Wired’s “Jeep Hack” Report Leads to Chrysler Recall
Last month, Chrysler officially announced a recall of 1.4 million of its vehicles following an investigative report published by the technology magazine Wired. In Wired‘s “Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway—With Me in It,” researchers proved that it was possible to remotely affect a Chrysler dashboard computer and effectively shut down the vehicle while it...read more
Read MoreRental Companies May Soon Be Punished For Unsafe Cars
Did you know that there is currently no federal law in place that requires a rental company to inform a driver that the car they are renting is under a safety recall? On Wednesday, July 15, 2015, the United States Senate is examining legislation that would change this. This is the direct result of the airbag recall from...read more
Read MoreCalifornia Auto Recall Bill Tabled Due to Opposition
The author of a bill that would have required used auto dealers to reform the way they sell recalled vehicles was suddenly pulled on Friday, June 12, thanks to overwhelming opposition from rental car companies and consumer groups. Although the bill had recently passed through the Assembly with a unanimous 76-0 vote, Assemblyman Rich Gordon...read more
Read More2014 Broke Auto Recall Records
The numbers are in and 2014 was a record-setting year in auto manufacturer recalls. Nearly 64 million cars were recalled last year, which smashes the previously held record in 2004, when the total was 30.8 million. That makes 2014 a benchmark year by more than a 50% margin. According to the New York Times, many...read more
Read MoreHonda Receives Record Fine for Safety Failures
Last month, the Los Angeles Times reported that Honda received a $70 million fine from regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The fine—the maximum allowed by law—comes after an investigation determined the company failed to notify consumers and regulators about death and injuries involving their vehicles in a “timely manner”. In the agency’s ruling, half of the...read more
Read MoreCars Now Being Sold Without Spare Tires
You’re driving down the road when suddenly, you feel that one of your tires has gone flat. While at first panicked, you breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that your car came with a spare tire. Unfortunately for some car buyers, this situation might play out a little differently. Recent reports have announced that many,...read more
Read MoreConsumer Reports Reveals Problems with Common Cars
Consumer Reports, a company that seeks to inform consumers to make the best possible decision when buying goods, has recently released a review of the 2014 automobiles. The big three companies based out of Detroit – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler – have scored in the bottom for small-car production. Detroit Automakers Fail to Make...read more
Read MoreRecent Reports of Defective Cars
Despite rapidly advancing technology, certain car models can still be flawed from time to time. Unfortunately, these flaws can have deadly consequences. Two recent cases of defective cars in the U.S. involve a probe of 205,000 Ford Fiestas with doors that have reportedly failed to latch and faulty ignition switches in GM cars that cause...read more
Read MoreKia Motors Conducts “Voluntary Service Campaign” for Engine Malfunction
Kia Motors Corporation, the second-largest vehicle manufacturer in South Korea, issued a voluntary service campaign to reprogram the Engine Control Modules of 2011 – 2013 Sorento cars. Earlier this month, Kia issued a notice to Sorento owners and explained that the vehicle engine can stall / stop without warning when the driver applies the brakes....read more
Read MoreGM to Pay $35 Million Fine for Safety Defects, Delayed Recalls
American auto makers are back in the news after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined General Motors (GM) for not being upfront about known safety defects in some of their motor vehicles. GM agreed to pay a $35 million penalty for its failures and delayed recalls, and will make significant internal changes to policies...read more
Read MoreWrite It Right: Why Everyone Should Save Vehicle Maintenance Records
In order to prove that your vehicle is a lemon, you must have proof that your new vehicle was defective and continued to be defective despite numerous attempts at repair. To establish this type of proof, consumers need to be able to provide evidence of vehicle maintenance. Auto body shops and repair dealers are actually...read more
Read MoreQuality And The Lemon Automobile
“It costs a lot to build bad products.” Norman Augustine�”Augustine’s 12th Law” In America we salute quantity and pay lip service to quality. When manufacturers want to brag, they cite numbers of units produced, tons of ore mined, miles of cable laid, or millions of books sold. People involved in high production get gold-plated plaques, vacations...read more
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