Category: Automotive

Investigation into Fiat Chrysler over rollaway crashes

Regulators have been conducting an investigation into Fiat Chrysler after receiving complaints of some of their vehicles reportedly rolling away when the driver exited the car.

Some one million Fiat Chrysler Ram 15000 pickup trucks and Dodge Durango vehicles are affected by what is believed to be a defective rotary shifter. In a bit to add a new dimension to cars (and to free space for more/larger cup holders and storage areas), Fiat Chrysler moved away from traditional mechanical gear-shifts in favour of smaller electronic versions.

However, some customers have reportedly found it difficult to use the new feature, with many suspected to not even be aware of how to use it as intended.
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Takata files for bankruptcy as it buckles under pressure of numerous lawsuits

The motor industry was shaken by revelations of Takata’s dangerous airbags that have the potential to explode and shoot shards of metal into the cabin of a car. As one of the world’s largest producers of airbags, its inflatable devices are used in vehicles made by Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Subaru and BMW.

After at least 17 deaths reportedly linked to Takata airbags, and further reports of injuries caused as well, automakers have been forced to recall millions of cars and are looking to recover the costs of recalls and lawsuits from Takata.
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Regulators expand investigations into Ford Explorer SUVs over concerns of carbon monoxide leaking

Regulators are investigating Ford Explorer SUVs that may be leaking harmful carbon monoxide from their exhaust systems.

The popular and reputable models are commonly used by U.S police forces, and earlier this year between March and July, six police officers were reportedly taken to hospital to be treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Five officers required treatment but were not kept overnight, and the first police officer who was admitted for carbon monoxide poisoning in March was reportedly placed on medical leave for around a month.
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Defective Takata airbag may reportedly be involved in traffic fatality

We’ve been covering the Takata airbag scandal for some time now, and news has emerged of another potential fatality that may be directly linked to the defective airbags.

A woman reportedly died from injuries sustained in a car collision in July this year, which involved a Honda Accord 2002 said to be fitted with the recalled Takata airbags. In the incident, another vehicle failed to yield right of way and collided with the victim, and although authorities have yet to confirm whether or not the cause of death is linked to an exploding Takata air bag inflater, it has not been ruled out.
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Britax recalls over 207,000 infant car seats due to a choking risk

Manufacturer of car seats and strollers, Britax, are reportedly recalling a number of their infant car seats as the chest clip between the safety straps may be a choking hazard.

Affected models of infant car seats include the B-Safe 25, BOB B-Safe 35; and the 35 Elite.

It’s thought that the recall is limited to models manufactured between 1^st November 2015 and 31^st May 2017, and it’s thought to be a pre-emptive one as no injuries have been reported so far.
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German financial authorities to investigate major car makers over suspected cartel

The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) for Germany has confirmed with German newspaper, Handelsblatt, that they will indeed be “examining whether VW and Daimler respected their duty to inform markets following their allegedly reporting themselves to the authorities” of alleged wrongdoing.

On top of that, Volkswagen and Daimler have reportedly admitted to colluding amongst themselves and other carmakers to discuss sensitive business topics. In exchanging such information and advice, the car makers may be guilty of creating a cartel, which is prohibited in EU law as they can be harmful to the market and its consumers.
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Honda recalls over 24,000 cars after manufacturing defect may cause risk of fuel leak

Honda has issued a voluntary recall for 24,000 cars over concerns that its fuel supply pipes may not be connected properly, or may come apart, and may therefore leak fuel; and pose a risk of fire.

The two models involved in the recall are:

If the pipes disconnect, flow of fuel could be disrupted, leading to the engine stalling and therefore increasing the risk of an accident. On top of that, as with any fuel leak, there is a risk of fire as well.
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Who is to blame for Tesla car crash in Minnesota?

A 58-year-old driver of a Tesla car was involved in a car crash in Minnesota on the 17^th July 2017. The high tech vehicle, produced by Elon Musk’s Tesla car company, is installed with ‘self-driving’ technology that’s designed to assist drivers in their journeys with automatic driving capabilities.

However, they’ve come under huge scrutiny after a number of incidents have led to crashes that have fuelled calls that the technology just isn’t ready yet; and certainly isn’t safe.

In this incident, police authorities reported that the driver had “engaged the self-driving mode” when it “suddenly accelerated, causing the car to leave the road and overturn”.

So, was this human error or technological error?
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Takata files for bankruptcy as a result of exploding airbag scandal

The Takata airbag recall is one of the biggest automotive recalls in history. The company started producing airbag inflators in the late 1990s, and around the year 2000, Takata discovered some of their airbag inflators weren’t functioning properly, and even found some had erupted during tests.

The first recorded incident reportedly happened in May 2004 where a driver’s side bag ruptured in a Honda Accord. It was not until half a decade later that Honda recalled more than 500,000 airbags for the defect to be rectified, and regulators didn’t start investigations until June 2014.

Now, the scale of the issue has resulted in the Japanese manufacturer filing for bankruptcy.
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Exploding Takata airbags: many millions involved in recalls

There have been multiple calls to get Takata inflators out of vehicles and off the roads for several years, and after a crash where a Takata airbag reportedly nearly caused a woman’s death, these calls are getting louder.

Karina Dorado’s trachea was reportedly punctured by shrapnel from a Takata inflator. The crash, which happened on 3^rd March 2017 in Las Vegas, should’ve been just a minor collision, but things escalated quickly. Ms Dorado was rushed into a trauma centre where surgeons removed pieces of the airbag device that had damaged her vocal cords.

She is still being treated for neck injuries.
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