car safety

Save money with proper car maintenance dos & dont’s

Your vehicle is an essential tool but it can be taken for granted. It’s often used daily, but if car maintenance is not done properly repairs can become expensive and your safety is at risk. To help keep your car in proper condition, improve its longevity and ensure your safety, here’s a list of “dos and don’ts.” DO THIS * Buy from a reputable used car dealership. It will ensure you have spent your money wisely. A reputable dealership will service its inventory before offering it for sale. It will provide the reassurance you’re purchasing a vehicle properly maintained and without the need for further expense for the length of the used car warranty. * Have your regularly serviced is

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Consumer alert: repair car safety recalls now

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced 966 safety recalls in 2019 affecting more than 53 million vehicles and motor vehicle equipment. Its public information media and consumer outreach defines communication efficiency. Still, despite many recall notices and public warnings, some vehicle and quipment recalls are never repaired. It’s why the NHTSA has issued a plea for consumers, particularly in three well-documented areas: * Tens of millions of Takata airbags, the largest recall in U.S. history; * More than 1.7 million Harbor Freight jack stands, which could collapse and injure people around or underneath a vehicle; * More than 2.1 million Denso fuel pumps, which could fail and result in a stall that causes a crash. Safety Recalls: Don’t

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Episode 19, IIHS: Crash Test Dummies to Autonomous Driving

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:53 — 32.8MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreSean O’Malley and David Aylor represent the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in Arlington, Virginia. Established in 1959, the IIHS is a non-profit organization that works to reduce motor vehicle deaths, crashes, injuries and property damage. O’Malley, the senior test coordinator, and Aylor, the manager of active testing, work with colleagues to conduct research and produce ratings for mainstream passenger vehicles. The organization also researches and produces ratings for consumer products such as child car booster seats. Additionally, the IIHS researches road design and traffic regulations. In this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the changing

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Honda recalls 1.7 million vehicles in Takata airbag mess

Honda has ordered a massive recall and stop-sale notice to its U.S. dealerships. The reason: An estimated 1.7 million of the manufacturer’s vehicles, including the Honda Fit and Honda Ridgeline models years from 2007 to 2015, could have exploding Takata airbag inflators. According to the manufacturer, dealers have been warned they could face “legal exposure” for unrepaired vehicles if the order is violated. Honda Dealers Responsible The recall and stop-sale order covers the 2007-11 CR-V crossover, 2011-15 CR-Z coupe, 2009-13 Fit, 2013-14 Fit EV, 2010-14 Insight hybrid and the 2007-14 Ridgeline. The manufacturer’s actions were first reported by the website Automotive News. Honda reported driver-side airbag inflators in these vehicles may experience “over-pressurization” due to exposure to high temperatures and

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IIHS safety rankings for 2016: American cars shunned

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently released its annual list of automotive safety awards. Japanese carmakers dominated the top picks while only one American vehicle received the top rating in the 2016 ratings. Among 48 vehicles that received the IIHS “Top Safety Pick Plus” rating, 23 were from Toyota, Honda and Subaru. Toyota and Honda, including their subsidiaries Scion, Lexus and Acura, were the top two automakers, overall. Volkswagen came in third with seven VW and Audi models on the list. The Chrysler 200 was the only vehicle from a domestic brand to get the top safety rating. To be a “Top Safety Pick Plus,” vehicles must get the top score in all five of the group’s crash

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Top-10 most important safety features when buying a car

If you’re considering a new or used car, style, color, economy and versatility are important. But getting the best safety features should be the top priority of your investment. Here are the top-10 car safety features to consider when buying a car. 1. Air bags. The front air bags inflate in order to prevent passengers from hitting the car’s dashboard, the windshield, as well as the steering wheel. (depends on the impact, speed as well as the hardness of the struck object). Side air bags lessen the risk for occupants to hit the objects or their door during a crash. A cars’ dash will indicate if there is an issue with the airbags, familiarize yourself with these warnings. 2. Antilock

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Ford recalls 375,000 cars, trucks, including F-150

Ford Motor Company has issued five safety recalls and one safety compliance recall in North America on a diverse group of vehicles dating to 1998 and totaling about 375,000 vehicles. The recalled vehicles range from 18-year-old from Ford Windstar vans to some models of the 2016 Ford Fusion. Here are the details: 1998-2003 Ford Windstar — About 340,000 units have been recalled for rear axle inspection for a potential issue with a previous safety recall repair. The risk is the combined effects of corrosion and stress that can lead to cracks and fracture. The previous recall repair involved installing a rear axle reinforcement bracket to mitigate the safety risk in the event of an axle fracture. A bracket incorrectly installed

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Toyota test comparison helps determine best model

With dozens of models on the market, choosing just one Toyota can be as difficult. How do you know which model will meet all of your needs? How are you supposed to decide between a red Yaris and a blue Corolla? Here are a few tips in a Toyota test comparison to  help you decide. 1. Consider the Year The first thing to decide is how modern do you need your car to be? If you’re looking for something with integrated touchscreens or cutting-edge fuel cell technology, your search will be limited to models produced in the last five years. If you just need a reliable vehicle for work, feel free to go back as much as 20 years. Toyotas

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Safety Still Not Top Priority For Car Buyers

New car buyers purchase vehicles for many reasons — reliability to comfort, status to gas mileage. Safety isn’t at the top of the criteria list, but it’s became increasingly more important for consumers and manufacturers. In its 2014 Initial Quality Studies, safety is seventh among the top-10 reasons why car buyers choose a specific vehicle model, according to J.D. Power, the global marketing research company. Two years ago, safety was only the 10th most important reason for new car buyers to purchase vehicles. Although some car review publications offer safety scores, two national organizations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are the most prominent. The government and IIHS ratings evaluate different

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Tesla Model S electrifies NHTSA, gets best safety rating ever

The Tesla Model S and the carmaker’s owner Elon Musk haven’t needed much publicity lately. The electric sports car and its innovative inventor are at the forefront of the auto industry. But the performance-oriented, expensive car is now getting another accolade. It’s been awarded an extraordinary, five-star overall rating — the highest rating ever determined  — by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Tesla Model S was given an overall 5-star safety rating and the same rating in every subcategory. The independent NHTSA does not publish a star rating above 5, however safety levels better than 5 stars are captured in the overall Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) provided to manufacturers. The Model S achieved a new combined record of 5.4

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New NHTSA car safety rating system app unveiled

Consumers interested in quick access to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) 5-Star Safety Ratings can now get the information via a new iOS appplication for iPhones and iPod touches. The NHTSA real-time vehicle safety information is available to consumers from SaferCar.gov site. It allows users to search its 5-Star Safety Ratings for vehicles by make and model, locate car seat installation help, file a vehicle safety complaint, find recall information and subscribe to automatic notices about vehicle recalls. NHTSA will also give developers real-time access to the data that powers this app through an Application Programming Interface (API), enabling them to integrate these data into new and existing apps and empowering consumers with important safety information. Millions of

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Crash Test Dummy mangled in NHTSA faulty air bag video

Counterfeit air bags are being sold to repair shops for discounted prices resulting in more than 20 manufacturers’ vehicles being at risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report released by the NHTSA details vehicles which have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop not part of a new car dealership may be at risk. The risk is severe enough the NHTSA has a video showing what happens to a crash test dummy when it’s involved the crash of vehicle equipped with a faulty air bag. The 30-second spot below doesn’t have audio and it doesn’t need it. The consumer safety agency become aware of the problem after the

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Fiat 500 receives low NHTSA crash safety rating

The 2012 Fiat 500, the rekindled iconic Italian sub-compact that reappeared in the U.S. market earlier this year, has been shunned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with only a three-star rating for crash safety — a rare low mark. The little two-door Fiat 500 scored four stars in both the frontal and rollover crash tests, but its lowly mark occurred in the side impact crash test. After faring well in the side barrier rating part of the side crash test, scoring five stars, the Fiat 500’s limited rear protection was only two stars out of a possible five for protecting a female rear seat passenger seated behind the driver in a 35-40 mph side-impact crash. The only

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Scion tC 2011 gets top NHTSA safety rating

The Scion tC sports coupe is the latest 2011 vehicle car to receive a top five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), a consumer information program created by NHTSA, rates vehicles to determine crash and rollover safety. The test ratings are gathered during controlled crash and rollover tests conducted at the NHTSA research facilities.   All Scion models meet or exceed safety requirements of the federal government and NHTSA. The Scion tC features include: 180 horsepower, 6-speed transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels and a 300-watt 8-speaker audio system. Also standard are eight supplemental restraint system (SRS) airbags including driver and front passenger airbags, seat-mounted side airbags, driver and front-passenger knee airbag

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Kia Optima joins elite club with top NHSTA safety rating

The 2011 Kia Optima has just joined an exclusive automotive fraternity. It’s the first Korean car and among only 13 vehicles awarded in 2011 a five-star rating under the recently revamped crash safety testing system conducted the National Highway Transportation Safety Administation (NHSTA). The midsize Optima, redesigned for 2011, achieved an overall five-star rating after attaining five stars in each of the ratings categories. Earlier this year, the Optima was a recipient of a “Top Safety Pick” award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The additional 12 vehicles earning five-star NHTSA ratings for 2011: Acura MDX, BMW 5 Series, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, GMC Sierra, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Volvo XC60 and

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