2014 Vehicle Investigations

Full archive of all vehicle investigations news from 2014. Other years: 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012

Hyundai Sonata Seat Belt Warranty Extended Hyundai Sonata seat belt warranty extended by 15 years after federal investigation.

Dec 5, 2014 — Owners of the 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonata will receive a 15-year warranty extension to repair seat belt buckle assemblies that cause problems with the seat belt pretensioners. It took a federal investigation, opened in July 2014 , to get Hyundai to do anything about the hundreds of complaints about the defect. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received 131 complaints about airbag warning lights coming on followed by a failure of the ...
NHTSA Closes Bosch Power Xpress 240V Investigation Bosch agrees to conduct a customer satisfaction campaign to fix the Power Xpress 240V charger.

Nov 28, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into Bosch Power Xpress 240V chargers after Bosch agreed to conduct a "customer satisfaction campaign" on the chargers. NHTSA opened the investigation after two complaints of Bosch Power Xpress 240V electric car chargers overheating, specifically one concerning a 2013 Nissan LEAF . According to the owners, the cars started smoking at home after the they had been charging for ...
Ford Cleared in Steering Defect Investigation of 500,000 Cars Safety regulators close investigation of Ford Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis and Mercury Marauder.

Nov 25, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into reported steering problems in 500,000 Ford cars. NHTSA opened the investigation in July 2014 after complaints about exhaust manifold heat shields coming loose and interfering with the lower steering shaft. The investigation focused on the 2004 to 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford Marauder that can experience steering difficulties, especially an ...
Infiniti EX35 Steering Wheel Shaft Separations Investigated Infiniti EX35 owners report steering wheels can turn without turning the wheels.

Nov 8, 2014 — Alleged Infiniti EX35 steering problems will be under the government microscope after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the crossover utility vehicle. NHTSA says about 17,000 model year 2008 Infiniti EX35 vehicles might have steering wheel shafts that can separate and cause a total loss of steering. NHTSA says reports from two EX35 owners allege a complete loss of steering control, including the steering ...
Honda Accord Power Steering Problems Investigated By Government U.S. government opens investigation into loss of power steering in the 2013 Honda Accord.

Nov 8, 2014 — Complaints about model year 2013 Honda Accord cars losing power steering control have caused The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to open an investigation into 374,000 Accords. NHTSA said it knows of 24 incidents of power steering loss in 2013 Honda Accords which caused four cars to crash. If a car loses power steering at low speeds it can be extremely difficult to turn the steering wheel. NHTSA said the four crashes occurred at speeds ...
Honda Investigated For Underreporting Deaths and Injuries Honda feeling heat after evidence suggests automaker held back injury and death data.

Nov 2, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Honda Motor Co. to evaluate if the automaker has been holding back vital safety information from the government. NHTSA says the "audit query" is to find out if Honda failed to submit early warning reports concerning incidents of deaths and injuries involving Honda vehicles. The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) had asked NHTSA to investigate Honda over apparent failures to ...
Feds Investigate Power Steering Problems In Ford, Mercury and Lincoln Cars Over 500 complaints launch federal investigation into power steering failures in Ford cars.

Oct 6, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a defect investigation into steering problems in 938,000 model year 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles as well as the 2010-2011 Mercury Milan. NHTSA said it's received over 500 complaints about a loss of power steering that requires more effort to steer the cars. The affected vehicles are equipped with rack-mounted Electric Power Assisted Steering that has allegedly failed and ...
Ford Fiesta Door Latch Investigation Underway Owners complain the Ford Fiesta door latch won't hold the door shut.

Sep 15, 2014 — Ford Fiesta door latch problems have caused the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to open an official defect investigation into 205,000 model year 2011-2013 Ford Fiestas. The government says it's received 61 complaints about doors that won't latch in the 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta. Some Fiesta owners said the doors opened after being shut and while the cars were moving. One person reported an injury after the door flew back open and struck the ...
Dodge Grand Caravan Stalling Engines Get Look-See From Feds Owners say 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan stalls after filling the gas tank.

Sep 10, 2014 — The 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan will get an inspection from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after a petition to investigate an alleged gas tank defect. Saying it will "evaluate the defect petition for a grant/deny decision," NHTSA says the petitioner alleges a defect in the fuel system of the 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan causes the vehicle to stall. The petitioner claims the engine stalls without warning after putting gas in the tank. The ...
Honda Accord Air Bags Inflate When People Close the Doors Feds upgrade investigation into air bags that inflate when doors are shut on the 2008 Honda Accord.

Aug 3, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has upgraded its investigation into 335,000 model year 2008 Honda Accords. NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation of the cars in February 2014 after receiving complaints about side air bags inflating from simply shutting the driver or front passenger door . The investigation found 293 reports of people shutting the doors and triggering the driver-side or passenger-side side curtain air bag, and even ...
Government Denies Petition to Investigate Toyota Prius c Petitioner claims alleged software and brake problems in Toyota Prius c should be investigated.

Jul 29, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has denied a 2013 petition to investigate 24,000 model year 2012 Toyota Prius c hybrid cars. The petitioner, Jessie A. Powell, claimed the brake pedal in her Prius c went to the floor twice and left her unable to stop normally. The car was towed to a dealership after the first brake pedal incident and a second incident occurred in the dealer parking lot after a diagnostic check had been performed. The ...
Government Approves Chevy Impala Air Bag Defect Petition Safety regulators to take closer look into alleged GM passenger air bag defect.

Jul 28, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted a petition that asked the government to evaluate alleged air bag problems in General Motors vehicles. Mr. Donald Friedman filed the petition on November 14, 2003, claiming model year 2004-2010 GM vehicles have defective passenger air bags that can fail to deploy in a crash. The petition says the "occupant classification system" has a defect that causes the weight-based software algorithm to ...
Dodge Charger Under Investigation For Alternator Failure Dodge Charger owners complain alternators can fail and cause cars to stall.

Jul 27, 2014 — After numerous complaints over the past three years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into alternator failures in model year 2011-2012 Dodge Chargers. NHTSA says half the complaints indicate the alternators failed while the cars were traveling over 40 mph. Alternator failure can mean a stalled engine whether parked or traveling on a four-lane highway. CarComplaints.com has heard the same alternator ...
Feds Investigate 394,000 Hyundai Sonatas After Seat Belt Buckle Complaints Owners of older Hyundai Sonatas say seat belt buckle assemblies don't stay assembled.

Jul 27, 2014 — Hyundai hasn't had much good news about its Sonata over the past two weeks. The 2015 Sonata was recalled a few weeks ago because a wiring harness can cause problems with the gear shifter. Then the same car was recalled because the front brake calipers can fracture and cause problems stopping the car . Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into 394,000 older Sonatas that might have defective seat belt ...
Government Closes Mazda CX-9 Brake Pedal Investigation Mazda agrees to extend warranty coverage on CX-9 cars with brake pedal problems.

Jul 20, 2014 — In February 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into brake pedal problems in 62,000 model year 2010-2011 Mazda CX-9 cars. Owners complained about difficulty pushing the brake pedals and hearing a hissing noise when trying to apply the brakes. The noise always seemed to come from the area of the brake pedal. In response to NHTSA's investigation, Mazda found a problem with brake booster diaphragms that could ...
Investigation Looks at Steering Problems in 500,000 Ford Cars Owners claim cars can lose all steering control because exhaust manifold shield can dislodge.

Jul 12, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 500,000 Ford cars because of steering problems. The investigation will focus on model year 2004-2007 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Mercury Marauder cars because bolts could rust and cause a loss of steering control. How that happens is more complicated than it sounds. Based on complaints about the problem, owners claim rusted bolts can cause the driver's side ...
Investigation Opened Into 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Drive Shafts Owners of the 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 say the rear axle can lock up.

Jun 29, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to know why people are complaining about drive shaft problems in their 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks. Owners are griping about locked-up rear differentials or separated drive shafts that can cause the trucks to spin out of control. About half the complaints say the incidents occurred while traveling at 50 mph or more. Owners report it's a free-for-all once the rear axle locks, all without ...
Plastic Trim Causes Investigation of 360,000 Nissan Versa Cars Owners say shoe can get trapped on the gas pedal.

Jun 28, 2014 — Over the years there have been numerous investigations and recalls related to unintended acceleration, especially concerning floor mats that can interfere with the gas pedal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened another investigation concerning gas pedals that allegedly get stuck, but this time it doesn't involve floor mats or sticky gas pedals. NHTSA has received four complaints from the U.S. that claim a simple piece of ...
Chrysler Under Investigation For Alleged Ignition Switch Defects Owners of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Commander SUVs say ignition switch can move out of "run"

Jun 18, 2014 — Move over GM, another automaker might be trying to steal your embarrassing thunder about ignition switches that can mistakenly be moved out of the "run" position. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into 525,000 model year 2006-2007 Jeep Commander and 2005-2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles after reports of allegedly defective ignition switches. This Grand Cherokee and Commander investigation comes at the same ...
Investigation Looks at MORE Ignition Problems in 700,000 Chrysler Vehicles Previous Chrysler ignition switch recall might have failed, 700,000 under investigation.

Jun 18, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says another 700,000 Chrysler vehicles are under the government microscope for ignition switch problems, some thought to be fixed long ago. NHTSA had just announced over 525,000 Jeep vehicles are under investigation because of complaints about faulty ignition switches. However, the description of the alleged defect is a little different. Chrysler ordered a recall in 2011 on model year 2010 Dodge ...
Over 1 Million Cars Might Have Explosive Takata Air Bag Inflators Takata air bag inflators could explode and send shrapnel flying inside of cars.

Jun 11, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating over 1 million vehicles because the air bag inflator (see image) could rupture and cause more harm to an occupant than an actual crash. NHTSA says the investigation involves model year 2002-2006 models made by Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Chrysler, and Toyota. The connection with all those manufacturers is air bag supplier, Takata. It was a year ago that 3 million vehicles were recalled with ...
Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee Air Bag Recall Might Have Failed Almost 750,000 Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee SUVs might need re-recalled over air bag problems.

Jun 2, 2014 — Owners of older Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee SUVs might have more to worry about other than exploding gas tanks from rear-impact accidents . In November, 2012, Chrysler recalled 920,000 model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees after a federal investigation found problems with an air bag control module. Owners had complained about air bags that would deploy without a crash or any type of impact to the vehicles. Some drivers ...
Feds Investigate 200,000 Nissan Sentra and Versa Cars Nissan Sentra and Versa owners say brake pedal goes to the floor.

May 25, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into possible brake problems in 200,000 model year 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra and Versa cars. NHTSA has received eight complaints (so far) along with internal reports from Nissan about brake pedals going to the floorboard. Some Versa and Sentra owners say dealers have replaced numerous parts only to see the problems continue. One 2013 Sentra driver said they were traveling 60 ...
Dodge Ram Investigated After Death of Child Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 clutch interlock switch may be defective.

May 25, 2014 — About 110,000 model year 2004-06 Dodge Ram 2500 & 3500 trucks with manual transmissions are under close government scrutiny after a reported child death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has received three complaints about engines starting without pressing the clutch pedals. The suspected culprit is the clutch interlock switch that can fail and allow the engine to be cranked when it shouldn't. One owner says a child entered the truck ...
Kia Sorento Exploding Sunroof Investigation Expanded Government expands investigation into Kia Sorento exploding sunroof complaints.

May 16, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is still trying to find out why Kia Sorento sunroofs allegedly explode for no apparent reason. NHTSA originally opened its investigation in October, 2013 , after receiving 15 complaints about exploding sunroofs in the Sorento, with 13 people claiming it occurred while driving. It's been seven months and NHTSA says 26 consumer complaints have now been submitted, along with reports of four injuries. Kia ...
Nissan Quest Under Investigation For Goofy Gas Gauge Readings Nissan Quest owners say they are left stranded because of wrong gas gauge readings.

May 12, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into almost 38,000 model year 2007 Nissan Quest minivans after complaints about inaccurate gas gauge readings. The gauge can be so far off that a driver is left on the road still thinking another 60-80 miles of gas is left in the tank. NHTSA says a trend might be occurring because all the complaints were submitted within the past 14 months. A North Carolina driver said it's ...
Chevy Impala Focus of Investigation For Crazy Braking Chevy Impala owner says car comes to screeching halt without touching the brakes.

Apr 23, 2014 — After receiving one complaint about braking problems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into about 60,000 model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala cars. After taking heat for ignoring complaints about faulty ignition switches and steering defects in General Motors vehicles, NHTSA opened the Impala investigation after a customer complained their car came to a screeching halt without touching the brakes. The owner says ...
Bosch Power Xpress 240V Charger Under Investigation Investigation opened into possible fire risk in the Bosch Power Xpress 240V electric car charger.

Apr 20, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into a popular charger used to charge electric cars. The feds are looking at the Bosch Power Xpress 240V charging unit that was used to charge a 2013 Nissan Leaf. The Nissan owner complained the car started smoking near the area of where the Bosch Power Xpress meets the car charger interface. The Nissan Leaf was charging at home when the owner smelled a burning odor and saw ...
Feds Close Tesla Model S Fire Investigation Tesla Model S fire investigation closed after Tesla makes undercarriage more like a tank.

Mar 28, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into Tesla Model S fires that occurred on two U.S. roadways. NHTSA opened the investigation in November, 2013 , after two reports of Model S electric cars catching fire after objects in the road hit the undercarriage of the cars. Both cars--one in Washington and one in Tennessee--struck objects that penetrated the aluminum pan at the forward area of the battery and damaged ...
Investigation Closed Into Porsche 911 Antifreeze Leaks Antifreeze leaks in Porsche 911 cars not serious enough to cause a recall.

Mar 14, 2014 — Porsche won't be asked to recall thousands of cars after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed its investigation into antifreeze leaks in the 2001-2007 Porsche 911. In April, 2013, NHTSA opened the investigation after receiving reports of sudden antifreeze loss allegedly caused by a separation of pipe ends in the cooling system. Porsche submitted reports suggesting a problem with the adhesive used to attach coolant pipes in about ...
Feds Close Jeep Liberty Door Fires Investigation Safety regulators say no evidence of fire risk in doors from power window switch.

Mar 13, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into Jeep Liberty door fires after finding the problem is too small to warrant a recall. NHTSA opened the 2012 Jeep Liberty investigation in October, 2013, after complaints alleged a problem with the driver's side power master window switch. NHTSA first identified two reports of door fires near the window switch of model year 2012 Jeep Liberty vehicles. Safety regulators ...
Porsche Tells Owners to Park Cars After Car Fires Porsche opens investigation into Porsche 911 fires caused by engine problems.

Feb 20, 2014 — When you pay $130,000 for a car, you want to know the car won't go up in smoke from a defect. Porsche feels the same way and has told owners of the 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 to park their cars while a fire investigation is underway. The stop-driving order applies to almost 800 Porsche 911 GT3 sports cars worldwide, 400 of those in the U.S. Porsche says some type of engine damage occurred in two cars while they were running and on the road. Both cars burned, ...
Investigation Closed Into Chrysler Stalling Engines Chrysler extends warranty on fuel tanks to lifetime coverage.

Feb 14, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed its investigation into stalling engines in model year 2005-2006 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Magnum vehicles equipped with 5.7L and 6.1L 8-cylinder HEMI engines. NHTSA opened the investigation in May, 2013 , after complaints the engines stalled after refueling or when the cars were stopped or running at low speeds. The government looked at 1262 complaints related to stalling engines then focused ...
Mazda CX-9 Brake Problems Under Federal Investigation Owners report Mazda CX-9 brakes don't work like they should.

Feb 14, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into possible braking problems in 62,000 model year 2010-2011 Mazda CX-9 cars. It's not the first time the CX-9 has been under the government microscope for brake problems. The government closed a similar investigation on April 9, 2012, after reports of leaking master cylinders in the 2008 Mazda CX-9. Investigators found an issue with the master cylinder plunger that could cause ...
Investigation Closed Into Steering Gear Problems in Ford Trucks Government says steering gears damaged in accidents, not cause of accidents.

Feb 5, 2014 — Ford has been cleared in an eight-month investigation of 330,000 model year 2008 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks after complaints about a complete loss of steering. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed their investigation after finding no evidence of a defect in the steering gears. NHTSA had investigated the same problem with steering gears in 2003. That investigation focused on steering gear sector shaft fractures in 1.3 ...
Don't Slam the Door on the Honda Accord Honda Accord owners say shutting the doors can trigger air bags.

Feb 4, 2014 — If you drive a 2008 Honda Accord, you might want to gently close the front doors. Very gently. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 363,000 model year 2008 Honda Accords because closing the front doors might trigger the air bags. Safety regulators have received 28 complaints alleging the side air bags can deploy when a front door is shut. The government says two injuries have been reported involving the driver ...
Toyota Camry Hybrid Faces Investigation After Brake-Failure Complaints Toyota Camry Hybrid owners claim brakes go out without warning.

Jan 27, 2014 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into alleged brake problems in 30,000 model year 2007-2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid electric cars. NHTSA has received 59 complaints about loss of assisted braking, with over half the complaints filed in the last eight months. About 24 incidents happened while traveling over 40 mph, two of those leading to the cars crashing. Owners of the 2007-2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid have told ...
Investigation Expanded Into Chrysler Sun Visor Fires Over 593,000 SUVs investigated because of sun visor and headliner fires.

Jan 14, 2014 — Federal safety regulators have upgraded and expanded an investigation into headliner fires in model year 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration first opened the investigation after receiving reports of fires occurring in the sun visor and headliner areas of the SUV. At that time, the investigation focused on about 146,000 model year 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees . However, safety regulators have now upgraded and expanded ...