of Vehicle-to-Motorcycle (V2M) tech a significant second course.

With spirits still high from announcing the 2014 Odyssey as the first minivan to win the Top Safety Pick+ status from IIHS – and after seeing the application of new high-strength-steel sections of the Acura MDX body structure – Honda shared the fruits of some safety tech that is still in the research phase.

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Honda demonstrates new Vehicle-to-Pedestrian safety tech [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Aug 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Honda Odyssey first minivan to earn Top Safety Pick+ award [w/video]

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Safety, Videos, Honda

2014 Honda Odyssey IIHS crash test

You know an automaker is confident about the safety of its vehicles when it asks one of the top crash test agencies to destroy one of its newest models. That’s exactly what happened with the 2014 Honda Odyssey. According the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Honda requested that the agency run the updated Odyssey through its full barrage of tests, and for good reason.

Aside from slight styling upgrades and a new optional HondaVac built-in vacuum cleaner, the 2014 Odyssey was also given a more rigid passenger compartment using high-strength steel to help better protect occupants. It obviously worked. Following the crash tests, the 2014 Odyssey became the first minivan to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but, more importantly, it did so with “Good” ratings in all five crash categories (four “Goods” and one “Acceptable” are enough for the TSP+). Impressive.

Scroll down for the crash-test video from the IIHS along with a press release.

Continue reading 2014 Honda Odyssey first minivan to earn Top Safety Pick+ award [w/video]

2014 Honda Odyssey first minivan to earn Top Safety Pick+ award [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Six small cars earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Safety, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Scion, Volkswagen

2013 Honda Civic Sedan IIHS crash test
IIHS Top Safety Pick + Award
The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety has released the results of its latest small overlap front crash tests, and there’s a surprise among small cars. IIHS tested 12 cars, half of which managed “Good” or “Acceptable” ratings overall, qualifying them for the the coveted Top Safety Pick+.

Top Safety Pick+ is still a fairly rare achievement since the new small overlap crash tests were instituted, as it’s taken manufacturers time to design, engineer, build and bring to market cars that can score well on the new metric.

The overlap front crash test covers the car’s structure, restraint systems and kinematics, as well as measuring the “injuries” the crash test dummy’s heads, necks, chests, hips, thighs, legs and feet.

The highest scorers were the Honda Civic Sedan, followed closely by the Civic Coupe. These were also the only two to earn overall scores of “Good.” The Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and Scion tC all earned acceptable scores overall, which was still enough to qualify them for the TSP+ rating. The bottom half of the test included the Chevrolet Sonic, Volkswagen Beetle, Chevrolet Cruze, Nissan Sentra, Kia Soul and Kia Forte.

Only 25 models have earned the TSP+ rating so far, which requires cars to earn “Good” ratings for occupant protection in four out of five tests, while scoring at least an acceptable on the fifth test.
Click through for the full press release from IIHS, as well as a video

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Six small cars earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Aug 2013 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: VW launches Car-Net telematics system with brace of safety features

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Safety, Technology, Crossover, Volkswagen, Infotainment

Volkswagen will offer Car-Net assistance system for select 2014 models.

Starting with select 2014 models, Volkswagen will offer an in-car assistance system called Car-Net, which comes with safety features such as location-based roadside assistance, automatic crash notification, remote vehicle unlock, destination assistance and more. The system is very similar to General Motors’ OnStar, but VW is quick to point out that a subscription to Car-Net gives the owner access to all of its features. OnStar requires that subscribers pay extra for its navigation function.

A mobile application will be available to accompany the in-car system as well, and working together they allow owners to check vehicle status or even find where they last parked.

The 2014 VWs that are compatible with the system are Jetta, Passat, Tiguan, CC, Beetle and Eos models. One year will cost $199; two years is $378, three years is $540; or $17.99 for a month-to-month subscription. Feel free to read the press release we included below.

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VW launches Car-Net telematics system with brace of safety features originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read This: US and EU negotiating free trade pact to unify global auto safety regulations

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Read This

Safety and emissions regulations have long been touchy subjects in the auto industry, because they can dictate the legality of automobiles and are not the same from country to country. Fragmented regulations add costs to vehicle sales, and they inhibit the ability of automakers to offer the same products around the globe.

The US and EU are attempting to improve the situation with Free Trade Agreement negotiations that started this month in Washington, D.C., Wards Auto reports, which are expected to result in a deal that pushes the global auto industry toward a world vehicle-regulatory system, with an emphasis on safety requirements.

Thoughts of mandatory sealed-beam headlights and 100+pound impact bumpers – both of which were products of fragmented global vehicle-regulatory systems – still give us headaches decades later, so here’s to hoping the FTA negotiations help unify safety regulations to some degree.

Be sure to read the article for all the details on the trade negotiations, and feel free to comment below.

US and EU negotiating free trade pact to unify global auto safety regulations originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Model S recalled for seat safety issue

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors

Tesla Model S at sunset

Back when the first Tesla Model S electric vehicles were rolling off the assembly line in California, CEO Elon Musk was literally checking each vehicle before it went out into the wild. As production ramped up, this was no longer possible. And, not that we’re suggesting the two issues are directly related, now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Tesla are announcing the first big Model S recall. Tesla’s first NHTSA recall affected the Roadster back in 2009.

The Model S recall affects 1,228 vehicles that were made between May 10 and June 8 of 2013 and is about a possible failure of the seatback mounting. Specifically, “an improper method for aligning the left hand seatback striker to the bracket may have weakened the weld between the bracket and the frame of the vehicle.” What does that mean? “In the event of a crash, the left hand seatback may not stay mounted, increasing the risk of injury to passengers.”

“Tesla has revised assembly procedures and retrained manufacturing technicians.”

The problem happened because Tesla redesigned the joint between the bracket and vehicle to “improve function and reduce weight,” and the new joint was put into place May 10. The new bracket worked just fine, but then, “on June 7, 2013, a technician on the assembly line was adjusting the alignment for the newly designed left hand second row seat striker utilizing a slide hammer when he noticed the action caused the striker to become loose. … Upon review, Tesla Quality determined that the weld and bonding between the second row left hand seat striker mounting plate and the vehicle was compromised due to this method of adjustment.” Since then, “Tesla has revised assembly procedures and retrained manufacturing technicians.”

There have been no complaints or reports of injury about this issue. Tesla will repair the issue in the affected cars, but has not yet said when. Owners should be on the lookout for notification from Tesla if their car is subject to the recall.

You can read more in these PDFs (1, 2), which are letters between Tesla and NHTSA regarding the recall. You can also find more information on the NHTSA site by searching for campaign number 13V249000, and the text of the recall can be seen below.

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Tesla Model S recalled for seat safety issue originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Motorcycle

sussex safer roads motorcycle safety

Stay A Hero, Stay Safe ad – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Remember the Embrace Life seatbelt advocacy ad? The spot, which was created by The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, featured a man driving an imaginary vehicle, and when he braced for impact (in his living room), his wife and daughter rushed to form a seatbelt. The safety ad went viral almost immediately, with over 13.7 million YouTube views to date, while at the same time really driving home the fact that safety belts saves lives. A truly beautiful effort.

The Sussex team is looking to strike gold once again with a new spot, this time taking aim at motorcyclists in a new commercial about motorcycle safety. The ad, titled “Stay a Hero, Stay Safe,” doesn’t have quite the same impact as the Embrace Live commercial, but it’s still worth watching. Hit the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Consumer Reports: Car buyers will pay for higher fuel economy, won’t compromise safety

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Safety

Toyota Prius models at a dealership

According to a survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, new car buyers are factoring fuel economy as a larger concern in their purchases. That’s no real surprise given that prices at the pump remain high, but the study also revealed that those same consumers are unwilling to sacrifice safety just to net a few additional miles per gallon.

The research revealed that 62 percent of buyers say they are planning to buy a vehicle with much better or significantly better fuel economy than their current ride. On average, that translates to fuel economy of 29 mpg or better. Surprisingly enough, 10 percent of those questioned said that they expected 40 mpg or better from their next purchase. That means that buyers will need to be willing to make all sorts of concessions, including making compromises on purchase price, vehicle size and the number of options.

One factor those surveyed evidently won’t give up on, however, is safety. Only 11 percent of the total respondents said they would be willing to compromise safety for greater fuel economy. Read the complete summary over at Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports: Car buyers will pay for higher fuel economy, won’t compromise safety originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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