Love That New-Car Smell? Your Body Doesn't

An environmental group has released the findings of its annual study on automotive toxic materials, and the news isn't good for 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport owners.

Mitsubishi's compact SUV was rated the worst for toxic materials in the cabin, according to tests by the Ecology Center, a non-profit group based in Ann Arbor, Mich. The center found higher levels of contaminants such as bromine, chromium and lead in the Outlander Sport's seats, plastic parts and center console. Other offenders on the list include the 2011 Chrysler 200 and the 2011 Kia Soul.

Safety Agency Agrees: GM's Front-Center Airbag Has Real Benefits

On the heels of Ford's airbag-like inflatable rear seat belts and Scion's rear-window airbag, GM introduced a front-center airbag that deploys between the front seats in its 2013 Acadia. Safety experts have lauded developments like side curtain airbags, which protect your head and lessen the chance of ejection during rollovers, but not all airbags are created equal. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety told us last fall that knee airbags, for one, have yet to prove their worth. What about GM's front-center airbag? IIHS says there's no hung jury here: It's a safety improvement.

The airbag, which will be optional on the Acadia, deploys from the right-hand side of the driver's seat during a serious side-impact collision from either side, chief engineer Sue Eckel said. In a serious side-impact, the barrier between the seats can prevent two occupants' heads from knocking against each other.

2012 Dodge Charger, Kia Sportage Earn Five-Star Safety Rating

The 2012 Dodge Charger and 2012 Kia Sportage garnered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top safety rating. Dodge's midsize sedan and Kia’s compact SUV are the latest vehicles to earn an overall five stars out of five in NHTSA's crash tests. 

Recall Alert: 2012 Nissan Versa

Nissan is recalling 36,608 Versa compact cars from the 2012 model year that are equipped with an automatic transmission because they can be shifted out of Park without depressing the brake pedal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an interference between the shifter rod and the shifter knob is causing the problem.

If the driver shifts out of Park without intending to a crash could result. The affected vehicles were made between June 9, 2011, and January 13, 2012. You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

Nissan will begin notifying owners on Feb. 20. Dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts free of charge. Owners can call Nissan at 800-647-7261 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Passengers Jeopardize Teen Drivers' Safety

There are many scary moments when raising kids such as the first time we leave them alone with a baby sitter, their first day at school and the first time they ride their bikes or get sick. But without a doubt, the scariest moment of all is when our children — teenagers — start driving.

There's so much attention paid to the dangers of texting and driving, yet we overlook the most dangerous distraction of all for teen drivers: friends riding in the car. Studies show that teens driving with peer passengers have a significantly higher risk for fatal crashes than those who drive alone; putting a teen in the passenger's seat of a young driver's car doubles the risk of a fatal crash, while adding three or more teen passengers to a car quadruples the risk. A recent study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm expands upon that initial research.

The most astounding findings were:

Recall Alert: 2012 Honda Accord and Crosstour

Honda is recalling 347 Accord sedans and Crosstour hatchbacks to address airbag issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

In certain vehicles, the side curtain airbags for the driver and front passenger may have a faulty inflator. In the event of an accident, the affected airbags will not deploy, increasing the risk of passenger injury.

Honda will begin notifying owners on Feb. 10, and the affected airbags will be replaced for free. Owners can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

2012 Chrysler 300 Earns Five-Star Safety Rating

The 2012 Chrysler 300 sedan is the latest vehicle to join the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's five-star safety club. It earned an overall five stars out of five in NHTSA's crash tests. 

The Chrysler 300's composite score was composed of mostly five stars across the different areas of testing, but it did earn four stars in the driver safety column and in the rollover test. The sedan earned fives in frontal, side barrier and side pole crashes. 

NHTSA recently adopted more stringent guidelines and rigorous testing practices, so it's harder for vehicles to get five stars. Chrysler's largest sedan is the ninth vehicle to be awarded NHTSA's highest combined star rating for the 2012 model year. Other five-star vehicles include the Cadillac CTS, Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Sonic, Saab 9-4X, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat and Volvo S60. 

Study Finds Carpooling Parents Forgo Kids' Booster Seats

More than 50% of carpooling parents allow the 4- to 8-year-olds in their car — even their own kids — to skip booster seats, according to a national survey published in the February 2012 edition of the journal Pediatrics. Nearly half of the survey's 1,612 respondents said they didn't know their state's booster seat law.

The web-based survey also found that one-third of the respondents said getting a carpooling child's booster seat in advance was too much of a hassle.

Booster seats are the next step for children who have outgrown a forward-facing child-safety seat. A booster elevates a child and helps a car's seat belt, which is designed to fit adults, fit properly across the child's chest and lap. A booster seat is more than twice as effective in reducing a child's risk of injury when compared to seat belt use alone.

Recall Alert: 2001-2002 Mazda Tribute

Mazda is recalling more than 50,000 Tribute compact SUVs to address a brake fluid leak, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The master brake cylinder reservoir could leak, leading to the corrosion of the antilock braking system’s electrical components, and a fire could result, NHTSA says.

Mazda says the recall affects 52,390 vehicles. They were built from April 20, 2000, to July 19, 2002. You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

Mazda has already begun the process to notify owners. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder reservoir cap and assess any damage to the ABS. Dealers will perform the services for free. As a precaution, Mazda directs owners of affected vehicles to park outside until the fix can be made. For more info, owners can call Mazda at 800-222-5500 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

Recall Alert: 14,220 Chaperone/Britax Infant Car Seats

Britax Child Safety is recalling 14,220 Chaperone infant car seats because of a faulty harness adjuster, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A defective rivet could cause the harness adjuster to pull away from the seat. No related injuries or deaths have been reported, but a defective harness means the car seat won’t properly secure the infant in an accident.

The affected car seats were manufactured from Sept. 1, 2010, through April 30, 2011, and have the following model numbers: E9L692J (black/silver), E9L692K (red), E9L692L (cow pattern) and E9L692M (green). The manufacture date and model number are listed on a label on the car seat. 

Britax will begin notifying owners and sending repair kits on Feb. 6. If the harness adjuster has already detached from the seat, stop using the seat immediately; the company will replace the entire car seat. Owners can find the harness adjuster at the base of the car seat and can contact Britax at 888-427-4829 for more info.