Safety - KickingTires

Recall Alert: More Than 300,000 Jeep and Ram Vehicles

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Chrysler has issued three separate recalls for 301,283 Jeep and Ram brand vehicles to address electrical, airbag and coolant issues, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The first affects 295,345 model-year 2005-10 Jeep Grand Cherokee (models manufactured from Feb. 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010) and 2006-10 Jeep Commander vehicles (models manufactured Jan. 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010). A transfer case electrical failure could make it possible to unintentionally shift the vehicle into Neutral, and the car could roll away. The automaker initiated an investigation after a customer reported that a 2007 Grand Cherokee rolled away after it was remotely started, Chrysler said in a statement. The automaker will notify affected owners starting in June and dealers will install a software update for free.

By Jennifer Geiger | May 13, 2013 | Comments (0)

Guide: SUVs, Crossovers, Minivans With Third-Row Tether Anchors

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Last winter, I drove a 2013 Kia Sorento on vacation; we packed the three-row crossover full of gear and passengers, including two toddlers and their child-safety seats. The plan was to put the kids in the third row, freeing up the roomier second row for the adults. It fell apart, however, once I discovered that the third row lacked tether anchors — installing forward-facing convertible car seats there is a safety no-no.

Using a top tether anchor with a forward-facing convertible reduces head and neck movement in a crash, decreasing the risk of injury. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, however, more than half of parents who participated in their joint 2012 car seat study failed to connect the seat’s top tether.

By law, automakers have to put two sets of lower Latch anchors and three top tether anchors in the second row, but no such rules apply to the third row. The lack of a third-row tether anchor makes a vehicle much less versatile, and it's not just a Kia problem. Many automakers skimp on this simple safety feature, but some all-stars offer more than one in the third row.

Check out our lists of the three-row SUVs, crossovers and minivans that have one or more tether anchors in the third row. This list doesn't include vehicles with optional third rows.

By Jennifer Geiger | May 13, 2013 | Comments (1)

2013 Honda Civic Gains NHTSA Five-Star Safety Rating

The 2013 Honda Civic sedan has earned the highest safety rating of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the automaker announced Thursday. This adds to the top honors the 2013 Civic received from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, the Civic sedan received a five-star overall vehicle score despite scoring four stars in frontal tests. It received five stars in side-impact crashes and has a four-star rollover rating.

The 2013 Civic sedan and coupe previously received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, which included a top score of Good in the stringent new small-overlap frontal collision test. Honda noted that the Civic sedan and coupe are the first and only small cars to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ rating; however, IIHS is still implementing the new test, and in the past, we've seen additional vehicles added to the organization's award lists.

By Matt Schmitz | May 10, 2013 | Comments (0)

NHTSA: Help Kick-Start Motorcycle Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers of four-wheel vehicles to look out for their two-wheel neighbors. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month; statistics show motorcycle deaths have increased nearly every year for the past 14 years, according to NHTSA.

In 2011, 4,612 motorcyclists died on U.S. roadways, a 2% increase from 2010; that's despite historic declines in automobile fatalities. Moreover, motorcycle deaths comprised 14% of total highway deaths despite representing only 3% of the nation's vehicles.

Just a couple of safety tips for motorcyclists could greatly reduce their risk: Wear a helmet, and don't drink and drive. Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents, and helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal motorcycle injuries. Meanwhile, 42% of single-vehicle motorcycle deaths in 2011 were attributed to riders with blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or greater — the highest percentage of any type of driver. Motorcyclists can also protect themselves by obeying traffic laws, wearing bright colors and reflective tape, avoiding riding in poor weather, combining hand signals with turn signals to draw more attention and positioning themselves in lanes to maximize their visibility to other drivers.

By Matt Schmitz | May 9, 2013 | Comments (1)

Britax's ClickTight Simplifies Car Seat Installation

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Latch or seat belt? While to most the question is cryptic, to parents the choice is as familiar as "cloth or disposable?"

When it comes to installing child-safety seats, the Latch system might seem easier, but what if I want to install a car seat in the middle seat, but there are no Latch anchors, only a seat belt? How do I properly lock a seat belt's automatic locking retractor? Do I need a locking latch plate or do I need to twist the seat belt stalk?

Britax has developed a new ClickTight Installation system that the car-seat maker says makes safety-seat installation with a seat belt incredibly simple. Britax's system is in both the Frontier 90 and Pinnacle 90 combination seats, which are forward-facing harness-to-booster safety seats.

By Kristin Varela | May 8, 2013 | Comments (0)

SaferCar App Helps With Child Safety Seats Too

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If you've had a child within the last two decades, you're probably about as frustrated as we are with the complexity of installing child safety seats. Latch or seatbelt? Automatic locking retractor or emergency locking retractor? Belt locking clip or twisted belt stalk? According to Safe Kids USA, properly installed child safety seats reduce risk of injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in passenger cars.

While the milk crate full of bungee cords or duct tape in the garage might look like a tempting alternative to struggling with installing a child seat, the better option is using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's new, free SaferCar app for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches to find a certified child passenger safety technician near you (NHTSA is working on an Android app). Those who don't have mobile Apple devices can search for a technician on the NHTSA website.

By Kristin Varela | May 7, 2013 | Comments (0)

SaferCar App Delivers on Name

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If you've ever visited the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, you know that it's not organized in the most efficient manner (read: archaic and confusing). Searching for something as simple as crash test ratings can have you hunting for much longer than necessary. Just show me the stars, people!

NHTSA is growing with the times, though, and has released a free app for the iPhone — it is currently working on an Android version — that takes the best of what the agency offers online (safety ratings, recalls, complaint filing and more) and makes it all quick to access and super simple to use.

Here's a quick overview, but since it's free, we recommend you download it and try it out yourself.

By Kristin Varela | May 7, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 38,197 Chevrolet, Buick Hybrids

GM is recalling 38,197 model-year 2012-13 Chevrolet and Buick eAssist light hybrid cars due to a problem with circuit boards in the trunk that could cause a fire, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Affected vehicles include Chevrolet Malibu Eco, Buick LaCrosse and Buick Regal sedans. Circuit boards in the trunk could overheat, causing the cars' 12-volt battery to drain and one of several indicator lights to turn on. If owners ignore the warning lights, the engine could stall and a fire could occur in the trunk, the newspaper reported. The issue is not related to the lithium-ion battery that is part of the eAssist hybrid system.

Owners will be notified "soon," according to the newspaper, though no specific time frame was given. Owners of Malibu Ecos, Buick LaCrosses and Buick Regals who notice any kind of warning light are encouraged to take their car to a dealer immediately. For more info, owners can call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.

By Matt Schmitz | May 6, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 272 model-year 2013 GL-Class SUVs due to a problem with the second-row seat belt anchors, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected vehicles include GL350 Bluetec, GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and GL63 AMG models manufactured between May 15, 2012, and Oct. 4, 2012. The second-row seat belt anchor fitting bolts may not be properly torqued, which could cause seat belt anchor bolts to continually loosen. In a crash, the belted passenger may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

Mercedes-Benz will begin notifying owners this month, and dealers will check and tighten the bolts of the seat belt anchor fittings for free. Owners can call Mercedes-Benz at 800-367-6372 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236; for more info owners can go to www.safercar.gov.

By Matt Schmitz | May 6, 2013 | Comments (0)

Recall Alert: 2007-13 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Toyota is recalling 11,489 model-year 2007-13 FJ Cruiser SUVs due to auxiliary headlights that do not comply with federal safety standards for brightness, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured between Jan. 25, 2006, and Feb. 23, 2013, and are equipped with a Toyota Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kit mounted to the front bumper. These lamp assemblies include 55-watt bulbs that, in combination with the upper beam headlights, are too bright and exceed the maximum light output allowed by federal safety standards. Excessively bright lamps could temporarily blind oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota said it will begin notifying owners later this month, and dealers will replace the 55-watt bulbs with 35-watt bulbs for free. Owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or for more info, go to www.safercar.gov.