Child-safety seat manufacturer Britax announced on its website recently that some of its convertible car seats were manufactured with screws or nuts that were improperly inserted, causing them to become detached from the base joint connector. The affected car seats were manufactured from early July 2010 through August 2011. Britax didn't specify how many car seats were affected.
Ford is recalling 205,896 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans from the 2004-05 model years because the torque converter output shaft may fail, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If the shaft fails, the driver may experience a sudden loss of motive power without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the torque converter for free. The recall is expected to begin in the spring because the parts needed for repairs will not be available until then. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.
Mitsubishi is recalling 21 model-year 2012 Outlander Sport compact SUVs for faulty turn-signal levers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The affected vehicles were built from Nov. 9 through Dec. 16. In some vehicles, the turn-signal lever’s auto-cancel function may not work. If this happens, the turn signal may indicate a direction the car no longer intends to travel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mitsubishi has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but dealers will inspect and replace faulty turn-signal levers for free. Owners can call Mitsubishi at 800-222-0037 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.
In an effort to reduce the risk of electrical fire after a severe accident, Chevrolet has issued what it calls a customer satisfaction initiative on the Volt. General Motors is voluntarily recalling nearly 8,000 Volts to re-engineer the battery coolant system. GM is also making structural enhancements to the vehicle to protect the battery in the event of a crash.
The modifications are an answer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s findings that severe-impact crashes could lead to a coolant leak and electrical fire. Lab tests late last year on the battery pack led to an electrical fire six days later. A similar occurrence happened after the Volt was involved in a major crash in summer 2011.
Honda issued a recall of just nine Odyssey minivans to address a faulty nut, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
On certain 2012 Odysseys manufactured from Oct. 31 through Nov. 30, the retention nut for the front right lower suspension damper bolt may not have been properly tightened. If the nut loosens, the wheel assembly may shift, and a loss of steering might result.
Honda notified all affected owners on Dec. 19, and dealers will fix the nut free of charge. Owners with questions can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.
Jaguar is recalling 51 model-year 2012 XF sedans to fix an incorrect certification label, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The label lists the wrong gross vehicle weight rating. Exceeding the rating could lead to a loss of vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash. Affected vehicles were built from Sept. 7 through Nov. 24. The vehicle's build date is on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.
Dealers will replace the label free of charge. Jaguar will start notifying owners on or before Jan. 23. Owners can contact Jaguar at 800-452-4827 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
One of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. just got tougher to boost. For 2012, Cadillac is adding new security features that make the Escalade harder to steal, especially for thieves trying to push or tow the automaker’s large luxury SUV.
Car thieves are apparently drawn to big, blingy vehicles; Cadillac’s high-profile Escalade consistently tops the Highway Loss Data Institute’s list of most popular vehicles to steal. The Escalade EXT, with its pickup-truck bed, appeals most to burglars, according to the institute.
The new standard safety features include PASS Key 3+, which encrypts the key and the ignition system and reduces the risk of drive-away thefts. To deter push-away and tow-away thefts, Escalades will have a tougher steering-column-lock system and a sensor that detects an unexpected change in incline and sounds an alarm. Also available are new shock sensors that sound an alarm if a window is broken and a wheel lock system designed to prevent thieves from making off with Escalade’s wheels and tires.
These added security measures are in addition to the theft-monitoring functions already provided by GM’s OnStar security system. OnStar offers remote-engine lock and stolen-vehicle slowdown functionality after a vehicle has already been compromised.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, seat belt use is up thanks in part to publicized enforcement, leading some states to require both front and rear passengers to wear them. Starting Sunday, backseat passengers in Illinois must buckle up or face a ticket from police. The law, passed earlier this summer, allows police officers to pull over a vehicle if they notice unbelted passengers. Fines start at $25.
Illinois is one of 30 states with a primary enforcement law; it allows officials to stop and cite a driver solely for not wearing a seat belt. Other states use secondary enforcement, meaning they issue a seat belt ticket only after pulling over the motorist for another offense.
Illinois is the latest state to require backseat passengers to buckle up. Twenty-five other states and the District of Columbia require all rear-seat occupants to wear seat belts, according to IIHS. All states except New Hampshire mandate belt use by front-seat occupants.
IIHS also notes that using shoulder belts in the backseat reduces the risk of a fatal injury during a crash by 44% in cars and 73% in vans and SUVs. Unbelted passengers also put others in the car in danger during an accident and increase the other passengers’ rate of injury or death by 40%.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released another batch of 2012 model-year crash-test ratings today. Under the stricter guidelines, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic compact and the new 2012 Volkswagen Passat sedan earned five-star composite scores.
NHTSA’s composite scores are composed of five-star ratings for frontal, rollover and a combined side pole and barrier tests. The side pole test, which is new, simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.
For the 2013 model year, the completely redesigned Ford Fusion will get an available lane departure warning system. The safety feature, usually reserved for luxury vehicles from Mercedes-Benz or Volvo, will help keep drivers aware of lane markings and alert drivers if they're drowsy.
The feature, which Ford calls the Lane Keeping System, uses a camera mounted on the windshield in front of the rearview mirror; it helps record and detect lane markings. Once the car is traveling faster than 40 mph, the steering wheel will vibrate — simulating the feel of going over rumble strips — if you try to change lanes without using a turn signal. If the driver doesn't respond and continues to drift into another lane, the electric power-assisted steering will kick in and slowly steer the car back into its lane, Ford says. (Mercedes' system works in a similar way.) If the driver is actively trying to switch lanes without indicating, the slight tug of the Lane Keeping System can be easily overridden, Ford says.
Previous
Subscribe to our feed
Email us your tips!