FTC Faces Lawsuit Over Used Car Recall Dangers

If you’re looking to buy a used car, how do you know if a vehicle is safe? Thanks to the Takata airbag recall, it’s become more complicated than ever before.

Consumer groups sued the Federal Trade Commission earlier this week for dangerously misleading used car buyers. Last year, the FTC reached a decision with General Motors and two major used-car chains allowing dealerships to advertise used cars as “certified pre-owned” even if they had an outstanding recall making them unsafe to drive. The lawsuit aims to overturn this decision.

Consumer safety groups filing the lawsuit include the Center for Auto Safety, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and three of its state counterparts. They argue that the ruling leaves used car buyers vulnerable to potentially deadly defects.

The matter is further complicated by the immense volume of auto recalls in recent years. […]

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Jeep that Killed Actor Anton Yelchin was Under Recall

What may appear to be a freak accident may actually be the result of a widespread safety problem that has caused hundreds of crashes across the United States in recent months.

The vehicle that killed actor Anton Yelchin, 27, was part of a safety recall issued two months ago. Yelchin was crushed to death when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down his driveway and pinned him against a fence.

Yelchin’s Jeep was included in a recall that was issued after hundreds of similar – but nonfatal – accidents were reported. Due to a gear shift problem, drivers can mistakenly believe their car is in park, when it is actually in drive or neutral. The confusion stems from a monostable gear shift lever, which rests in a default position, unlike the traditional gear shift, which moves to a different position for each gear. […]

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Honda and Subaru Recall Unsafe Vehicles

The list of recalled vehicles in the U.S. just got bigger.

Last week, Subaru recalled approximately 52,000 vehicles  for an issue that can cause the steering to fail, and urged owners of the affected vehicles not to drive them until the problem could be repaired. The Subaru recall affected only 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback models, more than half of which have not been sold yet and still remain on dealer lots. Loaner cars will be made available for Subaru owners whose vehicles have been deemed unsafe to drive.

The recall covers 2016 Legacys and Outbacks made from Feb. 29, 2016 to May 6, 2016. Also covered are 2017 Legacys and Outbacks made from April 18, 2016, to April 29, 2016.

The same day, Honda announced that it would expand the number of vehicles recalled for defective Takata airbags by 21 million worldwide. […]

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Is there a recall on your car? Check to be sure.

Is your car or truck safe to drive? Are you sure?

Many people who are hurt or killed by an automotive defect weren’t aware that their vehicle was under recall. Checking to see if your vehicle has been recalled is easy, it often costs nothing to have the defect fixed, and doing so can save your life and the lives of your loved ones.

The Takata airbag recall, the most extensive in U.S. automotive history, is of particular concern due to a large number of vehicles affected and the severity of the injuries caused by the defect. The Takata airbags in question have inflators made with ammonium nitrate, a propellant that can become unstable and cause the inflator to rupture, sending metal shards into the cabin. Ten people (nine in the U.S.) have been killed and more than 100 have been injured this way. […]

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Honda hit with record-setting $70 million fee; drivers remain unfazed

Honda Motor Co. has been hit with a record-setting $70 million fine after failing to report more than 1,700 injuries, deaths, and warranty claims linked to their vehicles. While this is the largest penalty ever imposed on an automaker by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car-buyers seem unfazed.

Honda has agreed to pay two fines, each for $35 million, for underreporting the number of injuries and deaths in their vehicles, as well as for the number of warranty claims, from 2003-2014. The number of injuries and deaths related to Honda’s vehicles is more than double what the company had initially reported.

The fines imposed on Honda were the highest allowed by law. This reflects the government’s “tough stance” on auto safety issues, continuing the trend we have seen over the last year.  Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx says last that the NHTSA issued more fines last year than in the rest of its entire history put together. […]

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