A faulty control unit that could prevent airbags from deploying in the event of a wreck has prompted Kia to recall 508,000 2010 through 2013 model year vehicles, the automaker said last week. Kia said in a government filing that the airbag control unit, which tells the airbag and the seat belt...Read More»
The federal agency that oversees new car safety and emissions standards may go even longer without an official leader. On Tuesday, a Senate committee pushed back a vote on the Trump administration's new NHTSA administrator nominee over concerns about how she plans to handle an ongoing airbag recall...Read More»
Keyless ignition systems that use start buttons to let drivers to leave key fobs in their pockets provide a lot of convenience, but a new report sheds light on a failed government effort to prevent users from accidentally leaving their cars on. The New York Times reported Sunday that at least 20...Read More»
The White House said Friday President Donald Trump intends to nominate Heidi King, an auto safety official, to head up the NHTSA. King’s nomination comes at a contentious time for the agency that oversees fuel-efficiency and car-safety rules. Since September, King has served as deputy...Read More»
The left hand doesn't always follow the right hand. The trade association that represents most major automakers won its battle to get the EPA to announce it wants to ease emission limits for 2022 through 2025 cars, even as the lobbying group simultaneously works to promote electric cars that don't...Read More»
Hybrid and electric cars will sneak across parking lots for a few more years. The NHTSA on Monday set a long-delayed deadline for automakers to add sounds to otherwise nearly silent hybrid and electric cars: September 2020. The NHTSA says that automakers will need to fit "alert sounds" to vehicles...Read More»
BMW has told its dealers to hold all sales of its 2018 i3 electric car due to a compliance issue detected by the NHTSA. The German automaker will also recall about 30,000 examples of the BMW i3. The government agency found during routine testing that the i3 does not provide adequate protection in...Read More»
The infamous Takata recall still looms over the industry and the latest report from John Buretta, the independent monitor overseeing the recalls for the Justice department, shows that a majority of impacted vehicles haven't been repaired. Already the largest recall in automotive history, as of...Read More»
Following a year of self-driving cars legally testing on public roads, California is ready to take things a step further by relaxing the rules surrounding testing. Soon, companies will be able to test their autonomous car prototypes on public roads without a driver, even as backup. That’s...Read More»
The NHTSA says it wants companies that are currently developing self-driving technology to point out “unnecessary regulatory barriers to automated safety technologies.” The request is part of an ongoing effort to adapt the rules that govern the safety of automobiles to a future where...Read More»
The federal government said Friday that it has opened an investigation into more than 840,000 Ford Fusions made for model years 2014 through 2016 after three reports that their steering wheels could loosen and detach entirely. "A detached steering wheel can result in a loss of vehicle control that...Read More»
Glass sunroofs have become an incredibly popular option in recent years for new-car buyers. However, an unusual side effect to their popularity is more prevalent than ever: cases of exploding glass sunroofs have skyrocketed in recent years. Consumer Reports cites National Highway Traffic and Safety...Read More»
The federal government has released its statistical analysis of every fatal crash in 2016, and the results are surprising. The number of fatal accidents per mile traveled increased by 2.6 percent compared to 2015—and it’s not because of distracted drivers. The total number of fatal...Read More»
The number of complaints the NHTSA has received from owners of 2011 through 2015 Ford Explorers about exhaust fumes reaching the passenger compartment has increased considerably since the federal agency first launched its. Back in July, the federal agency had received just over 150 complaints from...Read More»
A specific configuration of the 2017 Ford F-250 has earned top marks in the federal government's crash test—five stars overall, an achievement matched by no other heavy-duty full-size pickup truck. The award applies only to the F-250 Crew Cab 4x2. The four-wheel drive version of the truck...Read More»
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has conclusively linked another U.S. death to Takata's fatally flawed airbags. This brings the total number of Takata-related deaths to 16, 11 of which have occurred in the U.S. More than 100 injuries have also been blamed on the devices. The crash...Read More»
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation of the 2015 and 2016 Ford F-150, following at least 25 reports of problems with the pickup's brakes. Sound familiar? It should: in May of this year, Ford recalled roughly 271,000 F-150 pickups from the 2013 and 2014...Read More»
For over two years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been considering new rules that would require speed-limiters on future trucks and buses over 26,000 pounds. Unsurprisingly, many truckers dislike the proposal. NHTSA says that between 2004 and 2013, over 1,000 people died...Read More»
Nissan has announced a recall of more than 120,000 cars and crossovers from the 2015, 2016, and 2017 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that some of those vehicles may be prone to catch fire. The problem stems from an anti-lock braking system actuator pump...Read More»
