CarComplaints.com: Car complaints, car problems and defect information

• Home
• Resources
• News
• Investigations
• Recalls
• Search Complaints
• Update Carcomplaints
• Add Complaints

• Rain-X Washer Fluid Sensor Lawsuit Sent to New Jersey Rain-X washer fluid sensor lawsuit claims product damages fluid level sensors at a $100 to $200 cost

  

  Dec 31, 2015 — A Rain-X windshield washer fluid sensor lawsuit has been filed after complaints about failed sensors causing an expense of $100 to $200. Filed against Illinois Tool Works, Inc. and South/Win Ltd , the proposed class-action Rain-X sensor lawsuit alleges the product might do a good job on the windshield, but it does a lousy job with the washer fluid sensor inside the washer fluid reservoir tank. Rain-X is marketed and sold as a water repellent that can ...

• 2016 Top Safety Pick+ Award Winners Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names 48 model year 2016 vehicles as Top Safety Pick+

  

  Dec 28, 2015 — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the winners of the "Top Safety Pick+" award for model year 2016 vehicles, and some that made the list last year dropped down the ladder for 2016 models. Conducted each year, some models seen to rank highly for 2015 didn't do as well for 2016, mainly with small and midsize cars. IIHS has two top categories, the "Top Safety Pick" and the "Top Safety Pick+." Crash testing performed on model year 2016 ...

• Hyundai Exploding Sunroof Lawsuit Heads to Court Hyundai sued for sunroofs that explode and shatter without an object striking the glass.

  

  Dec 23, 2015 — A Hyundai exploding sunroof lawsuit has been filed after years of reports of panoramic sunroofs that explode and send shards of glass into the cars. Plaintiff Billy Glenn filed the exploding sunroof lawsuit after the glass in his 2014 Santa Fe Sport exploded just months after purchasing the Hyundai. The sunroof was replaced, but Glenn claims the replacement sunroof also shattered and sent glass into the vehicle. Although the lawsuit is against Hyundai, many ...

• Takata Airbag Death Toll at 9 The Takata airbag death toll increased to 9 with the announcement of a teen killed by an inflator.

  

  Dec 23, 2015 — The Takata airbag death toll increased by one as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced another death from an exploding Takata airbag inflator. It's the eighth confirmed Takata-related death in the U.S., with a ninth death having occurred in Malaysia. All of the fatalities occurred in Honda vehicles. NHTSA says the death occurred to a teenage boy who was behind the wheel of a 2001 Honda Accord. Early reports suggest the boy was ...

• GMC Sierra 1500 Towing Capacity Lawsuit Filed Lawsuit says 2014 GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado trucks have towing capacity lower than advertised.

  

  Dec 21, 2015 — A General Motors towing capacity class-action lawsuit has been filed concerning the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The towing capacity lawsuit alleges the trucks were advertised with towing capacities that were false. According to the plaintiff, the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 trucks were sold with an advertised capacity of 8,800 pounds, nearly 2,000 pounds more than the trucks could actually tow. The proposed class-action lawsuit ...

• BMW In Trouble Again, Will Pay $40 Million Penalty BMW agrees to government consent order and admits failures occured in recalling MINI Coopers.

  

  Dec 21, 2015 — BMW is in trouble once again with the U.S. government as the automaker will be forced to pay $20 million in penalties and put another $20 million in reserve in case the automaker fails to play by the rules. Safety regulators said they found multiple instances in which BMW failed its customers and jeopardized public safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the penalty is to punish the automaker for failures in its recall practices ...

• Volkswagen Compensation Fund Created To Keep Emission Cases Out of Court Volkswagen compensation fund to open for diesel owners looking to sue over nitrogen oxide emissions.

  

  Dec 20, 2015 — A Volkswagen compensation fund will be opened to address owner complaints and concerns about illegal nitrogen oxide emissions and the loss of value of the VW vehicles. VW says Kenneth R. Feinberg has been retained to gather information to compensate a possible list of 600,000 vehicle owners in the U.S. Feinberg is highly experienced in creating and administrating compensation funds, including funds created for victims of the GM ignition switches, the BP oil ...

• California Says Driverless Cars Need Drivers California DMV says proposed rules for self-driving cars will require drivers to be on stand-by.

  

  Dec 17, 2015 — Although a year behind schedule, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) finally released its proposed rules and regulations concerning autonomous vehicles, also known as self-driving or driverless cars. California defines "autonomous vehicle” as a vehicle that is operated or driven without active physical control by a "natural person" sitting in the driver’s seat with the autonomous technology engaged. While the regulations aren't final, the ...

• General Motors Agrees to Settle Securities Lawsuit GM agrees to settle $300 million class-action lawsuit caused by defective ignition switches.

  

  Dec 17, 2015 — While Volkswagen's emission scandal has dominated the auto news , General Motors and its defective ignition switches are still seeing action in court. With 124 death claims and 275 injury claims approved by the ignition switch compensation fund , a class-action lawsuit concerning stock prices might be reaching its end. Both parties have agreed to settle the $300 million lawsuit which alleges the stock drastically dropped after the automaker admitted the ...

• Government Wants Tougher Car Crash Tests and Dummies Government hires THOR for crash tests and will add half-star increments to 5-star rating system.

  

  Dec 16, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had a tough 2015 trying to answer questions about its failures to protect the public from deadly GM ignition switches . Promising to increase its enforcement actions, NHTSA wants to change its culture and is now taking a tougher stance against automakers. As part of its increased safety role, the government is changing the way it rates vehicles for safety. The plans are to add additional crash tests and ...

• New Law Means Big Changes For Tire Recalls FAST Act requires tire dealers to register all tires, while NHTSA must create tire recall database.

  

  Dec 16, 2015 — With passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act , the tire industry will be required to update its processes for selling and registering tires. The $325 billion, five-year Act is more than 1,300 pages long and is the first long-term transportation bill passed by Congress in 10 years. The law will require tire sellers to register tires electronically at the point of sale. Before the new law, customers were provided owner postcards that had ...

• Volkswagen Cheated Because it Couldn't Meet U.S. Standards Volkswagen's 2005 decision to make 'clean diesel' engines meant the company had to cheat.

  

  Dec 15, 2015 — Volkswagen says the illegal emissions "defeat devices" installed on 11 million vehicles worldwide were installed because the automaker knew it couldn't provide the type of diesel engine the company was marketing. Seven years of boasting about its "clean diesel" technology has now turned into an admission that decisions to cheat the system began in 2005. Although carbon dioxide emissions are allegedly not as bad as first believed , the large looming problems ...

• VW Lawsuits Head to California, CO2 Problems Overstated Volkswagen has over 450 lawsuits to face in California as automaker says CO2 emissions no big deal.

  

  Dec 15, 2015 — Volkswagen and the state of California haven't been on good terms since the automaker was caught cheating on nitrogen oxide emissions standards. With its strict emissions laws, California has taken numerous actions against the automaker, and now VW is gearing up for even more headaches in California. With more than 450 civil lawsuits pending against the automaker across the country, Volkswagen knew those cases would be consolidated into multidistrict litigation ...

• Alleged BMW Throttle Control Problems Lead to Lawsuit BMW 328i owner files lawsuit alleging throttle control problems cause uncontrolled acceleration.

  

  Dec 14, 2015 — A California man has filed a BMW throttle control system lawsuit about cars that allegedly have throttle control defects that cause safety hazards due to the inability of the cars to accelerate properly. Plaintiff Rodney Shively says BMW didn't tell him the truth about a leased 2013 BMW 328i concerning an allegedly defective throttle control system. Shively claims many BMW models going back to 2007 have throttle systems that cause the engines to lose power or ...

• Fiat Chrysler Fined $70 Million For Not Reporting Deaths Chrysler (FCA US) nailed with $70 million penalty in addition to previous $105 million penalty.

  

  Dec 11, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) has been hit with another huge penalty caused by failures to keep the government informed about potential safety problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says Chrysler will pay another $70 million in addition to $105 million the automaker had already been fined in July 2015 . The $70 million agreement comes after Chrysler failed to properly submit important early warning reports to NHTSA. The government says ...

• GM Ignition Switch Compensation Fund Pays Out $595 Million General Motors ignition switch compensation fund pays $595 million for deaths and injuries.

  

  Dec 10, 2015 — The General Motors ignition switch compensation fund is closing its doors after sixteen months of approving and denying death and injury claims. In total, the fund offered ignition switch victims $595 million that was approved to pay 399 claims. GM says over 90 percent of the offers were accepted by claimants and final payments have been made or in the process of being paid. The compensation fund was created after GM admitted it hid dangerous defects in ...

• Toyota Tacoma Rattling Noise Gets Enhanced Warranty Toyota Tacoma rattling noise to be covered by enhanced warranty for exhaust and catalytic converters

  

  Dec 9, 2015 — Toyota Tacoma rattling noise problems will be tackled by Toyota as the automaker announced "special service campaign" F0U, which Toyota says is not a recall but instead a warranty enhancement. The campaign was issued specifically to "enhance" warranty coverage for exhaust pipe replacement and catalytic converters. The trucks included in the campaign are 170,000 model year 2010-2014 Toyota Tacoma trucks equipped with 2TR-FE engines. Toyota says the Tacoma ...

• Driverless Cars Will Need Distracted Drivers Research says self-driving cars will need a 'driver' who is reading or watching a video.

  

  Dec 7, 2015 — While self-driving cars creep closer to a reality on American roads, new research from Stanford University says anyone sitting in the "driver" seat will be better off distracted. You know, those distractions all of us are supposed to stay away from when we're driving? Considering whoever is sitting in the driver's seat in a self-driving car will really just be a passenger, that passenger will need to stay alert in case the self-driving technology goes haywire ...

• Least Educated At Higher Risk of Auto-Related Death Study says the less education you have, the more likely you are to die in an auto-related accident.

  

  Dec 6, 2015 — First a study found overweight drivers are at greater risk of injury or death in an accident because they don't wear their seat belts . Then another study determined obesity increases the odds of being killed in an auto accident, and for the morbidly obese, the odds increase by 80 percent . Now a new study indicates the least educated are at greater risk of death associated with automobiles. The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology , ...

• Porsche Mission E All-Electric Sports Car on the Way Porsche Mission E to give Tesla competition in the all-electric battery-powered car category.

  

  Dec 6, 2015 — The Porsche Mission E electric sports car is expected to arrive by 2020 and be a direct competitor to the all-electric Tesla cars already on the market. Saying the Porsche Mission E is "beginning a new chapter in the history of the sports car," the automaker says the car will do 0 to 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds. What started as a concept car will become a reality as Porsche puts its focus on electric vehicles as opposed to diesel technology. The Mission E has ...

• Volkswagen Emission Problems Grow Worldwide Volkswagen has emission problems in the U.S., Germany, India, South Korea and no end in sight.

  

  Dec 5, 2015 — Environmental regulators in Washington state told Volkswagen it will pay for selling so-called "clean diesel" vehicles that weren't so clean. Since 2009, about 500,000 of those VW diesel cars in the U.S. have been emitting up to 40 times the legal amount of nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides contribute to ground-level ozone and are linked with increased asthma attacks and contribute to premature death from respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Children, the ...

• Honda and Takata Racketeering Lawsuit Moves Forward Federal judge says racketeering class-action lawsuit against Honda and Takata won't be dismissed.

  

  Dec 3, 2015 — Federal racketeering charges against Honda and airbag maker Takata can move forward after U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno refused to dismiss multidistrict litigation against the companies. Over 100 vehicle owners and four auto recyclers accuse Honda and Takata of conspiring to conceal the airbags that can explode and maim and injure occupants. The consolidated class-action lawsuit was filed after reports of eight deaths and about 100 injuries from Takata ...

• Car Hacking Lawsuit Against Ford, GM and Toyota Dismissed Federal judge dismisses car hacking lawsuit against Ford, General Motors and Toyota.

  

  Dec 2, 2015 — A car hacking lawsuit filed against Ford, General Motors and Toyota has been dismissed because none of the plaintiffs own a car that was actually hacked. The suit, filed in March 2015 , came after a report from U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) that claimed car companies are failing against hackers . Lead plaintiffs Helene Cahen, Kerry J. Tompulis and Merrill Nisam claim the vehicles have over 35 separate electronic control units (ECU) that connect through a ...

• Five Years After Law Passed, Silent Hybrid Cars Still Silent Government misses deadline again for rules concerning making electric cars louder on the streets.

  

  Dec 2, 2015 — Five years after a law was passed concerning pedestrian safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) still hasn't created the rules automakers must follow. The process has been going on since 2010 when the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act was passed by Congress. The purpose of the law is to make electric vehicles loud enough to be heard by those with eyesight and hearing disabilities. However, five years later and NHTSA keeps extending ...

• Bosch Named Co-Conspirator in Volkswagen Emissions Lawsuit Class-action lawsuit names Robert Bosch company as alleged guilty party in Volkswagen emissions mess

  

  Dec 1, 2015 — The Robert Bosch company is named as a defendant in a Volkswagen emissions class-action lawsuit that names VW, Bosch, former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and current CEO Michael Horn as defendants. The Bosch/Volkswagen class-action lawsuit alleges violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, false advertising and consumer fraud. Plaintiff Robert F. Eslick purchased a 2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium on or about February 20, 2013. Eslick ...

• Volkswagen Says EA 189 Diesel Engine 'Fix' Ready to Go Volkswagen says EA 189 engine nitrogen oxide emissions remedy more simple than first believed.

  

  Nov 30, 2015 — Volkswagen says it's just about ready to tackle the enormous task of repairing European diesel vehicles equipped with EA 189 engines. The automaker says all corrective measures have been presented to the appropriate authorities and the automaker hopes to get the recalls running in January 2016. VW says the proposed remedy turned out to be more simple than first believed because of advances in engine developments and sophisticated air intake ...

• Volkswagen Pummeled by Lawsuits From Texas State of Texas and numerous counties file lawsuits against Volkswagen over emissions systems.

  

  Nov 29, 2015 — The state of Texas isn't happy with Volkswagen and its emissions problems and the Texas court system is an example of that unhappiness. Leading off the legal battle is Harris County, Texas, which filed suit against Volkswagen and Audi for $100 million . Harris County alleges about 6,000 VW diesel vehicles have been in the area since 2009 spewing harmful nitrogen oxide emissions. But it looks like Harris County is only the beginning as more counties, and even ...

• BMW Agrees to Settle MINI Cooper Timing Chain Lawsuit MINI Cooper timing chain lawsuit alleges tensioners cause engines to seize and fail.

  

  Nov 29, 2015 — MINI Cooper timing chain problems might finally be acknowledged and repaired after BMW agreed to settle a lawsuit that alleges the MINI Cooper engines can fail. The lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Joshua Skeen and Laurie Freeman, MINI Cooper owners who contend pistons and valves work too hard because of the timing chain tensioner. Named in the lawsuit are the 2007-2009 MINI Cooper R56 and the 2008-2009 MINI Cooper R55. The plaintiffs claim the timing chain ...

• Ford Tosses Takata, Toyota Recalls Takata Airbags Ford won't use ammonium nitrate airbags and Toyota recalls 1.6 million vehicles with Takata airbags.

  

  Nov 28, 2015 — Takata better hope its non-airbag business is enough to sustain the company because when it comes to vehicle airbags, the game might be over. And for airbags made with ammonium nitrate, the game is definitely over. First to abandon Takata was Honda , Takata's biggest vehicle airbag customer. Once Honda jumped ship, Toyota, Mazda and Nissan quickly confirmed they would no longer use airbags made with ammonium nitrate. The newest member of the Takata going away ...

• Volkswagen Admits V6 3-Liter Cars Have Defeat Devices VW finally admits another 85,000 U.S. diesel cars have nitrogen oxide emissions defeat devices.

  

  Nov 24, 2015 — Volkswagen continues to dig its own grave as the automaker admits another 85,000 diesel cars in the U.S. contain software to defeat emissions tests. The newest list of vehicles include V6 3-liter TDI diesel models going back to 2009, all with at least one "defeat device" installed as sophisticated software. The problem stems from VW withholding information about the "auxiliary emission control devices" that weren't properly declared when receiving approval in ...

• Toyota Sues 'Lexus Studios,' a Wedding Video Company Toyota files lawsuit after claiming wedding video company 'Lexus Studios' could confuse car buyers.

  

  Nov 19, 2015 — Toyota Motor Corporation has sued a small wedding video business for calling itself "Lexus Studios," something Toyota says is trademark and service mark infringement, unfair competition and trademark and service mark dilution. The lawsuit alleges the Somerville, Massachusetts, wedding video business is hurting Toyota's auto business because the video business name "is likely to mislead the general public into believing that Defendant and its photography and ...

• BMW M3 Engine Failure Lawsuit Says S65 Engine Defective Lawsuit alleges BMW M3 S65 engine has bearings that cause catastrophic engine failure.

  

  Nov 18, 2015 — A BMW M3 engine failure lawsuit has been filed alleging the M3 S65 engine can fail due to metal debris from the connecting rod bearings. Plaintiff David Afzal filed the M3 engine lawsuit after allegedly experiencing knocking from connecting rod bearings that needed to be replaced at a price of $2,000. Afzal said a dealership denied there was an engine problem in the 2011 BMW M3 because they didn't want to make repairs while the vehicle was under warranty. The ...

• MINI Slapped With 20-Year Consent Order From FTC MINI violated federal Warranty Act, receives 20-year consent order from Federal Trade Commission.

  

  Nov 17, 2015 — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has slapped BMW's MINI division with a 20-year consent order for violating the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. MINI violated the law by telling consumers BMW would void their warranty unless they used MINI parts and MINI dealers for maintenance and repair work. The FTC opened an investigation into MINI after the agency said it had "reason to believe" MINI was breaking the law. MINI initially agreed to settle the charges ...

• At Least 20 Automakers Investigated For Emissions Problems German authorities investigating 20 automakers for possible problems with nitrogen oxide emissions.

  

  Nov 16, 2015 — The Volkswagen emissions scandal has opened Pandora's Box in Germany as safety regulators announced they are investigating numerous models from VW and at least 19 other automakers. German authorities said they want to know if any of the vehicles are emitting illegal nitrogen oxides, the type of emissions that started the Volkswagen chaos. Regulators said vehicles with diesel engines are the focus of the investigation, but authorities didn't specify which model ...

• The Center for Auto Safety Sues Volkswagen Over Emissions Influential Center for Auto Safety files lawsuit against Volkswagen over clean diesel engines.

  

  Nov 16, 2015 — The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has sued Volkswagen and Audi to force the automakers to immediately fix all 500,000 U.S. vehicles with so-called emissions "defeat devices." CAS is a nonprofit organization that has been fighting for auto safety and working on vehicle emissions and fuel economy for over 40 years. The emissions lawsuit also seeks to force VW to pay a portion of its annual net profits into an independent fund to offset the environmental damage ...

• VW CO2 Emissions List Grows By 430,000 New Cars Volkswagen CO2 emissions list expanded by 430,000 cars from Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW.

  

  Nov 15, 2015 — The Volkswagen CO2 emissions list has grown by 430,000 new vehicles that have inaccurate carbon dioxide (CO2) values. This is in addition to the 800,000 vehicles located outside the U.S . The automaker says this latest batch of 430,000 vehicles are all 2016 model year vehicles with incorrect CO2 values that will necessarily alter fuel economy values. Although different than the illegal nitrogen oxide emissions from 11 million VW diesel vehicles , the CO2 ...

• Volkswagen Goodwill Package: Read the Fine Print VW 'Goodwill Package' fine print leaves diesel owners rightfully asking questions over small print.

  

  Nov 11, 2015 — Volkswagen owners excited to receive a $500 prepaid Visa card and free towing for getting into the middle of the Volkswagen emissions scandal should read and question the fine print of the card agreement. The Goodwill Package is Volkswagen's way of convincing diesel owners to stay with the automaker after VW admitted almost 500,000 of its U.S. vehicles emit illegal nitrogen oxide emissions . VW is offering owners of affected 2-liter diesel vehicles a $500 ...

• Volkswagen Gives Owners 'Insultingly Inadequate' Prepaid Cards VW gives owners money and free towing, something two senators call 'insultingly inadequate'

  

  Nov 10, 2015 — While Volkswagen continues to make U.S. owners of diesel vehicles wait for repairs to the emission systems of the cars, the automaker will try to pacify drivers with free money and towing. Volkswagen said it will provide a $500 prepaid Visa card to U.S. owners and lessees of 2-liter diesel models affected by emissions defeat devices. The card can be used for anything a customer can buy with a prepaid Visa card. An additional $500 card will go toward purchases ...

• Toyota and Mazda Wave Goodbye to Takata First Honda, now Toyota and Mazda say Takata airbag inflators made with ammonium nitrate are out.

  

  Nov 6, 2015 — Airbag manufacturer Takata is watching as its automobile airbag customers drive away and out of sight, at least while Takata uses airbags made with the explosive chemical, ammonium nitrate. Although there is still no official root cause of why Takata airbags explode and send shards of metal into vehicle occupants, Takata believes the explosive chemical is likely to blame. The ammonium nitrate provides the explosive force to deploy an airbag in a crash, but ...

• GMC Sierra Headlight Lawsuit Says Headlights Are Too Dim Owners say 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2015 Sierra 2500 and 3500 have headlights too dim to see.

  

  Nov 6, 2015 — A GMC Sierra headlight lawsuit accuses General Motors of selling trucks with dim headlights in the 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 and the 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500. Plaintiffs Armando J. Becerra and Guillermo Ruela filed the GMC Sierra headlight lawsuit claiming they can't see to drive at night because of defective headlights. The plaintiffs say GM has long been aware of the alleged headlight defect in the GMC trucks but has concealed the problem from ...

• Honda Leaves Takata at the Curb Honda says Takata manipulated airbag data, will no longer use Takata as airbag supplier.

  

  Nov 4, 2015 — Honda has finally kicked out Takata and its exploding airbags after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nailed Takata with a $200 million penalty. Publicly Honda stood by Takata's side through the deaths, recalls and government actions taken against the airbag manufacturer, but the final blow came when Takata supplied internal documents to the automaker. Honda says in the past few months, it's reviewed millions of pages of internal documents ...

• 'Connected' Cars Can Be Tracked For $500 Or Less Researchers track 'vehicle-to-vehicle' connected car to specific roads the car was on.

  

  Nov 3, 2015 — The world of connected cars is here and will only grow as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants all cars on the roads to communicate with each other to avoid accidents and help with traffic flow. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology allows cars to "talk" to each other about their location and speed . Additional technology, known as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), will allow those cars to "talk" to surrounding buildings, stop lights, etc., to ...

• Takata Gets Hit With $200 Million Penalty For Exploding Airbags Department of Transportation fines airbag maker Takata $200 million for failures going back to 2009.

  

  Nov 3, 2015 — The U.S. Department of Transportation, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has fined airbag manufacturer Takata with the largest civil penalty in U.S. history. NHTSA issued two orders against Takata totally $200 million over Takata's failures to protect American drivers by selling airbags that explode when they deploy. NHTSA will further take action to increase the speed of replacing defective Takata airbag inflators in over 19 ...

• Volkswagen CO2 Emissions Scandal Includes 800,000 Cars VW admits carbon dioxide emissions levels higher than first believed, which means lower fuel economy

  

  Nov 3, 2015 — A Volkswagen CO2 emissions scandal has caused VW to take another step over the cliff of insanity with the admission 800,000 vehicles were sold with incorrect carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions readings. Volkswagen says with CO2 at the heart of the problem this time, any changes to CO2 readings will be directly tied to a vehicle's fuel economy. Although most of the models have diesel engines, VW says the CO2 problem involves some 1.4-liter gas engines with a ...

• Volkswagen Busted by EPA Again Over Illegal Emissions EPA includes Audi and Porsche cars in list of VW vehicles to be recalled over emissions tests.

  

  Nov 2, 2015 — More Volkswagen emissions recalls will be in order as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has hit Volkswagen and its brands with a second notice of violation of the Clean Air Act that now includes Audi and Porsche cars. In total, the notice of violation was sent to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Porsche AG and Porsche Cars North America. Although the first EPA notice of violation included 2-liter engines that emitted up to 40 ...

• Chrysler Valve Stem Lawsuit Alleges Metal Stems Corrode Lawsuit: Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan metal alloy valve stems fail.

  

  Nov 2, 2015 — Chrysler valve stem problems are the focus of a lawsuit that alleges metal valve stems on Chrysler and Dodge minivans corrode and cause failures of the tire pressure monitoring systems. The Chrysler valve stem lawsuit was filed over 2008-2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems containing a metal alloy valve stem sensor on each tire. Tire pressure monitoring systems have been mandated on all ...

• Volkswagen Emissions Scandal May Doom Tax Credits Volkswagen may have committed fraud by pushing for tax credits on 'clean diesel' cars.

  

  Nov 1, 2015 — The Volkswagen emissions scandal continues to expand as the automaker faces the threat of losing fuel economy and tax credits it received for so-called "clean diesel" cars. Democratic Senator Ed Markey says VW should have never received credits for clean diesel technology when there was nothing "clean" about the emissions systems. Markey says VW failed to legally meet federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Those standards are used to ...

• Toyota RAV4 Oil Consumption Lawsuit Filed in Illinois Toyota RAV4 oil consumption lawsuit alleges SUVs shouldn't use a quart of oil every 1,200 miles.

  

  Nov 1, 2015 — A Toyota RAV4 oil consumption lawsuit alleges RAV4 owners must constantly spend money on oil due to a defect in the engine. The plaintiffs claim 2006-2008 Toyota RAV4 SUVs have engines that consume 1-quart of oil every 1,200 mile, a problem that grows worst as the vehicles get older. Plaintiffs Maria and Jan Strama say their 2007 RAV4 has an engine defect that Toyota knew about but the automaker failed to inform consumers. The lawsuit says the defective engines ...

• Study: 59 Deaths in U.S. Due To Excess Volkswagen Emissions Harvard and MIT researchers conclude 59 people will die early because of VW emissions in U.S.

  

  Oct 30, 2015 — U.S. deaths from illegal Volkswagen emissions from 2008-2015 are estimated at 59, according to a peer-reviewed study conducted by Harvard and MIT. Published in the Environmental Research Letters journal, the study estimates the physical and financial cost due to Volkswagen's illegal use of "defeat devices" to alter emissions tests. The automaker was caught cheating the system in almost 500,000 diesel cars in the U.S. and 11 million vehicles worldwide. The ...

• Volkswagen Credit Lawsuit Says Owners Should Skip Payments VW Credit lawsuit alleges diesel owners should not have to make monthly payments.

  

  Oct 26, 2015 — A Volkswagen Credit lawsuit alleges VW diesel owners affected by emission "defeat devices" should not have to make monthly payments to VW Credit. The proposed class-action lawsuit is another legal quagmire for Volkswagen along with over 300 other lawsuits filed over "clean diesel" technology. Montana resident Will Ballew filed the Volkswagen Credit lawsuit after buying a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagon TDI diesel through VW Credit. Ballew says part of the ...

• Takata Airbag Explosion Filmed in Slow Motion Slow motion video shows what happens when a Takata airbag inflator explodes.

  

  Oct 23, 2015 — Car owners have talked about Takata airbag explosions but most consumers have only seen or read about the aftermath of what an exploding airbag inflator can do to the human body. Blamed on at least eight deaths and over 100 injuries, the metal inflators can explode from an airbag deployment even in a slow-speed fender-bender. Filmed in slow motion at the Battelle research lab in Ohio, the metal inflator can be seen exploding in milliseconds at the time an ...

• Chevy Malibu Owner Kristin Hopkins Sues GM After Crash Lawsuit filed by driver of Chevrolet Malibu that crashed and left her stranded six days.

  

  Oct 21, 2015 — Colorado resident, Kristin Hopkins, 45, has filed a lawsuit against General Motors after spending six days trapped in her wrecked 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. In April 2014, Hopkins was driving a 2009 Chevy Malibu on U.S. 285 in Colorado when she encountered a curve to the right and then to the left. She made the first curve but on the left part of the curve the Malibu lost traction. The GM lawsuit says the Chevy Malibu flew off the road and 300 feet down a steep ...

• Pet Carrier Crash Test Results Leave Much To Desire Center for Pet Safety releases pet carrier crash test results for crates and carriers.

  

  Oct 20, 2015 — The latest pet carrier crash test results show many pet carriers that claim to offer crash protection do little to protect a pet, even some of the more expensive carriers and crates. The Center for Pet Safety (CPS) tested pet harnesses, pet travel seats and now pet crates and carriers. The latest tests were conducted on carriers and crates and how they rate in a car accident. The study was conducted in partnership with Subaru of America at MGA Research ...

• Lawsuit Says Chevy Corvette 7.0 Liter V8 Engines Fail General Motors sued after owners of 7.0 liter V8 Corvettes claim valve guides cause engine failure.

  

  Oct 18, 2015 — A Chevy Corvette LS7 engine lawsuit has been filed alleging the 7.0 liter V8 engines have problems with excessive wear of the valve guides that can cause engine failure. Named in the proposed class-action lawsuit are the 2006-2013 Chevy Corvette 427 and Chevy Corvette Z06 equipped with LS7 7.0L V8 engines. The proposed class-action lawsuit is for all U.S. residents who purchased or leased a Chevrolet Corvette 427 or Corvette Z06 at any time from  2006 to the ...

• California's Strict Emissions Laws Bad News For Volkswagen California lawsuit demands Volkswagen buy back all 'CleanDiesel' vehicles.

  

  Oct 15, 2015 — With the revelation that Volkswagen's "CleanDiesel" technology has been anything but clean , governments across the world have opened investigations into how VW fooled the system repeatedly for years. With its admission that 11 million vehicles globally have sophisticated software to fool official emissions tests, one U.S. state more than any other is dealing with the aftermath of Volkswagen's fraud. California is the only state that has the legal right to ...

• 2015 Honda CR-V Vibration Issues Continue in Court Honda wants all model year 2015 Honda CR-V vibration issues consolidated in a California court.

  

  Oct 12, 2015 — Owners who have 2015 Honda CR-V vibration issues may get their day in court, all under one roof in a California courtroom. Numerous CR-V lawsuits were filed accusing Honda of selling new CR-V SUVs that vibrate so severely occupants can get sick. The plaintiffs claim Honda technicians have been lost about methods to fix the vibrations and the automaker has been too slow in coming up with a fix. Some owners report the vibration coming from the engine, while ...

• Volkswagen Says It Will Take Years To Fix U.S. Cars Volkswagen says it may cost more to fix emission problems than the cars are worth.

  

  Oct 9, 2015 — Volkswagen says it could take years to fix all the vehicles that were altered to pass emissions tests in the United States . Speaking before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, VW CEO Michael Horn said U.S. vehicles wouldn't start being fixed until 2016 and it will take many years to repair all 500,000 affected vehicles. Horn said he believes each vehicle will require 5 to 10 hours of work to bring the cars legal according to the ...

• Toyota Trucks and SUVs: The Choice of ISIS? U.S. government asking why hundreds of new Toyota vehicles got in the hands of ISIS.

  

  Oct 8, 2015 — The U.S. Treasury Department has opened an investigation into why and how Toyota vehicles are getting into the hands of ISIS, (ISIL or Islamic State). U.S. authorities say hundreds if not thousands of apparently brand new Toyota Hilux pickups and Toyota Land Cruisers are in the hands of ISIS, all then equipped with various weapons of war. The Toyota investigation is part of a larger U.S. government investigation into how ISIS acquires its money and equipment, a ...

• Mercedes-Benz Parts Lawsuit Alleges Automaker Used Cheap Parts Class-action lawsuit accuses Mercedes-Benz of using replacement parts that aren't genuine.

  

  Oct 5, 2015 — Mercedes-Benz parts are the focus of a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the automaker charged customers premium prices for cheap parts. Lead plaintiff Steve Ferrari claims Mercedes advertised it used only genuine parts when the automaker was charging double for non-Mercedes replacement parts. The lawsuit says Mercedes-Benz owners have lost at least $6.5 million paying for non-Mercedes parts that aren't as good as true Mercedes-Benz parts. Based on court ...

• Takata Airbag Recalls Could Expand to More Automakers Seven additional automakers asked to provide info concerning models equipped with Takata inflators.

  

  Oct 5, 2015 — Takata airbag recalls might be expanded to include automakers that haven't had their names thrown into the Takata airbag circus ring. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes there are at least 23.4 million Takata airbag inflators at risk of exploding when the airbags deploy. Those inflators are installed in over 19 million vehicles on American roads, some vehicles with Takata inflators in both frontal airbags. NHTSA has requested ...

• BMW Emissions Scandal? BMW Can 'Flatly Rule That Out' According to the automaker, there is no BMW emissions scandal brewing and cheating is a 'no-go'

  

  Oct 4, 2015 — Is there a BMW emissions scandal brewing? According to BMW, the answer is absolutely not. While Volkswagen attempts to cope with its scandal of cheating official emissions tests on diesel cars by using a "defeat device" to fool the machines, authorities worldwide are looking at the emissions systems of all automakers. BMW had its name thrown into the hat when the German magazine Auto Bild reported one of BMW's X3 SUVs emitted nitrogen oxides far above European ...

• Lawsuit Alleges Subaru Tribeca Hoods Fly Open While Driving Lawsuit says 2006 Subaru Tribeca SUVs have defective hoods that fly open and break windshields.

  

  Oct 4, 2015 — A Subaru Tribeca hood lawsuit has been filed alleging the 2006 Tribeca SUVs have defective hoods that open while driving. Plaintiff Marion Hadley claims she was driving her 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca 65 mph when the hood suddenly and without warning flew open. Hadley says the hood slammed into the windshield, sending glass all over her and dislodging the rear-view mirror. Hadley was able to pull to the side of the road where other drivers came to her aid. The ...

• Volkswagen Lawsuits Grow Over Emissions Scandal Volkswagen lawsuits add to VW's list of things to do as automaker tries to fix emissions problems.

  

  Oct 1, 2015 — Volkswagen lawsuits are growing by the day as VW owners, dealers and governments line up to sue the automaker for cheating on emissions tests . At least 70 Volkswagen lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. alone, with the latest VW emissions lawsuit coming from the state of Texas. Harris County, Texas, filed suit against Volkswagen Group of America Inc. and Audi of America, LLC, alleging VW vehicles have harmed residents to the tune of $100 million. The Harris ...

• Fiat Chrysler Didn't Report All Death and Injury Claims Chrysler faces more questions after government says automaker under-reported deaths and injuries.

  

  Sep 29, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) is treading government waters after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Chrysler may have violated the TREAD Act of 2000. The Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act was created to protect consumers, in part by requiring all manufacturers of 5,000 or more light vehicles to submit quarterly "early warning reports" to help the government track potential safety defects. One part of ...

• Volkswagen Sued in Canada For $1 Billion Canadian VW owners sue automaker for $1 billion after Volkswagen admits cheating emissions tests.

  

  Sep 27, 2015 — Volkswagen has been sued in Canada for $1 billion after the automaker got caught using a "defeat device" to alter official U,S. emissions readings. Already facing the possibility of an $18 billion fine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and class-action lawsuits in the U.S. , the automaker will have to answer to Canadian VW owners in court. The Canadian Volkswagen emissions lawsuit includes all current owners and lessees in Canada of the ...

• BMW N63 Engine Lawsuit Targets Oil Consumption And Battery Problems Proposed class-acton says BMW N63 engines have oil consumption problems and drain batteries.

  

  Sep 24, 2015 — A BMW N63 engine lawsuit has been filed in a Kansas court alleging the N63 engine drinks too much oil and has battery-drain problems. The N63 engine lawsuit was filed by Scott Crockett, who claims BMW vehicles with N63 engines aren't worth what they were advertised to be and trying to unload a vehicle to someone else is nearly impossible. According to the BMW lawsuit, trying to sell a car equipped with the N63 engine is next to impossible because so many BMW ...

• Volkswagen Sets Aside $7.3 Billion For Emissions Cheating Scandal VW stock plunges after countries join U.S. calls for Volkswagen to come clean about clean diesel.

  

  Sep 22, 2015 — Volkswagen's clean green image is being wiped away as the automaker continues its nosedive toward hell after admitting it has been cheating emissions standards on its "clean" diesel vehicles . It took a university test program and investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board to finally convince VW to admit the scheme. Even then it took the automaker over a year to admit it had been using special software to ...

• Volkswagen Lawsuit Filed Over 'Defeat Device' on 500,000 Vehicles Class-action lawsuit filed after Volkswagen admits its 'clean diesel" vehicles aren't so clean.

  

  Sep 21, 2015 — A Volkswagen emissions lawsuit has been filed in California that accuses the automaker of cheating owners of about 500,000 VW diesel vehicles. Volkswagen is already facing the possibility of a fine of up to $18 billion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA for using a "defeat device" to give false readings during official government emissions tests. According to the lawsuit filed by Girard Gibbs LLP ,  Volkswagen has spent years spouting the ...

• GM To Pay $575 Million To Settle Ignition Switch Death and Injury Claims General Motors settles two actions concerning investor loses and wrongful death and injury claims.

  

  Sep 20, 2015 — General Motors has agreed to pay $575 million to settle two legal actions concerning defective ignition switches that killed and injured hundreds of people. GM settled the two actions, the first to resolve a shareholder class-action lawsuit filed in Michigan, the second to reach an agreement concerning 1,385 death and personal injury claimants. They include more than half of the personal injury plaintiffs who have lawsuits pending in the multidistrict ...

• Chrysler Agrees to Settle Dodge and Jeep TIPM Lawsuit TIPM lawsuit settlement reached that affects 500,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.

  

  Sep 20, 2015 — Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee TIPM problems will finally be fixed after a federal judge granted preliminary approval to a "totally integrated power module" (TIPM) class-action lawsuit . The original lawsuit included numerous Chrysler models, but the settlement agreement includes over 500,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. The settlement stipulates Fiat Chrysler is not admitting a defect or that a liability exists and the automaker has only ...

• Volkswagen Caught Cheating EPA Rules, 500,000 Cars To Be Recalled VW busted by EPA for using a 'defeat device' to fool official emission testers.

  

  Sep 18, 2015 — Volkswagen will eventually recall about 482,000 diesel passenger cars after getting caught cheating by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA issued Volkswagen a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act alleging the maker of VW and Audi cars used a "defeat device" to get around EPA emission standards for air pollutants. VW will likely face penalties of up to $37,500 per vehicle for violating the Clean Air Act, that could theoretically cost the ...

• Porsche Wants Dashboard Glare Lawsuit Dismissed Porsche says dashboard glare from light-colored interiors doesn't rise to a safety defect.

  

  Sep 17, 2015 — A Porsche dashboard glare lawsuit might not shine in court if the automaker gets it way. Plaintiffs Roy Jones and Alyce Rubinfeld claim Porsche beige and light-colored dashboards cause a glare on the windshields that make seeing the road nearly impossible. The lawsuit names the Luxor Beige and Sand Beige dashboards, although any other beige or lighter-colored dashboard can create the same glare. The lawsuit alleges the dashboard glare on the windshield is a ...

• Front Crash Prevention Ratings For Automatic Braking Fourteen vehicles score "superior" rating for autobrake feature in front crash prevention ratings.

  

  Sep 16, 2015 — Front crash prevention ratings will become as standard as crash test safety ratings now that 10 automakers will offer automatic emergency braking as a standard feature on all their cars. The Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an organization funded by insurance companies, has been testing front crash prevention systems since 2013. Although some front crash prevention systems provide only a warning and then depend on a driver to intervene, IIHS is focusing on ...

• General Motors Reaches Agreement With Federal Prosecutors GM and federal prosecutors reach agreement over GM's deadly ignition switches.

  

  Sep 16, 2015 — General Motors has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors over a criminal investigation concerning GM's deadly ignition switches. Although the investigation was labeled a "criminal" investigation, it looks like no GM employees or management will see any jail time. Additionally, a wire fraud charge will be dismissed if GM keeps its nose clean for three years. The investigation was opened after GM admitted to waiting over 10 years to recall millions of ...

• Ford Mustang Hood Corrosion Lawsuit Tossed Out Judge says Ford Mustang hood corrosion lawsuit isn't qualified to move forward in legal system.

  

  Sep 15, 2015 — A federal judge has tossed out a Ford Mustang hood corrosion lawsuit saying the "galvanic corrosion" theory has "fallen apart" and the plaintiffs failed to establish any "ascertainable loss" due to the alleged Ford Mustang hood corrosion. Plaintiffs Williams Mickens and Mark Solomon filed the Ford Mustang hood corrosion lawsuit alleging Ford knowingly sold Mustangs with a design defect that caused aluminum hoods to corrode. The lawsuit alleges plaintiff ...

• Automatic Emergency Braking Coming to a New Car Near You Ten automakers agree to make automatic emergency braking a standard safety feature.

  

  Sep 11, 2015 — Expect to see automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology become a standard feature on new vehicles as 10 automakers have committed to making the technology as routine as windshield wipers on a car. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the agreement with Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. Automatic emergency braking is ...

• Ford Explorer Cracked Rear Panel Lawsuit Seeks Class Certification Cracked rear panel lawsuit targets Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs.

  

  Sep 7, 2015 — A Ford Explorer cracked rear panel lawsuit is still in its early stages as Ford tries to convince the court that class-action certification should be denied. The proposed class-action lawsuit accuses Ford of selling the Explorer and two additional SUVs with defective rear panels, called appliques, that crack and cause the liftgate windows to chip and shatter. The affected SUVs named in the cracked rear panel lawsuit are the 2002-2005 Ford Explorer, 2002-2005 ...

• Nissan Seeks Dismissal of Nissan Altima Floorboard Rust Lawsuit Nissan wants Altima floorboard rust lawsuit tossed out over objections of Altima owners.

  

  Sep 3, 2015 — Alleged Nissan Altima floorboard rust problems which landed the automaker and Altima owners in court still continues as Nissan filed a motion to dismiss the proposed class-action lawsuit. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, plaintiff Marie DeMaria claims the 2002-2006 Nissan Altima floorboard rust begins from the inside of the car and works its way to the outside of the floorboards. DeMaria argues the Nissan cars with ...

• LaKisha Ward-Green Cleared in Death From GM Ignition Switch Conviction of LaKisha Ward-Green overturned in Chevy Cobalt death caused by ignition switch.

  

  Sep 2, 2015 — LaKisha Ward-Green was driving a 2007 Chevy Cobalt on September 3, 2010, when the Cobalt slammed into a school bus and a utility pole on a Pittsburgh road, killing 16-year-old passenger Robert Chambers. The authorities determined Ward-Green was driving 75 mph although the posted speed limit was 35 mph. In 2012, Ward-Green pleaded guilty to reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Robert Chambers. Ward-Green had served three months in jail ...

• Toyoda Gosei North America Auto Hose Lawsuit Huge auto parts supplier accused of conspiracy to price-fix hoses used in millions of cars.

  

  Sep 2, 2015 — Toyoda Gosei North America Corporation supplies auto parts used in millions of U.S. vehicles, including auto hoses used throughout vehicle fuel systems. Those hoses are now the focus of a lawsuit that could include every vehicle in the U.S. that contains a hose from Toyoda Gosei North America. The lawsuit was filed by at least 50 plaintiffs who accuse Toyoda Gosei of working to “fix, raise, maintain and/or stabilize prices, rig bids for, and allocate the market ...

• Fiat Chrysler Releases Buyback and Incentive Details Fiat Chrysler spells out plan for its incentive and buyback programs after failed recalls.

  

  Sep 1, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler released additional details about its buyback and incentive programs concerning past recalls where things didn't go as planned. As part of its agreement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , Chrysler will offer $100 prepaid cards to owners of older SUVs and separately trucks manufactured from 2009-2012. The offer concerns 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs that had not been repaired by July 24, ...

• NHTSA: 23.4 Million Defective Takata Airbag Inflators Still in Cars Government says 23.4 million exploding Takata airbag inflators are still on American roads.

  

  Sep 1, 2015 — If you know about exploding airbags made by Takata and are terrified to get into a fender-bender that could make the airbags explode, the latest word from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) won't be much comfort. NHTSA says there are still 23.4 million defective airbag inflators installed in cars on American roads. More comforting words? About 4 million cars, trucks and SUVs have defective inflators in both driver- and passenger-side ...

• Mercedes-Benz Cracked Rims Lawsuit Rolls On Lawsuit claims Mercedes-Benz sells cars with 17-inch, 18-inch and 19-inch cracked rims.

  

  Aug 30, 2015 — A Mercedes-Benz defective rims lawsuit accuses the automaker of manufacturing and selling cars with rims that are prone to bend, warp and crack. The proposed class-action lawsuit could include as many as 1.6 million owners of Mercedes vehicles equipped with 17-inch, 18-inch or 19-inch AMG or non-AMG rims. The affected vehicles include any 2006-current models equipped with those rims. The lawsuit alleges the Mercedes-Benz rims are defective because they bend, ...

• American Car Owners Long For Horse and Buggy Days 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index says vehicle customer satisfaction keeps dropping.

  

  Aug 30, 2015 — Based on the results of the 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index for vehicles, American drivers might be thinking about switching to a well-fed horse for reliable transportation. At least there wouldn't be as many recalls or the incredible expense of owning a car, both things which have caused vehicle customer satisfaction to drop for the past three years. The results from the 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index ( ACSI ) show car buyers are weary of ...

• Keyless Ignition Carbon Monoxide Deaths Cause Massive Lawsuit Ten automakers sued over keyless ignition carbon monoxide deaths.

  

  Aug 28, 2015 — Keyless ignition carbon monoxide deaths are the focus of a massive lawsuit filed against 10 of the largest automakers in the world. The lawsuit will try to provide answers to the following question: If a driver leaves a car engine running and walks away without shutting off the engine, whose fault is it the engine is still running? The keyless ignition lawsuit was filed on behalf of 28 plaintiffs who claim over 5 million cars equipped with keyless ignitions are ...

• Volvo Satellite Radio Lawsuit Says Radio Drains Battery Volvo owners claim the satellite radio remote digital audio receiver can drain the battery.

  

  Aug 21, 2015 — A Volvo satellite radio lawsuit alleges the remote digital audio receiver can drain the car battery even with the car shut down. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed by Massachusetts Volvo owner Theresa Jenner on behalf of owners of any Volvo vehicle equipped with a remote digital audio receiver. Jenner claims Volvo has continued to install the allegedly defective satellite radios since at least 2008, and although a software update can fix the problem, ...

• Porsche Beige Dashboard Lawsuit Claims Windshield Glare is Blinding Porsche owners file lawsuit alleging beige dashboards create glare onto windshields.

  

  Aug 19, 2015 — Two California residents have filed a lawsuit against Porsche claiming beige dashboards in the cars create a blinding glare onto the windshields. Roy Jones and Alyce Rubinfeld claim Porsche beige-colored dashboards cause a reflection onto the windshields that make driving hazardous. The lawsuit names the Luxor Beige and Sand Beige dashboards, although any other beige or lighter-colored dashboard can create the same effects. The lawsuit alleges the glare and ...

• Jeep Cherokee Transmission Problems Focus of Lawsuit Owners of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee claim transmissions are riddled with defects that can't be fixed.

  

  Aug 17, 2015 — A class-action lawsuit accuses Fiat Chrysler of manufacturing the 2014 Jeep Cherokee with transmission problems that cannot be fixed. The Jeep Cherokee transmission lawsuit was filed by New Jersey plaintiff Stacy Oquendo, who bought her 2014 Cherokee in April 2014. The plaintiff claims the Cherokee transmissions are so riddled with problems that Jeep dealers have no idea how to make repairs. The lawsuit alleges Fiat Chrysler delayed the launch of the 2014 ...

• Land Rover LR2 Battery Drain Lawsuit Filed in New Jersey Lawsuit claims Land Rover LR2 battery drain problems keep the vehicles from starting as they should.

  

  Aug 16, 2015 — Jaguar Land Rover LR2 battery drain problems might be the focus of a class-action lawsuit after New Jersey resident Amy Block filed suit over her 2009 Land Rover LR2. Block says she bought her Land Rover LR2 for $32,000 but the battery constantly drained from alleged defects in the electrical systems. She claims Land Rover concealed the problem from consumers since at least 2007 and when she complained about her own problems, all she got was a replacement ...

• Honda CR-V Engine Vibration Problems Cause Lawsuit Lawsuit claims Honda CR-V engine vibration causes occupants to become sick.

  

  Aug 16, 2015 — Honda CR-V engine vibration problems will see their day in court as a lawsuit has been filed against Honda alleging the engines vibrate and cause occupants to become sick. Plaintiff Linda Oakes bought a 2015 Honda CR-V and within weeks of buying the SUV and when it had only 500 miles, the vehicle started shaking violently at a stop light. Oakes says the CR-V shakes to the point the steering wheel shakes in her hands. In January 2015, Oakes complained to Honda ...

• Subaru Melting Dashboard Lawsuit Headed for Court Owners of Subaru vehicles say melting dashboards can blind drivers with a sun-like glare.

  

  Aug 12, 2015 — A Subaru melting dashboard lawsuit has been filed alleging the automaker refuses to acknowledge the dashboards can melt and become shiny to the point of interfering with a driver's view. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes the 2005-2009 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles with allegedly defective dashboards that were manufactured to fail in high heat, sunlight and humidity. As a result, the dashboards are prone to melt, give off a chemical smell and ...

• Did Fiat Chrysler Investors Lose Because of Recall Failures? Investigation opened to determine if Fiat Chrysler shareholders have a case against the automaker.

  

  Aug 10, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler has been taking a beating lately and it looks like people are still swinging at the automaker. A Pennsylvania law firm has announced it's investigating Chrysler for a possible lawsuit over violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The investigation is being conducted on behalf of investors in Fiat Chrysler vehicles after the automaker admitted it failed to properly conduct recalls. In less than five weeks, Fiat Chrysler has faced a ...

• Fiat Chrysler Hacking Lawsuit Accuses Automaker of Fraud Lawsuit accuses Fiat Chrysler of failing to protect consumers against hacking threats.

  

  Aug 9, 2015 — It didn't take long for attorneys to file a lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US) after the automaker recalled 1.4 million vehicles to close security holes that can allow a hacker access to the vehicles. The Fiat Chrysler consumer fraud lawsuit was filed by three customers who claim the recall announced by Chrysler doesn't do enough to fix the dangers. The lawsuit references a July 21, 2015, Wired.com article that describes how two security ...

• The Effect 'Social Media' Has After a Car Recall Research indicates negative chatter on the Internet affects sales and stock prices of automakers.

  

  Aug 8, 2015 — New research into the impact of car recalls indicates the chatter created on the Internet by recalls not only hurts the company issuing the recall, but also hurts competitors of similar size. The research was conducted by Abhishek Borah, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Washington Foster School of Business , and Gerard Tellis, a professor of management at the USC Marshall School of Business . Wanting to know the effect so-called ...

• Ford F-150 Aluminum-Body Crash Test Results Ford F-150 aluminum Crew Cab aces crash tests, F-150 aluminum Extended Cab doesn't fare as well.

  

  Aug 8, 2015 — If you've been thinking about buying an Ford F-150 aluminum-body truck but have been curious just how safe that body is, the latest crash test results should ease your mind. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) pinned a 2015 'Top Safety Pick' award to the aluminum F-150 Crew Cab after the truck earned good ratings for occupant protection in all five tests: small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint crash ...

• OnStar Hacked, Tesla Hacked, Chrysler Hacked, Next? Hackers take control of GM's OnStar system and a Tesla Model S, all in the name of research.

  

  Aug 6, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler has been making the news lately after the media went wild with news of a Jeep Cherokee that was controlled by two hackers sitting in a basement . What followed was the recall of 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles , and semi-investigations opened by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While not calling them official investigations, NHTSA uses the labels "recall query" and "equipment query" to describe the government probe ...

• SPY Car Act of 2015 Introduced in Response to Hacking Legislators introduce Spy Car Act of 2015 after hackers prove they can take control from drivers.

  

  Aug 5, 2015 — Following the much publicized hacking of a Jeep Cherokee that sent its driver into a panic, two U.S. senators have introduced the Security and Privacy in Your Car Act of 2015, or the SPY Car Act of 2015. Introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the SPY Car Act of 2015 requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to set minimum standards and safeguards to protect drivers ...

• Fiat Chrysler Sued in Canada for $5 Billion Huge $5.2 billion Canadian lawsuit filed against Fiat Chrysler after its recall failures in the U.S.

  

  Aug 4, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler is on the receiving end of a $5.2 billion proposed class-action lawsuit in Canada after the automaker got pounded in the U.S. over recall failures. Merchant Law Group filed the lawsuit after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined Chrysler $105 million following an investigation into the automaker's handling of 23 recalls. Part of the agreement in the U.S. is the potential buyback of 193,000 Ram trucks and providing ...

• Stephen Stutzman GM Wrongful Death Lawsuit Moves Forward Lawsuit alleges Stephen Stutzman of Florida was killed in a crash caused by a defective Chevy van.

  

  Aug 3, 2015 — A wrongful death lawsuit filed against General Motors and a Florida auto dealer will proceed after a judge said there was enough evidence to support plaintiff claims. Stephen Stutzman, 22, was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Express 2500 van on August 14, 2012, when the van allegedly accelerated to 100 mph and crashed. Stutzman was pronounced dead at the scene. His parents, Karl and Sharon Stutzman, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against General Motors and a Florida ...

• GM Compensation Fund News: 124 Deaths, 275 Injuries GM compensation fund approves 124 death claims related to deadly ignition switches.

  

  Aug 3, 2015 — News of the GM compensation fund might be coming to a close as all death and injury claims have been evaluated and processed. The General Motors ignition switch compensation fund was created after the automaker admitted defective ignition switches had been in cars for over 10 years. Facing the potential of hundreds of lawsuits and making mistakes such as sending recall notices to deceased car owners , the fund administrator set aside $600 million and opened the ...

• Senate Passes Bill To Nail Car Manufacturers $105 Million in Fines Senate passes measure to increase cap on fines charged to automakers for violating safety laws.

  

  Aug 3, 2015 — The U.S. Senate took the first step to increasing the monetary fines that could be placed against automakers for violating federal safety laws. Tucked inside a six-year transportation bill passed by the Senate is a new cap to replace the current maximum $35 million the government can fine automakers. The new cap, set at $105 million, is still less than the $300 million safety groups requested, with some advocates wanting the cap removed completely. The bill ...

• Nissan LEAF Battery Lawsuit Gives a Charge to Owners A Nissan LEAF battery lawsuit claims the battery doesn't provide the mileage Nissan said it would.

  

  Aug 3, 2015 — A Nissan LEAF lawsuit filed three years ago has been settled after owners complained about batteries that didn't live up to advertised expectations. The settlement was reached after a judge approved the deal that will give affected owners of the 2011-2012 LEAF a new battery if their old battery decreases to fewer than nine bars of capacity on the instrument panel gauge. Owners may also choose to receive 90 days of free charging or if an owner isn't near a ...

• Kayla White Jeep Crash Lawsuit Forthcoming Kayla White and unborn son killed in Jeep Liberty crash that caused gas tank to explode.

  

  Aug 2, 2015 — The Kayla White Jeep crash that took the life of the pregnant 23-year-old will soon be in the legal news as Kayla's family prepares to stand against Fiat Chrysler in court. White and her unborn son died in a fiery Michigan crash of a 2003 Jeep Liberty that exploded into flames when it was struck from behind by a Cadillac. An autopsy determined Kayla White died of burns and smoke inhalation from the fire caused by the exploding gas tank.- Fiat Chrysler has ...

• Ford Power Steering Lawsuit Gets Green Light Ford power steering lawsuit accuses automaker of defective steering systems in the Fusion and Focus.

  

  Jul 30, 2015 — A Ford power steering lawsuit will move forward after a federal judge let some charges stand against the automaker over defect claims about the 2010-2014 Ford Fusion and 2012-2014 Ford Focus. Plaintiff William Philips claims the power steering is "prone to sudden and premature failure" that can could cause a driver to lose control. The Ford power steering lawsuit says the automaker created the system to take some of the burden off the engine, but the ...

• Remington Walden Jeep Crash Verdict Upheld by Judge Judge refuses to throw out Remington Walden jury verdict, but does lower damages to $40 million.

  

  Jul 29, 2015 — The Remington Walden Jeep crash that caused the fiery death of the 4-year-old boy will cost Fiat Chrysler $40 million, that's according to the judge overseeing a lawsuit about Remington's death. Remington Walden was killed in 2012 while riding in a booster seat in the back of a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was struck from behind by a Dodge Dakota. The Jeep gas tank leaked and engulfed Remington in flames while witnesses could only watch in shocked ...

• Fiat Chrysler Recall Failures: $105 Million Fine, Vehicle Buyback Program to Begin Fiat Chrysler agrees to pay penalties and begin vehicle buyback program due to recall violations.

  

  Jul 25, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (formerly Chrysler Group) will have to pay $70 million in cash to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for failures the automaker made in 23 recalls. Chrysler also agreed to spend $20 million on industry and consumer outreach activities and incentives to enhance recall completion rates, and to begin a buyback program for nearly 200,000 trucks and SUVs. Additionally, another $15 million will be set aside in an ...

• Hackers Take Control of a Jeep Cherokee, And it Ain't Pretty Learn what can happen when a hacker decides to control your car through the entertainment system.

  

  Jul 21, 2015 — What would you do if you were driving on a busy highway and the air conditioning suddenly kicked on when you didn’t touch a thing? How about if that was followed by the windshield wipers flying back and forth and the radio volume slowly creeping its way up to “speaker-crushing” levels? Or worse, the brakes stop working. Sound scary? A recent experiment conducted by Wired.com shows how this scenario is possible by hacking a car via a cellular connection. The ...

• BMW Lawsuit Says Sunroof Drain Tubes Leak Water Into The Trunk Owners claim BMW sunroof drain tubes leak water into the trunk and cause damage to electrical parts.

  

  Jul 20, 2015 — A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against BMW alleging millions of cars have a defect that allows the sunroof drain tubes to clog and send water into the trunk, drowning vital electrical components. Plaintiff George Catalano says he was driving his 2007 BMW 530xi when he received a warning of complete electrical failure before the BMW shut down on a busy highway. Once at the dealership, Catalano learned there was two inches of water covering the ...

• Toyota Corolla Electric Power Steering Lawsuit Agreed Upon Toyota Corolla electric power steering lawsuit finally nears the end as Toyota agrees to settle.

  

  Jul 19, 2015 — Toyota has agreed to settle a lawsuit that claims the 2009-2010 Toyota Corolla has electric power steering problems that cause the cars to feel like the wind is blowing them across the road. In 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated the alleged electric power steering problems, but closed the investigation in 2011. The investigation was opened after complaints about steering wheels that didn't feel "on-center" and left drivers ...

• Honda Finance Corp Fined $25 Million For Auto Loan Discrimination Government says African Americans, Hispanics and Asian/Pacific Islanders paid more in interest.

  

  Jul 19, 2015 — The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have settled allegations that American Honda Finance Corporation discriminated against African-American, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander borrowers related to auto loans. The $24 million settlement was agreed upon after an investigation of minority borrowers paying more for vehicles than qualified non-Hispanic white borrowers. The Justice Department accused Honda Finance Corporation of ...

• Ravi Ghataode's GForce Performance Chip Loses Horsepower Ravi Ghataode agrees to pay $400,000 for running GForce Performance Chip scam.

  

  Jul 18, 2015 — Ravi Ghataode and his GForce Performance Chip business have lost their horsepower after being charged with ripping off $15 million from consumers. Ghataode settled the charges by agreeing to shut down the GForce Chip business, agreeing to pay $400,000 in civil penalties and agreeing to reimburse buyers who complained. Ravi Ghataode, 32, is accused of unlawful business practices and engaging in false advertising by selling a fake performance chip to increase gas ...

• Nissan Sued Over Airbag Occupant Classification System Lawsuit accuses Nissan of selling cars with defective passenger occupant classification systems.

  

  Jul 18, 2015 — A Nissan occupant classification system lawsuit has been filed after Nissan recalled nearly 1 million vehicles for the problem, yet a Nissan owner says the recall didn't fix the problems. Plaintiff Matthew Senci filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the vehicles have occupant classification system software that can incorrectly classify a front passenger seat as empty when it's occupied by an adult passenger. The error can cause the airbag to ...

• Nissan Versa Plastic Trim Focus of Wrongful Death Lawsuit Lawsuit says Nissan Versa driver killed and injured people after his foot got stuck on gas pedal.

  

  Jul 18, 2015 — The 2012 Nissan Versa is the focus in a wrongful death lawsuit filed after the death of California woman and injuries to four others. The family of the 49-year-old killed in the accident filed the lawsuit against Nissan alleging the trim panel on the center console caused the driver's foot to get stuck on the gas pedal. The crash occurred on Sonoma Boulevard in Vallejo when the 65-year-old driver of a 2012 Nissan Versa left the road and struck five people. One ...

• New Law Proposed To Allegedly Jail Automaker Bigwigs Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2015 would give new powers to NHTSA, and try to scare auto execs.

  

  Jul 12, 2015 — Three U.S. senators have introduced a bill that could overhaul the way auto safety is handled in the country, including the possibility of sending auto execs to prison for hiding safety defects. Titled the "Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2015," the proposed legislation comes on the heels of massive recalls caused by deadly ignition switches and exploding airbags. Sponsored by Sens. Bill Nelson, Richard Blumenthal and Ed Markey, the legislation would give new ...

• NHTSA: Fiat Chrysler Didn't Do Its Job in 23 Recalls Safety regulators and public have harsh words for Chrysler during July 2 public hearing.

  

  Jul 4, 2015 — U.S. safety regulators and owners of Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) vehicles let the automaker have it with both barrels in a public hearing that accused Chrysler of failures in its recall process. The hearing was called after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noticed the automaker wasn't following federal regulations concerning 20 safety recalls. Additional information was discovered which caused NHTSA to add three recalls to the list, ...

• Lawsuit Seeks Relief For Kia Shattered Sunroofs Lawsuit accuses Kia of hiding defects that cause the panoramic sunroofs to shatter.

  

  Jul 1, 2015 — The alleged problems caused by Kia shattered sunroofs will possibly get attention in court as a proposed class-action lawsuit alleges the panoramic sunroofs explode. The lawsuit alleges the shattering occurs so powerfully owners believe it was a gunshot that is followed by shards of glass raining down. The following Kia vehicles are named in the shattered sunroof lawsuit. 2011-2015 Kia Sorento 2011-2015 Kia Optima 2011-2015 Kia ...

• Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 Engine Lawsuit Preliminarily Approved Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 engine problems will be covered by an extended warranty.

  

  Jun 23, 2015 — Without admitting wrongdoing, Mercedes-Benz has agreed to settle a lawsuit concerning M272 and M273 engines with defective idle gears and balance shafts. The plaintiffs allege Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 engines stop suddenly while driving and the only way to fix the engines is to replace the idle gears or balance shafts. Which part gets replaced is based on which engine is involved. The V-8 M273 engine needs the idle gear replaced, the V-6 M272 engine needs ...

• Ford 5.4 Liter Spark Plug Lawsuit Plaintiffs say Ford spark plugs break, automaker settles Ford 5.4 liter spark plug lawsuit.

  

  Jun 23, 2015 — Ford has agreed to settle a consolidated class-action lawsuit over spark plugs that can break when they are being changed. Six different Ford spark plug lawsuits were consolidated to represent Ford owners across the U.S. Owners complain about spark plugs that can be impossible to remove after the plugs break and get stuck in the engine. Additionally, owners who had to take their vehicles to dealers to have the spark plugs changed report paying as much as $1,200 ...

• Toyota Won't Get New Koua Fong Lee Camry Trial Judge says jury was correct when it said Toyota Camry has a design defect, $14 million awarded.

  

  Jun 22, 2015 — In what can only be described as a major slap-down to Toyota, a U.S. District judge said Toyota must abide by a jury ruling that says an accelerator defect caused a deadly 2006 crash . The case involved Koua Fong Lee, who was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry returning from church with his family in the Camry. Lee argued the car suddenly accelerated out of control and headed for an intersection. The Camry slammed into the rear of a 1995 Oldsmobile Ciera occupied by ...

• Fund: GM Ignition Switches Have Killed 117 People According to claims approved by the GM compensation fund, 117 people died from ignition switches.

  

  Jun 22, 2015 — General Motors and its defective ignition switches have been involved in 117 deaths and 354 injuries, that's according to the administrator of the ignition switch compensation fund created by GM. Facing government investigations , the recalls of millions of cars and the challenge of lawsuits , GM created the compensation fund after the government and public discovered the automaker hid deadly defects for over 10 years. The fund stopped accepting claim ...

• NHTSA Has Ignored 90 Percent of Consumer Auto Complaints Damning government report says NHTSA has let automakers call the shots concerning safety.

  

  Jun 22, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a failing grade in a 42-page report released by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General. NHTSA knew the hammer was getting ready to fall when earlier this month it admitted it has failed the American driving public . Now the inspector general audit has confirmed what many outside organizations--including CarComplaints.com and the Center for Auto Safety --have ...

• GM Sued For Mail and Wire Fraud, $10 Billion At Stake GM hit with $10 billion lawsuit that accuses the automaker of mail and wire fraud.

  

  Jun 21, 2015 — General Motors has been hit with an expanded class-action lawsuit that accuses the automaker of mail and wire fraud over its handling of deadly ignition switch defects. The lawsuit makes claims against the "New GM" (after it exited bankruptcy in 2009) of violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. According to the U.S. Department of Justice: "The purpose of the RICO statute is the elimination of the infiltration of ...

• Fiat Chrysler Must Answer Government Questions About 22 Recalls Government accuses Fiat Chrysler of failures in handling 22 recalls involving millions of vehicles.

  

  Jun 19, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released additional details why it believes Fiat Chrysler has failed its customers in the recall process. After announcing the government will hold a public hearing on July 2, 2015, about Fiat Chrysler's handling of 20 recalls, NHTSA says the hearing will include an additional two recalls ordered by Chrysler. NHTSA says it has "tentatively concluded" Fiat Chrysler hasn't adequately fixed vehicles ...

• Death of Jewel Brangman Caused by Takata Airbag Eighth Takata airbag victim, Jewel Brangman, killed in a rented 2001 Honda Civic.

  

  Jun 19, 2015 — Honda has confirmed an eighth death caused by metal shrapnel from an exploding Takata airbag. Jewel Brangman, 26, was driving a rented 2001 Honda Civic on September 7, 2014, when the Civic was involved in an accident in Los Angeles County. The accident caused the driver-side airbag to explode and Brangman to die from a laceration to the left side of her neck and a severe brain injury. The 2001 Honda Civic, owned by Sunset Car Rental LLC, of San Diego, had ...

• Chrysler 'False Park' Lawsuit Back in Gear Appeals court says Chrysler 'false park' wrongful death case can proceed.

  

  Jun 18, 2015 — A Dodge Grand Caravan "false park" lawsuit will proceed after a federal appeals court reversed an order that had dismissed wrongful death claims in the deaths of California couple, Roy and Rose Coats. What is "False Park?" A false park event, or "park-to-reverse" event, occurs when a driver moves the gear shifter to "park" but the transmission is not in park. The vehicle can then begin moving in reverse on its own. How a Tragedy Turned into a Lawsuit The ...

• Takata Airbag Recalls Expanded to 34 Million Vehicles U.S. government takes control of Takata airbag recalls, 34 million vehicles now affected.

  

  Jun 16, 2015 — After getting beat-up by a $14,000 daily fine concerning its defective airbag inflators, Takata is expanding previous airbag inflator recalls to include almost 34 million vehicles. Previous passenger-side airbag recalls that involved regional areas will now be expanded to include all areas of the U.S. involving more than 16 million vehicles. Other nationwide recalls will now be expanded to replace the driver-side airbag inflators in more than 17 million ...

• Honda Civic Owner Kylan Langlinais Killed By Airbag Lawsuit filed against Honda and Takata says exploding airbag killed 22-year-old Kylan Langlinais.

  

  Jun 12, 2015 — Honda has confirmed Kylan Langlinais of Louisiana was killed by an exploding Takata airbag in her 2005 Honda Civic, and a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Kylan's mothers says the same thing. The lawsuit says on April 5, 2015, Kylan Langlinais, 22, was driving a 2005 Honda Civic when the car left the road and hit a utility pole. The Takata airbag exploded and sent shards of metal into the occupant area, striking Langlinais in the right side of her neck. The ...

• Lawsuit Dismissed Over Suzuki Lighting Problems Lawsuit dismissed about Suzuki Forenza and Reno daytime running light and headlight problems.

  

  Jun 10, 2015 — Alleged fire dangers from overheating daytime running lights and headlight switches in Suzuki Forenza and Reno cars won't see the light of day in court after a federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed in Oklahoma. The plaintiff had filed the lawsuit after he allegedly experienced a fire in his 2007 Suzuki Forenza. Jason Dinwiddie claims his Forenza starting giving him headlight problems in July 2014, primarily by taking up to 40 minutes to shut down ...

• Audi A4 Oil Consumption Lawsuit Finally Approved Judge gives final approval to Audi A4, A5 and Q5 oil consumption lawsuit filed in 2012.

  

  Jun 9, 2015 — An Audi A4 oil consumption lawsuit has received final approval by a California judge, although Audi denies any wrongdoing in the case. The class-action lawsuit accuses Audi and Volkswagen of manufacturing cars that drink engine oil at alarming rates. The finalized settlement applies to owners and lessees of the 2009-2011 Audi A4, 2010-2011 Audi A5 and the 2011 Audi Q5 equipped with a factory-installed 2.0 liter TFSI longitudinal engine CAEB. All affected cars ...

• Lawsuit: Takata Airbag Killed Law Suk Leh and Unborn Daughter Lawsuit against Honda and Takata says Malaysian woman and unborn daughter killed by airbag.

  

  Jun 8, 2015 — News of airbag maker Takata being sued over injuries or deaths isn't really news any longer because it occurs on a regular basis. The same applies to Honda and the numerous lawsuits it's facing because of exploding airbags. However, those lawsuits have involved deaths and injuries inside the U.S. For the first time since Takata airbags have been linked to injuries and deaths, a lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. for two fatalities that occurred from one airbag ...

• Why Do Owners of Older Cars Ignore Recalls Half the Time? Only 44 percent of cars 5 to 10 years old are repaired during recalls.

  

  Jun 8, 2015 — What motivates a car owner to get their car fixed when a recall notice appears in the mail? If the fear of injury or death from a safety defect isn't enough to motivate a car owner, what would it take? The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is researching that question after determining the number of recalls ignored by the American public. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 12 vehicle manufacturers, including BMW, FCA US, ...

• NHTSA Admits It's Been Going in Circles Safety agency says it is revamping its safety procedures after GM ignition switch deaths.

  

  Jun 7, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has spent years going in circles but never really getting anywhere, that's according to reports which detail the agency's failures in the General Motors ignition switch catastrophe. Admitting it failed for over 10 years to protect American consumers from deadly GM ignition switches, NHTSA said its past investigations have fallen short and allowed automakers to call the shots about safety ...

• Ford Fusion Hybrid MPG Lawsuit Says Advertised MPG Is Wrong Owners complain the Ford Fusion Hybrid doesn't get the mpg it's supposed to get.

  

  Jun 7, 2015 — A Ford Fusion Hybrid mpg lawsuit alleges Ford falsely advertised the fuel economy of its Fusion Hybrid. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed by Dave DeLuca, who said his Ford Fusion Hybrid doesn't get anywhere near the gas mileage as advertised. DeLuca said he noticed the Fusion didn't seem to be getting the mileage it should, so he took the car back to the dealership and told them about the decreased fuel economy. According to the lawsuit, DeLuca was ...

• Pedal Pushers Pushing Wrong Pedals Cause 16,000 Crashes Nearly 16,000 crashes per year occur because of applying the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal.

  

  Jun 5, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says about 16,000 crashes occur each year because a driver applies the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal. News reports over the years from across the country have described the disastrous consequences that can occur when the wrong pedal is applied. Primarily, injuries and deaths caused to people and animals, and a ton of increased insurance rates from property damage caused by the pedal errors. The problem ...

• Fiat Chrysler Missed Legal Deadline in 5 Recalls Fiat Chrysler wants public hearing cancelled, admits 5 recall deadlines were missed.

  

  Jun 4, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler wants out of a July 2 public hearing over questions about 20 recalls ordered by the automaker. In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the automaker said it has improved its recall process, and that should be enough to skip appearing at a public hearing about the recalls. NHTSA wasn't impressed by the automaker's request and said the hearing will go forward as planned. The public hearing was announced after ...

• Takata Won't Immediately Stop Using Explosive Ammonium Nitrate Takata tells U.S. government that 'batwing' airbag inflators won't be flying much longer.

  

  Jun 3, 2015 — Airbag maker Takata says its previous airbag inflator design will eventually go the way of the horse and buggy after the recalls of about 50 million vehicles worldwide. In a statement made to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Takata Vice President Kevin Kennedy said most of the airbags that have exploded were on the driver's side and have metal inflators that use "batwing" propellant wafers. "Batwing-Equipped" Airbag Inflator Problems At ...

• Lawsuit Says One Jeep Wrangler Caused Massive Wildfire Did a defect in the 2009 Jeep Wrangler burn 7,000 acres, 122 homes and 66 cars?

  

  Jun 3, 2015 — A large insurance company has filed suit against Fiat Chrysler (Chrysler Group) claiming a 2009 Jeep Wrangler caused a massive California wildfire in 2013. USAA alleges the defective 2009 Jeep Wrangler burned over 7,000 acres, 122 homes, 29 other structures and 66 vehicles. The San Diego fire, referred to as the Chariot Fire, was allegedly started when the driver of the Jeep Wrangler drove through dry, tall brush. The driver, Jason Peters, worked for the U.S. ...

• 2015 Honda CR-V Vibration Lawsuit Filed Owners of the 2015 Honda CR-V say vibration is so bad it can make occupants sick.

  

  Jun 1, 2015 — A 2015 Honda CR-V vibration lawsuit has been filed that alleges the cars rattle and vibrate to the extent it can make an occupant nauseous. Plaintiff Vivian Romaya filed the proposed class-action lawsuit after purchasing a 2015 Honda CR-V in February 2015. The lawsuit alleges Honda knows about the problem but has no idea how to fix it. The plaintiff says the 2015 Honda CR-V was modified to include a direct-injection engine called "Earth Dreams." The lawsuit ...

• Fiat Chrysler Lowers Powertrain Warranty To 60,000 Miles Fiat Chrysler powertrain warranty goes from lifetime, to 100,000 miles and now to 60,000 miles.

  

  May 31, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler is downgrading its powertrain warranty on gas-powered Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles beginning with the 2016 models. Fiat Chrysler says the warranty period will drop from from 100,000 miles to 60,000 miles, following a similar move by General Motors a few months ago . Fiat Chrysler previously offered a lifetime guarantee on the powertrains until the automaker lowered it to a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty that started with 2010 ...

• Nissan Versa Lawsuit Alleges Coil Springs Break In Front Suspension Nissan Versa class-action lawsuit accuses automaker of selling cars with defective front suspensions

  

  May 31, 2015 — A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges 2007-2011 Nisan Versa cars have dangerous front suspensions with coil springs that can snap. The plaintiff, Mesrop Shirinyan, claims he experienced front suspension problems both during and after the warranty period. Shirinyan bought the new 2008 Nissan Versa in 2007 and by the time the car had 21,713 miles, the car had to be taken to a dealer because of a clunking noise coming from the front of the Versa. Mr. Shirinyan ...

• Michigan Used-Car Dealer Sold Fake Honda Airbags Eagle Auto Sales of Detroit, Michigan, used as a cover to import and sell counterfeit Honda airbags.

  

  May 30, 2015 — It's a strange world when a legitimate airbag maker has caused about 50 million vehicles to be recalled worldwide because of airbags that explode, and on the other hand, people are sentenced in court for selling counterfeit airbags that explode. Takata is the airbag maker creating news after confirmed reports of deaths and injuries caused by hot metal shooting out of airbags. Just in the U.S., over 34 million vehicles have been recalled to replace the metal ...

• Seven SUVs Confront The Small Overlap Crash Test Nissan Murano and Jeep Wrangler make it, but the Dodge Journey? Not so much.

  

  May 29, 2015 — Out of seven midsize SUVs, four failed to achieve a "good" or "acceptable" rating in the small overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an organization funded by insurance companies. The small overlap crash test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle hits an object at 40 mph. Numerous automakers have experienced problems with the test because it's more difficult than other crash tests. IIHS tested ...

• Halogen Headlights vs LED and HID Headlights Halogen headlights can't compete against LED and HID (high intensity discharge) headlights.

  

  May 22, 2015 — Using Halogen headlights in your car might not be the great idea you thought it could be, at least according to research performed by AAA . AAA tested three types of headlights: halogen, LED and HID, or "high intensity discharge" headlights. Researchers measured the distances that headlights illuminate non-reflective objects and found the results disappointing, regardless whether the high-beams or low-beams were activated. The big finding from the research ...

• Government To Continue Babysitting General Motors Safety agency says GM still needs a nanny to monitor safety issues.

  

  May 22, 2015 — After the grilling members of Congress gave the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over its failures to monitor the gambles of General Motors and its ignition switches, it looks like NHTSA is upping the ante with automakers. NHTSA took heat from Congress after it was discovered GM had concealed defective ignition switches in its cars during a 10-year period. It might have been a case of the wolf guarding the hen house based on the fact NHTSA ...

• Lawsuit Alleges 'New GM' Liable In Death of Tanner Tucker Wrongful death lawsuit accuses 'New GM' in the death of 17-year-old Tanner Tucker in 2002 Grand Am.

  

  May 20, 2015 — A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against General Motors that accuses the automaker of concealing its defective ignition switches after 2009. Plaintiffs Tracy and Denise Tucker filed the complaint for the wrongful death of their 17-year-old son, Tanner Tucker. The lawsuit was filed after a federal judge ruled GM owners couldn't sue the automaker for anything prior to July 2009 , the date GM emerged from bankruptcy. Part of the bankruptcy agreement ...

• GM Approves 104 Death Claims Related To Ignition Switches GM compensation fund approves 104 death claims and 191 injury claims caused by ignition switches.

  

  May 20, 2015 — General Motors defective ignition switches have caused 104 deaths, at least according to administrators of the compensation fund created to keep legal cases out of court. As of May 15, 2015, GM says the 104 death claims have been approved out of 474 claims submitted by GM owners, their families or representatives. GM was facing the very real threat of hundreds of lawsuits filed after the company admitted it waited over 10 years to recall ignition switches that ...

• Has Fiat Chrysler Failed Its Customers During 20 Recalls? Government seeks input if Fiat Chrysler dropped the ball in making recall repairs.

  

  May 19, 2015 — While airbag manufacturer Takata makes headlines for causing 34 million vehicles to be recalled to replace explosive airbags, Fiat Chrysler (formerly Chrysler Group) is facing big questions in the way it's handled recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold a public hearing on July 2, 2015, to determine if the automaker has failed to fix its cars in past recalls. But it's not just a few recalls NHTSA is questioning. It's 20 ...

• Heavy, Pricey Vehicles Really Are Safer To Occupants Research finds large heavy and expensive vehicles decrease your odds of being injured in a crash.

  

  May 17, 2015 — Does the price of a vehicle have any relation to how safe occupants are in that vehicle? Yes, so says research from the University at Buffalo in New York, and presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Researchers discovered not only does the weight of a vehicle have everything to do with surviving a crash, but how much you pay for the vehicle is almost as important. To reach their conclusions, researchers skipped the ...

• Federal Trade Commission Fights For Tesla Direct Sales Model FTC goes to bat for Tesla as states ban Tesla from selling its cars direct to consumers.

  

  May 16, 2015 — Electric automaker Tesla might be having problems with selling its cars direct to consumers without going through dealerships, but it's clear the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is backing Tesla in its no-dealer sales model. Tesla sells and services its cars through company-owned stores and service centers which cuts out the middleman in the sales process. That middleman is the standard auto dealership that buys cars from a manufacturer, then sells those cars to ...

• Honda CR-V Door Lock Lawsuit Finally Approved Judge gives final approval to Honda CR-V door lock lawsuit for model years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

  

  May 15, 2015 — A Honda CR-V door lock lawsuit has received final approval in federal court after Honda agreed to settle the case. The CR-V class-action lawsuit was originally filed in 2013 after an investigation into allegedly defective door lock systems installed in the small crossover SUVs. The plaintiffs claim the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V door lock actuators cause the doors to fail to lock or unlock from the inside of the SUVs and from the outside by using the fobs. The ...

• Duramax Diesel Engine Lawsuit Says Engines Cause Loss of Fuel Economy Owners say Duramax diesel engines have defects that cause people to pay too much for vehicles.

  

  May 10, 2015 — General Motors has been sued over its Duramax diesel engines based on claims the engines don't perform as advertised. Kenneth Dzieciolowski and Anthony Acedo filed the Duramax diesel engine lawsuit alleging defects cause decreased fuel economy due to soot filtered through a diesel particulate filter exhaust system. The lawsuit alleges when the trucks are traveling at slow speeds for extended periods of time, the driver will receive a message telling them to ...

• Fiat Chrysler Wants New Trial in Remi Walden Jeep Fire Death Fiat Chrysler says Remi Walden death in Jeep Grand Cherokee gas tank fire not worth $150 million.

  

  May 8, 2015 — Fiat Chrysler says the death of 4-year-old Remi Walden in a Jeep gas tank fire is not worth the $150 million awarded by a jury . Calling the jury's damage awards "stunning" and "grossly excessive," Fiat Chrysler has asked a Georgia judge for a new trial in the death of the boy who burned to death in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee fire. Remi was killed in 2012 while riding in a booster seat in the back of the Grand Cherokee that was stopped and waiting to turn left. ...

• Nissan Altima Rusted Floorboards Get Attention in Lawsuit Owners of the Nissan Altima say the floorboards rust so badly that drivers turn into the Flintstones

  

  May 5, 2015 — A Nissan Altima rusted floorboard lawsuit alleges the floors in the 2002-2006 Altima can rust so severely owners feel like they have become the Flintstones. Plaintiff Marie DeMaria filed the proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges rust and corrosion can cause the floorboards to rust so severely the occupants can see the road. Additionally, the holes are deceptively dangerous because the interior carpet can hide the rust and corrosion from Altima ...

• Hyundai Sonata Engine Failure Lawsuit Filed in California Class-action lawsuit alleges Theta II 2.4L engine fails in Hyundai Sonata cars.

  

  May 4, 2015 — A Hyundai Sonata engine failure lawsuit accuses Hyundai of manufacturing defective engines in model year 2011-2012 Sonatas. The class-action lawsuit was filed by Hyundai Sonata owner, Elizabeth Mendoza, who purchased a 2011 Hyundai Sonata in February 2012. In October 2014, and with about 85,000 miles on the odometer, Mendoza heard a loud knocking noise coming from the engine. She brought the Sonata to a dealership and was told a piston had blown out. Mendoza ...

• General Motors Approves 90 Death Claims Related to Ignition Switches GM says 90 deaths and 163 injuries tied to defective ignition switches.

  

  Apr 28, 2015 — General Motors has approved 90 death claims related to defective ignition switches that can shut off from a simple bump in the road. GM opened the ignition switch compensation fund with $400 million and another $200 million in reserve if needed. As the automaker was overwhelmed by hundreds of lawsuits related to the switches, GM created the fund to keep some cases out of court. Accepting a settlement from the fund means waiving the right to sue GM for the ...

• Federal Judge: GM Not Liable in Deaths and Injuries General Motors gives one-finger salute to millions of its customers.

  

  Apr 16, 2015 — General Motors, the automaker that went bankrupt only to be bailed out by a $49.5 billion loan from U.S. taxpayers, breathed an enormous sigh of relief as a federal judge ruled pre-bankrupt "Old GM" could not be held accountable in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of people. The U.S. government not only bailed out GM while the automaker hid ignition switch defects, but part of the bankruptcy agreement also gave GM immunity for its actions prior to July ...

• Nissan Timing Chain Lawsuit Filed in New York Nissan timing chain lawsuit accuses Nissan of concealing defects in popular models since 2004.

  

  Apr 14, 2015 — A Nissan timing chain lawsuit accuses Nissan of manufacturing some of its most popular models with defective timing chain tensioning systems. Currently the class-action lawsuit includes all current and former Nissan owners and lessees who reside in New York, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey. However, it's possible the lawsuit could be expanded to include Nissan owners in other states. The Nissan timing chain lawsuit names the affected vehicles as the ...

• Ram Truck Window Sticker Lawsuit Says Rear Axle Ratio Is Wrong Lawsuit alleges Ram trucks are worth less because they were sold with the wrong window stickers.

  

  Apr 14, 2015 — A Ram truck class-action lawsuit accuses Chrysler (FCA US) of selling trucks with incorrect information on the window stickers. Plaintiff Robert K. Besley, Jr., purchased the 2014 Ram 1500 Big Horn truck in January 2014, from a dealership in Aiken, South Carolina. The window sticker, called a Monroney sticker, said the 2014 Ram 1500 Big Horn truck had “optional” equipment, specifically the “Customer Preferred Package 26Z,” which included a 3.55 Rear Axle Ratio. ...

• Ford Ordered to Pay $3 Million in Crash of 2001 Ford Ranger Lawsuit claims defective speed control cable caused throttle to stick open in West Virginia crash.

  

  Apr 13, 2015 — A West Virginia couple has won a $3 million jury verdict against Ford Motor Co. after Ford was found guilty of manufacturing a 2001 Ford Ranger with a defective accelerator assembly. The 2013 lawsuit, filed by Howard Nease in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, accuses Ford of manufacturing the truck with a defective speed control cable inside the accelerator assembly that can cause the throttle to stick open. The lawsuit alleges ...

• Lawsuit Filed Over 2012 Toyota Camry Air Conditioner Smell Class-action lawsuit alleges 2012 Toyota Camry fills with moldy smells eminating from HVAC vents.

  

  Apr 12, 2015 — A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed alleging the 2012 Toyota Camry air conditioning/heating system fills the car with a moldy smell so obnoxious it could awaken a corpse. Plaintiff Alan Forsley says the 2012 Camry grows mold on the evaporator inside the Camry's dashboard. The lawsuit alleges pollen, moisture, insects and pieces of leaves enter the HVAC system from the outside vents and can cause mold to grow. Forsley isn't the only 2012 Toyota ...

• Steering Wheels Stick in the Chevy Cruze, Malibu and Buick Verano GM won't recall Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu or Buick Verano for steering wheels that stick.

  

  Apr 11, 2015 — According to a report from The New York Times , General Motors has decided a steering issue in its cars is not worthy of a recall, even though two owners said the problem caused them to crash. The report specifically names the 2013-14 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Malibu as the cars responsible for over 50 steering complaints made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners are complaining about steering wheels that stick in ...

• Exploding Takata Airbags Inflict Injuries to Honda Drivers Two more Honda drivers injured by exploding metal shooting from Takata airbags.

  

  Apr 10, 2015 — Facing over 85 lawsuits and numerous investigations, it looks like airbag maker Takata now has more victims to deal with after additional reports of exploding airbags in Florida. Honda confirmed the driver of a 2003 Honda Civic received neck injuries when the Takata airbag exploded in a March accident. Hospital records confirm shrapnel was removed from the driver's neck following emergency surgery. The unnamed Honda driver said they did receive a recall ...

• BMW TwinPower Turbo Engine Lawsuit Says a Name is Everything Lawsuit alleges BMW misled consumers by calling a single-turbo engine a 'TwinPower Turbo'

  

  Apr 5, 2015 — What's the difference between a BMW TwinPower Turbo engine and a single turbocharged engine? According to a class-action lawsuit against BMW, the engine name is everything. Even where the word "twin" is used in a phrase has created legal questions. The lawsuit says from model years 2007-2009, BMW manufactured its cars with the twin-turbo N54 engine which provided 8-cylinder engine levels of horsepower and torque while providing the fuel economy of a ...

• Family of Remington Walden Awarded $150 Million in Jeep Fire Lawsuit Jury finds Chrysler guilty in death of 4-year-old Remington Walden in Jeep Grand Cherokee fire.

  

  Apr 2, 2015 — The family of Remington Walden has been awarded $150 million after a Georgia jury found Chrysler guilty in the death of the 4-year-old boy. The lawsuit accuses Chrysler of knowing since the 1970s the location of the gas tank in Jeep SUVs were infernos waiting to happen, but chose to ignore the dangers. Remington was killed in 2012 while riding in a booster seat in the back of a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep was stopped and waiting to turn left when the ...

• Driver Privacy Act to Tackle Questions About Privacy of 'Black Boxes' Federal legislation aims to protect personal data contained in a car's event data recorder.

  

  Apr 1, 2015 — While the auto industry works its way to self-driving cars, our vehicles are already so electronically connected that personal privacy has become an issue on the highways. One of the electronic gadgets that have some privacy advocates worried is the car's "black box," also known as an event data recorder (EDR). Similar to the so-called black boxes found in airplanes, the EDR has the ability to collect at least 43 pieces of information including direction, ...

• News of Tesla Model W Proves Some People Can't Read Stocks jump and trading skyrockets on announcement of the new Tesla Model W.

  

  Apr 1, 2015 — Electric automaker Tesla got the attention of stock traders just minutes after the automaker announced a new product line called the Model W. Using the headline, "Announcing the Tesla Model W," the automaker saw its stock jump almost one percent with almost 400,000 shares traded in only a few minutes. Some news organizations picked up the headline while Twitter helped push the "news." Apparently certain news organizations and many stock traders neglected to ...

• Takata Class-Action Lawsuits Filed in Canada Over Exploding Airbags Takata facing three class-action lawsuits in Canada due to exploding airbags, more lawsuits likely.

  

  Mar 31, 2015 — Airbag manufacturer Takata has seen its share of lawsuits filed in the U.S. alleging the airbags contain defects in the metal inflators that cause the airbags to explode into flying pieces of metal. Considering the U.S. is full of these lawsuits, Canadian law firms are now entering the rink with their own lawsuits representing residents of Canada. Three Canadian firms have filed lawsuits against Takata, and a fourth law firm is preparing to do the same. If ...

• Ford Freestyle Engine Surge Lawsuit Not Dead Yet Lawsuit alleges Ford Freestyle engines can surge and experience unintended acceleration.

  

  Mar 29, 2015 — A Ford Freestyle engine surge lawsuit might finally get its day in court as a class-action complaint. Plaintiff Gene Edwards filed the lawsuit in 2011 alleging model year 2005-2007 Freestyle cars have defective electronic throttle control systems that Ford concealed from the public. The lawsuit alleges the defect can cause the Freestyle engine to surge when idling or can cause unintended acceleration in both drive and reverse. In February 2012, the plaintiff ...

• Family of Ignition Switch Victim Brooke Melton Settles GM Lawsuit Brooke Melton died in a 2005 Chevy Cobalt due to GM's inaction on deadly ignition switches.

  

  Mar 25, 2015 — The family of Georgia woman Brooke Melton has settled a second lawsuit out of court that accused General Motors of hiding deadly defects in millions of ignition switches. Melton was killed on her 29th birthday after her 2005 Chevy Cobalt went out of control, hit an oncoming vehicle and landed in a creek 15 feet below. Accident investigators determined Brooke was traveling 58 mph with a posted speed limit of 55. Brooke's family hired an engineer who discovered ...

• BMW's MINI Division Busted By FTC For Violating Warranty Act Federal Trade Commission says MINI owners were led astray concerning warranty repairs.

  

  Mar 23, 2015 — Owners of MINI vehicles can expect things to change concerning repairs made under warranty. BMW of North America has agreed to settle charges brought against its MINI division by the Federal Trade Commission after the FTC said it had "reason to believe" MINI was breaking the law. The FTC accused MINI of violating the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act by wrongly telling MINI owners the warranty would be void unless MINI parts were used and MINI dealers performed ...

• Ford Focus and Fusion Power Steering Lawsuit On the Brink Owners of the Ford Focus and Ford Fusion face uphill battle in power steering lawsuit.

  

  Mar 23, 2015 — Owners who have complained about power steering problems in their 2010-2014 Ford Fusion and 2012-2014 Ford Focus cars won't be getting any relief in court, at least not right now. The June 2014 lawsuit alleges Ford knowingly sold Ford Fusion and Focus cars with power steering systems that can leave a driver powerless to steer. Ford manufactured the power steering system as a way to allegedly place less burden on the engine and therefore save money on gas. The ...

• Ford Unintended Acceleration Lawsuit Filed in Louisiana Owner of 2000 Ford Explorer says unintended acceleration caused accident and injuries.

  

  Mar 18, 2015 — A Ford unintended acceleration lawsuit alleges a 2000 Ford Explorer experienced sudden unintended acceleration from a defective speed control switch. The lawsuit alleges on or about March 1, 2013, Ernest Jackson was traveling about 55 mph in his 2000 Ford Explorer with the cruise control feature activated. Jackson says the Explorer started to accelerate on its own without warning, which caused him to hit the brakes followed by the emergency brake, all to no ...

• GM Ignition Switch Deaths at 67 GM ignition switch compensation fund approves 67 death claims and 113 injury claims.

  

  Mar 17, 2015 — General Motors has approved 67 death claims related to defective ignition switches that caused cars to shut off while driving and led to airbag failures. GM opened the ignition switch compensation fund with $400 million and another $200 million in reserve if needed. As the automaker was overwhelmed by hundreds of lawsuits related to the switches, GM created the fund to keep some cases out of court. Accepting a settlement from the fund means waiving the right to ...

• General Motors Sued For 15 Alleged Defects From airbags to transmission-related defects, this General Motors lawsuit has it all.

  

  Mar 15, 2015 — As General Motors continues to evaluate death and injury claims submitted to its ignition switch compensation fund , many GM owners have skipped applying to the fund and instead filed lawsuits. A Texas lawsuit is the latest such lawsuit to accuse GM of selling 15 million vehicles with deadly ignition switch defects. However, the lawsuit also accuses GM of numerous other failures related to everything from airbags to the power steering systems. The ignition ...

• GM Lowers Warranty Coverage From 100,000 Miles to 60,000 Miles Chverolet and GMC cars will lose 40,000 miles of warranty coverage starting with 2016 models.

  

  Mar 13, 2015 — Buying a car means looking at the warranty, and common sense says the longer the warranty the more likely the shopper is to believe the automaker is standing behind their product. Unless that automaker is General Motors, which is decreasing its warranty coverage on model year 2016 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles. GM was apparently using the 100,000 mile/5-year warranty to help sell cars, but now believes the warranty really doesn't matter. The automaker is taking ...

• Massive Car Hacking Lawsuit Filed Against Ford, GM and Toyota Lawsuit says car hackers can take over functions of a car without the automaker knowing it.

  

  Mar 12, 2015 — Three of the largest automakers in the world have been sued for allegedly leaving their customers potential victims to car hackers. The lawsuit was filed just weeks after U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) released a report claiming car companies are failing against hackers . The car hacking lawsuit, filed by lead plaintiffs Helene Cahen, Kerry J. Tompulis, and Merrill Nisam, alleges Ford, GM and Toyota vehicles contain flaws that allow hackers to control the ...

• Chrysler Alternator Lawsuit Says Owners Tired of Problems Lawsuit alleges Chrysler alternators can catch fire while owners wait for replacement parts.

  

  Mar 11, 2015 — The subject of Chrysler alternator problems is headed to court as a proposed class-action lawsuit was filed alleging Chrysler (now FCA US) used defective 160-amp alternators that can catch fire. In July 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into alternator failures in 123,000 model year 2011-2012 Dodge Chargers . Then in October 2014, Chrysler recalled over 470,000 model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, ...

• Toyota Prius Gas Mileage Lawsuit Not Out of Gas Court battle continues over claims Toyota Prius gas mileage estimates didn't match advertising.

  

  Mar 8, 2015 — A Toyota Prius gas mileage lawsuit isn't out of fuel even after an ongoing six-year court battle. The Prius lawsuit was filed in 2009 by Greg Reynante after he alleged Toyota knew the Prius couldn't get the fuel efficiency that was promised in marketing materials. The Toyota Prius lawsuit alleges the automaker misled consumers regarding the fuel efficiency in the 2004-2007 Prius Hybrid. The lawsuit specifically alleges people were misled by Toyota's marketing ...

• Lawsuit Filed Over 2015 Acura TLX Transmission Problems Owners of the 2015 Acura TLX claim transmissions jerk, hesitate and are a danger on the roads.

  

  Mar 8, 2015 — A model year 2015 Acura TLX transmission lawsuit has been filed in California federal court that alleges the transmission is dangerous and a hazard to driving. Plaintiff Roger Kornfein filed the lawsuit against Honda, the parent company of Acura, claiming the TLX transmission can cause problems with controlling the car. Mr. Kornfein claims his new 2015 Acura TLX started experiencing problems just a few weeks after buying the car. The plaintiff says while making ...

• BMW Z4 Cracked Wheels Lawsuit Settlement Agreement Reached BMW agrees to honor warranty relating to cracked wheels and tires on 2009-2013 BMW Z4 cars.

  

  Mar 6, 2015 — A BMW Z4 cracked wheels lawsuit has reached the settlement stage as BMW agrees to cover the cost of replacement Z4 wheels and damaged tires under the warranty period. The BMW Z4 cracked wheels lawsuit was filed by Barry Jekowsky after he was forced to pay over $2,000 to replace the V Spoke Style 296 alloy wheels and two tires that were cracking and splitting. Jekowsky had leased the 2011 BMW Z4 with a warranty period of four years/50,000 miles and according ...

• Airbag Maker Takata Ordered To Save All Metal Airbag Inflators Government warns Takata not to destroy recalled airbag inflators, expands investigation.

  

  Feb 26, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is demanding airbag maker Takata save all metal airbag inflators that have caused over 17 million cars to be recalled. In an ongoing dispute with Takata, NHTSA wants the inflators saved not only for government investigators, but also for drivers who file lawsuits against Takata. The government order follows the announcement NHTSA is fining Takata $14,000 for each day the airbag maker doesn't "fully ...

• Takata Gives NHTSA 2.4 Million Documents, Gets $14,000 Daily Fine Government hits airbag maker Takata with $14,000 daily fine for not "cooperating" in investigation.

  

  Feb 21, 2015 — Airbag maker Takata has learned what not to do when the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates a company for alleged wrongdoing. Takata found out it's not a good idea to throw 2.4 million pages of documents at NHTSA without explaining anything about those documents. NHTSA had requested all documents related to an ongoing investigation into metal Takata airbag inflators that can explode when the airbags deploy. Those exploding ...

• Hyundai Blue Link Lawsuit Says System Decreases Vehicle Values Lawsuit alleges Blue Link telematics system can be disabled and cause a loss of vehicle value.

  

  Feb 19, 2015 — A Hyundai Blue Link lawsuit alleges the automaker failed to inform owners the telematics system will be disabled if inactive for more than one year, and to reactivate the system an owner will allegedly be forced to change hardware at a minimum cost of $500. Plaintiff Guy Coss owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid he purchased from a dealership in the state of Washington, on February 8, 2012. Coss says the car included the Blue Link telematics system and a free ...

• Defective GM Ignition Switches Have Killed 56 People GM approves 56 death claims related to deadly ignition switch failures, 87 injury claims approved.

  

  Feb 16, 2015 — General Motors has approved payments to families and loved ones of 56 people who died in GM cars with ignition switches that can turn off from a simple bump in the road. GM knew of the defective switches for over 10 years and quietly ignored reports of cars that would shut down and lose all power on the roads. Among the lawsuits , investigations and recalls of millions of vehicles, the automaker opened a compensation fund for those affected by the ignition ...

• Kia Optima Door Lock Problems Focus of Class-Action Lawsuit Kia Optima owners claim door lock problems cause doors to fail to open from the inside and outside.

  

  Feb 15, 2015 — Kia Optima door lock problems will get a close look in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by the owner of a 2003 Kia Optima who claims having problems unlocking both front doors. The lawsuit alleges model year 2001-2006 Optimas have defective door lock mechanisms that can lock a person inside or outside the car, leading to a dangerous situation during an emergency. Plaintiff Colleen Davison filed the lawsuit after she began having problems with both front ...

• U.S. Auto Safety Watchdog Website Littered With Scam Links CarComplaints.com finds hundreds of hidden adware links embedded in NHTSA website.

  

  Feb 12, 2015 — In an age where trust in the U.S. government is not at an all-time high, the managing editor of CarComplaints.com discovered something that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the powers that be. Mike Wickenden accessed the complaint database of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and noticed something strange within the text of some complaints. Embedded in the complaint descriptions were malicious links that a user could click and be taken to ...

• Car Companies Fail Against Hackers Automakers are far behind the times when it comes to protecting our cars against hackers.

  

  Feb 9, 2015 — Are you prepared to install anti-spyware, anti-virus, anti-malware and electronic firewalls on your car? Based on what U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) says, the day is near where we might have to treat our cars like our computers. Today's cars are battery-operated computers on wheels and a growing target of hackers worldwide. Each year the typical automobile is manufactured with an ever-growing jumble of sensors and electronics, and it will only continue as ...

• Honda Accord Owner Carlos Solis Killed By Exploding Takata Airbag Texas man dies after Takata airbag exploded in a Honda Accord involved in a fender-bender.

  

  Feb 8, 2015 — Another driver of a Honda Accord has been killed by an exploding Takata airbag, this time in Spring, Texas. Carlos Solis, 35, was driving a 2002 Honda Accord when his car was involved in a minor fender-bender. Although the car had only minor damage, the Takata airbag exploded sending shrapnel into Solis' neck. He died at the scene while his brother was trying to stop the bleeding from the neck wound. The death of Carlos Solis is believed to be the sixth in a ...

• Chevy Volt Liftgate Strut Rod Problems Will Be Repaired Chevy Volt liftgates that fall down need the struts / rods repaired to hold the hatch open.

  

  Feb 5, 2015 — Don't call it a Chevy Volt recall, but General Motors said it will fix liftgate problems in the 2011-2014 Chevy Volt under "customer satisfaction program N140274 - Liftgate Strut Rod Detach." GM isn't calling it a recall because the automaker doesn't consider a falling liftgate a safety issue. While it might not affect the safety of driving the Volt, a rear hatch that can unexpectedly close and fall on your head (or other body parts) is seen as a safety problem ...

• Toyota To Pay $11 Million In Camry Unintended Acceleration Case Toyota mostly to blame in Camry crash that sent one person to prison and killed three.

  

  Feb 3, 2015 — Toyota will pay $11 million in damages to crash victims and their families after a jury found the automaker 60 percent liable in a deadly 2006 unintended acceleration crash. The accident involved driver Koua Fong Lee, who had been at a church function with his pregnant wife, child, and his father and brother. Lee was driving his 1996 Toyota Camry when it suddenly accelerated out of control and headed for an intersection. According to the lawsuit, the Toyota ...

• Ford Lawsuit Alleges Engine Problems in 2004-2008 Models Ford lawsuit accuses automaker of ignoring engine problems in hundreds of thousands of vehicles.

  

  Feb 3, 2015 — A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against Ford over alleged engine problems in hundreds of thousands of vehicles. The plaintiff is Eric Nolan Clark, the owner of a 2005 Ford F-150 who started having engine problems when the truck had less than 80,000 miles. Clark claims he had to pay for the repairs even though Ford should have covered it under warranty. The lawsuit alleges model year 2004-2008 Ford vehicles experience acceleration problems, ...

• Prosecutors Say GForce Performance Chip a Scam California lawsuit says GForce Performance Chip a sham and nothing more than a circuit board.

  

  Jan 28, 2015 — The GForce Performance Chip is marketed and sold as a way to improve the performance of your car, but the state of California says it's all a sham. California has sued Ravi Ghataode, the owner of Gold Star Auto Sound and the creator of the GForce Performance Chip. The lawsuit alleges Ghataode made at least $15 million selling $69 GForce Performance Chips to more than 300,000 consumers who were "duped" into buying the so-called chip. California prosecutors say ...

• Lawsuit Filed Over Chrysler Pacifica Engine Cradle Rust Problems Chrysler Pacifica rusted engine cradles focus of class-action lawsuit involving over 300,000 cars.

  

  Jan 28, 2015 — A class-action lawsuit filed in Ohio alleges model year 2004-2008 Chrysler Pacifica cars have engine cradles that rust so severely the engines can fall out of the cars. The lawsuit includes current owners of 2004-2008 Chrysler Pacificas with engine cradles that rust, corrode or experience perforation. Any Pacifica cars that have already been properly repaired by FCA US (formerly Chrysler) are not included in this lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim FCA US didn't ...

• Ford Fiesta and Focus Transmission Lawsuit Filed After Complaints Class-action lawsuit accuses Ford of making defective transmissions in the Ford Fiesta and Focus.

  

  Jan 25, 2015 — A Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus transmission lawsuit has been filed after numerous reports of transmissions that slip, jerk, shudder and perform a host of other unwanted problems. The class-action lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Omar Vargas, Robert Bertone, Michelle Harris and Sharon Heberling who want the alleged transmission problems fixed in the 2011-2013 Ford Fiesta and the 2012-2013 Ford Focus. The lawsuit alleges the $1,095 dual clutch transmission ...

• GM Orders Stop-Sale on Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia Cracked Goodyear tires cause GM to stop selling three new models until the tires are replaced.

  

  Jan 24, 2015 — If you were in the mood to buy a new Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse or GMC Acadia, you might have to extend your mood a little while longer. General Motors has ordered dealers to stop selling about 6,300 of those model year 2015 crossover SUVs because of problems with the Goodyear tires. Those tires, 18-inch Fortera HL, were found during endurance testing to have small cracks in treads. Goodyear says over 32,000 of the tires were made specifically for GM SUVs, a ...

• Toyota To Replace Melting, Cracked, Sticky Shiny Dashboards Toyota extends warranty coverage for dashboards that crack, melt, get sticky or shiny from heat.

  

  Jan 21, 2015 — After years of complaints and recent lawsuits, Toyota has agreed to replace about 3.5 million dashboards that get sticky, cracked, shiny and melt in heat and humidity. Calling it a "Customer Support Program" - ZE6 - Toyota will extend dashboard warranty coverage on the following Toyota and Lexus vehicles. 2003-2005 Toyota 4Runner 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon 2007-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid 2004-2010 Toyota Sienna 2004-2008 Toyota ...

• GM Approves 49 Death Claims Related To Deadly Ignition Switches Ignition switch compensation fund deadline approaches, GM approves 49 death claims, 71 injury claims

  

  Jan 20, 2015 — With less than 2 weeks to file a claim against General Motors over its deadly ignition switch failures, GM has approved 49 death claims and 65 injury claims. GM started the ignition switch compensation fund after the beating the automaker received for hiding the switch defects from the public for over 10 years. The automaker set aside $400 million to open the fund on August 1, 2014, and planned on closing the claim submission deadline on December 31, 2014. ...

• Honda and Takata Sued After Airbag Sends Shrapnel Into Woman's Chest Honda Civic owner sues Honda and Takata after exploding airbag caused chest injuries.

  

  Jan 19, 2015 — A South Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against Honda and its airbag supplier Takata after suffering injuries from metal fragments from an airbag. Plaintiff Angelina Sujata says she was seriously injured in a 2012 crash of her 2001 Honda Civic. According to the lawsuit, the Honda Civic was struck from behind which caused the driver-side frontal airbag to deploy. The airbag allegedly exploded and sent shrapnel into the chest of Sujata causing her to require ...

• Nissan Pathfinder Transmission Lawsuit Gets in Gear Class-action lawsuit says 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmissions shake and shudder.

  

  Jan 15, 2015 — A Nissan Pathfinder transmission lawsuit will try to get to the bottom of alleged transmission problems in model year 2013-2014 Pathfinder SUVs. The Pathfinder class-action lawsuit accuses Nissan of failing to warn consumers about transmissions that can cause the Pathfinders to shake and shudder violently when accelerating between 15 to 30 mph. This makes it especially dangerous when it happens in the midst of heavy traffic. "What the hell? The first time ...

• Mercedes-Benz Seat Heater Lawsuit Fires Up Owners claim Mercedes-Benz seat heater fires damage cars, clothing and drivers.

  

  Jan 14, 2015 — A lawsuit filed in a California court alleges Mercedes-Benz seat heater fires can occur because of a defect in the system. The proposed class-action lawsuit says Mercedes-Benz has concealed the dangers of the seat heaters in cars manufactured between 2000 and 2014. Plaintiffs William and Elizabeth Callaway say they would not have purchased their 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 if the automaker would have been honest about the dangers of the seat heaters. The lawsuit ...

• Chevy Volt Steering Problems Lawsuit Filed In New Jersey Lawsuit says Chevy Volt steering problems have been ignored by General Motors.

  

  Jan 12, 2015 — A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Chevy Volt steering problems are a dangerous safety issue that has been ignored by General Motors. The lawsuit alleges model year 2011-2014 Chevy Volts have steering wheels that can't be turned and leave drivers powerless to steer the cars. "At any speed over 57mph, if you leave the steering wheel centered (such as on a long straightaway) the steering wheel will lock in that center position. It takes significant force ...

• Honda Fined $70 Million For Failing to Report Deaths and Injuries Government whacks Honda for failing to report 1,729 death and injury claims.

  

  Jan 9, 2015 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has nailed Honda with two $35 million civil penalties for failing to report deaths, injuries and warranty claims to the government. Honda agreed to pay the $70 million fine after the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) requested a federal investigation of Honda . CAS found evidence that Honda had not been properly filing mandatory early warning reports. NHTSA opened an investigation into the claims in ...

Vehicle news archives for past years: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S