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• Porsche Beige Interior Glare Lawsuit Settlement Reached Porsche agrees to settle lawsuits that claim beige interiors create a glare on the windshields.

  

  Dec 30, 2016 — Porsche beige interior glare lawsuits will be settled after owners sued over cars with beige interiors that allegedly reflect a dangerous glare off the windshields. Porsche and plaintiffs from different class-action lawsuits agreed to settle the cases after fighting back and forth in the courts since 2015. One of the lawsuits was filed by Roy Jones and Alyce Rubinfeld , who claim Luxor Beige, Sand Beige and other light-colored dashboards create a blinding ...

• Nissan Power Valve Screws Lawsuit Settlement Reached Nissan agrees to settle power valve screws lawsuit for certain Altima, Pathfinder and Sentra owners.

  

  Dec 26, 2016 — A Nissan power valve screws lawsuit settlement agreement has been reached for current or former owners or lessees who purchased or leased the following vehicles in California: 2001-2004 Nissan Pathfinders with VQ35 engines, and 2002-2005 Nissan Altima and Sentra vehicles equipped with QR25 engines . The lawsuit alleges Nissan Altima, Pathfinder and Sentra vehicles have power valve screws located on the intake manifolds that can come loose and be sucked into the ...

• NHTSA to Tackle Cybersecurity and Talking Cars Government says guidelines will help protect cars from hackers, just as talking cars start to arrive

  

  Dec 25, 2016 — With self-driving cars on the horizon, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is getting more serious about the subjects of hacking and cybersecurity. After the fallout from a Jeep Cherokee being taken over by friendly hackers , members of Congress upped the game by requesting from NHTSA details about the cybersecurity of on-board diagnostic" (OBD-II) ports. Those ports first arrived on the scene when the Internet was still in the cradle and ...

• GM Petitions Supreme Court Over Ignition Switch Claims General Motors says owners have no right to file claims for actions taken prior to July 2009.

  

  Dec 25, 2016 — General Motors and its deadly ignition switches shouldn't be the target of lawsuits for any actions that took place before 2009 government bailout and bankruptcy, at least according to what attorneys for the automaker told the U.S. Supreme Court. In a bid to overturn a lower court ruling that allowed certain claims to proceed based on GM's conduct prior to 2009, GM petitioned the Supreme Court to block lawsuits based on claims related to pre-bankrupt GM. The ...

• Toyota Wants Court to Toss $11 Million Koua Fong Lee Award Toyota says $11.4 million award in Koua Fong Lee unintended acceleration case should be tossed.

  

  Dec 23, 2016 — The saga of Toyota owner Koua Fong Lee continues in court as Toyota has asked an appeals court to overrule and get rid of an $11.4 million award to occupants involved in an alleged unintended acceleration crash. Koua Fong Lee was driving home from a church function with his pregnant wife, child, and his father and brother, when the 1996 Toyota Camry rear-ended a 1995 Oldsmobile Ciera, killing two people and leaving a six-year-old girl a quadriplegic. Javis ...

• Judge to VW Owners: Better Not Strip Your Cars Judge says Volkswagen doesn't have to buy back stripped down cars in emissions settlement.

  

  Dec 22, 2016 — Volkswagen owners who are planning on stripping down their vehicles before the automaker buys back those vehicles may need to rethink what they are doing as the federal judge in charge of the emissions scandal warns he won't tolerate such actions. The judge further says Volkswagen doesn't have to tolerate those actions and will flatly refuse to buy back vehicles that have been picked to the bones. As part of VW's $10.3 billion buyback offer to owners of ...

• Volkswagen 3-Liter Diesel Settlement Reached VW will recall and allegedly repair 63,000 vehicles, another 20,000 will likely be bought back.

  

  Dec 20, 2016 — A Volkswagen 3-liter diesel settlement agreement has been reached for U.S. owners of about 83,000 3-liter TDI vehicles with V6 diesel engines. In addition to affecting 3-liter diesel owners, the agreement involves the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General. Under the proposed 3-liter diesel agreement, Volkswagen will be allowed to recall more than 75 percent of the illegal vehicles ...

• Mercedes-Benz and Autobahn RICO Act Lawsuit Dismissed Judge dismisses lawsuit that alleges Mercedes-Benz sold cheap parts but charged for genuine parts.

  

  Dec 19, 2016 — A Mercedes-Benz RICO Act lawsuit has been dismissed after a federal judge ruled the plaintiffs didn't prove their case that Mercedes worked with other companies to sell cheap parts in place of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts. The lead plaintiff claims the automaker was charging double for cheap parts while customers believed the parts were direct from Mercedes-Benz. The major accusation involves violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ...

• Canadian Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Preliminarily Approved Audi and VW 2-liter diesel owners in Canada to receive $2.1 billion for buybacks and compensation.

  

  Dec 19, 2016 — A Volkswagen Canada settlement agreement has been reached that will see VW pay Canadian diesel owners as much as $2.1 billion CAD (Canadian dollars) as compensation for selling about 105,000 vehicles that emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxides. Canadian Volkswagen diesel owners have waited for the day they would see a program similar to what is offered to U.S. customers, and while final approval won't occur until March 2017, the settlement terms have been ...

• Toyota Soy-Based Wiring Lawsuit Says Rodents Chew Wiring Toyota owner claims soy-based wiring invites animals to have breakfast, lunch & dinner.

  

  Dec 18, 2016 — A Toyota soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges mice, rats, squirrels and other rodents chew on the soy-based wiring like it's a delicacy, leaving drivers wondering why their vehicles are suffering from all kinds of problems. Filed by 2015 Toyota Avalon owner Heidi Browder, the soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges Toyota skipped using plastic or glass-based insulation in place of soy, which is allegedly better for the environment. According to the plaintiff, she ...

• Nissan Altima Melting Dashboard Lawsuit Nearly Settled Florida owners of 2008-2009 Nissan Altimas with melting and shiny dashboards to receive help.

  

  Dec 18, 2016 — A Nissan Altima melting dashboard lawsuit has been preliminarily settled over 2008-2009 Altima dashboards that melt, crack, get sticky and shine under the Florida sun. The class-action lawsuit covers Florida residents only because of the amount of sunlight and heat that damages the Altima dashboards. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs Tracy Sanborn and Louis Lucrezia claim their Altima dashboards were so shiny and melted that a safety hazard existed from the glare off ...

• CarMax Sells Used Cars With Open (Unrepaired) Recalls Federal Trade Commission busts CarMax and two large dealers for not fixing recalled cars.

  

  Dec 17, 2016 — CarMax and two large auto dealerships have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that accuse the companies of bragging how their used cars are safe without informing consumers about cars with open (unrepaired) recalls. The FTC charges stem from the companies heavily marketing how their used cars passed stringent safety inspections, leading consumers to believe the cars are safe. Federal investigators found many cars had been recalled but never ...

• Volkswagen 3-Liter Diesel Settlement is Near Owners of 80,000 VW 3-liter diesel vehicles may soon know the fate of their illegal vehicles.

  

  Dec 16, 2016 — A Volkswagen 3-liter diesel settlement agreement is near as U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer says all parties have until December 19 to explain how owners of VW 3-liter diesel vehicles will be compensated and what will happen with the vehicles. Volkswagen has reportedly agreed to pay more than $200 million for a special fund aimed toward reducing diesel emissions in the U.S., but 3-liter owners are still waiting to learn if they will be offered a deal similar ...

• GM 5.3L Oil Consumption Lawsuit Filed in Minnesota Oil allegedly enters the combustion chambers of 5.3-Liter V8 Vortec 5300 engines.

  

  Dec 15, 2016 — A GM 5.3L engine oil consumption lawsuit alleges numerous 2010-2013 General Motors trucks and SUVs suffer from defects that allow oil to enter the combustion chambers of the 5.3-Liter V8 Vortec 5300 engines. The lawsuit says GM 5.3L oil consumption problems are caused by defective piston rings, PVC systems and "active fuel management" (AFM) systems that cause the spark plugs to wear out prematurely and the engines to experience all kinds of ...

• Chevy Sonic Gas Mileage Lawsuit Says MPG is Wrong Chevrolet Sonic gas mileage lawsuit alleges cars were sold with wrong fuel economy estimates.

  

  Dec 14, 2016 — A Chevy Sonic gas mileage lawsuit alleges General Motors advertised and sold 2014-2016 Sonics with incorrect fuel economy numbers and then offered consumers inadequate compensation for the mistake. The Chevrolet Sonics, equipped with manual transmissions, were allegedly sold with mileage estimates at least one mile-per-gallon above what the cars get in real-world driving. Plaintiffs Joshua Jennings and Martin Puente say they own 2015 Chevy Sonics that were ...

• BMW Soft Close Automatic Door Lawsuit Says Doors Cause Injuries BMW owner claims soft close automatic door feature is defective and caused finger injury.

  

  Dec 14, 2016 — A BMW soft close automatic door lawsuit alleges the "soft close" systems are defective and cause injuries to fingers and other body parts that get caught in the doors. Plaintiff Avi Azoulai says he leased a 2014 BMW 750Li with soft close automatic doors and ended up with his right index finger crushed when it was caught in a door. Azoulai says his injury occurred because the system lacks sensors to detect if fingers or other objects will be harmed by a ...

• Dodge Dart Clutch Master Cylinder Lawsuit Continues Dodge Dart clutch master cylinder lawsuit says clutch pedals stick on the floors.

  

  Dec 13, 2016 — A Dodge Dart clutch master cylinder lawsuit alleges the clutch pedals get stuck on the floors due to defective clutch master cylinders in the Fiat C635 manual transmissions. According to court documents, the Dart transmission has defects in the clutch master cylinder that makes the internal and external seals lousy at preventing debris from contaminating and prematurely wearing the seals. The problems allegedly cause a loss of hydraulic fluid to the slave ...

• Volkswagen Accused of 'Losing' 23 Employee Cell Phones Federal Trade Commission says data is missing from 23 cell phones of high-ranking VW employees.

  

  Dec 12, 2016 — Volkswagen is facing more legal trouble as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accuses the automaker of destroying evidence by erasing or "losing" 23 employee cell phones. In its motion filed in a federal district court in San Francisco, the FTC says it saw red flags when 23 phones of important Volkswagen employees were determined to be lost or unable to be turned on. Federal investigators want to know what was on those 23 cell phones that relates to VW's ...

• Tesla Model S P85D Horsepower Lawsuit Settled Tesla settles with Model S P85D owners who sued over horsepower claims.

  

  Dec 12, 2016 — Electric automaker Tesla has agreed to settle a Model S P85D lawsuit just days before the case was scheduled to begin in a Norwegian court. The lawsuit was filed by Norwegian owners of Tesla Model S P85D cars after those owners accused Tesla of falsely marketing the horsepower capabilities of the cars. The automaker is known for promoting its cars with “Insane” and “Ludicrous” modes that make the $120,000 Model S P85D cars capable of going from 0-60 mph in 3.2 ...

• Takata Airbag Recall List Just Got Bigger Government amends Takata airbag recall order, adding more automakers and vehicles.

  

  Dec 10, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has amended its order concerning the recalls of tens of millions of Takata airbags by increasing the number of affected automakers and setting new requirements for the recalls. The amended order requires 19 automakers to expedite repairs of vehicles at the highest risk of airbag ruptures and to accelerate the process of acquiring replacement parts. A new addition to the recalls is electric automaker ...

• 'Relay Attack Unit' Unlocks and Starts Cars Relay attacks allow thieves to open locked car doors and drive off with the cars.

  

  Dec 8, 2016 — If you own a car and have never heard of a "relay attack unit," you may want to remember the device, or at least remember the device can illegally open a locked car door and then start the engine, all without the car keys or key fob. Police agencies and car owners have spent the past few years trying to figure out how thieves simply open a locked car door with a "mystery device" that is often seen in the hands of the criminals. Now the National Insurance ...

• Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC Lawsuit Tossed Out by Judge Judge throws out lawsuit that alleges Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel vehicles emit illegal emissions.

  

  Dec 7, 2016 — A Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC lawsuit has been thrown out by a judge after the plaintiff failed to convince the court the BlueTEC diesel vehicles emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxide emissions. The BlueTEC lawsuit was filed in February 2016 and alleges Mercedes-Benz programmed its "clean diesel" BlueTEC vehicles to emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxides during real-world driving. Plaintiff Gwendolyn Andary says she bought a new 2013 Mercedes GLK 250 BlueTEC ...

• Hyundai Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) Lawsuit Filed Owners say 7-speed Hyundai dual-clutch transmissions cause cars and SUVs to stall.

  

  Dec 5, 2016 — A Hyundai dual-clutch transmission (DCT) lawsuit alleges the 7-speed automatic transmissions have defects in the transmission control modules that cause vehicles to stop moving. The vehicles named in the DCT lawsuit include the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco, 2017 Hyundai Sonata Eco, 2016-2017 Hyundai Tucson and 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Lead plaintiffs in the proposed class-action lawsuit, Shawna and Nicholas Wylie, say they bought their Hyundai Veloster in ...

• Honda Goes Door-to-Door to Get Takata Airbags Fixed Owners of older Honda and Acura cars in serious danger from exploding Takata airbag inflators.

  

  Dec 4, 2016 — Honda is sending people door-to-door to locate 300,000 older Honda and Acura vehicles at serious risk of exploding Takata airbags. Honda calls the Takata airbag inflators in the older cars the "Alpha" inflators because they are found in the first vehicles to be equipped with Takata inflators containing the non-desiccated (no drying agent added) propellant, ammonium nitrate. These older inflators are 50 percent more likely to explode than newer inflators and ...

• BMW 6 Series Convertible 'Top Not Locked' Lawsuit Nearly Over BMW 6 Series (E64) convertible top lawsuit says tops won't fully open or close.

  

  Dec 2, 2016 — A BMW 6 Series convertible top lawsuit may finally be settled after owners sued BMW over “Top Not Locked” messages that appear because the convertible tops fail to fully close or open. The plaintiff in the case says his BMW E64 (6 Series) convertible top is a safety hazard and an expensive one to fix, arguing in the lawsuit that repairs can cost up to $5,000 to keep the top closed and erase the "Top Not Locked" warning message. The plaintiff, Robert Gray, ...

• Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Lawsuit Filed Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel lawsuit alleges emissions levels are illegal.

  

  Dec 1, 2016 — A Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel lawsuit has been filed in California alleging the EcoDiesel trucks and SUVs contain concealed emissions "defeat devices" to hide nitrogen oxide emissions levels 10 times above legal limits. The proposed class-action lawsuit targets about 150,000 model year 2014-2016 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel vehicles that allegedly cost $4,700 more than normal because of "clean" emissions ...

• Lawsuit Alleges NHTSA Ignored Safety Petition and the Law Three consumer advocates sue federal safety agency over automatic emergency braking systems.

  

  Nov 30, 2016 — Automatic emergency braking systems and how they will be used in vehicles have caused three consumer advocates to file a lawsuit against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a federal district court in Washington, D.C. Filed by Consumer Watchdog, the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, former NHTSA administrator and president of Public Citizen, the lawsuit alleges federal safety regulators broke the law concerning a petition ...

• BMW M3 Rod Bearings Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss Judge dismisses some claims but allows BMW M3 connecting rod bearings lawsuit to continue.

  

  Nov 29, 2016 — A BMW M3 rod bearings lawsuit has survived BMW's motion to dismiss the class-action lawsuit that alleges the engines fail because metal debris enters the oil and travels through the engines. Plaintiff David Afzal filed the BMW M3 rod bearings lawsuit in 2015 by claiming 2008-2013 BMW M3 sedans have defects that cause the rod and main bearings to fail and send metal debris from the bearings into the oil. The plaintiff says dealers twice refused to do anything ...

• Judge Won't Dismiss VW Jetta Hybrid Regenerative Braking Lawsuit Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid owner says braking system caused him to rear-end cars twice.

  

  Nov 29, 2016 — A Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid regenerative braking system lawsuit will continue after California Judge Elihu M. Berle ruled against VW's motion to dismiss the lawsuit that was filed in 2015. Plaintiff Peter Bryan Burra filed the Jetta Hybrid lawsuit alleging the “regenerative braking system” in his 2013 Jetta is defective and doesn't predict how much time or distance he will need to make a safe stop. The regenerative braking systems in hybrid cars are used to ...

• GM Fuel Economy Lawsuit Claims SUVs Have Lost Resale Value 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia SUVs have wrong fuel economy ratings.

  

  Nov 29, 2016 — A General Motors fuel economy class-action lawsuit alleges the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, 2016 Buick Enclave and 2016 GMC Acadia were marketed and sold with false fuel economy ratings. The GM lawsuit says consumers who purchased those SUVs believed the vehicles were EPA-rated at 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 miles per gallon on the highway, resulting in a combined rating of 19 mpg. However, the plaintiffs say the Traverse, Enclave and Acadia are in ...

• Ford Panoramic Sunroof Lawsuit Dropped by Plaintiffs Ford owners decide against going forward with their lawsuit alleging panoramic sunroofs explode.

  

  Nov 28, 2016 — A Ford panoramic sunroof lawsuit won't see the light of day after the very Ford owners who filed the sunroof lawsuit stepped back and dropped the complaint. Lead plaintiffs Doug and Kathy Krebsbach walked away from their claims that Ford panoramic sunroofs are prone to exploding into shards of glass without warning. The plaintiffs claim the panoramic sunroof in their 2013 Ford Escape exploded and covered the occupants with sharp pieces of glass, leaving the ...

• Toyota Camry AC Smell Lawsuit Lingers in Court Lawsuit continues over Toyota Camry AC smells that make owners sick from musty moldy odors.

  

  Nov 27, 2016 — A Toyota Camry AC smell lawsuit still lingers in court as the plaintiffs fight Toyota's motion to dismiss the suit that alleges the air conditioning systems emit moldy smells due to a defect in 2011-present Toyota Camry cars. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in 2015 by plaintiffs Gloria Ortega and Alfred Salas who claim the evaporator allows mold to grow and creates a hazard to occupants. The evaporator, used with the heating, ventilation and air ...

• GMC Yukon Lawsuit Filed After Death of 3-Year-Old Boy Georgia parents say their 2001 GMC Yukon gear shifter moved out of PARK, killing their son.

  

  Nov 27, 2016 — A GMC Yukon ignition system lawsuit has been filed by the parents of a boy who was killed when the Yukon ran over him, allegedly caused by defects in the gear shifting and ignition/park interlock systems. Rayven and Joseph Barfield filed the lawsuit after their son, 3-year-old Joseph Barfield Jr., was killed as the SUV rolled down a driveway. The lawsuit claims defects in the ignition/park interlock system and gear shifting system caused the Yukon to shift into ...

• Volvo Leaking Sunroof Lawsuit Alleges Drain Tubes Clog Volvo sunroof leak lawsuit still seeking class-action certification six years after suit was filed.

  

  Nov 27, 2016 — A Volvo leaking sunroof lawsuit is still trying to reach class-action certification, six years after the original sunroof drain lawsuit was filed in August 2010. Volvo and owners are still fighting in court over alleged leaking sunroofs in the 2004-present Volvo S40, S60, S80, V70 vehicles, 2005-present Volvo V50 sport wagons and 2003-present Volvo XC 90 SUVs. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of current and former owners and lessees of the subject vehicles ...

• 2016 Ford Explorer Throttle Body Lawsuit Investigation Opened Possible lawsuit forthcoming about 2016 Ford Explorer throttle bodies and wrench lights.

  

  Nov 25, 2016 — A 2016 Ford Explorer throttle body lawsuit investigation is underway to determine if Ford should answer in court for complaints about wrench lights staying on and engines losing power and speed. Owners of 2016 Ford Explorer SUVs complain about vehicles that lose power while driving, leaving drivers urgently pressing the gas pedals to no avail. Symptoms typically include seeing a "wrench light" illuminated with the words, "See Manual," all while the SUV loses ...

• Electric and Hybrid Cars Will Finally Make Noise Electric and hybrid 'silent killers' will be equipped with sound to warn pedestrians and cyclists.

  

  Nov 24, 2016 — After six years of waiting and many ignored deadlines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finally released its final rules to require automakers to install sound equipment on electric and hybrid vehicles. The new law, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141, will help pedestrians and cyclists hear the silent vehicles, especially when the vehicles are traveling at slow speeds. It was 2010 when the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act ...

• Remington Walden Crash: Chrysler Will Pay $40 Million Appeals court rules Chrysler must pay $40 million to the family of 4-year-old Remington Walden.

  

  Nov 21, 2016 — The Remington Walden crash verdict award of $40 million has been upheld after the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed a Decatur County Superior Court ruling against Fiat Chrysler in the wrongful death of the 4-year-old boy in a Jeep Grand Cherokee Remington Walden burned to death in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee crash when the SUV was rear-ended, rupturing the gas tank and causing the Jeep to explode into flames. Remington's family filed the wrongful death lawsuit ...

• Volvo Wins Motion to Dismiss XC90 T8 Lawsuit Volvo XC90 T8 lawsuit is over after owner claimed he didn't get enough mileage on a battery charge.

  

  Nov 18, 2016 — Volvo is celebrating a victory after a federal judge granted Volvo's motion to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 SUVs were marketed and sold with overstated estimates of mileage capabilities on a full charge of the battery. Plaintiff Xavier Laurens filed the lawsuit in July 2016 alleging his 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 was advertised with mileage estimates that were not even close to reality. Laurens claims the hybrid SUV can make it no more than 10 ...

• Lawsuit: Dodge Ram Trucks Emit Illegal Emissions Lawsuit says Chrysler and Cummins created Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks to cheat emissions.

  

  Nov 16, 2016 — Dodge Ram trucks equipped with Cummins diesel engines have been named in a class-action lawsuit that alleges the trucks emit nitrogen oxide emissions up to 14 times above legal limits. The plaintiffs say Dodge sold hundreds of thousands of Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with catalytic converters that wear out quickly due to the alleged defects, costing truck owners up to $5,000 to fix. The lawsuit names the affected trucks as follows: (Note that Dodge made "Ram" ...

• Toyota to Pay $3.4 Billion in Tacoma Rusted Frames Lawsuit Toyota Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia trucks with rusted frames to be fixed for $3.4 billion.

  

  Nov 12, 2016 — Toyota Tacoma rusted frames will cost the automaker about $3.4 billion after Toyota agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleges Tacoma frames rust and cause serious safety hazards on the roads. The Toyota Tacoma frame rust lawsuit includes 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2008 Tundra and 2005-2008 Sequoia trucks at risk of corrosion that eats away at the frames. The lawsuit alleges the truck frames rust prematurely because they weren't properly protected with ...

• Audi 'Defeat Device' Lawsuit Targets 3-Liter Gasoline Vehicles Lawsuit alleges Audi 3-liter gasoline cars and SUVs have 'defeat devices' in AL 551 transmissions.

  

  Nov 10, 2016 — An Audi "defeat device" lawsuit has been filed alleging the automaker installed secret emissions defeat devices in its cars and SUVs, but this lawsuit is different than all others filed over the Volkswagen/Audi emissions scandal . The proposed class-action Audi lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Elliot H. Stokar, alleges popular Audi 3-liter gasoline-powered cars and SUVs contain emissions defeat devices inside the AL 551 automatic transmissions. This accusation is ...

• Ford Focus Purge Valve Focus of Lawsuit Proposed class-action lawsuit says Ford Focus purge valves cause stalling engines.

  

  Nov 8, 2016 — Alleged Ford Focus purge valve problems have caused a Focus owner to file a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the cars stall while driving. The proposed class-action lawsuit seeks to include all former and current 2012-2015 Ford Focus owners, including plaintiff Jon Rivera who says he purchased his Ford Focus in 2013. The plaintiff says that by October 2016, he was experiencing stalling problems and issues with an inaccurate gas gauge. Rivera says ...

• Infiniti Q50S Brake Pad Problems Lead to Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges Infiniti Q50S sport brakes use pads that cause the rotors to warp.

  

  Nov 6, 2016 — Infiniti Q50S brake pad problems have caused a California man to file a proposed class-action lawsuit after allegations the sport brake pads damage the rotors causing the rotors to warp. Plaintiff Steven Brand says he leased a 2015 Infiniti Q50 equipped with sport brakes and after about 10,000 miles of driving, he had to take the car to a dealership because the car vibrated when Brand hit the brake pedal. The dealership determined warped front rotors were ...

• German Report Says New Audi Defeat Device Discovered California environmental officials allegedly discover new defeat devices in Audi cars.

  

  Nov 6, 2016 — Audi emissions defeat devices have allegedly been found by California environmental regulators, something that could affect hundreds of thousands of cars worldwide and cause government officials to take an even deeper look into Volkswagen's conduct. According to the German paper Bild am Sonntag , the California Air Resources Board (CARB) found the defeat device months ago tucked away in the automatic transmission of a 3-liter gasoline Audi car. If the report ...

• Wyoming Lawsuit: Volkswagen's Settlement Not Good Enough Wyoming sues Volkswagen alleging the automaker should pay more for fraud damages.

  

  Nov 6, 2016 — The state of Wyoming has sued Volkswagen as state officials say Volkswagen's recent $15 billion settlement agreement for violating emissions laws doesn't go far enough to resolve claims for civil penalties. Volkswagen agreed to spend about $10 billion to U.S. consumers to buy back or repair "clean diesel" vehicles that have emitted illegal levels of nitrogen oxides since at least 2009. VW also agreed to pay $2.7 billion to support environmental programs ...

• Study: Pickup Truck Headlights Leave Drivers in the Dark Study says only one pickup truck out of 11 earned 'good' ratings for headlight visibility.

  

  Nov 4, 2016 — Pickup truck headlights aren't living up to expectations for lighting up the roads at night, as a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) proves. The Institute tested headlights on small and large 2016-2017 pickups and found the most expensive trucks are the vehicles that come equipped with the poorest headlights. And out of the four small pickups and seven large pickups tested, only one truck achieved a "good" rating for the ...

• Automakers Must Pay For Airbag Repairs if Takata Goes Bankrupt Government says auto manufacturers must pay for Takata airbag replacements if Takata doesn't.

  

  Nov 2, 2016 — Federal safety regulators say that even if airbag manufacturer Takata files for bankruptcy, automakers are responsible for covering the cost to replace defective Takata airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it is particularly concerned about 313,000 older Honda vehicles that need their airbags replaced. NHTSA says Honda hasn't done enough to reach registered owners, even though Honda says it is sending people to the homes of ...

• Report: Hyundai Engineer Squeals About Theta II Engine Hyundai allegedly not happy after engineer contacts U.S. safety regulators about Theta II engines.

  

  Nov 1, 2016 — Hyundai Theta II engine problems were known to Hyundai at the same time the automaker was saying a safety defect didn't exist, so says a 54-year-old Hyundai engineer who is accused of leaking secrets of the automaker. The South Korean engineer, Kim Kwang-ho, says Hyundai knew the Theta II engines have problems that cause knocking, noise and a loss of power. Kwang-ho blew the whistle by contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an ...

• Nissan 370Z Clutch Problems Cause Class-Action Lawsuit Owner says Nissan 370Z clutch pedal sticks to the floor and leaves no way to shift gears.

  

  Oct 31, 2016 — Nissan 370Z clutch problems may be headed for court as a Nissan 370Z clutch class-action lawsuit alleges clutch pedals stick to the floors of the sports cars and leave drivers no way to shift gears. Plaintiff Huu Nguyen says says he bought a 2012 Nissan 370Z in January 2012 and started having clutch problems which caused him to take the car to a dealership in March 2014. The lawsuit alleges the 370Z clutch pedal was falling to the floor, leaving Nguyen with ...

• Hyundai and Kia Pay $41.2 Million Over Fuel Economy Ratings Hyundai and Kia agree to pay 33 states and DC $41.2 million for misstating mpg ratings.

  

  Oct 30, 2016 — Hyundai and Kia are still paying a huge price for their fuel economy sins from 2012 when the automakers were forced to restate mileage estimates on more than 1 million vehicles. In November 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Hyundai and Kia would lower their fuel economy (mpg) estimates after EPA testing found discrepancies between agency results and data submitted by the automakers. Eventually, both companies had to dip into their bank ...

• Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 Transmission Lawsuit Almost Settled Nissan agrees to settle CVT (continuously variable transmission) class-action lawsuit.

  

  Oct 25, 2016 — A Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 continuously variable transmission (CVT) lawsuit is nearly over as Nissan agreed to settle claims concerning 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The plaintiffs claim the continuously variable transmissions installed in the Pathfinders and QX60s are “prone to causing sudden, unexpected shaking and violent jerking.” The lawsuit alleges the Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 transmissions can prevent the ...

• Volkswagen Settlement Agreement Gets the Green Light Federal judge approves $15 billion Volkswagen settlement agreement for 2-liter diesel vehicles.

  

  Oct 25, 2016 — The Volkswagen settlement agreement has finally been approved by U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Breyer concerning 475,000 Volkswagen and Audi 2-liter diesel vehicles in the U.S. More than a year after Volkswagen got caught cheating on emissions tests , the judge said the nearly $15 billion agreement will ensure affected diesel owners and lessees will be fairly compensated. The drama got underway in 2015 when university researchers kept finding problems ...

• Honda Civic Driver Killed by Exploding Takata Airbag Delia Robles, 50, killed while driving a 2001 Honda Civic after her Takata airbag inflator exploded.

  

  Oct 21, 2016 — Another Takata airbag-related death has been announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after 50-year-old Delia Robles was killed while driving her 2001 Honda Civic. The September 30 crash occurred when Robles, of Corona, California, hit a Chevy pickup head-on at an intersection, causing the airbag to explode when it deployed. Takata airbags have killed at least 15 people worldwide and injured more than 140 due to metal inflators ...

• Lexus Exploding Sunroof Lawsuit Alleges Sunroof Glass is Defective California class-action lawsuit says sunroofs in all Lexus models are at risk of exploding.

  

  Oct 19, 2016 — A Lexus exploding sunroof lawsuit alleges all Lexus vehicles with sunroofs are at risk of a defect that causes the glass to spontaneously shatter without anything hitting the sunroofs. Plaintiff Ginger Minoletti claims her Lexus RX 350 was traveling on a California highway when the sunroof glass started making a loud noise. Minoletti says it sounded like the glass was cracking and she later found pieces of glass inside the shade of the sunroof. According to ...

• Owners of 2-Liter VW Cars a Step Closer to Final Settlement Judge says final settlement is near for owners of 2-liter diesel vehicles, while Missouri sues VW.

  

  Oct 18, 2016 — Volkswagen "clean diesel" owners are one step closer to finally receiving relief from buying so-called "environmentally friendly" vehicles that have been polluting the air for at least seven years. Judge Charles Breyer already gave preliminary approval to the $15 billion settlement that will see about $10 billion go to U.S. car owners and about $5 billion to cover environmental damages. Now the judge says he is inclined to finalize the settlement terms by ...

• California DMV Welcomes Federal Driverless Car Guidelines California DMV personnel say they aren't driverless car experts.

  

  Oct 16, 2016 — Driverless car guidelines issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will have an effect on the state of California, and officials in California seem pleased that NHTSA is butting in. Officials with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) admit they don't have the expertise to handle the subject of self-driving cars and the guidelines released by NHTSA will take some of the heat off the DMV.  Currently 15 companies have been ...

• Ford Says Power Steering Lawsuit Shouldn't Be a Class-Action Ford fights class-action certification of Focus and Fusion power steering lawsuit.

  

  Oct 16, 2016 — A Ford power steering lawsuit is hanging on while Ford argues the lawsuit doesn't merit class-action certification. The Ford power steering lawsuit was filed in 2014 after owners complained about problems in the 2012-2014 Ford Focus and 2010-2014 Ford Fusion. Owners say that without warning, the cars lose power steering and switch to manual steering, a dangerous condition that can occur while driving. Owners complain it can cost $2,000 for repairs that Ford ...

• MyFord Touch Lawsuit Certified Class-Action in Nine States Ford MyFord Touch lawsuit alleges touchscreens fail and cause all kinds of system failures.

  

  Oct 16, 2016 — A Ford MyFord Touch class-action lawsuit has been certified for consumers in nine states in a lawsuit that alleges MyFord Touch, MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch systems are defective. The plaintiffs claim the touchscreen systems go haywire and freeze and crash while the vehicles are moving. The systems allegedly provide incorrect GPS information, won't connect to phones, fail to respond to repeated voice commands and do nothing during touch commands. The ...

• NHTSA Says ARC Automotive Ignores Airbag Safety Deadlines Government says ARC airbag inflators have killed and injured people while company skips deadlines.

  

  Oct 14, 2016 — ARC Automotive is in more trouble with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after safety regulators accused the airbag manufacturer of running away from its responsibilities to the government and the public. In July 2015, an ARC airbag investigation was opened when NHTSA started looking at airbag inflators used in 420,000 model year 2002 Chrysler Town and Country minivans and 70,000 model year 2004 Kia Optima sedans. Safety regulators ...

• VW Agrees to Pay $175 Million to Lawyers Representing Owners Attorneys representing Volkswagen owners to receive $175 million for fees and expenses.

  

  Oct 14, 2016 — Volkswagen is receiving one hell of an invoice from 22 attorneys representing about 475,000 owners of 2-liter vehicles equipped with illegal emissions "defeat devices." According to a report from Reuters , if approved by a federal judge, attorneys will receive $175 million for their trouble in the emissions scandal after VW agreed to pay that amount for fees and expenses. Those attorneys built the case against Volkswagen after the automaker admitted it has ...

• BMW X5 'Comfort Access' Lawsuit Dismissed Judge grants BMW's motion to dismiss X5 comfort access system lawsuit over remote locks.

  

  Oct 13, 2016 — A BMW X5 "comfort access" lawsuit has been shut down after U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick granted BMW's motion to dismiss, but he left the door open for the plaintiff to amend the complaint. BMW describes the comfort access system as follows: “The vehicle can be accessed without activating the remote control. All you need to do is to have the remote control with you, e.g., in your jacket pocket. The vehicle automatically detects the remote ...

• German Report: Tesla's Autopilot is a 'Considerable Traffic Hazard' German testers find Tesla's Autopilot feature didn't do well in certain road conditions.

  

  Oct 12, 2016 — German auto safety engineers aren't happy with Tesla's "Autopilot" after the semi-autonomous system was put through its paces during thousands of miles of driving on German roads. The study was conducted by Germany's Federal Highway Research Institute, a scientific research institute of the German government in the field of road engineering. The study was commissioned after reports of accidents that occurred with Autopilot allegedly engaged. In short, German ...

• Safety Regulators Summoned Over 'On-Board Diagnostic' (OBD-II) Ports NHTSA asked to provide answers about the cybersecurity of vehicle 'on-board diagnostic' ports.

  

  Oct 10, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been asked to put together an industry-wide effort to combat the risks associated with vehicle "on-board diagnostic" (OBD-II) ports. The ports are known for vulnerabilities that cause all kinds of weird things to occur to vehicles, including engaging the windshield wipers, horns and door locks. More serious effects have been seen when security researchers accessed the OBD-II ports and controlled ...

• Ford Throttle Body Problems Lead to Lawsuit Ford throttle body problems cause lawsuit alleging 3.7-liter Ti-VCT engines are defective.

  

  Oct 4, 2016 — Ford throttle body problems have caused Ford owners to file a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the Delphi Gen 6 electronic throttle bodies cause the vehicles to enter "limp-home" mode. Plaintiffs Janis Benkle and John Kovak say the affected Ford and Lincoln vehicles are equipped with 3.7-liter Ti-VCT engines with Delphi Gen 6 electronic throttle bodies that experience electrical problems with the powertrain control modules. The lawsuit names the ...

• Honda 'Disappointed and Troubled' by Takata's Behavior Audit of airbag inflator tests shows Takata manipulated results, possibly hiding a new airbag danger

  

  Oct 3, 2016 — Honda has discovered more problems with Takata airbags following an engineering audit that determined the airbag manufacturer manipulated airbag inflator validation test data that was supplied to Honda. In October 2015, Honda first learned that Takata falsified test data for certain types of inflators, so Honda requested the audit where the final report would not only be provided to Honda, but also to federal safety regulators. Calling it the first phase of ...

• Takata Airbag Explodes in Fatal Honda Crash in Malaysia Honda confirms Takata airbag exploded in fatal crash of a 2009 Honda City.

  

  Oct 2, 2016 — Another Malaysian driver of a Honda City has been killed in a crash that involved an exploding Takata airbag. Honda confirmed a Takata single-stage driver-side airbag inflator blew up in a September 24 crash that killed the driver of a 2009 Honda City, although no official cause of death has been determined. The automaker says the crash occurred in Johar state, but information about the victim has not been released due to privacy issues. About 100 million ...

• Report: 230 Diesel Models Fail Euro 6 Emissions Standards Volkswagen has cleanest diesel cars based on Euro 6 standards, the dirtiest based on Euro 5 limits.

  

  Sep 27, 2016 — Step aside Volkswagen, because according to research from a European organization called Transport & Environment (T&E), 230 diesel models failed to meet Euro 6 emissions standards. Now the twist. Out of all the diesel vehicles considered the cleanest by Euro 6 standards, Volkswagen took top honors and had the cleanest diesels on the roads. European regulators created emissions regulations with a loophole that every automaker happily jumps through. According ...

• Honda CR-V Gas Smell Lawsuit Filed in Illinois Owners of a 2016 Honda CR-V say the gas smell inside the cabin won't stop, and Honda hasn't helped.

  

  Sep 26, 2016 — A 2016 Honda CR-V gas smell lawsuit has been filed in Illinois that alleges CR-V SUVs have problems that cause dangerous fuel odors to enter the passenger areas of the SUVs. Plaintiffs Bruce and Leann Beehler filed the proposed CR-V class-action lawsuit that claims the gas smells leave owners with the belief open containers of fuel are hidden inside the cabins. The gas smell also leaves occupants at risk for all kinds of health problems, from dizziness and ...

• Jury Rules Ford Escape Airbag Caused Man to Kill Himself Jury says Ford Escape airbag caused man's injuries and subsequent suicide, Ford to appeal ruling.

  

  Sep 26, 2016 — Ford has lost a South Carolina lawsuit filed by the widow of a man who killed himself following the crash of a Ford Escape. On February 3, 2011, John Wickersham was involved in a single-vehicle crash while driving his 2010 Ford Escape. Mr. Wickersham tried to make a left turn and went through an intersection, first hitting a curb and then hitting a tree with the passenger-side of the Escape. He suffered a broken upper jaw, busted cheek bones around his left ...

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Gear Shifter Lawsuits Filed by 2 Moms Two moms sue Fiat Chrysler alleging Jeep Grand Cherokee gear shifters led to serious injuries.

  

  Sep 25, 2016 — Two Jeep Grand Cherokee gear shifter lawsuits have been filed by two moms who claim the design of the gear shifters caused them serious injuries when the SUVs rolled away. The women, from New Hampshire and Virginia, filed separate injury lawsuits against Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) alleging the Jeep Grand Cherokees rolled over their legs due to the defective design of the gear shifters. The Jeep Grand Cherokee gear shifters are made by ZF North America and work ...

• Bosch Under the Gun in VW Emissions Scandal Prosecutors investigate what role the Bosch company played in Volkswagen's defeat devices.

  

  Sep 25, 2016 — The Robert Bosch company is under the gun by U.S. prosecutors as they investigate who knew what in the Volkswagen emissions scandal that continues to drain VW's bank accounts . Bosch supplied the automaker with software for the 2-liter diesel vehicles that have caused the recalls of millions of vehicles worldwide. Those vehicles emit nitrogen oxides up to 40 times above legal standards because of "defeat devices," special software used to alter emissions ...

• Recalled Takata Airbag Inflators Explode During Testing Documents say hundreds of recalled Takata airbag inflators exploded during testing.

  

  Sep 24, 2016 — Takata is making itself look bad again based on documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that show hundreds of airbag inflators ruptured during testing. The report was mandatory based on an agreement Takata signed to answer to safety officials about the internal workings of the airbag manufacturer. NHTSA says the airbag inflators came from recalled cars brought back to dealers to have the inflators replaced. Safety ...

• Ford Shattering Sunroofs Cause Class-Action Lawsuit Class-action lawsuit says 16 models of Ford vehicles have shattering panoramic sunroofs.

  

  Sep 22, 2016 — Owners who have complained about Ford shattering sunroofs have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the panoramic sunroofs in 16 Ford models can shatter without warning while driving. The Ford shattering sunroof lawsuit was filed by Douglas and Kathleen Krebsbach, owners of a 2013 Ford Escape equipped with a panoramic sunroof, and one of the Ford models named as the problematic vehicles. 2009-2016 Ford Focus 2010-2016 Ford Fusion 2011-2016 Ford ...

• Tesla Sues Michigan For Right to Sell Direct to Consumers Michigan says Tesla needs franchised dealerships in the state to sell its electric cars.

  

  Sep 22, 2016 — Most lawsuits concerning automakers are filed against the automaker, but this time Tesla is the company filing suit, and doing it against an entire state. Tesla is going after Michigan and its regulations that prevent the automaker from selling its cars in the state. Tesla has been blocked from selling its vehicles directly to consumers in Michigan because of the alleged hold that automakers and dealers have over lawmakers. Michigan is the home of Ford and ...

• Here Come the Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs) NHTSA releases proposals for HAVs (highly automated vehicles) that will rule the roads.

  

  Sep 20, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its long-awaited self-driving car proposals to guide the U.S. toward a day when the roads are filled with "highly automated vehicles," or HAVs. Safety regulators are trying to catch up to automakers and other manufacturers that continue to create autonomous technology and throw it on the roads to be tested, something safety advocates see as using vehicle occupants as guinea pigs . It's ...

• Tesla and Mobileye Spar Over Autonomous Autopilot Tesla Autopilot system at the heart of an autonomous showdown between Mobileye and Tesla.

  

  Sep 19, 2016 — Tesla and a former supplier are in a slugfest over accusations and statements about Tesla's "Autopilot" system. Mobileye, a large Israel-based company, manufactures cameras, sensors, radar and software for use in cars as the U.S. marches toward "self-driving" vehicles. Until a few months ago, Mobileye created the system used by Tesla for its Autopilot feature that includes other features such as "autosteer" and automatic braking. The brouhaha started after ...

• GM Says Takata Airbag Recall of 980,000 Vehicles is Unnecessary General Motors petitions government asking to delay Takata airbag recall until tests are complete.

  

  Sep 17, 2016 — General Motors doesn't want to recall about 980,000 trucks and SUVs equipped with passenger-side frontal Takata airbags, and the automaker has let the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) know about it through a formal petition. GM says a scheduled recall of the vehicles should be put on hold while testing continues on the safety of the metal inflators located inside the Takata airbags. At the beginning of June, GM announced a preliminary ...

• China Tesla Crash Destroyed 'Autopilot' Data Logs Man killed in China Tesla crash after slamming into a street sweeper, family says 'Autopilot' was on

  

  Sep 14, 2016 — A China Tesla crash that occurred on January 20, 2016, killed 23-year-old Gao Yaning when the Model S slammed into a street sweeper on a highway, allegedly while the "Autopilot" system was engaged. The Model S crash occurred about 300 miles from Beijing and based on dashcam video of the crash, the car didn't brake or take any evasive action to avoid the obstacle, making it clear the driver wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Tesla says the crash was ...

• Toyota Sticky Dashboard Lawsuit Says Warranty Program is Useless Toyota class-action lawsuit says melting dashboards won't be replaced for years.

  

  Sep 13, 2016 — A Toyota sticky dashboard lawsuit alleges Toyota made empty promises with a dashboard warranty program that was created after two class-action lawsuits were filed in 2014. South Carolina resident Wendy George says she has been waiting a year and eight months for the dashboard to be replaced in her 2004 Lexus RX 330. Although two previous lawsuits were filed against Toyota about sticky melting dashboards, George specifically references a lawsuit filed by ...

• VW Engineer James Liang Pleads Guilty to Emissions Fraud James Liang guilty plea to be used by prosecutors to uncover Volkswagen's conspiracy.

  

  Sep 11, 2016 — Volkswagen engineer James Robert Liang, 62, has pleaded guilty for his part in VW's emissions cheating scandal, the first employee to fall victim to U.S. Department of Justice criminal charges. Liang, of Newbury Park, California, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., to commit wire fraud and to violate the Clean Air Act. According to the plea agreement, from 1983 until May 2008, Liang was an employee of Volkswagen and working in its ...

• Vermont Rejects VW Settlement, Sues Audi, Porsche and VW Vermont files lawsuit against Volkswagen after rejecting $1,000 per vehicle emissions settlement.

  

  Sep 10, 2016 — Vermont has turned down Volkswagen's U.S. emissions cheating settlement offer and opted to sue Audi, Porsche and VW for showing a "blatant disregard" for the protection of the state’s natural resources and the health of its residents. VW agreed to spend $15 billion to settle U.S. lawsuits and complaints about the cheating, but Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell says Vermont wants no part of VW's proposed settlement that would have paid just $1,000 per ...

• Parties Agree to Settle Subaru B9 Tribeca Hood Lawsuit Subaru and plaintiffs agree to settle lawsuit that alleges 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca hoods fly open.

  

  Sep 7, 2016 — A class-action lawsuit has been settled by the involved parties where the plaintiffs allege 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca hoods can open while driving. The Subaru B9 Tribeca hood lawsuit was filed by owner Marion Hadley who claims her 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca was traveling 65 mph when the hood flew open and slammed into the windshield. Hadley claims the impact sent glass all over her and dislodged the rear-view mirror, leaving her no choice but to pull off the road and ...

• Tesla Model S Driver Killed in Fiery Netherlands Crash Tesla says 'Autopilot' wasn't engaged when the Model S crashed while traveling nearly 100 mph.

  

  Sep 7, 2016 — A Tesla Model S crash that killed a 53-year-old driver in the Netherlands wasn't caused by the "Autopilot" feature, according to Tesla engineers who reviewed the electric car's logs. According to local media reports, the driver crashed at high speed into a tree, causing the Model S to catch on fire. Emergency medical personnel say the car was in such a mangled state that firefighters were afraid to recover the body because of electrocution fears. The crash, ...

• Volkswagen Owners in Canada Still Waiting for Justice Canadian Volkswagen owners continue to wait for their government to take action.

  

  Sep 7, 2016 — Owners of 2-liter "clean diesel" Volkswagen vehicles may be cheering in the U.S., but the same can't be said for owners of about 100,000 of those same vehicles in Canada. While the U.S., South Korea and other countries have punished Volkswagen for its emissions sins, Canada hasn't announced any concrete penalties against the automaker. U.S. diesel owners are receiving $10 billion in compensation and buyback offers as Canadian customers wait for their ...

• Chrysler Sued In Death of Jeep Patriot Driver Lawsuit alleges fuel transfer tube problems caused 2012 Jeep Patriot to stall on Idaho highway.

  

  Sep 6, 2016 — A Jeep Patriot fuel transfer tube lawsuit has been filed by the mother of a 32-year-old man who was killed after his 2012 Jeep Patriot stalled on Interstate 84 in Idaho. The woman, Beth Richmond, wants Fiat Chrysler to pay $11 million in the death of her son who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on August 31, 2013. According to the lawsuit, Jason Richmond was driving the Jeep Patriot when it stalled due to a defect in the fuel system. Local reports ...

• Majority of VW 2-Liter Diesel Owners Want Rid of Their Cars Owners of Volkswagen 2-liter diesel vehicles want VW to buy back the cars, not fix them.

  

  Sep 5, 2016 — Volkswagen's emissions cheating nightmare is no closer to an end as about 475,000 2-liter diesel owners and lessees in the U.S. scramble for money, and European governments may finally decide to take action against the automaker. According to lawyers close to the U.S. settlement, more than half the owners who have registered as part of the "clean diesel" settlement agreement say they want VW to buy back the diesel vehicles, as opposed to getting the cars ...

• GM Settles Last Two 'Bellwether' Ignition Switch Lawsuits Last two New York ignition switch lawsuits settled before they reached the jury.

  

  Sep 5, 2016 — General Motors has settled the last two bellwether ignition switch lawsuits in New York, bringing an end to the six test cases used as templates for numerous other lawsuits. The lawsuits were filed after GM admitted it spent at least 10 years concealing ignition switch defects that killed and injured hundreds of people. Those switches can move out of the "run" position from a bump in the road, a bump from a knee or the jostling of a heavy key ring. With the ...

• Senators: Feds Should Investigate Takata Truck Explosion National Transportation Safety Board asked to investigate deadly Takata truck explosion.

  

  Sep 4, 2016 — The Takata truck explosion in Texas that killed one and injured others should be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), that's according to U.S. Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Both men say a formal federal investigation is needed to determine how the crash occurred and what caused the truck to explode. The August 22, 2016, explosion occurred when the tractor-trailer crashed, caught fire and ...

• Lexus Owner Sues Toyota For Not Fixing Takata Airbag Lexus ES 350 owner files lawsuit against Toyota alleging Takata airbag still not replaced.

  

  Sep 4, 2016 — The owner of a 2011 Lexus ES 350 has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging Toyota ordered a Takata airbag recall without having the replacement parts to fix the cars. The lawsuit also claims Toyota said any repairs could take at least six months to complete, leaving the plaintiff driving a defective dangerous car. Carole B. Black filed the Toyota/Lexus lawsuit after receiving a Takata airbag recall notice in July 2016 concerning a recall of 1.6 million ...

• Takata Truck Explosion Lawsuit Says Man Suffered Hearing Damage Takata truck explosion caused permanent hearing loss and concussion, says lawsuit.

  

  Sep 3, 2016 — A Takata truck explosion lawsuit has been filed in Texas claiming the explosion caused injuries to a local man when the truck crashed and exploded in Texas. The lawsuit was filed by Rene De Los Santos Olveda, of Maverick County, Texas, who says he suffered a concussion from the explosion and now has permanent hearing loss. The truck was transporting airbag inflators and the propellant ammonium nitrate to its destination in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Takata truck ...

• Lawsuit: Jeep ZF Shifter Caused Grand Cherokee Rollaway Jeep ZF shifter focus of another lawsuit alleging the driver was injured when Jeep rolled away.

  

  Aug 31, 2016 — Another Jeep ZF shifter lawsuit has been filed against Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) alleging the electronic ZF shifters in Jeep Grand Cherokees and other Chrysler vehicles are dangerous and defective. The Jeep Grand Cherokee ZF shifter lawsuit was filed by 69-year-old retired Massachusetts state trooper John J. Malone, who claims FCA could have prevented hundreds of accidents but chose to ignore the problems. Malone says he purchased the 2015 Grand Cherokee from a ...

• Mitsubishi Fuel Economy Scandal Grows Larger Mitsubishi fuel economy scandal leads automaker to stop selling eight models in Japan.

  

  Aug 31, 2016 — The Mitsubishi fuel economy scandal has caused the automaker to suspend sales of eight Japanese models to correct fuel economy figures that are off by nearly 10 percent. The eight models are part of Mitsubishi's 25-year coverup of selling vehicles with overstated fuel economy estimates. In April 2016, the company admitted it cheated fuel economy standards in Japan for the past 25 years, and the news came just days after admitting the company intentionally ...

• Australia Files Lawsuit Against Volkswagen Australian lawsuit says consumers deserve an automaker with higher standards than Volkswagen.

  

  Aug 31, 2016 — The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen alleging misleading or deceptive conduct concerning diesel emissions. The lawsuit also accuses VW of making false or misleading statements to Australian customers to continue selling illegal vehicles. The lawsuit alleges Volkswagen installed emissions "defeat devices" in tens of thousands of Australian vehicles without telling customers about the illegal software. ...

• Truck Hauling Takata Airbag Inflators Explodes and Kills Woman Lucila Robles, another Takata airbag victim after truck crashes, explodes and kills the Texas woman.

  

  Aug 29, 2016 — Takata airbag-related explosives have claimed another life, but this time the victim wasn't near a vehicle. Lucila Robles was killed when a tractor-trailer transporting Takata airbag supplies crashed and exploded while in route to a warehouse in Eagle Pass, Texas. The truck, which originated from a Washington Takata plant, crashed on a curve and triggered the massive explosion that killed Robles and injured four vehicle occupants. The trailer was loaded with ...

• Ford Explorer Exhaust Lawsuit Settled by Parties Parties agree to settle Ford Explorer exhaust lawsuit that alleges fumes enter the cabins.

  

  Aug 28, 2016 — A Ford Explorer exhaust lawsuit has been settled days before the trial was scheduled to begin. The terms of the settlement haven't been finalized and approved by the court, but both Ford and the lead plaintiff sent notice to the court about the mutual agreement. The exhaust lawsuit was filed by Angela Sanchez-Knutson, the owner of a 2013 Ford Explorer who claims exhaust smells made her and her 5-year-old daughter sick. The plaintiff says they were sickened by ...

• GM Wins Zach Stevens Ignition Switch Trial Texas jury says General Motors ignition switch didn't cause fatal Saturn Sky crash in 2011.

  

  Aug 25, 2016 — General Motors has won a Texas trial after a jury found the ignition switch in a 2007 Saturn Sky had nothing to do with causing a 2011 crash that killed a truck driver. The lawsuit was filed by the family of Zach Stevens , who was 19 when the 2007 Saturn Sky he was driving crossed the center line and hit a 1997 Nissan Frontier truck, killing the driver, 40-year-old Mariano Elias Landaverde. Shortly after the crash, local reports said witnesses saw Stevens ...

• Lawsuit: 'Inconceivable' That Bosch Didn't Know About VW's Scheme Robert Bosch company says lawsuit allegations are 'wild and unfounded' and based on speculation.

  

  Aug 25, 2016 — German electronics company Robert Bosch GmbH is the target of another lawsuit that alleges the company was a willing partner with Volkswagen and its emissions scheme that continues to play out. A U.S. District Court in San Francisco is the home of the latest lawsuit that alleges Volkswagen and Bosch worked "hand-in-glove" with VW to create the "defeat devices" that fooled emissions testers for at least seven years . Volkswagen has already agreed to pay about ...

• VW Halts Production at 6 Plants, Wants Investor Lawsuit Dismissed Volkswagen stops production, then re-starts after contract disagreements with two suppliers.

  

  Aug 23, 2016 — Volkswagen has jumped another hurdle as it slowly re-starts production at six plants after contract disagreements with two suppliers left about 28,000 VW employees idle. After a marathon 20-hour negotiation session that went through the night, VW and its suppliers, CarTrim, and ES Automobilguss, agreed to settle their differences and get operations back on track. The contract issues were resolved one day after the automaker said contract talks broke down and ...

• Audi Timing Chain Lawsuit Say Chains 'Jump a Tooth' Audi timing chain lawsuit alleges engines fail because the chains 'jump a tooth' in the camshaft.

  

  Aug 23, 2016 — An Audi timing chain lawsuit alleges Audi and Volkswagen vehicles have defects that cause the timing chains to suddenly fail without warning, causing the engines to fail. Filed by 24 plaintiffs from 17 states, the Audi timing chain lawsuit alleges the timing chain can jump a tooth in the camshaft and cause engine failure, leading to a huge expense for owners to endure. Saying the defect resides in the timing chain tensioner system, the plaintiffs claim Audi ...

• Tesla Model S P100D: 0-60 in 2.5 Seconds, 315-Mile Range Tesla says new larger battery pack will make the Model S the quickest production car in the world.

  

  Aug 23, 2016 — Tesla may be in the middle of questions and investigations about its "Autopilot" system after the death of a Model S owner , but the automaker is moving forward with plans for faster cars with increased driving ranges. Tesla says it now has the fastest production car in the world with the Model S P100D with "Ludicrous mode." Tesla points out the Porsche 918 Spyder and LaFerrari are technically faster, but those million-dollar cars were manufactured just a short ...

• Texas Lawsuit Says GM Ignition Switch Caused Fatal Crash Saturn Sky driver blames fatal crash on ignition switch, GM blames speeding and reckless driving.

  

  Aug 21, 2016 — A Texas lawsuit filed over a defective General Motors ignition switch led to sworn testimony from CEO Mary Barra that in 2004 and 2005, engineers "misdiagnosed" the deadly switches as a customer satisfaction problem, not a safety problem. GM had a list of words not to be used by employees around the office , one of those words being "safety." By claiming the ignition switch problems were only customer satisfaction problems, the automaker didn't have to order a ...

• GMC Sierra Headlights Dim? GM Fights Class-Action Lawsuit Plaintiffs say GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 headlights are too dim, GM wants lawsuit dismissed.

  

  Aug 21, 2016 — General Motors wants a GMC Sierra headlight lawsuit dismissed after owners said the headlights were too dim 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 after claiming GM has long been aware of the alleged headlight defect in the GMC trucks but has concealed the problem from customers. The lawsuit says GM used three different bulbs for the ...

• Road Debris Causes 50,000 Crashes and 125 Deaths Annually Study from AAA says 500 people were killed in 4 years by debris falling from other vehicles.

  

  Aug 18, 2016 — Hitting debris in the roadway that dropped from other vehicles caused about 500 deaths and 200,000 crashes between 2011-2014, according to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. AAA gathered data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration road accident databases and counted the number of incidents that were caused by objects falling into the roadways. AAA describes debris-related crashes as when a vehicle strikes an object that fell ...

• Woman Sues Over Jeep Grand Cherokee Gear Shift Design Colorado woman, 77, says her Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled over her due to the electronic gear shift.

  

  Aug 17, 2016 — A Jeep Grand Cherokee gear shift design is under the legal microscope in a lawsuit filed against Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) by Dedra Maneotis, a 77-year-old mother of four and grandmother of six. Maneotis, of Craig, Colorado, was driving a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was equipped with an 8-speed transmission and electronic monostable gear shifter when she pulled into her driveway and thought she put the Grand Cherokee in PARK. The lawsuit says as she opened the ...

• Volkswagen in Talks to Settle Justice Department Criminal Charges Volkswagen may pay more than $1 billion to settle Justice Department criminal probe.

  

  Aug 15, 2016 — Volkswagen is allegedly in talks with the U.S. Justice Department to settle criminal accusations over the automaker's emissions fraud, possibly adding another $1 billion or more to the $15 billion VW has already agreed to pay. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, two sources close to the talks say fines could top $1.2 billion and a consent decree would require an independent monitor over Volkswagen. As with other automakers that have settled ...

• Millions of Keyless Remote Control Devices Can Be Cloned Researchers say 100 million cars are vulnerable to thieves cloning the keyless remote controls.

  

  Aug 12, 2016 — Security researchers may have finally figured out how thieves have been opening locked car doors by holding small devices in their hands, leaving authorities baffled as to how the doors were unlocked. Researchers from engineering company Kasper & Oswald and scientists from the University of Birmingham UK released a study that shows a keyless remote control can be cloned for as little as $40. The team of researchers found two vulnerabilities that can affect ...

• Tesla Model S Owner in China Blames Autopilot for Collision Tesla owner in China sideswipes parked car and says 'Autopilot' is to blame.

  

  Aug 11, 2016 — A driver of a Telsa Model S in China is complaining after he said his car sideswiped a car on the side of the road while the Model S "Autopilot" was engaged. Luo Zhen, 33, of Beijing, told Chinese authorities he hit the parked Volkswagen and did more than $7,000 damage to the Model S. Zhen said he thought Autopilot meant "self-driving" and accused Tesla of marketing the Model S as a self-driving car when it isn't. Zhen was traveling behind another car when ...

• Study: 10,000 Lives Could Be Saved For $600 Per Car Researchers say 3 safety features that cost $600 could save 10,000 lives and 133,000 injuries yearly

  

  Aug 10, 2016 — Would you pay $600 for three safety features with the potential of stopping 10,000 fatal crashes a year? According to a study from Carnegie Mellon University, the three features have the potential to stop or decrease the severity of 1.3 million crashes per year, including 133,000 that result in occupant injuries and 10,000 fatalities. While automakers rush to develop autonomous vehicles that will take all driving duties from humans, Carnegie Mellon ...

• Volkswagen 'Particulate Filters' To Be Used on Gasoline Engines VW says adding particulate filters to gas vehicles will reduce soot emissions up to 90 percent.

  

  Aug 9, 2016 — Part of Volkswagen's $15 billion emissions settlement agreement with U.S. authorities sets aside nearly $5 billion to promote zero-emissions cars and to offset environmental damage that will continue to be caused by the vehicles even after they are repaired. VW says a step in that direction will be taken in 2017 when gas-powered cars will be equipped with special particulate filters to reduce soot emissions by up to 90 percent. From 2017, all gasoline TSI and ...

• What Can Happen While Waiting For Takata Airbag Repairs? Girl injured by exploding Takata airbag after dealer said replacement parts weren't available.

  

  Aug 7, 2016 — With at least 13 deaths and more than 100 injuries attributed to exploding Takata airbags, millions of drivers worry what will happen if they are in a fender-bender before their airbags can be replaced. Driving a potential time bomb to a dealer then driving away from a dealership without the needed airbag repairs can make the most brave soul nervous. According to a lawsuit filed against Takata and Honda, that is exactly what happened to the family of a Texas ...

• Newspaper: Volkswagen Caught Cheating Again German paper reports U.S. regulators have found more illegal emissions devices in Volkswagen cars.

  

  Aug 7, 2016 — German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported on Sunday that U.S. regulators have caught Volkswagen cheating again, this time by using unapproved software on 3-liter diesel cars. Bild , the largest Sunday paper in Germany, didn't say how it got the information and U.S. authorities haven't commented, but the report says the 3-liter cars have three illegal software programs. The programs are allegedly used to shut off nitrogen oxide emissions controls after 22 ...

• France Finds Emissions Problems in 86 Vehicle Models French authorities say 10-month study shows cars emit nitrogen oxides 10 times above legal limits.

  

  Aug 7, 2016 — French environmental authorities say an investigation into illegal vehicle emissions has found serious discrepancies between advertised emissions and real-world emissions levels. In an attempt to put French consumers at ease, France took a look at 86 diesel models from multiple automakers, including Fiat, Ford and Renault. The environmental ministry says it found serious problems with the vehicles but calling anything an illegal "defeat device" may not be ...

• Hackers Take Control of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee, Again Hackers make 2014 Jeep Cherokee take sharp turns, hit a ditch and all without driver input.

  

  Aug 6, 2016 — A Jeep Cherokee hack is back on track, at least according to the same hackers who took control of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee in July 2015. Back then, Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller performed a controlled experiment where the Cherokee driver knew Valasek and Miller were sitting in a basement with laptops ready to attack. During the 2015 hack , the driver quickly felt the accelerator pedal stop working, then pushing the pedal caused the RPM to climb even though the ...

• South Korea Bans Sale of 80 Volkswagen Models South Korea bans sale of 80 Audi, Bentley and VW models and fines Volkswagen $16 million.

  

  Aug 6, 2016 — South Korea has taken more action against Volkswagen as punishment for cheating on emissions tests and has banned the sale of 80 models in the country. The move comes after numerous other actions by South Korean prosecutors, including raiding VW offices and the arrest and indictment of a Volkswagen executive . The banned Audi, Bentley and Volkswagen vehicles won't be certified for sale until the vehicles can pass all nitrogen oxide emissions, noise and fuel ...

• Toyota Prius Plug-In Mileage Lawsuit Filed in Michigan Owner of 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In files lawsuit alleging all-electric mileage claims are wrong.

  

  Aug 6, 2016 — A Toyota Prius Plug-In mileage lawsuit has been filed concerning a 2012 Prius Plug-In that allegedly gets only 8 miles on a single battery charge. Plaintiff Richard Rosenbaum says he purchased the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In to save gas when driving 12 miles for work, then discovered the car wouldn't travel that far on a single battery charge. The plaintiff says before he purchased the Prius Plug-In, Toyota was advertising a range of at least 13 miles when in ...

• Tesla Responds to Questions About Death of Joshua Brown Tesla tells Congress that self-driving deaths will likely occur as systems are refined.

  

  Aug 3, 2016 — Tesla is answering questions from the U.S. government after receiving a letter from U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Thune requested information about the crash that killed former Navy SEAL Joshua Brown , 40, who was driving his Tesla Model S on Autopilot when the car slammed into the side of a tractor-trailer. The crash sheered off the top of the Model S that was traveling 74 mph when it ...

• Anton Yelchin Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed by Parents Parents of Anton Yelchin sue Fiat Chrysler alleging electronic gear shifters are defective.

  

  Aug 3, 2016 — The parents of actor Anton Yelchin have sued Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) over the death of Mr. Yelchin, 27, after a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward and crushed the actor. The wrongful death lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging the electronic gear shifter used in the Grand Cherokee is defective and deadly, a gear selector unlike standard gear shifters found with automatic transmissions. The "monostable" gear shifters have caused ...

• Chrysler Revises Sales Figures as Fed Oversight Continues Government extends federal oversight of Fiat Chrysler as automaker revises sales figures.

  

  Aug 2, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is extending its oversight of Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) for another year to monitor the automaker and how it handles safety issues. In 2015, FCA was hit with a $105 million fine for failures with 23 recalls involving about 11 million vehicles and a separate $70 million penalty for not accurately reporting deaths and injuries for more than 10 years. Some of the problems came from a recall of nearly ...

• Volkswagen Polo Safety Rating Claims Questioned Volkswagen Polo safety ratings questioned after British TV show exposes dealership claims.

  

  Aug 1, 2016 — If British consumers are looking for accurate Volkswagen Polo safety ratings, they may want to ignore what VW dealerships say. According to an undercover investigation conducted by the British current affairs TV show "Dispatches," sales agents for VW have been lying to consumers about 5-star safety ratings for the Polo. Channel 4 TV sent undercover personnel posing as potential buyers into eight Volkswagen dealerships and six of those dealerships provided ...

• Unrepaired Recalled Cars Infest the Highways Research shows at least 45 million cars recalled from 2013-2015 haven't been repaired.

  

  Jul 29, 2016 — A record number of car recalls. Manufacturers ordering recalls without the necessary parts to fix the cars. Owners who are tired of repeated trips to dealerships. According to research from J.D. Power, all those factors have contributed to tens of millions of unrepaired recalled cars on the roads. Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 45 million vehicles that were recalled between 2013-2015 are still not fixed but continue to ...

• Consumer Groups: Self-Driving Car Occupants Are Guinea Pigs Letter to Obama asks government to slow down and create real self-driving car regulations.

  

  Jul 27, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Obama administration want self-driving cars on the roads as soon as possible, but not everyone is in such a rush. Auto safety organizations say the government is rushing autonomous technology into cars without safety rules necessary for the technology. In a letter sent to President Obama, the consumer organizations pointed to the death of Joshua Brown while using the "Autopilot" system in a ...

• Mercedes-Benz Self-Driving Car Ads Under Fire Mercedes-Benz self-driving car advertisements get attention of auto safety advocates.

  

  Jul 27, 2016 — Mercedes-Benz self-driving cars are advertised as just that, "self-driving." But according to a group of auto safety advocates, Mercedes is misleading consumers by advertising its cars as self-driving. In a letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the consumer advocates say the automaker is using false advertising on TV and in print to sell the 2017 E-Class cars. Consumer Reports, Consumer Federation of America and Joan Claybrook, former ...

• Volkswagen Settlement Details and Website Released Volkswagen settlement details given preliminary approval, VW creates special website for owners.

  

  Jul 26, 2016 — Volkswagen settlement details and a settlement agreement website have been released after a federal judge in California gave preliminary approval to a nearly $15 billion settlement concerning 475,000 illegal Audi and Volkswagen diesel vehicles. The settlement sets aside about $10 billion for U.S. owners and nearly $5 billion to promote zero-emissions cars and to offset environmental damage that will continue to be caused by the vehicles even after they are ...

• Nissan 'ProPILOT' To Make Debut in Serena Minivan Nissan ProPILOT semi-autonomous driving technology to appear in Nissan Serena minivans.

  

  Jul 25, 2016 — Tesla and Google may be the companies getting the most attention in the march toward self-driving cars, but other automakers are working on their own driverless technology and slowly rolling it out to the public. Nissan says its "ProPILOT" semi-autonomous technology will make its debut in Japan for owners of Nissan Serena minivans. Saying ProPILOT is similar to Tesla's "Autopilot" system currently at the heart of investigations after the death of a Tesla ...

• Lawsuits: VW Management Accused of Emissions Cover-Up Three states sue Volkswagen alleging upper management knew about illegal emissions for years.

  

  Jul 24, 2016 — Volkswagen's legal team must sweating bullets as attorneys for the beleaguered automaker face three new lawsuit filed by Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. Volkswagen already agreed to pay about $15 billion as part of a program to buy back diesel cars and compensate owners, with about $10 million going to consumers . The rest is set to cover environmental issues and court cases, but with the new lawsuits from the three states, Volkswagen is questioning the ...

• Volvo XC90 T8 Lawsuit Says Mileage Claims Are False Class-action lawsuit alleges Volvo XC90 T8 hybrid SUVs don't get their advertised mileage.

  

  Jul 19, 2016 — A Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid battery mileage lawsuit alleges Volvo advertised the SUVs as capable of getting more mileage than they do. Plaintiff Xavier Laurens says he was duped into buying the $72,000 model year 2016 XC90 T8 hybrid SUV based on the advertised claim a single battery charge would get 25 miles without using gasoline. Laurens says the SUV really gets no more than 10 miles on a full charge, not enough to help him save money on his drive to and ...

• States Will Be Free to Create Their Own Self-Driving Car Laws Feds will create national driverless car regulations while allowing states to create their own.

  

  Jul 19, 2016 — Self-driving technology regulations won't be pushed on individual states even once the federal government sets its standards. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been quick to get self-driving cars on the roads, going so far as to say new technology could possibly be approved before it's even installed in a single car. That position may change since the death of a Tesla driver using automated driver-assist technology , but NHTSA still ...

• Hyundai Panoramic Sunroof Lawsuit Still Has Light Class-action lawsuit is partially dismissed after owners allege Hyundai panoramic sunroofs shatter.

  

  Jul 19, 2016 — A Hyundai panoramic sunroof lawsuit still has light after a federal judge dismissed part of the lawsuit that alleges the panoramic sunroofs shatter without warning. The Hyundai lawsuit was filed by lead plaintiff Billy Glenn, owner of a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport that Glenn claims experienced a shattering panoramic sunroof only to have the replacement sunroof also shatter. The plaintiff says the Santa Fe isn't the only vehicle at risk as the lawsuit names ...

• Takata Has Been Lying (To Everyone) Since At Least 2000 Takata airbag engineers say they knew about faulty test results in 2000.

  

  Jul 19, 2016 — Airbag manufacturer Takata is in more trouble as an audit conducted by Honda and a wrongful death lawsuit brought Takata's cheating ways closer into focus. The risk of the airbag is that a slow-speed crash could trigger the airbag and cause the metal inflator inside the airbag to explode due to a chemical called ammonium nitrate. Honda is Takata's largest auto airbag customer and as such Honda vehicles have been involved in more airbag-related deaths than any ...

• MINI Cooper Water Pump Replacement Lawsuit Preliminarily Approved Judge preliminarily approves MINI Cooper water pump replacement lawsuit settlement terms.

  

  Jul 18, 2016 — A MINI Cooper water pump replacement lawsuit settlement has been preliminarily approved that has BMW paying affected owners and lessees up to $500 if an owner paid to have the water pump repaired or replaced. Affected MINI Coopers include the R55, R56, R57, R58, R59 and R60 built between October 2006 and November 2012. Filed in 2014 by MINI Cooper owner Trish Herremans, the complaint alleges BMW manufactured 2007-2013 MINI Cooper cars with defective water pumps ...

• Chevy Cruze Diesel Emissions Lawsuit Says Cars Are Illegal Owners sue General Motors alleging Chevrolet Cruze diesel cars emit high nitrogen oxide emissions.

  

  Jul 18, 2016 — Chevrolet Cruze turbo diesel cars are the focus of a lawsuit filed against General Motors that alleges the cars use emissions "defeat devices" similar to what Volkswagen has used for seven years. The Chevy Cruze diesel lawsuit alleges owners were fooled into buying cars at premium prices that emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxides. Attorneys say the plaintiffs tested the Cruze using a "Portable Emissions Measurement System" and found the cars don't meet ...

• Nothing 'Good' About Small SUV Headlights Study says out of 21 SUVs and 47 different headlight combinations, none rated 'good' in tests.

  

  Jul 18, 2016 — If you're planning on buying a new small SUV and plan to see well when driving at night, you might want to bring a flashlight. According to a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), not one small SUV out of 21 earned a 'good' headlight rating. IIHS tested 21 model year 2016-2017 small SUVs that use 47 different headlight combinations, including high-intensity discharge (HID), LED lights and curve-adaptive systems which swivel in the ...

• Audi Q5 Emissions Increased After SUVs Were 'Fixed' Consumer group says removing 'defeat device' increased nitrogen oxide emissions by 25 percent.

  

  Jul 17, 2016 — Volkswagen may be making progress in the U.S. concerning illegal cars with emissions problems, but outside the U.S. the automaker hasn't been able to automatically buy its way out of trouble. In Europe, VW started allegedly repairing vehicles months ago that have been emitting high levels of nitrogen oxides for the past seven years, but an Italian consumer agency says at least one model isn't being fixed at all. According to Altroconsumo , removing the ...

• VW Exec Indicted in South Korea, Sales Ban of 32 Models Likely South Korea indicts Volkswagen exec and plans on banning the sale of 32 Audi, Bentley and VW models.

  

  Jul 17, 2016 — A South Korean Volkswagen executive who was arrested over VW's emissions scandal has now been indicted on charges of violating emissions laws and sending false data to authorities. Unlike in the U.S. where criminal probes typically end by an automaker coughing up money, South Korea says executives at Volkswagen could face prison sentences due to years of manipulating emissions. About 11 million vehicles worldwide are affected by software called "defeat ...

• Patricia Mincey Takata Airbag Lawsuit Settled Takata agrees to settle lawsuit filed in the death of Patricia Mincey in a 2001 Honda Civic crash.

  

  Jul 16, 2016 — The case of Patricia Mincey's Takata airbag-related death is over as lawyers announced Takata settled the lawsuit filed after Mincey's 2014 crash . According to the lawsuit, Mincey was driving her 2001 Honda Civic when she went through a red light and crashed into another vehicle. The Takata airbag didn't initially deploy but then deployed with overwhelming force, breaking Mincey's back and leaving her a quadriplegic. Honda recalled the Takata airbag in her ...

• Millions of GM Owners Cheer Appeals Court Ruling Court of Appeals rules General Motors owners can file claims over defective ignition switches.

  

  Jul 14, 2016 — General Motors and its deadly and defective ignition switches are back in the headlines as the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the automaker must face certain claims relating to vehicles before GM's 2009 bankruptcy. The ruling has the potential to affect millions of GM owners who received bad news in April 2015 when a federal bankruptcy judge ruled pre-bankrupt "Old GM" could not be held accountable for actions related to the ignition ...

• VW's 3-Liter Recall Plans Rejected by California California regulators shoot down Volkswagen's plans to recall and fix illegal 3-liter diesel cars.

  

  Jul 13, 2016 — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has rejected a proposed recall plan to fix emissions problems in 3-liter Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen vehicles. The 3-liter vehicles have "auxiliary emission control devices" and "defeat devices" that were concealed for at least the past seven years. The devices are illegally used to alter emissions levels to make the vehicles appear to pass all nitrogen oxide emission standards, when in reality the vehicles emit up to ...

• Tesla Model S and Model X Autopilot Crashes Investigated Government investigates Tesla Model S and Model X 'Autopilot' crashes.

  

  Jul 12, 2016 — Electric automaker Tesla must answer a series of questions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by August 26 or face penalties of up to $21,000 per day for each day those questions remain unanswered. Federal safety regulators want to know about Tesla's "Autopilot," a feature currently tested by live drivers traveling highway speeds on real roads. Tesla says the technology is to "assist" a driver and a driver must authorize the use of ...

• VW May Fix 3-Liter U.S. Cars, No Compensation in Europe Volkswagen says European owners won't see compensation, while 3-liter U.S. cars may be fixed.

  

  Jul 4, 2016 — About 85,000 U.S. owners of illegal 3-liter Volkswagen vehicles may be licking their chops after reading owners of 2-liter diesel vehicles will be offered compensation and buyback offers, but 3-liter owners should remove the napkins from their laps. Based on what Volkswagen told a California court, the automaker believes it can fix the 85,000 affected vehicles and make them perfectly legal. This can allegedly be done without causing changes to power or fuel ...

• Acura HandsFreeLink Problems Cause Battery Drain Lawsuit Owners say Acura HandsFreeLink problems cause parasitic current draw, draining the batteries.

  

  Jul 2, 2016 — Acura HandsFreeLink problems have caused a class-action lawsuit that alleges the HandsFreeLink drains batteries and keeps draining batteries. The HandsFreeLink lawsuit was filed against Honda, parent organization of Acura and one of the first companies to use Bluetooth hands-free technology, calling it HandsFreeLink. The system allows a driver to "pair" a smartphone with the car, but according to the plaintiff, Honda should have warned consumers about the ...

• Tesla Self-Driving Death Investigated by Government Joshua D. Brown becomes first known Tesla self-driving death while using the 'Autopilot' system.

  

  Jul 1, 2016 — A Tesla self-driving death is the first to be associated with the automaker's self-driving mode called "Autopilot." Killed in the May 7 Florida crash was Joshua D. Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio, when his 2015 Tesla Model S reportedly was traveling in Autopilot and didn't "see" the white side of a tractor-trailer that was making a turn. In self-driving mode, the cameras on the car allegedly couldn't tell the difference between the side of the tractor-trailer and ...

• NHTSA Has Urgent Message For Honda and Acura Owners Government tells Honda and Acura owners to get their Takata airbags fixed or park the vehicles.

  

  Jul 1, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a warning to certain Honda and Acura owners to immediately get their Takata airbags repaired or park the vehicles until the airbags are repaired. NHTSA says based on new tests of Takata airbag inflators, the following 313,000 older vehicles have a 50 percent chance of experiencing ruptures of the inflators during deployment of the airbags: 2001-2002 Honda Civic 2001-2002 Honda ...

• Chrysler Electronic Gear Shifters Cause Nearly 700 Complaints Safety regulators say monostable electronic shifters may have caused 266 crashes and 68 injuries.

  

  Jun 28, 2016 — Chrysler electronic shifters "appear to violate several basic design guidelines for vehicle controls," according to an investigation conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The government closed the investigation after Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) ordered a recall of more than 1 million vehicles to update software related to the gear shifters. However, NHTSA says it found problems with the electronic gear shifters that use monostable ...

• Hyundai Agrees to Settle Santa Fe Engine Stall Lawsuit Owners filed suit after claiming 2010-2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs stall without warning.

  

  Jun 27, 2016 — Hyundai has agreed to settle a Santa Fe engine stall lawsuit filed in 2014 after owners complained about engines stalling at any speeds while driving. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of U.S. consumers who own or lease, or previously owned or leased 2010-2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs equipped with 3.5-liter engines. Although Hyundai says it will settle the lawsuit, the automaker says the SUVs aren't defective and the case will be settled only to avoid a long and ...

• Exploding Takata Airbag Involved in Death of Malaysian Woman Malaysian driver killed in a 2005 Honda City involving a ruptured Takata airbag inflator.

  

  Jun 27, 2016 — Takata airbag inflators are again the focus of an investigation into the death of a Honda driver in Malaysia, this time involving a 44-year-old woman driving a 2005 Honda City car. The 2005 Honda City was in a minor accident with a Mercedes-Benz in Petaling Jaya when the single stage driver-side airbag inflator exploded, shooting hot metal into the woman's chest. Investigators say the center of the steering wheel showed bent metal pointed toward the driver. A ...

• Chrysler Electronic Gear Shifter Focus of Lawsuit Chrysler electronic shifter lawsuit alleges monostable gear shifters are dangerous and deadly.

  

  Jun 26, 2016 — A Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) electronic gear shifter class-action lawsuit alleges more than 1 million Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles have electronic shifters that are hazardous to your health. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of owners of 2012-2014 Dodge Charger, 2012-2014 Chrysler 300 and 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with gear shifters made by ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF). The plaintiffs say the electronic shifters are confusing because the ...

• Prosecutors Arrest South Korean Volkswagen Executive South Korean prosecutors issue warrant and arrest VW exec for allegedly altering emission tests.

  

  Jun 25, 2016 — A South Korean Volkswagen executive has been arrested after a warrant was issued by the Seoul District Court for charges related to Volkswagen's emissions cheating. The arrest comes after South Korean authorities raided Volkswagen's offices in May after accusations the automaker forged fuel economy documents. Unlike what occurs with automakers in the U.S., criminal charges overseas can mean arrest warrants and executives in handcuffs. U.S. auto execs can work ...

• GM Wants Ignition Switch Claims Tossed Out of Court General Motors wants judge to toss out claims related to loss of value due to ignition switches.

  

  Jun 24, 2016 — General Motors wants millions of ignition switch customers to skip their opportunity to be represented in a New York courtroom as lawyers for GM asked the judge to bar claims related to a loss of vehicle values. U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan is overseeing claims against the automaker caused by defective ignition switches installed in millions of cars. The switch can slip out of the "run" position while driving and cause a loss of electrical ...

• Volkswagen To Pay U.S. Diesel Customers $10 Billion Volkswagen will pay about $10 billion to U.S owners and $4.7 billion to settle other matters.

  

  Jun 23, 2016 — Volkswagen has agreed to a settlement worth $10 billion to compensate U.S. owners of about 475,000 2-liter "clean diesel" vehicles that have been emitting illegal levels of nitrogen oxides for at least seven years. The automaker originally got caught by West Virginia University which was performing emissions tests on VW diesel vehicles. Researchers couldn't make the numbers fit and contacted the EPA about the discrepancies. Under questioning from the EPA, ...

• Chrysler to Stop Making Vehicles With Certain Takata Airbags FCA (Chrysler) says 2016 Jeep Wranglers have Takata airbags that will be recalled.

  

  Jun 22, 2016 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) has named the one new vehicle that has the same Takata airbags that will eventually be recalled, and the automaker also said it will stop using all Takata airbags that don't contain a drying agent. Takata airbags have killed at least 10 people in the U.S. and injured more than 140, all due to heat, moisture and age that can affect the explosive chemical called ammonium nitrate. The chemical should provide a small explosive charge to ...

• BMW Clogged Sunroof Drain Lawsuit Has New Life Judge says BMW clogged sunroof drain lawsuit can proceed on fraudulent concealment claims.

  

  Jun 22, 2016 — A BMW clogged sunroof drain lawsuit that was almost down the legal drain has new life as the judge ruled BMW must respond to discovery requests sought by the plaintiff. Plaintiff George Catalano filed the BMW lawsuit in June 2015 alleging the automaker concealed safety defects in 2000-2008 BMW X5 Series, 2004-2010 X3 Series and 2004-2010 5 Series cars. Catalano claims the BMW vehicles are defective because electronic components are located in trunk and cargo ...

• Toyota Sued After Carjacking and 4 Fatalities Lawsuit says door locks in Toyota 4Runner caused carjacking and deaths of mother and 3 kids.

  

  Jun 22, 2016 — The victim of a carjacking and the family of a deceased mother and her three children blame the incidents on Toyota and the design the automaker used to manufacture the door locks in 2005 Toyota 4Runner SUVs. On July 25, 2014, a female real estate agent parked the 4Runner on Cumberland and Cambria Streets in Philadelphia and shifted the SUV into "PARK." Shortly afterward, her doors opened and the victim found herself carjacked at gunpoint, sexually assaulted ...

• Jeep Electronic Gear Shifter Focus of Anton Yelchin's Death Investigation will determine if confusing gear shifter caused Jeep Grand Cherokee rollaway death.

  

  Jun 21, 2016 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) and its electronic gear shifters used for vehicles with 3.6-liter engines are the focus of an investigation after Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin, 27, was struck and killed by his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The investigation is in the beginning stages and information is limited, but it's known Yelchin exited the Jeep Grand Cherokee which rolled backward and down a driveway, pinning the actor between the Jeep and a concrete mailbox. The ...

• BMW Wants M3 Engine Knocking Lawsuit Dismissed Automaker wants judge to dismiss BMW M3 engine knocking lawsuit that alleges engines fail.

  

  Jun 20, 2016 — BMW has asked a judge to dismiss a BMW M3 engine knocking lawsuit that alleges the M3 S65 engines have defective rotating assemblies that cause problems with the connecting rod bearings. Plaintiff David Afzal filed the M3 engine lawsuit in 2015 after claiming metal debris from the connecting rod bearings can cause complete engine failure. The plaintiff says his 2001 BMW M3 experienced loud knocking noises from the rod bearings that eventually caused repairs ...

• Land Rover LR2 Battery Replacement Lawsuit Survives Land Rover LR2 battery replacement lawsuit alleges electrical defects cause batteries to fail.

  

  Jun 19, 2016 — A Land Rover LR2 battery replacement lawsuit will continue in court, but only after a U.S. district judge dismissed much of the lawsuit filed against Land Rover. The 2008-2015 Land Rover LR2 battery replacement lawsuit was filed in 2015 by lead plaintiff Amy Block who alleges the battery drains easily and quickly, causing an expensive replacement of the battery. The LR2 class-action lawsuit says electrical problems cause constant replacement of the batteries ...

• Kia Theta Engine Lawsuit Says GDI Engines Have Problems Lawsuit alleges Kia Theta engines in Kia Sorento, Optima and Sportage vehicles are defective.

  

  Jun 16, 2016 — A Kia Theta engine lawsuit has been filed concerning alleged engine problems in the 2011-2014 Kia Optima, 2011-2014 Kia Sportage and the 2012-2014 Kia Sorento. However, the plaintiffs claim more Kia models could be added later to the Theta engine class-action lawsuit. The Kia Theta engine lawsuit targets the Theta 2-liter and 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engines, also known as GDI engines. According to the plaintiffs, the engines contain defects that ...

• Which New Cars Are Being Sold With Takata Airbags? Many new cars are still being sold with Takata airbags that will eventually be recalled.

  

  Jun 15, 2016 — While millions of consumers are waiting for their vehicles to be repaired to keep Takata airbags from exploding, another set of consumers may be surprised to learn buying a new car doesn't mean the problems are solved. With the recent expansion of another 35-40 million vehicles that will be recalled , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says some of those vehicles aren't exactly old. The thinking behind selling new cars with airbags ...

• U.S. Virgin Islands Sues Honda and Takata Honda and Takata target of criminal complaint filed by attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

  

  Jun 10, 2016 — The U.S. Virgin Islands has filed a lawsuit against Takata and Honda alleging the companies manufactured, used and marketed defective airbags the companies knew were prone to explode, causing injuries and deaths. The lawsuit says Honda and Takata misled Virgin Island consumers about the safety of the vehicles and the airbags. Hawaii got the ball rolling when it announced a government lawsuit against Takata and automaker Honda , the company that previously used ...

• Volkswagen Emissions Fix Nears in U.S., Approved in Germany Volkswagen emissions fix to be announced June 21 in the U.S. as Germany approves fix for its cars.

  

  Jun 8, 2016 — Volkswagen says it has made tremendous progress toward a final settlement agreement to be presented to U.S. officials June 21, 2016. VW owners continue to wait for answers since the day they learned their vehicles are technically illegal concerning emissions standards in the U.S. Owners learned the automaker had been cheating on emissions tests for at least seven years on 600,000 diesel models in the U.S. and about 11 million worldwide. The cars are illegally ...

• Sports Car Crash-Test Ratings All Over the Place The Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger earn wide range of safety ratings.

  

  Jun 7, 2016 — Sports car crash tests have been conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), at least on three of the most popular "muscle cars" in the U.S. Consumers typically don't buy one of these cars to drive under the speed limit, something IIHS says makes crash testing an important part of buying a car. The Institute doesn't crash-test sports cars often because the cars make up a small share of the consumer market. However, sports cars suffer the ...

• Car Owners Keep Complaining About Software-Related Problems All those lines of computer code in cars increases software technical service bulletins and recalls.

  

  Jun 7, 2016 — Car owners have learned over the past few years the consequences of turning vehicles into computers with tires, namely with the noticeable increase in software-related complaints and recalls. The complexity of cars is overwhelming to the human mind when you realize all the software needed for the average car. But for a luxury vehicle the lines of computer code can be outright scary when compared to other complicated machines. The total software code in a U.S. ...

• Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Hacked Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV hacked by researchers: 'This is shocking and should not be possible.'

  

  Jun 6, 2016 — A Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has been hacked by researchers from a British security and testing company, something the automaker didn't want to hear about it until the media stepped in. Pen Test Partners describes itself as security consultants who expose security flaws by penetrating security systems. It appears that's exactly what the company did with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In ...

• Front Seatbacks Are Killing Children in Backseats Two senators want automakers to do more to prevent front seats from collapsing into rear seats.

  

  May 27, 2016 — Two U.S. senators want to know what automakers are doing to protect backseat occupants from front seatbacks collapsing and striking children sitting in the back. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent letters to 17 automakers requesting detailed information about the problems caused by front seatbacks collapsing in rear-end crashes, including the strength of their seating systems and the number of known seatback collapse ...

• Consumer Groups Say NHTSA Missed Deadline Three consumer groups say government missed deadline to respond to automatic braking petition.

  

  May 25, 2016 — Three consumer groups are accusing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of missing a deadline to respond to a formal petition filed in January 2016. The petition was filed by Consumer Watchdog, the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, former NHTSA administrator and now president emeritus of Public Citizen. The petitioners asked NHTSA to mandate automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology on all cars instead of allowing automakers ...

• BMW i3 'Range Extender' Lawsuit Says The Cars Lose Speed BMW i3 REx (range extender) cars allegedly dramatically lose speed when range extender is activated.

  

  May 24, 2016 — A BMW i3 "range extender" (REx) class-action lawsuit alleges the cars suddenly lose both power and speed when the range extender option is activated. The BMW lawsuit focuses on 2014-2016 i3 REx cars advertised as including a "fuel extender" gasoline engine with a small gas tank that sends gas to the engine when the battery level drops. BMW announced the i3 electric car to the world in 2013 as "an electric vehicle that performs like a BMW...because it is ...

• Volkswagen Timing Chain Tensioner Lawsuit Filed in New Jersey Volkswagen and Audi timing chain tensioner lawsuit alleges defects cause engine damage and failure.

  

  May 23, 2016 — A Volkswagen timing chain tensioner lawsuit alleges numerous VW and Audi vehicles have defects in the timing chain tensioning systems that cause complete engine failure. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes many VW and Audi vehicles. 2008-2010 and 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2009-2013 Volkswagen CC 2008 -2012 Volkswagen EOS 2008-2012 Volkswagen Golf 2008-2012 Volkswagen GTI 2008-2012 Volkswagen Jetta 2008-2012 Volkswagen ...

• Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain Oil Consumption Bulletin Issued GM issues technical service bulletin after SUV owners complain of excessive oil consumption.

  

  May 22, 2016 — Owners of 2011 Chevrolet Equinox and 2011 GMC Terrain SUVs who have complained about excessive oil consumption problems may receive help from General Motors based on technical service bulletin (TSB) 15285C. Owners of the SUVs say their vehicles consume oil at excessively rapid rates and cause constant refills and repairs. The 2011 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs are equipped with 2.4-liter gas engines, vehicles that have come under previous service bulletins ...

• Cadillac CTS False Safety Ratings Class-Action Lawsuit to Proceed Court of Appeals rules against GM in class-action lawsuit over 2014 Cadillac CTS window stickers.

  

  May 21, 2016 — A class-action lawsuit against General Motors concerning false safety ratings on window stickers for 2014 Cadillac CTS cars will proceed after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the automaker. Plaintiff Geri Siano Carriuolo filed the 2014 lawsuit after purchasing a 2014 Cadillac CTS the plaintiff believed had achieved 5-star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Carriuolo had every right to believe what ...

• Suzuki Says it Didn't Cheat on Fuel Economy Suzuki admits 2.1 million cars used the wrong tests for fuel economy for a period of 6 years.

  

  May 20, 2016 — Suzuki says it didn't intentionally cheat on fuel economy tests while the automaker admits it spent the past six years selling 2.1 million cars with incorrect fuel economy estimates. Saying it discovered “discrepancies” in its tests, Suzuki denies it deliberately manipulated the cars to make them easier to sell. However, Suzuki said nothing for six years until Japan's transport ministry ordered all automakers to provide details about emissions and fuel ...

• GM To Offer Compensation For Overstating Fuel Economy General Motors will offer compensation after three models of SUVs were sold with overstated mpg.

  

  May 19, 2016 — General Motors will reportedly offer compensation to about 135,000 owners and lessees because of overstating fuel economy on 2016 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia SUVs. GM determined the SUVs were sold with an overstated fuel economy of 1 to 2 miles per gallon , so compensation will be offered based on the difference between advertised and actual miles per gallon. Estimates are 135,000 customers purchased or leased the SUVs and 40,000 more ...

• Ford Spark Plugs Breaking? Ford Settles Class-Action Lawsuit Ford and owners settle class-action lawsuit that alleges Ford spark plugs break off in the engines.

  

  May 17, 2016 — Ford and Lincoln owners who experienced spark plugs breaking when trying to change the plugs have claim benefit deadlines approaching after Ford agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit. Without admitting guilt, Ford agreed to settle the lawsuit after owners said it cost a fortune to replace the spark plugs. Some owners paid more than $1,000 to have repair facilities use special tools to remove the broken spark plugs. The class-action lawsuit alleges spark ...

• Recalled Axle Repair May Not Meet U.S. Safety Agency's Own Rules Safety Advocates Say NHTSA-Approved Ford Windstar Axle Bracket Is Still Unsafe.

  

  May 16, 2016 — Government regulations say automakers must repair recalled vehicles to make sure consumers are safe. But consumer safety advocates say that is not happening in the case of some 1998 – 2003 model year Ford Windstar minivans with rear axles prone to breaking due to rust. And, they say all consumers should be worried that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn’t see this as a problem. In 2010 Ford first recalled about 528,000 Windstars, saying ...

• GM Says Popular SUVs Have Wrong Window Stickers General Motors says incorrect fuel economy was advertised for Buick, Chevrolet and GMC SUVs.

  

  May 16, 2016 — General Motors told its dealerships to stop selling about 60,000 model year Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia SUVs after discovering the window stickers (Monroney labels) have incorrect fuel efficiency numbers. GM says the stickers show the SUVs get 1 to 2 miles per gallon more than they do, a problem that could get the automaker in trouble with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). GM says it discovered the problem while working on ...

• South Korea Accuses Nissan of Cheating Emissions Tests Officials in South Korea claim Nissan Qashqai SUVs have illegal emissions defeat devices.

  

  May 16, 2016 — The South Korean Ministry of Environment says it found evidence that new Nissan Qashqai compact SUVs are equipped with illegal devices to cheat on emissions tests. According to environmental officials, the Nissan Qashqai, equipped with Euro 6 diesel engines, will not be sold in South Korea until Nissan can fix all the SUVs, including 814 vehicles that will be recalled. South Korean officials say emission tests show some vehicles from various manufacturers ...

• Chevy Camaro Owners File Lawsuit Over 'Service Airbag' Lights General Motors sued after Chevrolet Camaro owners complain about 'Service Airbag' lights.

  

  May 15, 2016 — Owners of 2010-2011 Chevrolet Camaro cars have filed a lawsuit against General Motors alleging airbag defects cause the "Service Airbag" lights to illuminate due to a loss of the passenger airbag systems. The proposed Camaro class-action lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Philip Bryde, Jennifer Waters and Alvin Northington concerning owners and lessees of 2010 through 2011 Chevrolet Camaro cars in the U.S. Plaintiff Philip Bryde says he purchased a new 2010 ...

• Hawaii Sues Honda and Takata Over Explosive Airbags Hawaii filed lawsuit against Honda and Takata alleging violations of state consumer protection laws.

  

  May 13, 2016 — Hawaii has filed suit against Takata and Honda for making, supplying and using airbags both companies allegedly knew were unsafe and deadly. The lawsuit alleges violations of consumer protection laws for unfair and deceptive conduct with maximum penalties of $10,000 per violation. Hawaii says both Takata and Honda are the targets as Honda is the primary automaker affected by Takata's explosive airbags. The Hawaii lawsuit alleges Takata is responsible for the ...

• Mitsubishi: 'Improper Manipulation' of Fuel Consumption Rates Mitsubishi says all Japanese models have wrong fuel economy values, Nissan buys third of company.

  

  May 12, 2016 — Saying "improper manipulation" occurred to give the appearance of better fuel consumption rates, Mitsubishi says all models sold in Japan have the wrong fuel economy based on incorrect tests performed for the past 25 years. Additionally, the automaker says other models no longer sold in Japan were sold with the wrong fuel economy values. In the beginning, Mitsubishi said problems were found with the 600cc Mitsubishi eK Space, eK Wagon, and Nissan Dayz and Dayz ...

• General Motors Denies it Cheated Emissions Tests Spiegel Magazine: GM's Opel division uses emissions defeat device software on its cars.

  

  May 12, 2016 — Based on published media reports in Germany, General Motors' European Opel vehicles are equipped with illegal "defeat devices" used to fool official emissions test machines. The German magazine Spiegel claims TÜV Nord, a German testing and certification company, found the defeat devices in Opel vehicles sold outside the U.S. According to Spiegel, it's very similar to the Volkswagen scandal as Opel vehicles emit more nitrogen oxides than allowed by law. ...

• Alleged Ferrari F430 Engine Problems Focus of Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges 2004-2009 Ferrari F430 exhaust manifold problems cause engine failure.

  

  May 9, 2016 — A Ferrari F430 engine lawsuit alleges the cars, which can approach $200,000 each, have defects that cause engine damage and eventually complete engine failure. The F430 engine lawsuit says the 2004-2009 cars are marketed as "museum quality automobiles" and came with a price to reflect that claim. Arizona resident Wade E. Morrison says he leased a 2006 Ferrari F430 2-door coupe “Berlinetta” in May 2012 for five years at a gross cost of $140,500, a down payment ...

• Lawsuit Alleges Jeep Recall Created 4-Wheel-Drive Problems Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander lawsuit says recall created problems with 4-wheel-drive features.

  

  May 8, 2016 — A car safety recall is supposed to fix problems, but according to a proposed class-action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler (FCA US), a Jeep recall caused problems that weren't there before the recall. Plaintiff Lynn Grimstad filed the lawsuit alleging the problems occur in 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2006-2010 Jeep Commanders that were recalled in 2013. The story begins with the recall of nearly 300,000 of the Jeeps in May 2013 to keep the SUVs from ...

• Arizona Sues Volkswagen for Consumer Fraud Arizona files lawsuit against Volkswagen for selling illegal cars to Arizona residents for 7 years.

  

  May 8, 2016 — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen accusing the automaker of consumer fraud for selling Arizona residents defective vehicles for at least seven years. Arizona joins a long line of governments that have taken action against VW, including Kentucky , New Mexico , Texas and New Jersey . Then there are the federal lawsuits, including from the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice . Saying its ...

• Saturn Ion Owner Hangs Himself After Deadly Crash Lawsuit alleges defective GM ignition switch caused Denis Herndon to hang himself in prison.

  

  May 6, 2016 — A lawsuit filed against General Motors alleges a Saturn Ion owner hanged himself after he was blamed for a fatal crash that was allegedly caused by a defective ignition switch. On July 16, 2012, Denis Herndon, 36, was driving a 2003 Saturn Ion on Big Bear Boulevard in Big Bear Lake, California, when his Saturn went off the road, hit a group of trees and landed upside down in a pond. The crash killed his passenger, 22-year-old David Aroian, and left Herndon with ...

• Consumer Group: Don't Buy Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier or Xterra Nissan owners wait for answers 4 years after investigation was opened into transmission failures.

  

  May 5, 2016 — Nissan cracked radiators and failed transmissions have caused a consumer group to warn consumers not to buy a 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Frontier or Nissan Xterra. The North Carolina Consumers Council (NCCC) says to stay away from the vehicles because they have cracked radiators that allow antifreeze to mix with transmission fluid, causing total transmission failure. NCCC filed a defect petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ...

• Subaru Oil Consumption Class-Action Lawsuit Awaits Approval Subaru oil consumption class-action lawsuit final hearing scheduled for July 26, 2016.

  

  May 5, 2016 — A Subaru oil consumption class-action lawsuit settlement agreement has been reached concerning some of Subaru's most popular vehicles. Subaru says it agreed to settle the lawsuit to avoid the cost of litigation but the automaker says it is not admitting guilt. Owners filed the lawsuit in 2014 alleging certain Subaru models experience severe oil consumption issues caused by piston rings that wear out early, causing engine failure. Owners complain about the ...

• Two More Malaysian Deaths Possibly Caused by Takata Airbags Honda confirms two driver-side airbag inflators expoded in accidents that killed two people.

  

  May 5, 2016 — Honda has confirmed exploding Takata airbags were involved in two crashes that killed two drivers of Honda City vehicles in Malaysia, one death that occurred on April 16 and the other on May 1, 2016. Although no official cause of death has been determined, Honda says the driver-side airbag inflators exploded in both cars. According to the Royal Malaysia Police and Honda, the April 16, 2016, crash occurred in Sabah state and involved a Takata single-stage (SDI) ...

• Be Prepared: Takata to Recall 35-40 Million More Airbags Takata will recall 35-40 million additional airbags, bringing total in U.S. to almost 70 million.

  

  May 4, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has let the public know to expect Takata airbag recalls to continue for years with the announcement of additional recalls of 35-40 million airbag inflators. This is on top of the 29 million Takata airbag inflators already recalled in the U.S. The airbags have killed at least 10 people in the U.S. and injured more than 140, all from sending shrapnel into vehicle occupants when the airbags deploy. NHTSA ...

• Subaru Outback Headlight Problems Lead to Lawsuit Subaru Outback headlight problems and complaints cause 2011 Outback owner to file lawsuit.

  

  May 2, 2016 — Subaru Outback headlight problems have caused a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by the owner of a 2011 Subaru Outback. Subaru Outback owner Kathleen O’Neill filed the lawsuit after allegedly experiencing numerous failures of exterior lighting, especially the headlights. The lawsuit says O’Neill purchased a new 2011 Subaru Outback and by the end of 2011, the left front headlight had failed followed by the right headlight in February 2012. A dealership ...

• Lexus ES 350 'Cold Weather Package' Lawsuit Filed Lawsuit alleges 2015 Lexus ES 350 'Cold Weather Package' is missing the heated steering wheel.

  

  May 2, 2016 — A Lexus ES 350 "cold weather package" lawsuit has been filed by a New Jersey woman who claims her 2015 ES 350 was falsely advertised as equipped with a heated steering wheel. Plaintiff Ellen Wertheim says not only was a heated steering wheel not included in her car, but no 2015 Lexus ES 350 in the country has a heated steering wheel. The plaintiff says it was a surprise to her because she previously leased an earlier model Lexus with a cold weather package ...

• South Korea: 14 Out of 16 Cars Flunk Emission Tests South Korean regulators say only two vehicles out of 16 passed nitrogen oxide emission tests.

  

  May 1, 2016 — Volkswagen maybe won't feel so bad concerning its illegal nitrogen oxide emissions, at least in South Korea where officials found 14 out of 16 diesel cars from various automakers are determined to be illegal. The South Korean National Institute of Environmental Research opened an investigation into possible emission problems because of the chaos Volkswagen caused across the world. South Korean regulators refused recall plans submitted by Volkswagen because VW ...

• Hyundai Sonata Engine Lawsuit Nears the End Proposed settlement agreement reached in lawsuit filed after complaints about Hyundai Sonata engines

  

  Apr 28, 2016 — A Hyundai Sonata engine failure class-action lawsuit has reached the proposed settlement agreement stage and now awaits final approval from the judge. The Hyundai Sonata engine lawsuit was filed by the owner of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata who claimed the Theta II engines seize from defects Hyundai knew existed from the time the cars were first manufactured. The plaintiff says after hearing noise coming from the Sonata engine, and with 85,000 miles on the car, a ...

• Mazda Mazda3 Clutch Replacements Cause Lawsuit Owners of Mazda Maxda3 cars file lawsuit after claiming clutches wear down and fail.

  

  Apr 28, 2016 — Mazda Mazda3 clutch replacements have caused owners to file a proposed class-action lawsuit against the automaker concerning Mazda3 clutch failures. The clutch lawsuit targets model year 2010-2015 Mazda3 cars with allegedly defective clutch release levers (clutch forks), bearings and pins. The cars named in the lawsuit are equipped with either a 5-speed or 6-speed transmission. The lawsuit alleges the clutch assemblies have a defect in design that causes ...

• Mitsubishi Spent 25 Years Cheating Fuel Economy Standards Mitsubishi admits it cheated on fuel economy tests for 25 years while officials were clueless.

  

  Apr 27, 2016 — Mitsubishi Motors said it spent the past 25 years cheating fuel economy standards in Japan just days after admitting the company intentionally falsified data about fuel economy on more than 600,000 minicars . Many of the cars were manufactured by Mitsubishi for Nissan, and it was Nissan that originally discovered the problems. Mitsubishi first said falsified data had been submitted to Japan's transport ministry starting in 2002, but additional investigation has ...

• Germany and UK Find Interesting Emissions Levels German and UK authorities find all kinds of emission problems in numerous vehicle makes and models.

  

  Apr 26, 2016 — The Volkswagen emissions scandal is taking a toll across the world and has heightened the issue of how other automakers may have their own emissions problems, especially outside the U.S. Germany Recalls 630,000 Vehicles to Check Emissions German officials said Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche and Volkswagen will recall 630,000 vehicles after the automakers used a loophole in the law to justify higher emissions. Although what the automakers are doing is ...

• Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed After Toyota Yaris Crash Toyota lawsuit alleges unintended acceleration in Toyota Yaris caused crash that killed five.

  

  Apr 20, 2016 — A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Toyota and other companies after a deadly crash in California of a Toyota Yaris. A 51-year-old female was driving a 2015 Toyota Yaris that was traveling east on I-10 in San Bernardino County when the vehicle exited the highway onto the Vineyard Avenue off-ramp. The Yaris driver said she couldn't get the vehicle to slow down before it crashed into a Toyota Solara, killing four people in the Solara. Killed were ...

• Mitsubishi Admits Cheating on Fuel Economy Estimates President of Mitsubishi admits company altered tire pressure readings on over 600,000 cars.

  

  Apr 20, 2016 — Mitsubishi Motors president Tetsuro Aikawa has admitted his company intentionally falsified data about fuel economy on more than 600,000 vehicles sold in Japan. Mr. Aikawa said tire pressure readings were falsified to make the fuel economy appear better than it was, although he said he was unaware of what was taking place. Nearly 470,000 of the vehicles were manufactured by Mitsubishi for Nissan and it was Nissan who discovered the problems. The remaining ...

• VW Offers to Buy Back Vehicles Volkswagen will buy back or repair almost 500,000 cars affected by emissions defeat devices.

  

  Apr 20, 2016 — Volkswagen will buy back or fix all 2-liter diesel vehicles that have illegal software called defeat devices used to alter nitrogen oxide emissions. The vehicles contain illegal software that provides correct emissions data during official tests, but once back on the roads for normal use the cars revert to a much higher emissions level, specifically nitrogen oxide emissions. Nitrogen oxide emissions cause all kinds of health problems, which is why U.S. ...

• Study: Higher Speed Limits Caused 33,000 Deaths Researchers say 33,000 lives have been lost in 20 years due to an increase in state speed limits.

  

  Apr 18, 2016 — A new study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says by increasing legal speed limits over the past 20 years, 33,000 lives have been lost on American roadways. State speed limits have risen since 1995, 27 years after Congress required states to adopt a 55 mph speed limit in exchange for receiving highway funding. The move wasn't as much based on safety as the concerns over enough gas being available for vehicles. The uniform 55 mph ...

• Cars Without Airbags Receive 'Zero' Stars in Safety Tests Latin American consumers often drive cars without airbags, 3-point seat belts or stability control.

  

  Apr 18, 2016 — Latin safety organizations accuse automakers of ignoring the safety of consumers in Latin markets by selling cars without airbags and other safety features, all to keep profit margins high. Vehicles sold in South America often have no airbags, electronic stability control systems or 3-point seat belts that come standard for consumers in the U.S. As an example, the best-selling Chevy Aveo recently received a safety rating of "zero" stars by the Latin New Car ...

• Takata Airbag Recalls May Take Years and Possibly Billions of Dollars About 85 million additional Takata airbags in the U.S. may eventually need to be recalled.

  

  Apr 17, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says as many as 85 million Takata airbags in the U.S. contain ammonium nitrate, the chemical believed to be the primary cause of exploding Takata airbags. What's even more scary is the fact those 85 million airbags are not currently part of any recall. Takata airbags have killed at least 10 people in the U.S. and injured over 140. The airbags contain metal inflators used to deploy the airbags. Inside ...

• MINI Cooper Engine Problems Alleged in Lawsuit MINI Cooper engine lawsuit claims engine seals leak and cause engine overheating and damage.

  

  Apr 17, 2016 — Alleged MINI Cooper engine problems have caused a proposed class-action lawsuit that names the 2009-2014 MINI Cooper as the problematic cars that contain a defect concerning the lubrication of the engines. The MINI Cooper engine lawsuit alleges the cars are defective because their seals are made of a material that is prone to cracking. When the seals crack, fluids intended to lubricate the engine leak out of the system, which then causes overheating and engine ...

• Mazda CX-5 Brake Pads Subject of Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) Mazda issues bulletin to repair Mazda CX-5 rear brake pads that grind and squeak.

  

  Apr 16, 2016 — Mazda CX-5 brake pads that squeak or grind will get some attention from Mazda, at least for owners of the 2013-2014 Mazda CX-5. Mazda has issued a technical service bulletin, TSB 04-005/15, for owners who complain about rear brakes that wear out and cause a loud grinding or squeaking sound. The Mazda CX-5 rear outer brake pads will show severe wear while the inner pads show little or no wear. Owners of the 2013-2014 Mazda CX-5 have told CarComplaints.com ...

• Patricia Mincey: Possibly the 11th U.S. Takata Airbag Death Florida woman Patricia Mincey dies 2 years after Honda Civic accident left her a quadriplegic.

  

  Apr 13, 2016 — What could be the 11th U.S. death from a Takata airbag has occurred after it was announced a 77-year-old Florida woman has died two years after an accident in a Honda Civic. In June 2014, Patricia Mincey was driving a 2001 Honda Civic in Jacksonville when she hit another vehicle, allegedly causing the Takata airbag to deploy with such force that it broke Mincey's back, leaving her a quadriplegic. Honda recalled the Takata airbag in her Civic four days after ...

• Ford F-150 SuperCab Takes Top Crash Test Award Only Ford F-150 SuperCab earns "good" rating in frontal crash tests out of several large trucks.

  

  Apr 12, 2016 — The 2016 Ford F-150 SuperCab is the only large truck to rate "good" in the small overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). According to the Institute, the latest battery of tests took its toll on some of the most popular large pickup trucks released for 2016. The small overlap crash test is conducted by replicating what happens when the front corner of a car collides with another vehicle or object. It's more demanding ...

• GM Up 3 to 1 in New York Ignition Switch Trials Plaintiffs agree to dismiss fourth 'bellwether' General Motors ignition switch lawsuit before trial.

  

  Apr 11, 2016 — General Motors got its way once again in a New York court with the dismissal of an ignition switch lawsuit that was scheduled to go to trial in July 2016. In what was supposed to be the fourth "bellwether" or test trial concerning defective ignition switches, lawyers for plaintiff Robert Reid and attorneys for GM agreed to dismiss the lawsuit. Mr. Reid sued after alleging the ignition switch in his Chevrolet HHR caused him to lose control of the vehicle in ...

• General Motors Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit GM settles third 'bellwether' ignition switch lawsuit before the case was to begin in New York.

  

  Apr 7, 2016 — General Motors has agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit after two consecutive victories in trials concerning the automaker's deadly ignition switches. The first trial was dismissed after the plaintiff was caught lying and the second trial saw the jury ruling the ignition switch didn't cause the crash of a 2007 Saturn Sky. The first two trials were part of six scheduled "bellwether" trials that will be used to determine how to proceed in hundreds of other ...

• Huma Hanif: 10th U.S. Takata Airbag Death Texas resident Huma Hanif was killed by an exploding Takata airbag in a 2002 Honda Civic.

  

  Apr 6, 2016 — Huma Hanif, 17, is the tenth Takata airbag-related death in the U.S after Honda, Takata and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed a 2002 Honda Civic airbag inflator exploded. Hanif was driving the 2002 Honda Civic in Fort Bend County, Texas, when her car rear-ended another vehicle and triggered the front airbag to deploy. The March 31, 2016, accident was described by local investigators as minor, but Hanif died at the scene after a piece ...

• Hyundai Peeling Paint Lawsuit Blames Self-Healing Properties Hyundai peeling paint problems cause class-action lawsuit after complaints about self-healing paint.

  

  Apr 5, 2016 — A Hyundai peeling paint lawsuit accuses the automaker of using self-healing paint that peels and bubbles on 2006-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata and Hyundai Elantra vehicles. The Hyundai peeling paint lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Michelle Resnick, Tara Mulrey, Shelby Cramer, Paul Sandlin, Patricia Reynolds, Lauren Freed and Christopher Baker. The plaintiffs say the self-healing paint can peel and bubble in large sections that leave the cars looking terrible, ...

• BMW Misses Deadline Due to Bad Replacement Airbag Inflators BMW gets airbag deadline extension after replacement airbag inflators turn out to be faulty.

  

  Apr 3, 2016 — Takata airbag inflator problems continue to infest the vehicles of numerous automakers, as BMW can attest. BMW was supposed to be replacing Takata airbag inflators to meet a deadline set by the government, but the automaker missed the deadline. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has extended the deadline by five months because the replacement airbag inflators were found to be defective. Those metal Takata inflators have killed at least ...

• Do Ignition Interlock Devices Work? Researchers say ignition interlock devices work in states that mandate the use of the devices.

  

  Apr 3, 2016 — Do ignition interlock devices work? If by "work" you mean decrease alcohol-related car accident deaths, the answer is yes. At least that's according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. An ignition interlock device (IID) uses a built-in breathalyzer to analyze blood alcohol content before starting a car. The car won't start if the result comes back ...

• Kia Optima Steering Wheel Clicking? TSB Might Help Technical service bulletin issued for 2011-2014 Kia Optima cars with steering problems.

  

  Apr 2, 2016 — Is your Kia Optima steering wheel clicking or catching? For 2011-2014 Kia Optima owners who have complained about steering wheels clicking, catching and slipping, a technical service bulletin (TSB) issued by Kia might be the answer. Kia Optima steering wheel complaints have occurred for years, with owners describing various problems with the feel of the steering wheels. The automaker issued the TSB based on the steering wheel "slipping" or feeling "notchy." ...

• GM Ignition Switch Trials - GM: 2, Plaintiffs: 0 Jury says General Motors ignition switch didn't cause Louisiana Saturn Sky accident on icy road.

  

  Mar 30, 2016 — A New York jury has ruled a General Motors ignition switch didn't cause a 2014 Louisiana crash of a 2007 Saturn Sky. The trial is the second "bellwether" or test trial to determine how to proceed on a stockpile of lawsuits filed against GM over the defective ignition switches. Based on the outcome of the six New York bellwether trials, one side could decide to settle all the cases or decide to keep fighting case by case. More than 30 million GM vehicles have ...

• Federal Trade Commission Sues Volkswagen Over False Ads FTC charges VW with falsely advertising "clean diesel" vehicles to consumers for seven years.

  

  Mar 29, 2016 — Volkswagen has another lawsuit to contend with as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announces false advertising charges against the automaker. It was only a matter of time, considering VW has admitted lying to the world for seven years about alleged "clean diesel" technology. The diesel vehicles, about 600,000 in the U.S., are equipped with illegal software that causes the cars to pass official emissions tests, then emit up to 40 times the legal limits of ...

• Paying More For a Car Doesn't Mean Having Good Headlights New research says only one midsize car out of 31 has headlights that are rated "good."

  

  Mar 29, 2016 — Paying more for a car doesn't mean the headlights will be any better than on a cheaper model, that's according to research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an organization funded by insurance companies. In its first-ever headlight ratings, IIHS says only one 2016 car earned a good rating out of the 31 vehicles that were tested. That car, the Toyota Prius v, earned a good rating in categories that includes good, acceptable, ...

• Volkswagen Owners Wait For Repairs While Cars Continue to Pollute Volkswagen owners in the U.S. and South Korea tired of waiting for emissions repairs.

  

  Mar 28, 2016 — Volkswagen owners are running out of patience as VW ran out of time to answer how it will fix about 600,000 diesel cars in the U.S. However, it seems time is on the side of VW as a federal judge moved forward the hands on the deadline clock and gave VW an extension. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer says VW has until April 21 to provide a comprehensive proposal on how the automaker will get the illegal vehicles off the roads. Those vehicles have illegal ...

• Government Agrees To Post All Automaker Defect Info After being sued, Department of Transporation says all automaker defect info will be made public.

  

  Mar 28, 2016 — The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have agreed to implement measures to publicly post all vehicle technical service bulletins (TSBs) and communications to dealers concerning defects in vehicles. In what can only be described as a big win for consumers, DOT will publicly post all defect-related information, even if it's not safety related. The government announced its plans after the Center for ...

• Kentucky Lawsuit Against Volkswagen Alleges Massive Fraud State of Kentucky files lawsuit against Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen for deceiving citizens.

  

  Mar 24, 2016 — The state of Kentucky and Attorney General Andy Beshear filed a lawsuit against Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen alleging the automakers scammed and harmed Kentucky citizens. The lawsuit comes as Volkswagen faces about 500 lawsuits consolidated in California, and on the heels of legal complaints filed by New Jersey, New Mexico and Texas. The lawsuit lays out the case VW broke about every rule in the auto handbook, including "willful, knowing, deliberate, unfair, ...

• BMW Sunroof Drain Clog Lawsuit May Be Over Lawsuit may not survive after owner alleges BMW sunroof drain tubes clog and damage electronics.

  

  Mar 20, 2016 — A BMW sunroof drain clog lawsuit may be nearing an end as a federal judge tossed all but one claim made by the plaintiff. The drain tube lawsuit was filed by BMW owner George Catalano, who alleges millions of cars have a defect that allows the sunroof drain tubes to clog and send water into the trunk, damaging sensitive electrical components. Catalano claims he was driving his was driving his 2007 BMW 530xi when he received a warning of complete electrical ...

• FBI Warns Consumers About Car Hacking Vulnerabilities Federal law enforcement agency says car hacking is a real threat that consumers should know about.

  

  Mar 18, 2016 — Should the typical car owner worry about their car coming under the control of hackers? The FBI says the answer is yes, we should all worry enough to take precautions with our vehicles. While the auto industry is busy turning vehicles into roaming 2-ton wireless devices, the FBI has issued a warning about potential cybersecurity threats. The government says it's important to recognize vulnerabilities in equipment that comes standard in cars and in aftermarket ...

• Alleged Whistleblower Says Volkswagen Destroyed Evidence Former employee sues VW while investors file $3.6 billion lawsuit against the automaker.

  

  Mar 15, 2016 — Volkswagen is currently preparing to defend itself against 500 lawsuits filed in the U.S. after the automaker was forced to admit six months ago that it cheated the world concerning diesel emissions. About 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide have illegal software that causes vehicles to emit up to 40 times above legal limits for nitrogen oxide emissions. Now those emission problems have caused two new lawsuits, one from a former employee and the other a $3.6 ...

• GM Says Ice Caused Saturn Sky Accident, Not the Ignition Switch Second General Motors 'bellwether' ignition switch trial underway in New York over Saturn Sky crash.

  

  Mar 15, 2016 — General Motors is once again in court to defend itself against claims that an ignition switch moved out of the "run" position and caused injuries in an accident. The New York trial is underway after the first so-called bellwether ignition switch trial ended after the plaintiff was caught lying in court . That trial came to a close when the judge heard enough and told both parties to settle the case and get it out of his courtroom. GM hid the ignition switch ...

• Robotics Professor Says Self-Driving Cars Need Drivers Professor of robotics says she has serious concerns about self-driving cars.

  

  Mar 15, 2016 — Leaders in the fields of self-driving car technology asked members of Congress to work with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create uniform nationwide laws concerning the technology. In an era when the Obama administration wants to spend almost $4 billion over 10 years to see the reality of self-driving cars, manufacturers are worried if they will need to follow separate regulations based on separate state governments. Proponents of the ...

• Jury Finds Audi Liable for $124.5 Million in A4 Quattro Crash Jury finds Audi mostly to blame for disabling boy when an Audi A4 Quattro seatback collapsed.

  

  Mar 11, 2016 — Audi and Volkswagen, manufacturers of the 2005 Audi A4 Quattro, will pay a jury award of $124.5 million after the automaker was sued in a Texas court. The lawsuit was filed by the family of an 11-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a rear-end crash. The accident occurred on December 18, 2012, when Jesse Rivera Sr. stopped the Audi A4 Quattro to wait for a school bus that was stopped to pick up children. His son was sitting directly behind him when the ...

• Judge Denies Ford's Motion to Dismiss Power Steering Lawsuit Ford Focus and Fusion power steering lawsuit will continue after judge denies motion to dismiss.

  

  Mar 6, 2016 — A Ford Focus and Fusion power steering lawsuit will continue after U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh denied Ford's motion to dismiss the class-action lawsuit. The power steering lawsuit has been going on since 2014 and at one point was dismissed by the judge , but she allowed the plaintiff to amend the complaint. The power steering problems allegedly occur in the 2012-2014 Ford Focus and 2010-2014 Ford Fusion, causing the cars to lose power steering assist ...

• New Jersey Sues Volkswagen For Fraud Against Consumers New Jersey lawsuit against VW says company put profits ahead of people's health.

  

  Mar 4, 2016 — New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman says the state has filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen alleging "a massive fraud" on New Jersey consumers. Saying Volkswagen engaged in one of the largest frauds in history for more than 10 years, New Jersey accuses the automaker of cheating official emissions tests. The two-count complaint alleges VW made a fortune from manufacturing and marketing diesel vehicles allegedly good for the environment, all while in fact ...

• Adding Car Options and Employee Overtime Cause Recalls University researchers says study proves adding car options and worker overtime increases recalls.

  

  Mar 3, 2016 — For the first time, researchers have determined that using employee overtime and increasing the number of factory-installed options on vehicles cause an increase in manufacturing-related car recalls. Conducted by the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, the study says each car recall has a potential economic impact of more than $20 million. For the study, researchers examined ...

• Automatic Emergency Braking Reduces Rear-End Crashes Automatic emergency braking reduces rear-end crashes by 39 percent and injuries by 42 percent.

  

  Mar 3, 2016 — Automatic emergency braking reduces rear-end crashes by 39 percent on average, based on research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Institute also found automatic emergency braking greatly reduces injuries and if the technology would have been available in 2013, there would have been at least 700,000 fewer rear-end crashes that year. The study of front crash prevention technologies will continue to grow as the systems continue ...

• Ford Focus Door Latch Lawsuit Investigation Begins Ford Focus door latch lawsuit might hit the court system after owners complain of doors flying open.

  

  Mar 2, 2016 — A Ford Focus door latch lawsuit might be forthcoming as attorneys investigate failures of the door latches that allow the doors to open while driving. The legal investigation includes the 2012-2013 Ford Focus, the same model currently under a safety investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA opened its safety defect investigation in January 2016 after receiving 73 complaints about broken door latches on Ford Focus cars. ...

• Nissan Frontier Side Airbags Deploy Unnecessarily: Lawsuit Lawsuit claims Nissan Frontier side airbags deploy for no reason and cause a serious safety hazard.

  

  Mar 1, 2016 — Nissan Frontier side airbag deployments have led to a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the Frontier side airbags deploy for no reason. The lawsuit says the 2011-2012 Nissan Frontier trucks are dangerous because of the side airbags and Nissan refuses to fix the problems. Plaintiff Bobette Brantley says the side airbags deploy in the trucks without need of a crash, causing a safety hazard to occupants and making the trucks unsafe to drive until repaired. ...

• Continental Airbag Lawsuit Filed After Massive Recall Lawsuit filed against airbag manufacturer Continental Automotive as well as Mercedes and Honda.

  

  Mar 1, 2016 — A Continental airbag class-action lawsuit has been filed shortly after Continental announced a recall of 5 million airbags . Named as defendants in the airbag lawsuit are Continental Automotive Systems and Continental AG, Atmel Corporation, Mercedes-Benz USA and parent Daimler AG and American Honda and its parent Honda Motor Co. The affected U.S. models include the following vehicles: 2008-2009 Chrysler Town & Country 2008-2009 Dodge Grand ...

• Nearly 70 Percent of Takata Airbags Unrepaired Deadly Takata airbag inflators still in millions of vehicles, internal memos show pattern of lies.

  

  Feb 29, 2016 — Nearly 70 percent of recalled Takata airbag inflators still need to be replaced as of February 12, 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says over 7 million airbag inflators have been replaced so far, but that still leaves about 21 million deadly inflators installed in millions of vehicles. NHTSA says between August 14, 2015, and February 12, 2016, there have been over 4.1 million driver-side airbag inflators replaced, leaving nearly ...

• Ford PowerShift Transmission Problems Cause Lawsuit Owners say Ford PowerShift transmission problems include slipping, jerking, bucking and failure.

  

  Feb 28, 2016 — Ford PowerShift transmission problems are the focus of a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in Illinois. The lawsuit was filed by Danielle Anderson on behalf of all U.S. consumers who purchased a vehicle equipped with a PowerShift dual clutch transmission. Anderson purchased a 2014 Ford Fiesta that started having transmission problems about 14 months after the purchase date. Anderson says the PowerShift transmission is a $1,095 upgrade based on the idea the ...

• Nokian Admits Cheating Tire Tests For 10 Years Finland's Nokian says it cheated to achieve better scores on tire tests.

  

  Feb 28, 2016 — Finland's Nokian Tyres apparently has been doing what some automakers have done when products might not pass the test. Cheat. According to the Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti, Nokian has spent 10 years supplying certain tires for testing, then selling different tires of a lesser quality to consumers. Nokian is known for its winter tires that are sold throughout Europe to a large segment of the population and sales have been good based on widely advertised tire ...

• Volkswagen's Reputation Up in Smoke as Emissions Fix Deadline Set Judge sets deadline for Volkswagen to submit an emissions fix for 600,000 illegal cars.

  

  Feb 26, 2016 — Volkswagen's problems are piling up as a federal judge set a deadline for answers about how illegal emissions will be fixed, while research shows the automaker has serious reputation problems with the public. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer told Volkswagen it has had plenty of time to provide a response about how 600,000 U.S. diesel cars will be made legal for nitrogen oxide emissions. The judge says the automaker has until March 24 to submit a fix for ...

• Nissan LEAF Hack Can Drain Electric Car Batteries Researchers hack into a Nissan LEAF and find no security protection on the NissanConnect EV app.

  

  Feb 25, 2016 — A Nissan LEAF hack got the attention of Nissan that has now disabled the application that allowed researchers to hack the electric car from across the world. Nissan, like other automakers, believes a consumer won't purchase a car unless that car is fully and wirelessly connected to the world, something Nissan says "is an absolute must for today’s drivers." That's fine and good as long as the automaker can protect its own vehicles from outside wireless attacks ...

• Why Do Takata Airbags Explode? Science Has Answered Scientists say Takata inflators explode due to ammonium nitrate left unprotected from moisture.

  

  Feb 23, 2016 — The question of why Takata airbags explode might finally be answered as a group of scientists released results of their research into the problem. Blamed on at least 10 deaths and 139 injuries, the metal inflator inside the airbag can explode when the airbag deploys. What is meant to protect vehicle occupants becomes a deadly weapon when the airbag inflator sends sharp metal into occupants. Hired by 10 automakers and calling itself the Independent Testing ...

• Mazda VVT (Variable Valve Timing) Lawsuit Dismissed Judge grants motion to dismiss most of Mazda VVT lawsuit alleging engines fail from timing actuator.

  

  Feb 22, 2016 — A Mazda VVT (variable valve timing) lawsuit has been dismissed after a federal judge threw out most of the claims against the automaker. Lead plaintiff James Stevenson says his CX-7 experienced engine failure in 2012 related to the VVT assembly when the car had 63,562 miles. Mazda refused to cover the repairs under warranty, which left the plaintiff with a $3,384.87 bill for repairs and $960.02 for renting a car. Stevenson filed the VVT assembly lawsuit in ...

• Safety Organization Wants New Investigation of Jeep Fires Center for Auto Safety wants investigation reopened into gas tank fires in Jeep SUVs.

  

  Feb 22, 2016 — The nonprofit Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reopen an investigation into Jeep gas tank fires. CAS Executive Director Clarence Ditlow said based on continued fire deaths, the government should reopen a gas tank defect investigation into the 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1993-2001 Cherokee and 2002-2007 Liberty. Chrysler has always stood fast in denying a problem with the SUVs by saying ...

• Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC Diesel Emissions Lawsuit Filed in California Lawsuit says Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel vehicles emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxide emissions.

  

  Feb 19, 2016 — A Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel engine lawsuit has been filed accusing Mercedes of selling BlueTEC diesel vehicles that emit dangerous levels of nitrogen oxide emissions. The Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC vehicles are advertised as having "clean diesel" technology with “ultra-low emissions, high fuel economy and responsive performance” that emits “up to 30% lower greenhouse-gas emissions than gasoline.” However, the emissions lawsuit alleges Mercedes diesel vehicles ...

• Chrysler Sued for Wrongful Death in Jeep Grand Cherokee Fire Jeep Grand Cherokee lawsuit alleges two people died because of the location of the Jeep gas tank.

  

  Feb 16, 2016 — A Jeep Grand Cherokee gas tank fire lawsuit has been filed by the brother of two people who were killed when their 1995 Grand Cherokee burst into flames from a rear-end impact. The crash occurred when 56-year-old trucker Vincent Espinvera slammed into a line of vehicles on Interstate 78 in Greenwich Township, Berks County Pennsylvania, killing three people. Although four people survived, the crash killed Robert Rosner, 52, Edward Dearden, 57, and 54-year-old ...

• Chevy Cruze and Buick Regal Sunroofs To Be Replaced General Motors will replace sunroof glass in 2014-2015 Chevrolet Cruze and 2015 Buick Regal cars.

  

  Feb 15, 2016 — Owners of Chevrolet Cruze and Buick Regal cars with sunroof problems can get their sunroof replaced under a GM replacement program to keep the sunroofs from shattering. Covered are the 2014-2015 Chevy Cruze and 2015 Buick Regal with sunroof glass that can explode and shatter while driving. GM says the sunroof glass may have an "abnormal condition" that can cause the glass to break. The "abnormal condition" is believed to be glass that is not thick enough. The ...

• Mexico Fines Volkswagen $8.9 Million Over Illegal Imports VW hit with $8.9 million (168 million pesos) penalty for 'willful misconduct' concerning 2016 models

  

  Feb 15, 2016 — The Mexican Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) fined Volkswagen $8.9 million (168 million pesos) for importing and selling cars without proper certification. Mexican environmental authorities accuse VW of "willful misconduct" by violating two standards that must be met before vehicles can be sold. The first, NOM-042-SEMARNAT-2003, establishes the maximum permissible emission limits for total hydrocarbons or non-methane, carbon monoxide, ...

• Chevy Cruze Lawsuit Says Steering Wheels Lock Lawsuit alleges Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu and Buick Verano steering wheels lock on straight highways.

  

  Feb 9, 2016 — A Chevy Cruze, Chevy Malibu and Buick Verano steering system lawsuit alleges the steering wheels lock while driving. The proposed class-action lawsuit focuses on the 2011-2014 Chevy Cruze, Chevy Malibu and Buick Verano. Plaintiff Briana Mendoza filed the lawsuit after alleging the steering wheel locked on her Chevrolet Cruze. Mendoza claims the electronic power steering can lock the steering wheel when the car is traveling on a straight highway. The plaintiff ...

• Center for Auto Safety Sues Over 'Technical Service Bulletins' Safety organization files lawsuit against Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

  

  Feb 9, 2016 — The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx alleging violations of federal law concerning auto safety. CAS filed the lawsuit after three years of waiting for "technical service bulletins" (TSB) to be publicly posted to DOT websites. A TSB is sent to a dealership straight from the automaker concerning specific problems and issues with vehicles. The bulletin typically informs the ...

• BMW X5 Door Lock Lawsuit Says Doors Lock Spontaneously Lawsuit claims BMW X5 door locks malfunction and lock people and keys in the SUV.

  

  Jan 31, 2016 — A BMW X5 door lock lawsuit alleges the doors lock or can fail to unlock spontaneously, leaving people trapped inside the SUVs. The X5 remote door lock class-action lawsuit was filed by California resident Kieva Myers who owns a 2013 BMW X5. Myers says the SUV came equipped with a feature that allegedly allows the doors to lock or unlock when the remote is near the SUV. However, the feature should be deactivated if the keys are inside the X5. According to Kieva, ...

• Lawsuit: Rabbits Chew Honda Soy Wiring to Shreds Class-action lawsuit alleges Honda Accord and other Honda cars have soy-based wiring rabbits love.

  

  Jan 30, 2016 — A Honda soy-based wiring lawsuit accuses the automaker of building its Honda Accord and other models with soy-based wiring that keeps rabbits and other varmints fat and happy. Filed by lead plaintiffs Greg Delaney, Daniel Dobbs and Sean Rickard, the Honda soy wiring class-action lawsuit alleges owners are stuck paying for repairs because the automaker refuses to fix the cars under warranty. The lawsuit claims the “environmentally friendly” soy-coated wiring ...

• DeLorean 2017? The DMC-12 is Back, Future Boy! New DeLorean DMC-12 cars to hit the streets in 2017 thanks to an act of Congress.

  

  Jan 29, 2016 — Great Scott! A DeLorean arriving in 2017? Apparently so, as the car made famous by the " Back to the Future " movies is slated to appear in the future even though the car company itself disappeared in the past. The DeLorean DMC-12 was sold from 1981-1983 and was the only model created by the DeLorean Motor Company. The car was set apart from the rest because of its distinctive "gull-wing" doors that pointed toward the sky. Manufactured in Northern Ireland, ...

• GM Busted For Selling Unrepaired 'Certified' Used Cars FTC orders General Motors to stop selling 'Certified Pre-Owned' cars with deadly safety defects.

  

  Jan 28, 2016 — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has hit General Motors with a 20-year consent order over claims that GM and two large dealerships sold "certified" used cars with deadly safety defects. Three separate complaints were filed against General Motors Company, Jim Koons Management and Lithia Motors Inc. Koons and Lithia are two of the largest used car dealers in the U.S., with Jim Koons Management having 15 dealerships and Lithia Motors owning more than 100 stores ...

• Motion: Three Attorneys Should Be Removed From GM Trials Attorney files motion asking judge to remove three attorneys representing ignition switch plaintiffs

  

  Jan 28, 2016 — The lawyer credited with first exposing defects in ignition switches in General Motors cars has filed a motion asking a judge to remove three lawyers from the so-called "bellwether" trials in New York. Lance Cooper, who discovered the defective ignition switches while representing the family of GM victim Brooke Melton , asked the judge to remove attorneys Steve Berman, Elizabeth Cabraser and Robert Hilliard. Cooper accuses the attorneys of making poor decisions ...

• New Mexico Lawsuit: VW Jetta a 'Noxious, Regulation-Defying Impostor' New Mexico files emissions lawsuit against Volkswagen for misleading consumers for 7 years.

  

  Jan 27, 2016 — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas has filed a lawsuit against Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen after accusing VW of breaching the trust of New Mexico consumers. The lawsuit was filed after Volkswagen admitted its "clean diesel" cars have been emitting illegal amounts of nitrogen oxides since at least 2008. Saying he wants to take as much money as possible from Volkswagen, Balderas claims the automaker spent millions in advertising dollars for the ...

• Volkswagen Amarok Truck First to Get Emissions Fix Approval Germany approves of software update to fix illegal nitrogen oxide emissions in Amarok trucks.

  

  Jan 27, 2016 — Germany has given Volkswagen the green light to fix illegal emission systems, at least for one pickup truck called the Amarok. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority gave final approval for the 2-liter Amarok after VW said it could fix the trucks with a 30-minute software update. VW has said millions of 1.2-liter, 1.6-liter and 2-liter diesel vehicles are equipped with illegal defeat devices that alter emissions readings during official emissions tests. ...

• Chrysler Says Racketeering Lawsuit Filed by 'Disgruntled Dealers' Chrysler says 'two disgruntled dealers who have failed to perform' filed racketeering lawsuit.

  

  Jan 25, 2016 — Two Fiat Chrysler (FCA) dealerships have filed a racketeering lawsuit against Chrysler alleging certain dealers were offered money if they reported vehicles as sold even if they were still sitting on the lot. The dealers, located in Illinois and Florida, are part of the Ed Napleton Automotive Group, one of the largest car dealer groups in the country. The lawsuit alleges Chrysler paid dealers to report false sales on the last day of the month and back out of ...

• Judge Throws Wrench Into GM Ignition Switch Lawsuit Judge says General Motors bellwether ignition switch trial should be ended now and settled.

  

  Jan 22, 2016 — The judge in the first of six General Motors ignition switch trials has stepped in and told both parties to settle the matter and end it. In what is known as a test trial, or bellwether trial, Oklahoma mailman Robert Scheuer sued GM alleging the ignition switch in his car failed and caused him injuries because the airbag didn't deploy. GM's argument is simple: The airbags aren't designed to deploy in a crash of this type. Argued in front of U.S. District ...

• Ford Ranger Driver Killed by Takata Airbag in South Carolina Joel Knight, 52, was killed when his 2006 Ford Ranger airbag exploded after the truck hit a cow.

  

  Jan 22, 2016 — A 2006 Ford Ranger Takata airbag death in South Carolina is the 10th confirmed fatality caused by an exploding Takata airbag inflator. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the December 22, 2015, accident involved the driver of a Ford Ranger truck that struck a cow on South Carolina Highway 522. The South Carolina Highway Patrol says Joel Knight, 52, was driving on Rocky River Road in Lancaster County when the Ford Ranger hit the ...

• Government and Automakers Get Cozy With Safety Agreement NHTSA signs voluntary safety agreement with 18 automakers, outraging consumer advocates.

  

  Jan 17, 2016 — Three consumer advocacy organizations have petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish and enforce vehicle safety features instead of allowing the auto industry to regulate itself. The petition was submitted by Consumer Watchdog , the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, former NHTSA administrator and now president emeritus of Public Citizen . The petition asks the agency to support "automatic emergency braking," a ...

• MINI Cooper N14 Engine Timing Chain Lawsuit Preliminarily Approved Judge gives preliminary approval to MINI Cooper N14 engine timing chain and tensioner lawsuit.

  

  Jan 16, 2016 — A MINI Cooper N14 engine timing chain lawsuit has been granted preliminary approval after BMW agreed to settle the lawsuit originally filed due to timing chain tensioners. The timing chain lawsuit could include tens of thousands of owners and reach $30 million. Lead plaintiffs, Joshua Skeen and Laurie Freeman, claim the timing chain tensioner allows the pistons and valves to connect with too much force and results in engine failure. The plaintiffs claim the ...

• Lawsuit: GM Says Saturn Ion Airbags Didn't Fail in Oklahoma Crash GM brings up painkillers and phone record discrepancies in Saturn Ion ignition switch trial.

  

  Jan 15, 2016 — A General Motors ignition switch lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court is underway in a case that pits a 49-year-old Oklahoma postal worker against GM. Filed by Saturn Ion owner Robert Scheuer, the lawsuit could pave the way for five ignition switch lawsuits waiting in line. Scheuer says he was driving his 2003 Saturn Ion on May 28, 2014, when he was run off the road by another driver, causing the Ion to crash into two trees. Scheuer says the airbags didn't ...

• Self-Driving Car Disengagement Incidents For California California DMV releases number of times human drivers had to take control of self-driving cars.

  

  Jan 14, 2016 — Self-driving cars are on the agenda of the federal government as the Obama administration announced it wants Congress to spend $4 billion on the development and adoption of driverless cars. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the safety of autonomous cars will be a leap for safety because 80 percent of accidents are caused by human error. "If the technology meets its promise, my back of the envelope math tells me that more than 25,000 lives would ...

• BMW Mirrorless Cars and Touchless Touchscreens Touchless touchscreens and mirrorless cars are being tested and could one day rule the road.

  

  Jan 13, 2016 — Distracted driving is a serious and deadly reality for drivers and their passengers, and automakers don't mind installing even more electronic toys to take a driver's eyes off the road. Believing auto buyers need more computerized toys to play with and pay to repair, BMW has announced two technologies that could appear on future models. One of the technologies will cause distractions while the other could increase safety for drivers and occupants. BMW ...

• California and EPA Reject Volkswagen Emissions Fix Volkswagen says it didn't lie about its emission systems, but U.S. regulators don't buy it.

  

  Jan 12, 2016 — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have rejected Volkswagen's plan to fix over 500,000 cars that contain illegal emissions "defeat devices." While VW has been moving forward with approved plans to recall millions of vehicles outside the U.S., the automaker knew U.S. vehicles would be a difficult challenge. The cars are equipped with illegal software that activates during emissions tests, then once back on the ...

• Subaru Oil Consumption Lawsuit May Be Settled Subaru agrees to settle oil consumption lawsuit by extending warranty and reimbursing owners.

  

  Jan 12, 2016 — A Subaru oil consumption lawsuit looks to be nearing an end as Subaru has agreed to settle the lawsuit that alleges owners of certain cars must spend a small fortune on motor oil. The original class-action lawsuit was filed in July 2014 and included the following vehicles equipped with Subaru FB engines: 2011-2014 Subaru Forester 2013 Subaru Legacy 2013 Subaru Outback 2012-2013 Subaru Impreza 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek The oil consumption ...

• Safe Rental Car Act Will Change How Cars Are Rented Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act requires rental cars under recall to be repaired.

  

  Jan 11, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed an "audit query" to investigate how well rental cars were repaired after a recall was ordered by a manufacturer. The investigation was opened over five years ago on three main automakers: Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. Over the five-year period, the data showed rental car recall repairs were neither complete nor consistent. The seemingly never-ending investigation would likely still ...

• Volkswagen Cites German Privacy Laws to Avoid U.S. Investigators Volkswagen upsets state attorneys general by withholding documents based on German laws.

  

  Jan 10, 2016 — Volkswagen is taking heat from a group of U.S. attorneys general after VW cited German privacy laws to keep internal documents out of the hands of U.S. investigators. An investigation by 48 U.S. state legal defenders is attempting to determine how Volkswagen was able to sell its "clean diesel" cars for seven years, all the while with emissions "defeat devices" installed on the cars. The devices, illegal software used to cheat nitrogen oxide emissions tests, ...

• Queries Closed Into Chrysler and Harman Radio Hacking Safety regulators close queries into Chrysler hacking incident and Harman Uconnect radios.

  

  Jan 9, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed a "recall query" into 1.4 million Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. NHTSA also closed an "equipment query" into Harman International radios used in cars from other manufacturers. Chrysler Recall Query (Closed) The recall query was opened after Fiat Chrysler recalled vehicles to protect against possible hacker attacks. The recall of 1.4 million vehicles followed news of hackers sending ...

• 2015 Chevy Corvette Lawsuit Says Car is Defective Texas man says 2015 Chevrolet Corvette lawsuit was filed after car had defects from the start.

  

  Jan 7, 2016 — A 2015 Chevy Corvette lawsuit has been filed by a Texas man alleging his Chevrolet Corvette was loaded with defects from the get-go. Plaintiff Shane Pryor says he bought the new 2015 Chevy Corvette on June 2, 2015, and from the start the car wasn't right. After paying $76,000 for the sports car, the plaintiff says he began experiencing problems with the Corvette including failure to start, loud rattling sounds, stalling, problems with the GPS navigation system ...

• Honda TSB 15-046 Issued Over 2015 Honda CR-V Vibration Honda CR-V vibration lawsuits gear-up as automaker issues technical service bulletin (TSB) 15-046.

  

  Jan 6, 2016 — Model year 2015 Honda CR-V vibration problems have caused Honda to issue a technical service bulletin (TSB 15-046) to its dealers to address customer complaints. Additionally, Honda CR-V vibration class-action lawsuits are a step closer to reality as attorneys prepare for battle in a Ohio courtroom. Owners of the 2015 Honda CR-V have complained about SUVs vibrating and shaking to the point of making occupants sick. After a flood of complaints and dealer visits, ...

• NHTSA Asked to Investigate Fatal Kia Optima Crash Government asked to investigate Kia Optima crash after twin boys killed in Winchester, Tennessee.

  

  Jan 6, 2016 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been asked to investigate a crash that killed twin 7-year-old boys and an 83-year-old woman. The 11:30 a.m. New Year's Eve crash in Winchester, Tennessee, occurred when a 2008 Kia Optima traveling 90 mph slammed into the rear-end of a minivan. The minivan was stopped at a traffic light at Highway 41 and Bypass Road when the 2008 Kia Optima, driven by Mary Jane Parks, crashed into the back of the minivan, ...

• Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen Sued by Federal Government Department of Justice files lawsuit against Audi, Porsche and VW for possibly billions of dollars.

  

  Jan 4, 2016 — Volkswagen has waited for the day the U.S. government files suit against the automaker over its "clean diesel" emissions, and the day has finally arrived. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a civil complaint in federal court against Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The complaint was filed after VW admitted about 600,000 vehicles in the U.S. have illegal software called "defeat devices" used to ...

• Toyota Yaris Crash Kills 5 in California Federal investigators to examine Toyota Yaris involved in crash that killed 5 in Ontario, California

  

  Jan 4, 2016 — A Toyota Yaris crash that killed five people on New Year’s Eve in Ontario, California, will be looked at by federal safety investigators as a possible unintended acceleration event. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) says the Toyota Yaris was traveling east on the 10 Freeway at a high rate of speed and took the Vineyard Avenue exit. The Yaris plowed into the side of a Toyota Solara traveling on Vineyard. Four California residents were killed in the Solara, ...

• Honda Confirms Takata Airbag Killed Pennsylvania Teen Honda says Takata airbag in a 2001 Honda Accord killed 13-year-old boy from Pennsylvania.

  

  Jan 3, 2016 — Honda has confirmed the death of a 13-year-old boy in a 2001 Honda Accord was caused by an exploding Takata airbag. Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had released information about the death , Honda at the time said it still had to finish its investigation into the crash. Police reports say the boy, from Grove City, Pennsylvania, apparently took the keys to the Honda Accord on July 22, 2015, lost control and traveled off Route 58 in ...

• GM Ignition Switch Trial Begins January 11, 2016 GM faces first of many court cases about deadly ignition switches that killed and injured hundreds.

  

  Jan 2, 2016 — General Motors might have avoided hundreds of possible lawsuits by creating a compensation fund for victims of deadly ignition switches, but those switches are still causing the automaker trouble in court. The ignition switches could easily move from the "run" position to the "accessory" or "off" position because of a heavy key ring or from a bump in the road. Once out of the "run" position, the car would shut off and lose its power steering and power brakes. ...

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