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

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

• Certain Automakers Falling Behind With Automatic Emergency Braking Tesla makes almost all its vehicles with automatic emergency braking, others make none.

  

  Dec 28, 2017 — Only four of 20 automakers equipped more than half their 2017 models with automatic emergency braking (AEB), a technology that has the potential to greatly reduce rear-end crashes, injuries and deaths. Automatic emergency braking uses a combination of radar, lidar (reflected laser light) and cameras for a forward collision warning system that gives a driver audio or visual warnings that a forward collision is near. Crash imminent braking automatically applies ...

• Subaru WRX Engine Problems Cause Class-Action Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges Subaru WRX and WRX STI engine problems can cost thousands to fix.

  

  Dec 20, 2017 — Subaru WRX and WRX STI engine problems reported by owners have caused a lawsuit that alleges defects in the engines cause a sudden loss of power. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes owners and lessees of 2009-2014 Subaru WRX and WRX STI cars allegedly equipped with engines that prematurely fail and lead to huge repair bills. Plaintiff Michael Augustine claims the WRX engines are modified high performance versions of engines installed in other Subaru ...

• Takata Airbag Kills Louisiana Driver of a Honda Civic George Robertson "Rob" Sharp, Jr. died from wounds he suffered when the Takata airbag exploded.

  

  Dec 19, 2017 — A Louisiana driver of a 2004 Honda Civic was killed after the car's Takata airbag exploded in a July 10 crash in Baton Rouge. George Robertson "Rob" Sharp, Jr., 60, died the day after the crash when his Civic crashed into the rear of another vehicle, sending metal airbag inflator fragments into the throat of Mr. Sharp. Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed the death was caused by the ruptured airbag inflator. Tens of ...

• Audi Gets Approval to Fix 24,000 Diesel 3-Liter Vehicles Regulators approve fix for 3-liter Audi A6 quattro, A7 quattro, A8, ASL and Q5 vehicles.

  

  Dec 19, 2017 — Another 24,000 Audi 3-liter diesel vehicles have received government approval for repairs to the emission systems, including the 2014-2016 Audi A6 quattro, A7 quattro, A8, ASL and Q5. The December 2016 3.0 diesel settlement involves about 83,000 owners of Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen "turbocharged direct injection" engines, with some of the vehicles eligible for repairs without the need for vehicle buybacks. The 3-liter diesel vehicles affected by the illegal ...

• Ford Transit Driveshaft Recall Was Useless: Lawsuit Kentucky lawsuit says Ford Transit driveshaft flexible coupling recall didn't do enough.

  

  Dec 18, 2017 — A Ford Transit driveshaft recall did nothing to help van owners, according to a lawsuit that alleges the flexible couplings (flex discs) crack and fail. The plaintiff says a broken driveshaft causes damage to the transmission, brake and fuel lines and other parts of the van. In addition, owners report paying thousands of dollars for repairs that Ford allegedly should have fixed as part of a recall. In June 2017, Ford issued a Transit driveshaft recall ...

• Nissan Transmission (CVT) Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Nissan lawsuit alleges slipping and shifting problems in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs)

  

  Dec 17, 2017 — A Nissan transmission (CVT) class-action lawsuit filed in Alabama alleges cars and SUVs are equipped with continuously variable transmissions that allegedly slip, jerk, jump, bind, lag and stop suddenly without warning. Plaintiff U Can Rent LLC says it purchased nine 2013 Sentras, one 2013 Nissan Juke and four 2014 Nissan Jukes. Plaintiff Pamela Pritchett says she purchased a 2013 Nissan Sentra that experienced the same transmission problems as U Can Rent. ...

• California Driverless Car Regulations Changed Again California DMVs proposed self-driving car regulations remove (some) automaker-friendly language.

  

  Dec 17, 2017 — California's proposed driverless car regulations have changed once again, but this time the changes have met approval by auto safety advocates. California has made multiple changes to its proposed driverless car regulations, going from positions seen as consumer-friendly , to writing up standards recommended by self-driving automakers. Driverless car manufacturers saw some of the proposed rules as too strict, blocking innovation and hindering the work toward ...

• Austin Police Ford Explorers Starting to Hit the Streets Austin starts returning Ford Explorer police vehicles to duty following carbon monoxide repairs.

  

  Dec 17, 2017 — Austin police Ford Explorers are reappearing on the streets as Ford continues to repair carbon monoxide leaks. Texas officials pulled 400 Explorer Police Interceptors after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incidents that involved police officers. In February 2017, Austin police issued a safety bulletin that said officers were sickened by carbon monoxide while driving Explorers, with one incident causing a minor crash. The carbon monoxide problems caused ...

• 17,000 Complaints Filed With VW UK After Emissions 'Fix' Volkswagen customers in the UK say their diesel cars are suffering from problems since recalls.

  

  Dec 16, 2017 — Volkswagen has received about 17,000 complaints in the UK from customers whose vehicles were allegedly repaired as part of a massive recall of diesel vehicles that violated emissions laws. VW owners are complaining about busted exhaust gas valves, lower fuel economy, diesel particulate filters that clog and other problems. European VW owners didn't receive the kind of compensation and buybacks offered to U.S. customers , leaving the folks across the pond to ...

• German Authorities Find More VW Emissions Defeat Devices Nearly 60,000 Volkswagen Touareg SUVs in Germany found to contain illegal emissions devices.

  

  Dec 15, 2017 — For a company that has already lost an estimated $30 billion for installing illegal "defeat device" software to cheat on emissions tests, Volkswagen seems content with adding to that amount, at least outside the U.S. The automaker learned German auto safety authority KBA was ordering a recall of nearly 60,000 VW Touareg 3-liter diesel SUVs equipped with illegal emissions defeat devices. KBA performed lab tests on the SUVs that indicated devices were activated ...

• GM Liftgate Problems Not Fixed in Recall: Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges GM liftgate strut problems remain after 2015 recall failed to fix all affected SUVs.

  

  Dec 15, 2017 — GM liftgate problems will take center stage in a lawsuit that alleges a recall did nothing to fix power liftgates that can suddenly fall on people. According to the lawsuit, a 2015 recall of 686,000 SUVs didn't do enough to fix the liftgate and strut issues. The GM liftgate system consists of two gas-pressurized struts intended to lift and hold the liftgate up by a simple push of a button. Inside each strut is a piston rod that slides in and out of the ...

• Stop Underrides Act: Large Trucks and Trailers Need Guards Stop Underrides Act of 2017 introduced to prevent cars from traveling under tractor-trailers.

  

  Dec 13, 2017 — The Stop Underrides Act of 2017 has been introduced by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to prevent underride crashes that occur when a car slides under the body of a large truck or trailer. An underride crash can easily kill car occupants even if the crash occurs at low speeds, but current federal laws mandate guards only on the rear of trailers and certain trucks. However, those standards are considered outdated by underride guard ...

• GM Air Conditioning Problems Lead to Lawsuit General Motors lawsuit alleges condensers and discharge lines cause air conditioning problems.

  

  Dec 12, 2017 — GM air conditioning problems are caused by condensers and discharge lines, at least according to a proposed class-action lawsuit that includes the following long list of Cadillac, Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs. 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Base 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Luxury 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Platinum 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Premium 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade RWD Base 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade RWD ...

• Cadillac SRX Dim Headlights Cause Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX headlights go dim and go out because of bad seals.

  

  Dec 11, 2017 — Cadillac SRX dim headlights allegedly cause drivers to fear driving at night, so says a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in Florida. Plaintiffs Christine Davis, Anna Macias and Leonardo Macias filed the headlight lawsuit that proposes to include all consumers who purchased or leased  2010-2015 Cadillac SRX SUVs. According to the lawsuit, the seals GM used in the exterior headlight housing units wear out and deteriorate and allow moisture to accumulate and ...

• UK Authorities Ban BMW i3 Advertisement BMW Facebook ad is yanked over "zero emissions" claim the UK sees as misleading.

  

  Dec 10, 2017 — A BMW Facebook ad is banned in England after UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the video ad was misleading. The advertisement was a paid-for Facebook post that contained customer testimonials about the BMW i3, including the claim, “With zero emissions, the i3 really is a clean car and helps to give back to the environment.” BMW responded to the ASA by saying the i3 is an electric vehicle offered with the option of a "range extender," what the ...

• Mercedes-Benz Cracked Wheels Lawsuit Dismissed Court rules the plaintiffs couldn't prove there were defects in the Mercedes wheels.

  

  Dec 10, 2017 — A Mercedes-Benz cracked wheels lawsuit has been dismissed as the court ruled the Mercedes owners couldn't prove the wheel rims are defective. Plaintiffs Vincent Luppino, Cliff Stern and Noel J. Spiegel filed the proposed class-action lawsuit against Mercedes-Benz alleging the wheels are overly susceptible to cracking along the radius of the wheel rims. According to the lawsuit, the wheels are especially prone to cracks when paired with low-profile tires, ...

• Toyota Soy Wiring Class-Action Lawsuit Filed in Massachusetts A Toyota soy-based wiring lawsuit says mice, rats, squirrels and other rodents chew the wires.

  

  Dec 9, 2017 — A Toyota soy wiring class-action lawsuit alleges rats, mice, squirrels and other animals are enticed to chew the wires that causes damage to all kinds of electrical components, leaving Toyota owners to pay thousands for repairs. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges those repairs are made with the same problematic soy wiring, causing owners to continually pay for repairs. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all consumers in Massachusetts who incurred ...

• GM Marketplace: Order Coffee and Waffles While Driving General Motors to add Marketplace app to millions of cars so drivers can go shopping.

  

  Dec 7, 2017 — In another sign that automakers aren't too concerned with distracted driving, General Motors will start selling cars that allow drivers to shop, make reservations and perform all kinds of dangerous distractions right from the dash. GM is promoting its"Marketplace" e-commerce platform by saying, " GM Lets Customers Order Their Morning Coffee With Their Car: A simple tap on the dash can make the daily drive more productive for millions of customers ." According ...

• Nissan Timing Chain Replacements Will Be Reimbursed: Lawsuit Nissan to settle timing chain lawsuit for Maxima, Quest, Altima, Pathfinder, Xterra and Frontier.

  

  Dec 7, 2017 — If you're a Nissan customer and paid for a timing chain replacement or repair, you may be eligible for partial reimbursements or vouchers if the vehicle was purchased or leased in Washington or California. The class-action lawsuit alleges Nissan designed and sold the vehicles with defective timing chain tensioning systems. Those systems include the primary timing chain tensioners, primary timing chain guides, secondary timing chain tensioners and secondary ...

• Lawsuit Alleges Jeep Cherokee Gas Tank Caused Death Lawsuit says Erica Scannavino burned to death when the Cherokee trailer hitch hit the gas tank.

  

  Dec 6, 2017 — A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Chrysler alleges the location of the gas tank and the use of a trailer hitch on a 1996 Jeep Cherokee caused a 32-year-old woman to burn to death. On July 29, 2017, in Cobb County, Georgia, Erica Scannavino was driving a 1996 Jeep Cherokee equipped with a Reese Towpower Multi-Fit Receiver manufactured by Horizon Global Americas, a company also being sued by the plaintiffs. Ms. Scannavino was legally stopped to make a ...

• Oliver Schmidt Gets 7 Years in Prison Thanks to VW Scheme Former Volkswagen manager Oliver Schmidt sentenced to 7 years, fined $400,000.

  

  Dec 6, 2017 — Former Volkswagen manager Oliver Schmidt has been sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined $400,000 his role in the automaker's scheme to defraud the U.S. government and consumers. Schmidt, the former general manager of Volkswagen's U.S. Environment and Engineering Office, was part of a team of people who concealed knowledge of illegal emissions "defeat devices" installed in about 600,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S. VW used the devices to fool environmental ...

• Tesla Wins Missouri 'Dealer' Lawsuit on Appeal Missouri appeals court rules Tesla can sell its electric cars direct to consumers.

  

  Dec 5, 2017 — Electric automaker Tesla will have the legal right to sell its vehicles direct to Missouri consumers thanks to a three-judge Missouri Court of Appeals panel that handed a loss to the Missouri Automobile Dealers Association (MADA). The appeals court ruling follows a loss Tesla suffered due to the lawsuit filed by MADA against the Missouri Department of Revenue that claimed Tesla didn't deserve a license to sell vehicles in the state because the automaker doesn't ...

• BMW N20 and N26 Engine Lawsuit Blames Timing Chains BMW owners file timing chain lawsuit alleging N20 and N26 engines fail prematurely.

  

  Dec 4, 2017 — A BMW N20 and N26 engine lawsuit alleges the timing chains cause total failure of the engines that can only be repaired by replacing the direct injection turbocharged engines that can cost up to $22,000. The proposed BMW class-action lawsuit includes consumers who own or lease, or formally owned or leased 2012-2015 BMW E84 (X1), E89 (Z4), F10 (5 Series), F25 (X3) and F30 (3 Series) vehicles equipped with N20 and N26 engines. According to the lawsuit, the ...

• Jeep Wrangler Pentastar Engine Reliability Questioned in Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges Jeep Wrangler Pentastar engines have cylinder heads that shed casting sand.

  

  Dec 3, 2017 — A Jeep Wrangler Pentastar engine lawsuit alleges the cylinder heads in the engines leave casting sand that builds up in the radiators and oil coolers, creating sludge in the systems and dashing the hopes of occupants to have heating and cooling. The Jeep Wranglers are equipped with V6 3.6-liter Pentastar engines with cylinder heads made using a sand-casting method, while the engine blocks are created using die-casting. The proposed Jeep Wrangler Pentastar ...

• Subaru Transmission Warranty Extension to 10 Years, 100,000 Miles Subaru extends continuously variable transmission warranty coverage for 1.5 million vehicles.

  

  Nov 28, 2017 — A Subaru transmission warranty extension has been issued for 2010-2015 Legacy and Outback, 2012-2015 Impreza, 2013-2015 Crosstrek, 2014-2015 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2014-2015 Forester and 2015 WRX vehicles, all equipped with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). The automaker says the original powertrain warranty of five years or 60,000 miles is extended to 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Subaru owners have complained for years about CVTs ...

• Volvo XC90 T8 Battery Charge Lawsuit Resurrected Appeals court revives lawsuit that claims Volvo falsely advertised the battery range of the XC90 T8.

  

  Nov 28, 2017 — A Volvo XC90 T8 lawsuit that was dismissed has been brought back to life on appeal, leaving the automaker to face claims about the range of the hybrid SUV based on a single charge of the battery. Plaintiffs Khadija and Xavier Laurens filed the lawsuit in July 2016 alleging their 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 was advertised with mileage estimates of 25 miles on a single electrical charge but the SUV could only make it 10 miles on a charge. The plaintiffs say they paid a ...

• Honda CR-V Gas Fumes Lawsuit Still Has Breath Lawsuit alleges 2015, 2016 and 2017 Honda CR-V owners get sick from gas fumes in the cabins.

  

  Nov 27, 2017 — A Honda CR-V gas fumes lawsuit won't be certified as a nationwide class-action suit after a federal judge dismissed some claims against Honda from owners who say they get sick from the fumes. The plaintiffs say they purchased 2015-2017 Honda CR-V SUVs from dealerships, but within months the cabins started to smell like open pools of gasoline. The smells persisted no matter what speed the CR-Vs were traveling and the fumes were allegedly overpowering if the ...

• Bosch Loses Motion to Dismiss VW Dealer Class-Action Lawsuit Robert Bosch company can't dodge dealer class-action lawsuit over emissions scheme.

  

  Nov 27, 2017 — A class-action lawsuit against the Robert Bosch company filed by Volkswagen dealers concerning the role Bosch played in Volkswagen's emissions scheme won't be dismissed by a federal judge. Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California approved the $1.67 billion settlement for hundreds of VW dealerships that sued the automaker. The dealer lawsuit alleges that Bosch worked with Volkswagen to sell as many of the ...

• Subaru Soy-Based Wiring Lawsuit Filed in Hawaii Hawaii class-action lawsuit says Subaru dealer sold vehicles with defective soy-based products.

  

  Nov 26, 2017 — A Subaru soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges mice, rats and other rodents chew and destroy wiring and fuel lines, leaving owners with huge repair bills. The lawsuit alleges the fuel lines and wiring use soy-based insulation that is biodegradable, environmentally friendly and less expensive than traditional insulation. The proposed Subaru soy-based wiring class-action lawsuit includes all consumers who purchased Subaru vehicles that were sold or distributed by ...

• Infiniti FX Bubbling Dashboard Lawsuit Verdict Overturned Missouri Supreme Court overturns $2.5 million verdict against Nissan over bubbling dashboards.

  

  Nov 23, 2017 — An Infiniti FX bubbling dashboard lawsuit verdict for $2.5 million has been overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court. According to the dashboard class-action lawsuit, Nissan, parent company of Infiniti, started building the Infiniti FX35 and FX45 in 2003, but in 2005 complaints started rolling in about dashboards bubbling and deforming from heat and humidity. "More than 2 yrs ago the dash board on my 2008 Infinity FX35 in a very short time frame started ...

• 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Engines Shut Off: Federal Petition Safety group petitions government to investigate stalling engines in 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivans

  

  Nov 21, 2017 — If your 2017 Chrysler Pacifica engine shuts off and you've received no valid answers from your dealership, a petition filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the government should investigate engine stalling problems in the minivans. Filed by the Center for Auto Safety and 2017 Chrysler Pacifica owner Adam J. Cohen, of Leesburg, Virginia, the petition says more than 50 people have complained to NHTSA about stalling minivans ...

• Kayla White Jeep Liberty Lawsuit Will Continue Judge says lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler in death of Jeep Liberty driver won't be dismissed.

  

  Nov 21, 2017 — The Kayla White Jeep Liberty lawsuit will continue after a judge ruled against Fiat Chrysler's motion to dismiss the suit that alleges the location of the Jeep fuel tank caused White's death. The lawsuit was filed by the family of 23-year-old Michigan resident Kayla White and her unborn son, who were burned to death in November 2014 after White's 2003 Jeep Liberty gas tank ruptured in a rear-end crash. According to the lawsuit, White's father bought a 2003 ...

• Safety Advocates Cry Foul Over Proposed Driverless Car Rules Proposed autonomous vehicle regulations in California could place crash liability on consumers.

  

  Nov 20, 2017 — The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has proposed self-driving car regulations that could place crash liabilities on drivers who don't follow their owner's manuals to the letter. Although the wording isn't official and is still being drafted, the DMV seems to appreciate a recommendation proposed by the chief counsel for the driverless car division of General Motors. Although self-driving car companies may want consumers to believe those companies ...

• Feds Deny Ford and Mazda Petitions to Delay Takata Airbag Recalls Ford's request to delay recall of 3 million vehicles with Takata airbags denied by safety regulators

  

  Nov 19, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has denied petitions from Ford and Mazda that requested more time to decide whether to recall more than 3 million vehicles. NHTSA says the request for additional testing by the automakers isn't reasonable based on the data that has been collected. Ford and Mazda filed the petitions after Takata said defective airbag inflators were installed in Ford, Mazda and Nissan vehicles originally believed to be ...

• Honda Accord and Crosstour Starter Lawsuit Tossed Judge dismisses lawsuit that alleges starter motors fail in 2013-2015 Honda Accords and Crosstours.

  

  Nov 14, 2017 — A Honda Accord and Crosstour starter lawsuit that alleges the starter motors are defective has been thrown out by the judge. Plaintiff Joel Merkin alleges 2013-2015 Honda Accord and Crosstour vehicles containing V6 engines are at risk of being stranded on the roads because the starters fail . Merkin says the starter problems begin during or shortly after the expiration of the limited warranty period. The plaintiff purchased a used 2013 Honda Accord that ...

• Stephen Hawking Says Autonomous Technology Could Destroy Us Physicist Stephen Hawking says artifical intelligence could one day enslave humans.

  

  Nov 14, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), automakers and other companies are working together to get fully computerized driverless cars on the roads, but the artificial intelligence (AI) involved has some very smart people worried about who will be controlling what. According to physicist Stephen Hawking, computers have the potential to rule humanity and eventually destroy civilization as we know it, all because computers decide to ignore ...

• Hyundai Sonata Brake Lawsuit Will Not Stop Lawsuit alleges Hyundai Sonata brake pads, rotors, calipers and other parts are defective.

  

  Nov 14, 2017 — A Hyundai Sonata brake lawsuit has survived a motion to dismiss the complaint that alleges 2006-2010 Sonata brake systems are defective, including the brake rotors, calipers and assemblies. The Sonata brake lawsuit has six named plaintiffs from five states alleging Hyundai committed fraud by misrepresenting the quality and safety of the cars.  In addition, Hyundai allegedly denied warranty coverage for the brakes while knowing the parts were ...

• Safety Advocates Cringe as Driverless Cars Hit Phoenix Roads Waymo (Google) tests true driverless cars on Phoenix public roads, creating a huge test laboratory.

  

  Nov 12, 2017 — The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) says the federal government needs to do its job by creating mandatory driverless car policies enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a job safety regulators have allegedly left behind in favor of "voluntary guidelines." The voluntary policy, called “Automated Driving Systems 2.0,” gives automakers the right to self-regulate the driverless car industry, and according to CAS, public safety hasn't ...

• Kia Class-Action Lawsuit Says Animals Eat Soy-Based Wiring Animals chew soy wires in the Kia Soul, Sorrento, Sedona, Sportage, Forte, Cadenza, Optima and Rio.

  

  Nov 11, 2017 — A Kia Soul owner claims rodents and other animals keep returning to the Soul for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the soy-based wiring under the hood. Plaintiff Tsvetelin Tsonev filed the proposed Kia soy wiring class-action lawsuit on behalf of all current and former owners and lessees of 2012-2015 Kia Soul, Sorrento, Sedona, Sportage, Forte, Cadenza, Optima and Rio vehicles purchased or leased in the U.S. The plaintiff says he leased a 2015 Kia Soul in April ...

• Toyota Tundra Rear Bumper Lawsuit Says Brackets Failed Toyota Tundra owner sues automaker after allegedly suffering broken bones after bumper fails.

  

  Nov 11, 2017 — A Toyota Tundra rear bumper lawsuit alleges the truck was equipped with defective rear bumper reinforcement brackets that caused the bumper to detach. Plaintiff William Boomhower says he climbed into the cargo bed of his 2016 Toyota Tundra by stepping on the rear bumper which allegedly detached from the truck, causing the plaintiff to fall and break a bone in his right hand and one in his right wrist. The incident in September 2016 was followed by an October ...

• South Korea Fines BMW, Mercedes and Porsche Over Emissions BMW fined about $54 million for allegedly forging documents related to South Korean car sales.

  

  Nov 11, 2017 — South Korea has punished more automakers for violating emissions regulations, with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche the latest companies to answer for forging documents that allowed the automakers to sell their cars in the country. South Korea's Ministry of Environment has been a vocal critic of multiple automakers after Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests , but this time the three affected automakers claim the "forgeries" were just honest errors ...

• Nissan Altima Rusted Floor Pans Cause Lawsuit Missouri class-action lawsuit says 2002-2006 Nissan Altima floorboard rust away completely.

  

  Nov 11, 2017 — A Nissan Altima rusted floor pan lawsuit alleges 2002-2006 Altimas have floorboards that rust from the inside out to the point occupants can see the road below them through the rusted holes. The class-action lawsuit includes Missouri owners of 2002-2006 Altima cars with floor pans that don't drain water properly, which causes rust to completely destroy the floorboards, causing severe safety hazards to drivers and their passengers. Plaintiff Laura Frances Hays ...

• Jeep Wrangler Heater Core Replacement Lawsuit Challenged Chrysler wants Jeep Wrangler radiator sludge and heater core replacement lawsuit dismissed.

  

  Nov 9, 2017 — A Jeep Wrangler heater core replacement lawsuit is being challenged in court by Chrysler as the automaker told the judge the class-action lawsuit should be dismissed. The 2012-2017 Jeep Wrangler heater core lawsuit alleges radiator sludge caused by leftover casting sand in the cylinder heads circulates through the heating and cooling systems, causing the sand to settle in the radiators, oil cooling systems and heater cores. The named plaintiffs say that ...

• Nissan Versa CVT Lawsuit Alleges Cars Fail to Accelerate Nissan Versa continuously variable transmission lawsuit says the transmissions fail due to defects.

  

  Nov 8, 2017 — A Nissan Versa CVT (continuously variable transmission) lawsuit alleges the cars fail to accelerate and finally experience complete transmission failure that causes owners and lessees to pay thousands of dollars for CVT replacements and repairs. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all current and former owners and lessees of 2012 and 2013 Nissan Versas that are equipped with CVTs that allegedly fail within and shortly after the warranties expire. A CVT ...

• Lawsuit: GM Brake Pedals Hard to Push GM brake pedals allegedly too hard to push, causing brakes to fail and drivers to crash.

  

  Nov 7, 2017 — General Motors hard brake pedals have caused a lawsuit that alleges customers have brake booster problems that cause the replacements of the boosters and master cylinders. The proposed GM brake failure class-action lawsuit includes all former and current owners and lessees of the following vehicles: 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade 2014-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2015-2016 Chevrolet Suburban 2015-2106 Chevrolet Tahoe 2014-2016 GMC Sierra ...

• VW Says Clean Diesel Advertisements Are 'Puffery' Volkswagen tells Arizona judge that 'clean diesel' advertisements are just exaggerations.

  

  Oct 31, 2017 — Volkswagen's emissions problems are far from over even though the company has paid billions in the U.S. alone for equipping vehicles with illegal software that fooled emissions test machines and regulators for years. According to a lawsuit filed against Volkswagen by the state of Arizona, Volkswagen argues that charges of consumer fraud are without merit because VW's claims of "clean diesel" vehicles were nothing more than "puffery," often found in promotional ...

• Feds: Remove 'Unnecessary Regulatory Barriers' to Driverless Cars NHTSA says it will seek input about removing regulations for cars without steering wheels and pedals

  

  Oct 29, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is allegedly the agency responsible for the safety of autos and consumers on the roads. But according to independent safety advocates, NHTSA has left its responsibilities to automakers, even more so concerning the subject of self-driving cars. The latest word from federal regulators won't change the opinions of consumer advocates as NHTSA released a statement saying it will soon seek comments on what ...

• General Motors Loses Another $13.9 Million in Court GM will pay civil penalties of $13.9 million to Orange County, California, for deception and fraud.

  

  Oct 29, 2017 — General Motors will pay another $13.9 million as punishment for advertising and selling cars with defective ignition switches, airbags, power steering and braking systems. Orange County, California, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas sued GM in 2014 alleging the automaker put the public in danger by using greed and deception. The Orange County settlement is separate from the $120 million settlement GM recently reached with 49 states and the District of ...

• Sunroof Airbags May One Day Protect You in Rollover Crashes South Korean company working on panoramic sunroof airbags for premium SUVs.

  

  Oct 29, 2017 — Sunroof airbags aren't something you see even with the most expensive mass-produced vehicles equipped with panoramic sunroofs, but that may change if a South Korean company gets its way. Hyundai Mobis, a company that employs 30,000 people and has been in business since 1977, is working on an airbag system that would prevent occupants from being ejected through the sunroofs in rollover crashes. The company says the sunroof airbag will be placed inside the ...

• Subaru Admits Selling Vehicles Without Proper Inspections First Nissan, now Subaru admits uncertified inspectors were illegally used for final inspections.

  

  Oct 28, 2017 — When Volkswagen got caught cheating on emissions tests, regulators and investigators across the globe left their seats to take a close look at the emission systems of multiple automakers, causing a chain reaction of exposed failures. That same line of reasoning has affected Subaru, although in a way not related to emissions systems. Just a few short weeks ago, Nissan was caught falsifying documents related to final vehicle inspections before sold to the ...

• Subaru WRX Engine Knock and Spun Bearing Lawsuit Filed Subaru WRX and WRX STI engines allegedly fail because connecting rod bearings fall apart.

  

  Oct 26, 2017 — A Subaru WRX and WRX STI engine knock and spun bearing lawsuit alleges metal debris contaminates the oil from defective connecting rod bearings and causes total engine failure. According to the proposed class-action lawsuit, 2013-2014 Subaru WRX and WRX STI cars have defective rotating assemblies and engines that aren't lubricated enough by the oil that contains the metal debris. According to the lawsuit, the Subaru Impreza was first manufactured in 1992, ...

• Mercedes-Benz Lawsuit Says Valeo Radiators Are Defective Mercedes-Benz lawsuit says Valeo radiators cause coolant to mix with transmission fluid.

  

  Oct 26, 2017 — A Mercedes-Benz lawsuit alleges Valeo radiators have defects that cause coolant to mix with transmission fluid in C-Class and CLK-Class vehicles. The plaintiff claims the Valeo radiators cause owners to pay thousands of dollars to replace the transmissions, torque converters and the radiators. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all consumers who purchased or leased a 2004 or earlier C-Class or CLK-Class Mercedes-Benz vehicle. According to the ...

• Mitsubishi Settles Lawsuit Over Auto Parts Price-Fixing Claims Mitsubishi Electric settles conspiracy claims from lawsuit filed by Rush Truck Centers.

  

  Oct 24, 2017 — The auto world and attorneys may be focused on alleged conspiracies and cartel activities among German automakers , but Japanese auto suppliers are dealing with their own cartel claims and legal penalties. Following proceedings in a Michigan federal court, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation agreed to settle conspiracy claims alleged by Rush Truck Centers related to price-fixing of starters and alternators for trucks. Mitsubishi Electric manufactures numerous ...

• GM's Ignition Switches Cause Another $120 Million Loss General Motors reaches settlement agreement with state attorneys general over ignition switches.

  

  Oct 24, 2017 — General Motors is still financially answering for years of failures related to defective ignition switches that killed and injured hundreds of people. In a settlement agreement with 49 states and the District of Columbia, GM agreed to pay $120 million that will be divided among the states. The settlement follows years of deceit and the recalls of nearly 30 million vehicles in North America after GM admitted the ignition switch in a car could move out of the ...

• VW Approved to Fix 38,000 3-Liter TDI V6 Vehicles Volkswagen to repair 2015 Audi A7 and the 2013-2016 Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg.

  

  Oct 23, 2017 — Volkswagen will have the opportunity to recall and repair 38,000 3-liter diesel vehicles that are part of VW's emissions scheme that fooled regulators and consumers for many years. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the fix that entails an update of software and hardware modifications, in addition to compensation up to $16,114 per vehicle. Overall, VW will save a lot of dollars by repairing the ...

• European Commission Raids Offices of BMW, Daimler and VW German officials suspect BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen conspired to violate antitrust laws.

  

  Oct 23, 2017 — BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen aren't making any fans in their home country of Germany as the European Commission said it paid a visit to BMW's offices on October 16 as the beginning legal salvo in an investigation into violations of EU antitrust rules concerning cartels and business practices. BMW was quick to admit the raid was over potential violations of antitrust laws, but allegedly had nothing to do with accusations of "illegal manipulation of exhaust gas ...

• Ford Explorer Class-Action Settlement Awaits Appeal Court A million 2011-2015 Ford Explorer owners wait for ruling concerning exhaust odors entering the SUVs.

  

  Oct 22, 2017 — A Ford Explorer class-action settlement was approved by a court a few months ago, but the settlement was appealed by a Ford owner who objected to the settlement terms. Affected Ford Explorer owners now wait for a decision from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, so the settlement won't be effective until the appeal is resolved. The class-action lawsuit settlement includes all entities and consumers in the U.S. who currently own or lease (or who in the past ...

• Ford Explorer Carbon Monoxide Lawsuit Filed by Police Officer Texas police officer files lawsuit alleging he was sickened by carbon monoxide in his Ford Explorer.

  

  Oct 21, 2017 — A Ford Explorer carbon monoxide lawsuit has been filed by another Texas police officer who alleges his Police Interceptor SUV poisoned him and caused nausea, headaches and vision problems on July 21, 2017. Austin police officer Ryan Hancock says his symptoms continued the next day and caused him to seek medical help. According to the lawsuit, tests conducted at the hospital showed his symptoms were from carbon monoxide poisoning. Furthermore, the plaintiff says ...

• Ford Explorer Carbon Monoxide Recall Needed, Safety Group Says Center for Auto Safety says a 2011-2017 Ford Explorer carbon monoxide recall should be issued.

  

  Oct 17, 2017 — A Ford Explorer carbon monoxide recall should be ordered for 2011-2017 SUVs to protect occupants from exhaust fumes, at least according to what the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) says about 1.3 million Explorers in the U.S. Just days ago, Ford announced a "complimentary service" program for non-police Explorers to give consumers piece of mind about the SUVs the automaker says are safe. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been ...

• Study Says Infotainment Systems Are Too Distracting Researchers find that changing the radio in an old car is much safer than in today's cars.

  

  Oct 17, 2017 — Distracted drivers are killing themselves and others, not to mention the amount of property damage caused by crashes. And while people are plenty familiar with the dangers of texting and cell phone use, a new study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows how vehicle technology is distracting people to death. Led by Dr. David Strayer and other researchers at the University of Utah , the study found that navigation systems are more distracting ...

• Ford Explorer Carbon Monoxide Fears Will Be Calmed Without calling it a recall, Ford will make repairs to 1.4 million non-police Ford Explorer SUVs.

  

  Oct 13, 2017 — Ford Explorer carbon monoxide and exhaust fume concerns will be tackled by the automaker as Ford announced "complimentary service" for 1.4 million model year 2011-2017 non-police Explorers in North America. Ford insists the SUVs are perfectly safe to drive and the "complimentary service" is not an official recall. The automaker says an internal investigation "has not found carbon monoxide levels that exceed what people are exposed to every day." When it ...

• Consumer Groups Take Aim at CarMax Over Recalled Cars Consumer groups want the courts to force CarMax to stop selling used cars with unrepaired recalls.

  

  Oct 11, 2017 — Consumer groups are again waving red flags about CarMax, the largest retailer of used cars in the U.S. that allegedly pose a safety hazard to consumers because the "certified" cars may have open (unrepaired) safety recalls. The groups include MASSPIRG (Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group) Education Fund, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety ( CARS ) Foundation and the Center for Auto Safety . According to the consumer groups, CarMax has more ...

• Ohio Woman Dies in Fiery Jeep Liberty Rear-End Crash Jeep Liberty had been recalled and equipped with trailer-hitch to prevent rear fuel tank.

  

  Oct 11, 2017 — A fatal crash involving an older Jeep Liberty has reminded safety advocates of the possible dangers of where the fuel tanks are located in certain Jeep SUVs. Vicki Hill, 58, of Elyria, Ohio, was killed after her 2007 Jeep Liberty ( photo ) was rear-ended, a Jeep that had been recalled and allegedly repaired to protect the rear gas tank from leaking gas or exploding in a rear-end crash. In the recall, her Jeep Liberty had a trailer-hitch installed after the ...

• Nissan Repairs Unintended Airbag Deployments in the Frontier, Titan and Xterra Customer service campaign to update rollover airbag software in 543,000 trucks and SUVs.

  

  Oct 10, 2017 — Owners of Nissan Frontier, Titan and Xterra trucks and SUVs can receive free software updates that will fix any potential problems with rollover curtain airbags deploying when they shouldn't. Nissan says this isn't a recall, but more like a voluntary service campaign that includes 126,308 Nissan Titans, 296,151 Frontiers and 120,755 Xterras, bringing the total to 543,214 trucks and SUVs that qualify for software updates in the U.S. Although it's not known how ...

• State Lawsuits Against VW Don't Look Good Wyoming lawsuit against VW dismissed, a bad sign for other state emissions lawsuits against VW.

  

  Oct 9, 2017 — State and local government lawsuits against Volkswagen over its emissions fraud are out of the question as a California federal judge blocked a lawsuit filed by the state of Wyoming. VW has already racked up more than $20 billion in losses after admitting it cheated emissions tests for years , selling vehicles that should have never been legally sold. In addition to $10 billion spent to buy back about 600,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S., VW also agreed to pay ...

• Volkswagen and Canada Apparently Not Getting Along Ontario investigators search Volkswagen's offices looking for emissions evidence.

  

  Oct 9, 2017 — Canada and Volkswagen aren't getting along, if recent actions taken by the Ontario government is any indicator of "getting long." The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change alleges VW failed to abide by Ontario emissions regulations and with search warrant in hand, investigators entered VW's Canadian offices looking for damning evidence. The investigation is tied to Volkswagen's emissions cheating scheme that caused more than 100,000 vehicles in ...

• Nissan Facing Trouble in Japan Over Falsified Documents Nissan recalling more than 1 million Japanese vehicles after getting caught fabricating documents.

  

  Oct 8, 2017 — Nissan is in trouble in Japan because only a certified technician is allowed to put a stamp of approval on documents used to indicate Nissan vehicles have passed final inspections before the vehicles are legal to sell. But according to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Nissan vehicles were illegally inspected, registered and sold because uncertified technicians were used for the job. Based on available evidence, Nissan falsified ...

• Toyota Camry Air Conditioning Smell Lawsuit Will Continue Judge refuses to dismiss most lawsuit claims that Toyota Camry cars have mold and odor problems.

  

  Oct 8, 2017 — A Toyota Camry air conditioning smell lawsuit will continue after a federal judge refused Toyota's motion to dismiss the suit, although the judge did drop a few claims concerning 2011-present Camrys. The class-action lawsuit was filed by Camry owners Gloria Ortega and Alfred Salas, both who say the evaporator collects moisture due to condensation as it absorbs heat from the passenger compartment. Dead insects, leaves, moisture and pollen allegedly enter the air ...

• Crash Fatalities Increase As Cars Allegedly Get Safer More people killed in car crashes in 2016 than 2015, with 37,461 people who lost their lives in 2016

  

  Oct 8, 2017 — A total of 37,461 people lost their lives in fatal vehicle crashes in 2016, an increase of 5.6 percent compared to 2015. The increased death toll occurred at a time when cars are equipped with more safety features than ever before, possibly giving consumers a false sense of their own security. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) collected crash data from 50 states and the District of Columbia and found that death rates climbed due to ...

• Tesla Marketing Lawsuit Says Personal Info Is Shared Proposed class-action lawsuit alleges anyone who wants to test drive a Tesla loses their privacy.

  

  Oct 3, 2017 — A Tesla marketing lawsuit alleges the automaker of acquiring private information from driver's licenses, then storing and using that information for marketing and sales purposes without telling consumers. The plaintiff says he visited a Tesla showroom in July 2015 and was approached by a Tesla employee who offered the plaintiff a test drive that he accepted. The employee allegedly asked to see the driver's license, something the plaintiff believed was only done ...

• Lexus ES Air Conditioner Smells Cause Lawsuit Lawsuit claims 2013-2017 Lexus ES vehicles have defects that cause bad air conditioner odors.

  

  Oct 3, 2017 — Lexus ES air conditioner smells have caused owners to file a proposed class-action lawsuit that includes all consumers in the U.S. who purchased or leased any 2013-2017 Lexus ES series vehicle. Plaintiff Norman Beil purchased a new 2014 Lexus ES 350 that came with basic warranty coverage for 48 months or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. In August 2015, Beil says he began experiencing a strong nauseatingly odor coming from the HVAC vents every time the ...

• Senate Introduces the 'AV START Act' For Driverless Cars Senate releases its version of self-driving car legislation to get autonomous cars on the roads.

  

  Oct 2, 2017 — Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) have introduced their vision of driverless car legislation that would overhaul federal laws created at a time when the thought of a driverless car would have been science fiction. The government is good about coming up with all kinds of long names to describe new legislative proposals, and this one is no different: the “American Vision for Safer Transportation Through Advancement of Revolutionary ...

• Nissan Sentra Xtronic CVT Lawsuit Targets 2012-2017 Models 2012-2017 Nissan Sentra Xtronic continuously variable transmissions are allegedly defective.

  

  Sep 26, 2017 — A Nissan Sentra Xtronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) lawsuit alleges model year 2012-2017 Sentras have transmissions that overheat and fail due to the cooling systems. Plaintiff Waldo Leyva says he would not have purchased his 2015 Sentra if he would have known about the transmissions, or at the least he wouldn't have paid as much as he did. Leyva says he started having problems two years after he bought the car, when a simple warning light ...

• Volkswagen Exploding Sunroof Lawsuit Says Glass Injures People California lawsuit alleges sunroofs explode and shatter in multiple Volkswagen models.

  

  Sep 25, 2017 — A Volkswagen exploding sunroof lawsuit alleges numerous models going back to 2004 have defects that cause the sunroofs to explode and shatter into shards of glass that injure occupants. Included in the proposed class-action lawsuit are consumers who purchased or leased in California the following vehicles equipped with factory-installed sunroofs: 2005-2017 Volkswagen Jetta 2015-2017 Volkswagen Golf 2006-2015 Volkswagen GTI 2009-2010 Volkswagen ...

• Chrysler and Harmon Hacking Lawsuit Still Alive A Fiat Chrysler and Harmon infotainment system lawsuit survives based on a few claims.

  

  Sep 24, 2017 — A Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) and Harmon infotainment system hacking lawsuit won't be completely dismissed, but Chrysler did succeed in getting most of the claims thrown out. The lawsuit was filed in 2015 against Fiat Chrysler and Harmon International Industries by plaintiffs Brian Flynn, Michael Keith, and George and Kelly Brown. The plaintiffs allege a number of claims related to defects in the Uconnect infotainment systems. Those systems were manufactured by ...

• Jeep Wrangler Radiator Sludge Lawsuit Says Sand Causes Damage Proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Jeep Wranglers have sand in the cylinder heads.

  

  Sep 24, 2017 — A Jeep Wrangler radiator sludge lawsuit alleges the engines circulate sand through the cooling systems, causing the sand to settle in the radiators, oil cooling systems and heater cores. This allegedly creates sludge that blocks vital heating and cooling systems. The proposed 2012-2017 Jeep Wrangler class-action lawsuit says the two lead plaintiffs suffered from heater problems that cost each plaintiff more than $1,000 to repair. Both customers say their Jeep ...

• Volvo XC90 Android Auto Lawsuit Says Systems Aren't Compatible Lawsuit alleges Volvo XC90 'Sensus' system should work with Android Auto, but won't.

  

  Sep 24, 2017 — A Volvo XC90 Android Auto lawsuit alleges the SUVs were marketed and sold as being compatible with the Android Auto feature when in fact they are not. Android Auto is described as a smartphone application for Google Android cell phones and designed to work with the display screen of the Google Android user’s car. A user can control their smartphone through the car’s touchscreen display, steering wheel buttons and by voice commands. Volvo's marketing materials ...

• Rural Counties + No Seat Belts = High Death Rates CDC researchers say car occupants in rural counties have higher death rates due to seat belt use.

  

  Sep 24, 2017 — Another study has been released about seat belt use and death rates and the news isn't good for folks who spend a lot of time driving in rural counties. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), vehicle occupants in the most rural counties had death rates 3 to 10 times higher than occupants in the most urban counties. The higher death rates are attributed to car occupants in rural counties simply because of not wearing their seat belts. Data from ...

• Mercedes-Benz Musty Smell Lawsuit Filed in Georgia Mercedes-Benz owner files lawsuit that alleges the air conditioning system has moldy smell.

  

  Sep 22, 2017 — A Mercedes-Benz musty smell lawsuit alleges vehicle occupants are harmed by mold and mildew odors floating from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Plaintiff Gary Arakelian says the vehicles have design defects that cause the HVAC systems to accumulate mold and emit a moldy and musty smell in the vehicles when the air conditioning systems are on. Arakelian says his health has been harmed because of noxious HVAC odors while ...

• MINI Cooper Oil Filter Housing Lawsuit Won't Be Dismissed MINI Cooper lawsuit alleges oil filter housing problems cause thousands of dollars in damage.

  

  Sep 21, 2017 — A MINI Cooper oil filter housing lawsuit will move forward after a federal judge denied to dismiss the class-action suit that BMW wanted thrown out forever. The MINI class-action lawsuit says 2009-2014 MINI Coopers have defects related to lubrication of the engines that cause too much of a safety hazard to drive because the cars suddenly lose oil pressure while driving. This allegedly forces drivers to shut down the engines to protect against all kinds of ...

• O'Reilly Auto Parts Windshield Wiper Fluid Freezes: Lawsuit Missouri customer says windshield wiper fluid sold by O'Reilly ruins the wiper fluid systems.

  

  Sep 18, 2017 — An O’Reilly Auto Parts lawsuit alleges windshield wiper fluid freezes even though the wiper fluid is advertised as protected from freezing down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed against O’Reilly Automotive Stores, Inc., based in Springfield, Missouri. According to the lawsuit, O'Reilly has known since at least 2010 the windshield washer fluid turns to solid material and cannot be pumped through a wiper fluid system. In ...

• Study Says Bosch Created Illegal Emissions Software Study from two universities says Volkswagen and Chrysler used defeat devices made by Bosch.

  

  Sep 13, 2017 — A study conducted by university researchers claims emissions defeat devices used by Volkswagen and allegedly by Fiat Chrysler were created by parts supplier Bosch. Researchers from Ruhr- Universität in Germany and the University of California San Diego undertook the study that was supported by the European Research Council and by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The researchers admit they aren't 100 percent positive the Bosch documents they used are ...

• Ford PowerShift Dual-Clutch Transmission Settlement Questioned Some Ford Fiesta and Focus owners say PowerShift transmission settlement should be rejected.

  

  Sep 12, 2017 — A Ford PowerShift dual-clutch transmission lawsuit settlement should be rejected, at least according to some Fiesta and Focus owners involved in the case of Omar Vargas, et al. v. Ford Motor Company . Five consumers stepped forward and told the judge the settlement terms are good for attorneys and the lead plaintiffs, but the majority of 1.5 million U.S. Ford owners and lessees will be left with an inadequate deal. The dual-clutch transmission class-action ...

• NTSB Tesla Crash Investigation Blames 2 Drivers and the Model S Feds say Tesla Model S driver Joshua Brown was killed because of multiple factors.

  

  Sep 12, 2017 — A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Tesla crash investigation has concluded by saying the driver of the Model S, the driver of a tractor-trailer and the design of the Model S itself are all to blame in the death of former Navy SEAL, Joshua Brown. The NTSB report blames the deadly crash on "driver errors," an "overreliance on automation" and a "lack of safeguards" designed into Tesla's "Autopilot" system. The May 2016 Florida crash occurred when ...

• DOT Issues New Voluntary Guidelines for Self-Driving Cars Government creates voluntary guidelines for driverless car companies, with the focus on 'voluntary'

  

  Sep 12, 2017 — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced voluntary guidelines for states and driverless car companies to follow, just days after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to make it easier for self-driving cars to get on the roads. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao announced the guidelines called "Automated Driving Systems: A Vision for Safety" that consumer advocates say will make everyone on the roads nothing more than lab rats. Based on ...

• Lane Departure and Blind Spot Warning Systems Really Work Researchers find lane departure and blind spot warnings help prevent fatal car crashes.

  

  Sep 11, 2017 — Another study has concluded that lane departure warning systems do their job in preventing crashes that often lead to fatalities. The research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that blind spot detection and lane departure warning systems cut crash rates involving all types of injuries. Researchers used police reports to conduct the study because those reports make it possible to look specifically at the types of crashes that ...

• Dutch Prosecutors Investigating Jeep and Suzuki Emissions Netherlands Vehicle Authority says Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki Vitara may have problems.

  

  Sep 11, 2017 — Volkswagen's emissions cheating has started a global chain reaction with governments questioning and testing emissions systems from multiple automakers. Now it seems the Dutch have their own questions after the Netherlands Vehicle Authority, also known as the RDW, discovered Jeep and Suzuki vehicles allegedly have illegal nitrogen oxide emissions. The RDW says the findings popped up after multiple vehicles were tested from 14 automakers. Based on the ...

• BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen in German Crosshairs Accusations fly that three German automakers conspired to cheat on nitrogen oxide emissions.

  

  Sep 10, 2017 — European officials are investigating German media reports that allege BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen worked together since the mid-1990s to hold down the prices of emissions equipment and other vehicle systems. The three companies are also accused of working together to create diesel vehicles that would pass emissions tests in labs but actually be illegal on the roads. The German Cartel Office is looking into the allegations to learn if the three automakers ...

• General Motors Sued After Child's Death in Saturn Aura Crash Kansas parents say their 17-month-old girl was killed when the front seat collapsed.

  

  Sep 10, 2017 — General Motors and seat manufacturer Faurecia have been sued by Kansas parents who allege the front seats in a 2007 Saturn Aura were defective when the seats collapsed during a crash, injuring one child and killing another. The wrongful death lawsuit, which identifies the children by the initials A.P. and H.M., alleges the front seats were too weak to handle the 2015 rear-end crash. According to the lawsuit, on November 7, 2015, plaintiff Heather Tracy was ...

• Study: Feds Need to Get Better With Vehicle Data Privacy Issues Study says safety regulators need to do a better job at regulating privacy data of connected cars.

  

  Sep 9, 2017 — A study conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that automakers and the government need to do a better job at protecting private data from electronically connected vehicles. The GAO decided to conduct the study because of the growing prevalence of electronically connected cars that use wireless systems to transmit and receive data. The GAO study sought to learn how federal agencies collect, use and share privacy data from connected ...

• Salvaged Takata Airbag Focus of Karina Dorado Lawsuit Lawsuit alleges salvaged Takata airbag from a 2001 Honda Accord exploded in a 2002 Accord.

  

  Sep 8, 2017 — A salvaged Takata airbag installed in a 2002 Honda Accord shouldn't have injured 18-year-old Karina Dorado because the airbag shouldn't have been in the 2002 Accord in the first place, says a lawsuit filed in Nevada. Honda says the 2002 Accord involved in the crash was included in airbag recalls in 2008 and 2014 to replace driver's side Takata airbag inflators. Honda calls these the "Alpha" inflators because they are the oldest Takata inflators and have a 50 ...

• U.S. House Pushing Self-Driving Cars Onto the Roads House passes bill to fill the roads with driverless cars without steering wheels or brake pedals.

  

  Sep 6, 2017 — The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill called the SELF-DRIVE Act so automakers can put 25,000 vehicles on the roads in the first year and do it by skipping existing safety standards that apply to all other vehicles. Within three years automakers will be allowed to deploy 100,000 driverless vehicles each year, and the proposal will take away the rights of states to require self-driving cars to have brake pedals and steering wheels. The ...

• Honda Agrees to $605 Million Takata Airbag Settlement Honda agrees to settle multidistrict class-action lawsuits filed over Takata airbag inflators.

  

  Sep 4, 2017 — No automaker has been affected by Takata airbags more than Honda, and that trend continues as Honda says it will pay about $605 million to settle lawsuits over the defective airbags. The multidistrict class-action litigation involves economic loss claims only, not claims involving deaths or injuries in Honda vehicles. Honda has been sued multiple times for deaths and injuries caused by Takata airbags in Honda vehicles in the U.S. and other parts of the ...

• Your Next Domino's Delivery May Be Missing the Driver Ford and Domino's will use self-driving cars to deliver pizza in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  

  Aug 29, 2017 — It was just a matter of time, but getting a pizza delivered to your door in the future may not exactly be to your door. More like your driveway or curb. Ford and Domino's Pizza are working together to test self-driving cars to deliver food to customers without a driver being there to hand you the chow at your door. The project will start investigating customer reactions in Ann Arbor, Michigan, over the next several weeks as Domino's randomly selects customers ...

• Subaru Says Legacy and Outback Windshield Lawsuit Should Be Tossed Subaru says extended warranty means a Legacy and Outback cracked windshield suit should be dismissed

  

  Aug 29, 2017 — A Subaru Legacy and Outback cracked windshield lawsuit claims the windshields are a safety hazard because they crack, chip and break, but Subaru says a warranty extension took care of the problems and the lawsuit should be tossed out. Plaintiff Lucia Luong says she bought a new 2015 Subaru Outback in February of 2015, but in March 2017 her windshield cracked, so she took it to a dealer for repairs. Luong says that although the windshield should have been ...

• Hyundai 'Smart Trunk' Lawsuit Says Trunks Don't Fully Open Hyundai hands-free Smart Trunks don't open all the way, says class-action lawsuit.

  

  Aug 28, 2017 — A Hyundai "Smart Trunk" lawsuit alleges the trunks don't open as advertised when a user moves near the vehicles, something that is supposed to open the trunk lids "hands-free." The Smart Trunk was first introduced in 2015 Hyundai models that went on sale in 2014 and is advertised as a way for consumers to open their trunks without pushing any buttons or using keys in the lids of the trunks. Hyundai has marketed the Smart Trunk as a feature that automatically ...

• BMW M3 Lawsuit Over S65 Engines Won't Be Dismissed Judge says BMW will face claims that S65 engines in M3 cars fail due to engine failures.

  

  Aug 28, 2017 — A BMW M3 lawsuit will move forward after a federal judge said the plaintiffs presented enough evidence of possible problems with the S65 engines. The judge said BMW must face claims of violating consumer protection laws and fraud in concealing problems that cause metal debris to mix with the oil, leading to engine failure and a huge expense for owners. The lawsuit was filed after owners complained about BMW M3 S65 engines failing because of metal debris ...

• Ford Wants Electronic Throttle Body Lawsuit Dismissed Ford throttle body problems allegedly cause Ford and Lincoln vehicles to 'limp home'

  

  Aug 27, 2017 — A Ford electronic throttle body lawsuit should be dismissed because the plaintiffs haven't backed up their claims, says Ford in its motion to dismiss the class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges Ford and Lincoln vehicles experience sudden deceleration because they enter "limp-home" mode due to defective Delphi Generation 6 electronic throttle bodies. Plaintiffs Janis Benkle and John Kovak claim the 2011-2015 Ford Edge, Ford F-150, Ford Mustang and Lincoln ...

• Mercedes-Benz Heated Seats Will Be Repaired After Lawsuit About 270,000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class vehicles will get seat heaters fixed.

  

  Aug 27, 2017 — Mercedes-Benz heated seats that allegedly can catch on fire will be repaired for former and current owners and lessees of 2000­-2007 M-Class, 2006-­2007 R-­Class and 2007 GL­-Class vehicles equipped with original seat heaters. According to the Mercedes class-action lawsuit , about 270,000 vehicles are included in the proposed class-action settlement after owners sued Mercedes claiming the seat heaters cause fires and injuries. Mercedes denies there are ...

• Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe and Sonata Peeling Paint Lawsuit is Over Judge puts a final end to Hyundai peeling paint lawsuit that alleges the paint falls apart.

  

  Aug 27, 2017 — A Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe and Sonata peeling paint lawsuit is over, and although it's not the first time the lawsuit has been dismissed, it will be the last as the judge removed all hope for the plaintiffs to amend the complaint. The judge said this dismissal is with prejudice because the plaintiffs keep repeating the same allegations that were already dismissed . The lawsuit alleges the 2006-2016 Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe and Sonata are covered with paint ...

• Volkswagen's James Liang Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison James Liang to spend 40 months in prison over emissions fraud, pay $200,000 fine.

  

  Aug 26, 2017 — Former Volkswagen engineer James Liang has been sentenced to 40 months in prison and fined $200,000 for his role in the automaker selling diesel vehicles with special software called "defeat devices" used to fool environmental regulators and U.S. consumers. Liang was looking at the possibility of five years behind bars, but prosecutors recommended three years because Liang, 63, cooperated with authorities. U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox said Mr. Liang ...

• Ford Swollen Lug Nuts Cause Class-Action Lawsuit Lawsuit says Ford lug nuts swell and crack, leaving the lug nut wrench useless.

  

  Aug 24, 2017 — Ford swollen lug nuts have caused a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the lug nuts swell, crack and delaminate to the point special tools are needed to remove the lug nuts. The lawsuit alleges the swollen lug nuts are installed on the Ford Fusion, Escape, Flex, Focus, F-150 and F-350. Instead of solid steel nuts, the plaintiffs say Ford sells its vehicles with lug nuts that have a steel core with chrome, aluminum or stainless steel caps attached to ...

• Apple Says iPhone Didn't Cause Car Crash Apple wants lawsuit dismissed that alleges an iPhone caused a distracted driver to crash.

  

  Aug 22, 2017 — If your car is rear-ended by a driver reading a newspaper, do you sue the publisher of the newspaper for causing the crash? Or do you file a lawsuit against a cosmetics company if the distracted driver who hit you was a woman putting on makeup? According to a California lawsuit, a driver distracted by her cell phone wasn't responsible for a crash. Apple, the manufacturer of the iPhone she was using was really the cause of the rear-end collision, and according ...

• Former VW Engineer James Liang May Get 3 Years in the Slammer Prosecutors recommend a sentence of 3 years for James Liang for his role in emissions scandal.

  

  Aug 21, 2017 — James Liang, the former Volkswagen engineer who admitted his role in the automaker's emissions scandal, may get three years in prison based on a recommendation by U.S. prosecutors. Liang could face five years in prison, but prosecutors say three years will be sufficient since Mr. Liang provided information that led to the indictments of other VW executives. Prosecutors say Liang knew exactly what he was doing when he illegally worked on the defeat devices and ...

• Acura HandsFreeLink Class-Action Lawsuit Moves Forward Judge dismisses most of Acura HandsFreeLink lawsuit that says the systems drain car batteries.

  

  Aug 21, 2017 — An Acura HandsFreeLink class-action lawsuit will proceed after a federal judge allowed a few claims to continue while dismissing the majority of the class-action lawsuit. The HandsFreeLink lawsuit has 12 named plaintiffs alleging they purchased new or used Acura vehicles equipped with defective Bluetooth and HandsFreeLink systems that caused a “parasitic drain” on their electrical systems. Acura advertised the systems as a way for customers to connect their ...

• Ford Focus EVAP Purge Valve Lawsuit Survives Dismissal Bid Lawsuit claims Ford Focus EVAP purge valve causes erratic idling and inaccurate fuel levels.

  

  Aug 19, 2017 — A Ford Focus EVAP purge valve lawsuit is hanging by a thread as Ford filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and the judge dismissed all the claims except one. Plaintiff Jon Rivera filed the lawsuit on behalf of current and former owners of 2012-2015 Ford Focus cars that were allegedly sold with defective evaporative emission control (EVAP) systems. The EVAP is used to limit fuel emissions produced in the fuel tank and keep those emissions from entering the ...

• Audi Start-Stop Lawsuit Says Rollaway Danger Exists Audi 'Start-Stop' allegedly leaves vehicles to roll unintentionally after removing seat belts.

  

  Aug 17, 2017 — An Audi Start-Stop system lawsuit alleges the feature causes vehicles to unintentionally roll away because of a defect in the Start-Stop systems. Included in the proposed class-action lawsuit are the following vehicles: 2013-2017 Audi A3 2013-2017 Audi A4 2013-2017 Audi A5 2013-2017 Audi A6 2013-2017 Audi A7 2013-2017 Audi A8 2013-2017 Audi S3 2013-2017 Audi S4 2013-2017 Audi S5 2013-2017 Audi S6 2013-2017 Audi ...

• Rear Seat Belt Reminder Warnings Focus of Lawsuit Two consumer groups sue the government over the lack of rear seat belt reminder warning systems.

  

  Aug 16, 2017 — Two consumer groups have sued the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) over the lack of rear seat belt reminder warnings, even though a final safety standard should have been issued by October 2015. Federal safety standards require the driver's seat to be equipped with a seat belt warning system that activates when the driver doesn't have their seat belt buckled, but the law doesn't apply to passengers in rear seats. The lawsuit was filed by the Center for ...

• Former Audi and VW 'Clean Diesel' Owners/Lessees File Lawsuit Consumers who got rid of their diesel vehicles before September 18, 2015, say they were left out.

  

  Aug 13, 2017 — Former owners and lessees of Audi and Volkswagen "clean diesel" vehicles have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging they weren't included in the settlements over illegal emissions in 2-liter and 3-liter diesel vehicles. Most U.S. consumer litigation has been taken care of in federal multidistrict litigation with three resulting consumer class-action settlements. The first settlement involved 2-liter models and was given final approval on October 25, ...

• Ford Faces Exhaust Odor and Carbon Monoxide Lawsuit Ford Explorer, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles allegedly allow exhaust fumes to enter cabins.

  

  Aug 13, 2017 — A Ford carbon monoxide lawsuit alleges 2016-2017 Ford Explorer, 2007-2013 Ford Edge and 2007-2015 Lincoln MKX vehicles have defects that allow exhaust fumes and carbon monoxide to enter the vehicles and sicken occupants. Plaintiff Mary Boatner says she purchased a 2017 Ford Explorer in July 2017 not knowing the allegedly faulty design caused exhaust fumes and carbon monoxide to enter the cabin. Boatner says that on July 6 she drove the Explorer from Alabama ...

• Kia Lawsuit Says Connecting Rod Bearings Leave Metal in Oil Lawsuit alleges metal shavings in the oil causes the engines to fail, requiring engine replacement.

  

  Aug 13, 2017 — A Kia connecting rod bearings lawsuit has been filed that alleges three models of vehicles have defects that restrict the flow of oil through the connecting rod bearings and to other areas of the engines. The engines can allegedly fail at any time while driving any speed, leaving owners in dangerous driving conditions once the engines stall. According to the plaintiffs, damage to the connecting rod bearings causes metal shavings to appear in the oil. Included ...

• Volkswagen CC Tire Cupping Lawsuit Filed in Florida VW CC tire cupping lawsuit alleges faulty suspensions, shocks and struts cause tires to wear.

  

  Aug 11, 2017 — A Volkswagen CC tire cupping lawsuit alleges the cars are prone to constant tire replacements, alignments and suspension problems, causing the tires to appear to have little scoops taken out of them. The plaintiffs claim the two main causes of tire cupping are a defective suspension system and improper alignment. The proposed class-action tire cupping lawsuit includes all U.S. owners and lessees who bought or leased Volkswagen CC cars on or after June 1, ...

• Dollar General Motor Oil Class-Action Lawsuit Continues DG SAE 10W-30, SAE 10W-40 and SAE 30 motor oils allegedly are harmful to modern cars.

  

  Aug 11, 2017 — A Dollar General motor oil class-action lawsuit will continue in a Missouri courtroom as the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ruled it is a good location for a judge to hear arguments that say the motor oil is dangerous to modern cars. At least 18 class-action lawsuits are consolidated under one courthouse roof, all that allege Dollar General uses deceptive and misleading tactics to sell its own brand of motor oils labeled "DG Auto" that are ...

• Three Police Officers Sue Ford Over Carbon Monoxide Exposure Ford Explorer Police Interceptors being repaired as officers from three states sue Ford.

  

  Aug 10, 2017 — Alleged Ford Explorer Police Interceptor carbon monoxide problems have led to three police officers suing the automaker after they allegedly crashed their patrol vehicles. One officer who sued is from Austin, Texas, the same police department that pulled 60 Explorers off the roads after reports of carbon monoxide invading the cabins. The lawsuit alleges officer Zachary T. LaHood was on patrol at about 1:30 in the morning when he started to feel sick, ...

• Nissan Settles Takata Class-Action Lawsuits For $98 Million 4.4 million Nissan and Infiniti vehicles affected by settlement agreement over Takata airbags.

  

  Aug 9, 2017 — Nissan has reached a Takata airbag settlement worth nearly $98 million to settle class-action lawsuits that take in about 4.4 million Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. Nissan and Infiniti vehicles included in the settlement agreement are the: 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra 2007-2017 Nissan Versa Sedan 2007-2012 Nissan Versa Hatchback 2017 Nissan Altima 2017 Nissan Versa Note 2013-2017 ...

• GM Oil Consumption Lawsuit About Vortec 5300 Engines Dismissed Judge says Chevrolet and GMC oil consumption lawsuit is tossed out, handing GM the victory.

  

  Aug 7, 2017 — A GM oil consumption lawsuit has been dismissed after a federal judge ruled there wasn't enough evidence of oil ring defects in 5.3-liter V8 Vortec 5300 engines. The original class-action lawsuit alleges the following vehicles are equipped with 5.3-liter engines that burn oil at excessive rates and cause safety hazards on the roads. 2010-2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado 2010-2013 Chevrolet Express 1500 2010-2013 Chevrolet ...

• Duramax Diesel Lawsuit Claims Emissions Are Illegal Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra Duramax diesel lawsuit says trucks have emissions cheating devices.

  

  Aug 6, 2017 — A GM Duramax diesel lawsuit alleges 2011-2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 and Chevy Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks are equipped with illegal emissions devices that cause real-world nitrogen oxide levels to be two to five times higher than legal limits. Nitrogen oxides are a combination of several compounds made of nitrogen and oxygen atoms and formed in the engine cylinders during the combustion process. The pollution aspect arises from nitrogen dioxide and the ...

• VW Manager Oliver Schmidt Pleads Guilty in Emissions Fraud Oliver Schmidt pleads guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud and violating the Clean Air Act.

  

  Aug 4, 2017 — Oliver Schmidt, the former general manager of Volkswagen's U.S. Environment and Engineering Office, has pleaded guilty for violating the U.S. Clean Air Act for his part in the scheme to sell and market allegedly “clean diesel” vehicles in the U.S. Schmidt, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., to commit wire fraud and to violations of the Clean Air Act. Schmidt was indicted with five other VW employees but is likely the only one ...

• Lawsuit Says Ford Lifted Trucks Have Wrong Jacks and Spare Tires New Ford trucks sold with lift kits have tire jacks and spare tires too small for the lifted trucks.

  

  Aug 2, 2017 — Ford trucks equipped and sold with lift kits are the focus of a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the tire jacks and spare tires sold with the trucks cannot safely be used with the lifted trucks. The proposed Ford class-action lawsuit includes all persons who purchased or leased in the U.S. new Ford trucks equipped with lift kits and larger-than-stock tires. Plaintiff Matthew Leverett says he purchased a 2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty truck equipped with ...

• 'Built Ford Tough' is Mere 'Puffery,' Says Federal Judge Ford F-150 door latch lawsuit is dismissed after judge rules 'Built Ford Tough' slogan is puffery.

  

  Aug 1, 2017 — If you want to sue Ford over its "Built Ford Tough" slogan, you may want to reconsider as a federal judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit that alleges consumers were fooled into buying F-150 trucks with allegedly defective doors and locks. In October 2015, plaintiff Brandon Kommer purchased a 2015 Ford F-150 XLT Super Crew truck because of advertisements from Ford about the truck being “Built Ford Tough.” However, Kommer says after he bought the truck, ...

• Toyota Dealer Roger Hogan Sues Toyota Over Recall Program Dealer says he created Autovation recall software to help consumers, but Toyota shut it down.

  

  Aug 1, 2017 — California Toyota dealer Roger Hogan has sued Toyota claiming the automaker is trying to close down Hogan's dealerships in Claremont and San Juan Capistrano. According to the lawsuit, Hogan has been in business with Toyota for nearly 40 years, but the creation of a recall program to increase recall repair completion rates has turned Toyota against both dealerships. Hogan claims he created a software program called Autovation that when installed and used by ...

• Kia Soy-Based Wiring Chewed by Rodents: Lawsuit Soy wiring lawsuit includes Kia Soul, Sorrento, Sedona, Sportage, Forte, Cadenza, Optima and Rio.

  

  Jul 31, 2017 — A Kia soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges the soy wiring and materials cause rodents and other vermin to chew the wiring, causing all kinds of systems to fail and a huge expense to fix. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all current and former owners and lessees of 2012-2017 Kia Soul, Sorrento, Sedona, Sportage, Forte, Cadenza, Optima and Rio vehicles purchased or leased in California, Texas or New Jersey. The Kia lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Darla ...

• Hyundai Soy-Based Wiring Lawsuit Says Rodents Damage Vehicles Lawsuit says soy-based wiring in Hyundai vehicles attract rabbits, mice and other critters.

  

  Jul 31, 2017 — A Hyundai soy-based wiring lawsuit alleges rabbits, mice, squirrels and other creatures chew wiring and other components because of the soy-based insulation. The Hyundai soy-based wiring proposed class-action lawsuit includes all current and former owners and lessees of 2013-2016 Hyundai Veloster, Accent, Azera, Elantra, Equus, Genesis Coupe, Santa Fe, Sonata and Tuscon vehicles purchased or leased in California. Plaintiff Michelle Martinez says her 2015 ...

• Australia and Florida Deaths Tied to Takata Airbags Australian man and Florida woman, both driving Honda vehicles, likely killed by Takata airbags.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — It appears the combination of a Honda car and a Takata airbag has taken another life, this time a 34-year-old Florida woman driving a 2002 Honda Accord. Although it's not officially confirmed, Honda says the Takata airbag did explode in the Accord when the car struck another vehicle in Holiday, Florida. Nichol Lynn Barker was driving the Accord when the car was hit by a 1999 Pontiac Firebird, causing the original Takata airbag inflator in the Accord to ...

• Ford PowerShift Transmission 'Mass-Action' Lawsuit Filed Attorneys say 10,000 Fiesta and Focus owners have opted out of one class-action to join mass-action.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — A Ford PowerShift transmission "mass-action" lawsuit has been filed after Ford agreed to settle a separate class-action lawsuit involving 1.5 million 2011-2016 Ford Fiesta and 2012-2016 Ford Focus cars. The mass-action lawsuit is for Fiesta and Focus owners who don't believe the settlement terms are enough compensation concerning the automatic transmissions. The Ford PowerShift transmission lawsuit the automaker agreed to settle came about after years of ...

• Jury Finds GM '190 Ignition Switch' Didn't Cause Chevy HHR Crash Federal jury finds GM 190 ignition switch didn't cause crash and injuries to HHR owner, Dennis Ward.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — General Motors has won an ignition switch trial in front of New York federal jury members who heard evidence in the case of Dennis Ward, the driver of a 2009 Chevrolet HHR that crashed in March 2014, allegedly because of a defective ignition switch. Ward claimed he crashed into a Ford Explorer and suffered from a ruptured tendon, even though he was allegedly pushing the brake pedal to the floor while trying to steer away from the Explorer. Ward claimed he ...

• GM Agrees to Settle Hundreds of Ignition Switch Cases Government oversight ends for GM as automaker settles ignition switch cases for multiple plaintiffs.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — General Motors ignition switch court cases continue to keep GM attorneys busy as the automaker says it will settle lawsuits concerning hundreds of plaintiffs and state court claims, although details of the aggregate settlement will remain confidential. The defective ignition switches are linked to nearly 300 injuries and at least 124 deaths . The settlement terms will likely take time to hash out, but attorneys on both sides are committed to the final ...

• You Can Soon Legally Buy Diesel 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500s FCA receives permission to sell 2017 Ram 1500 diesel trucks and Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel SUVs.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — You will soon be able to legally buy a new 2017 Ram 1500 diesel truck or Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel SUV after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) gave Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) the green light to sell the vehicles. Automakers must go through a certification process showing their vehicles meet federal emissions standards and part of the process requires automakers to explain and disclose any software that may ...

• Avis, Budget and Payless e-Toll Fees Target of Investigation Florida AG reaches settlement agreement over Avis, Budget and Payless rental car e-Toll fees.

  

  Jul 30, 2017 — Avis, Budget and Payless e-Toll (cashless) fees got the attention of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office and led to a settlement agreement with Avis Budget Car Rental System LLC, which owns the Avis, Budget and Payless car rental companies. The attorney general had heard allegations that Avis, Budget and Payless didn't do enough to explain to consumers about daily fees for the companies’ e-Toll service, in addition to the cost the customer incurs for a ...

• Ford Police Interceptor Carbon Monoxide Leaks Will Be Fixed Ford creates program to fix carbon monoxide problems in Police Interceptor sedans and Explorers

  

  Jul 28, 2017 — Ford Police Interceptor carbon monoxide leaks will be repaired by Ford in a special program created for Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, including sedans and Explorer SUVs. The repair program does not apply to non-police Explorers because owners of those vehicles report exhaust fumes entering the cabins, while Explorer Police Interceptor drivers report getting sick from carbon monoxide . The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ...

• Austin, Texas: 60 Carbon Monoxide Detectors Activate in Ford Police SUVs Austin PD pulls 60 Ford Explorer Police Interceptors off the streets after carbon monoxide detected.

  

  Jul 26, 2017 — A Texas police department has yanked 60 Ford Explorer police vehicles off the streets after carbon monoxide detectors activated in all 60 SUVs. The Austin Police Department says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been in town investigating multiple reports about officers getting sick while driving the SUVs. City officials are considering taking about 400 of the Ford Explorer Police Interceptor SUVs completely off the roads until ...

• Toyota Sienna Sliding Door Lawsuit Says Systems Are Defective Toyota Sienna sliding door class-action lawsuit says doors have trouble opening and closing.

  

  Jul 25, 2017 — A Toyota Sienna sliding door lawsuit alleges consumers purchased and leased 2011-2017 Toyota Sienna minivans with alleged defects in the sliding doors that cause the doors to experience problems opening and closing. Toyota recalled 834,000 Sienna minivans in 2016 , but the lawsuit alleges the recall was no more than an admission that there are problems with the sliding doors. In recall documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ...

• Ford Transit Driveshaft Flexible Coupling Lawsuit Filed Ford Transit owners allege the driveshaft flexible couplings cause the driveshafts to break.

  

  Jul 23, 2017 — A Ford Transit van driveshaft flexible coupling lawsuit alleges 2015-2017 Ford Transit vans have driveshaft flexible couplings, also known as flex discs, that crack and fail and cause serious dangers and a huge expense to repair. The driveshaft flexible coupling (pictured right) is a type of joint that connects the transmission to the driveshaft. The failure of the driveshaft flexible coupling can cause the driveshaft to rip away from the transmission, causing ...

• Honda Accord and Crosstour Starter Motor Lawsuit Filed Honda starter motor lawsuit alleges Accords and Crosstours leave batteries dead and people stranded.

  

  Jul 19, 2017 — A Honda Accord and Crosstour starter motor lawsuit has been filed alleging the starters fail prematurely, costing owners hundreds to thousands of dollars for repairs. Included in the proposed class-action lawsuit are all consumers in the U.S. (excluding New Jersey) who purchased or leased any 2013-2015 Honda Accord or 2013-2015 Honda Crosstour. Plaintiff Carolina Martinez says she bought a new 2015 Honda Accord from a dealership in September 2014, but in ...

• Nissan Timing Chain Noise Causes Lawsuit Nissan owners say timing chains are noisy and defective, but Nissan says the systems are just noisy.

  

  Jul 16, 2017 — Nissan timing chain noise is what a class-action lawsuit is all about, not safety hazards caused by those timing chains, at least according to attorneys for Nissan arguing the case in a California courtroom. Owners say the Nissan timing chain systems are dangerous and defective, while Nissan says the timing chain tensioners may be a little noisy, but those systems haven't caused a single crash or injury. The class-action lawsuit includes California and ...

• Honda Confirms Another Takata-Related Death Person working inside a 2001 Honda Accord killed when the Takata airbag exploded.

  

  Jul 11, 2017 — Another person has been killed from an exploding Takata airbag in a Honda car, this time a 2001 Honda Accord under less-than-normal circumstances. It's the 11th confirmed fatality in a Honda vehicle in the U.S., but this time the airbag didn't explode due to a crash. Although many of the deaths and injuries have occurred in minor collisions, the latest casualty was caused by someone working inside the Accord. On June 18, 2016, at a residence in Hialeah, ...

• Justice Department Charges Former Audi Manager U.S. prosecutors charge Giovanni Pamio with wire fraud, making false statements and conspiracy.

  

  Jul 7, 2017 — Former Audi manager Giovanni Pamio has been charged by U.S. prosecutors for alleged conspiracy to defraud U.S. regulators and customers by creating and concealing software to cheat U.S. emissions tests in thousands of “clean diesel” vehicles. The affected vehicles named in the complaint are all equipped with 3-liter diesel engines: 2009-2016 VW Touareg 2009-2015 Audi QT 2013-2016 Porsche Cayenne 2014-2016 Audi A6 Quattro 2014-2016 Audi A7 ...

• 2019: All New Volvo Cars Will Have Electric Motors Volvo says goodbye to cars that run solely on internal combustion engines.

  

  Jul 5, 2017 — Starting in 2019, don't expect to buy a new Volvo car that runs solely on gasoline as the automaker says it will start making all its vehicles with electric motors, ending production of cars that run only on internal combustion engines. Volvo says it's starting a new chapter in auto history after more than 100 years of internal combustion engines ruling the world. According to Volvo, the selection of new cars starting in 2019 will consist of models that run on ...

• Ram Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Lawsuit Filed Class-action lawsuit says emissions systems are illegal in Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks.

  

  Jul 3, 2017 — A Ram 2500 and 3500 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) lawsuit alleges Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) and engine manufacturer Cummins knowingly sold hundreds of thousands of Ram trucks with defects that cause lower gas mileage, illegal emissions levels and expensive repairs. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes current and former owners and lessees of 2013-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 with 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines. According to the lawsuit, the selective ...

• Tesla Regenerative Braking Lawsuit Says Systems Are Dangerous Tesla regenerative braking systems allegedly are too dangerous on snowy or icy roads.

  

  Jul 1, 2017 — A Tesla regenerative braking lawsuit alleges Tesla Model S cars and Model X SUVs have dangerous braking systems that cause the cars to crash in snowy or icy conditions. The proposed regenerative braking class-action lawsuit includes all U.S. consumers who purchased 2012-2017 Tesla Model S cars and 2016-2017 Tesla Model X SUVs. The plaintiffs say they purchased a new 2016 Tesla Model X in September 2016 and in April 2017, plaintiff Roy Wiseman was driving in ...

• Lawsuit: NHTSA Ignored Freedom of Information Act Request Government sued for allegedly not providing data about Tesla's Autopilot and Autosteer systems.

  

  Jun 29, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been sued for allegedly ignoring a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by a research company that wants to know details about Tesla's Autopilot system. Plaintiff Quality Control Systems Corp. (QCS), based in Maryland, says it concentrates in "computer-intensive, statistical research with large databases," and wants to know more about the data used to investigate the Tesla Model S and ...

• Takata Bankruptcy Filing is Official Takata files bankruptcy, to be acquired by Key Safety Systems for $1.59 billion.

  

  Jun 26, 2017 — The expected Takata bankruptcy filing is official as the airbag manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and the equivalent in Japan as a different automotive supplier plans to take over most of Takata's assets. Under terms of the agreement, Key Safety Systems (KSS), part of Chinese supplier Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corporation, will take over nearly all of Takata's assets, other than certain operations related to the sale and ...

• Tesla Fails to Get Unintended Acceleration Lawsuit Dismissed Tesla unintended acceleration lawsuit to move forward after judge refuses to dismiss all the suit.

  

  Jun 21, 2017 — A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles have defects that cause unintended acceleration incidents. The proposed class-action lawsuit was originally filed by Ji Chang Son , 46, a South Korean celebrity who claims he was returning to his California home with his son when his Tesla Model X accelerated at full throttle and crashed through the interior wall of the garage, finally stopping in the living room. ...

• Chevrolet HHR Owner Says Ignition Switch Caused Crash Chevy HHR owner claims a failed ignition switch caused rear-end crash and serious injuries.

  

  Jun 21, 2017 — A General Motors ignition switch lawsuit filed by Arizona GM owner Dennis Ward will proceed as a federal judge refused to dismiss the entire case, although parts were eventually tossed out. The lawsuit is part of the multidistrict litigation being held in New York by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman over allegations the ignition switches caused drivers to lose control of their cars. GM switches have been linked to at least 124 deaths and hundreds of injuries ...

• The Midsize SUVs With the Best Headlights Researchers find just 2 midsize SUVs out of 37 have headlights rated 'good'

  

  Jun 20, 2017 — The midsize SUVs with the best headlights are the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2017 Volvo XC60, according to researchers from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) after conducting the latest round of tests on 37 SUVs. Seeing better at night and limiting glare to oncoming drivers is the goal of SUV headlights, but a goal that many vehicles don't achieve. Researchers found only two luxury and non-luxury midsize SUVs out of 37 have headlights rated ...

• Toyota Sienna Power Sliding Door Lawsuit Filed in Missouri Lawsuit alleges 2011-2016 Toyota Sienna power sliding doors open while driving.

  

  Jun 20, 2017 — A Toyota Sienna power sliding door lawsuit alleges the 2011-2016 minivans have sliding doors that tend to open while driving because of problems with the motors, problems that caused Toyota to recall 834,000 Siennas in 2016. The proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Toyota told its dealers “the sliding door motor circuit could be overloaded, opening the fuse for the motor. If this occurs when the door latch is in an unlatched position, the door could open while ...

• NTSB Releases Details of Fatal Tesla Model S Crash Former Navy SEAL Joshua Brown apparently ignored warnings to put his hands on the wheel.

  

  Jun 19, 2017 — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released hundreds of pages of documents related to the 2016 Tesla Model S crash in Florida that killed former Navy SEAL Joshua Brown. The documents released by safety regulators cover all aspects of the investigation, including how the Model S and its technology performed, the actions of the driver and how the crash scene was evaluated. In addition, photos included in the documents show damage to the car and ...

• Ford Wins Lincoln Town Car Airbag Lawsuit Passenger in a 2003 Lincoln Town Car claims a defective airbag caused his fractured neck.

  

  Jun 19, 2017 — Ford has won a lawsuit that alleges a 2003 Lincoln Town Car was manufactured with defects that caused a side airbag to fail when the car hit a tree. The Florida lawsuit was filed by Owen George in 2015, who alleges he suffered serious injuries because the Town Car was manufactured with defects. The lawsuit alleges the passenger side torso airbag should have deployed in the crash but instead it failed and caused George to suffer a fractured neck. The ...

• Dodge Dart Transmission Lawsuit Won't Be Dismissed Dodge Dart owners receive permission to amend their lawsuit about transmission failures.

  

  Jun 19, 2017 — A Dodge Dart transmission lawsuit will continue after U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel refused to dismiss the complaint. The Dart owners claim there are problems with the manual transmissions installed in the Dodge Darts that can cause the cars to stall and experience transmission failures. The Dodge Dart lawsuit involves model years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 cars with clutches that allegedly fail and cause the clutch pedals to lose pressure and stay on ...

• Takata and Honda Get Some Airbag Claims Dismissed Judge tosses certain claims against Takata and Honda in airbag multidistrict litigation.

  

  Jun 18, 2017 — Takata airbags are still the focus of multiple lawsuits included in multidistrict litigation that has plaintiffs suing the airbag manufacturer and numerous automakers that sold vehicles with defective airbags. Four automakers have settled matters to exit the mess , all at a combined cost of $553 million. BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota have reached agreements to resolve claims, but not all the affected automakers are folding so easily. No automaker has been ...

• GM Self-Driving Cars Ready For Action Chevy Bolt self-driving cars being tested as General Motors tackles the autonomous world.

  

  Jun 18, 2017 — General Motors and its massive resource capabilities are entering the self-driving arena by using mass production technology to build 180 electric Chevrolet Bolt autonomous test vehicles, with 50 of those self-driving cars already deployed in Detroit, Scottsdale, Arizona and San Francisco. GM says the driverless test cars are being built at its assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan, with GM claiming it's the first company to mass-produce self-driving test ...

• Driverless Car Ethics: Who Lives? Researchers look at how driverless cars will handle the ethics of life and death choices.

  

  Jun 18, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes the sooner driverless cars hit the roads, the sooner the number of road fatalities will decrease. The agency has a point as more than 90 percent of crashes are blamed on driver error. And while automakers are currently trying to tackle the technical challenges of driverless cars, eventually someone will need to tackle the ethical challenges of fully autonomous cars. Researchers are looking at ...

• Tesla Engineer Sues Automaker, Gets Fired Engineer AJ Vandermeyden claims she was harassed by male Tesla employees and paid less than males.

  

  Jun 17, 2017 — Tesla Motors has fired a female engineer who had sued the automaker after alleging she was sexually harassed by male employees and paid less than males who were doing the same work. AJ Vandermeyden filed the lawsuit claiming she did the same work as male engineers but was paid less than males. In addition, the lawsuit alleges she endured males whistling at her and using language she didn't agree with. Tesla says it decided to fire Vandermeyden after an ...

• GM Must Face Certain Non-Ignition Switch Claims Court rules GM isn't protected by 2009 bankruptcy agreement for non-ignition switch claims.

  

  Jun 17, 2017 — General Motors is in more trouble concerning alleged bankruptcy claims as a judge ruled GM owners can file non-ignition switch claims even though GM believed it was immune to those claims. The story goes back to a bankruptcy court that issued a “sale order” in June 2009 which said GM wasn't liable for certain claims based conduct of the automaker prior to the 2009 bankruptcy. That all changed after the automaker dug a hole by admitting it concealed deadly ...

• Hyundai Steering Wheel Locked Up While Driving: Lawsuit Lawsuit filed over Hyundai Accent and Elantra cars with steering wheels that lock up while driving.

  

  Jun 16, 2017 — Owners of Hyundai Accent and Elantra cars claim in a lawsuit the steering wheels locked up while driving and in some cases caused the cars to crash.  The proposed class-action lawsuit includes owners and lessees of 2013-2016 Hyundai Accent and 2013-2016 Hyundai Elantra cars with alleged defects that cause steering wheels to lock or become difficult to turn. The plaintiffs say the cars lose power steering without warning and make it impossible to safely drive, ...

• Subaru Cracked Windshields Cause Lawsuit Subaru Legacy and Outback cracked windshields cause owners to file class-action lawsuit.

  

  Jun 16, 2017 — A Subaru cracked windshield lawsuit alleges numerous Subaru owners and lessees have complained for years about Legacy and Outback windshields that chip, crack and fracture, followed by replacement windshields that do the same. Those customers say their windshields fail for no reason at all, while other customers say the smallest impact to the glass will cause it to crack. Legacy and Outback owners claim they must replace the windshields numerous times, which ...

• Cadillac SRX Headlight Moisture Problems Cause Lawsuit Cadillac SRX owners say water enters headlight assemblies and causes the lights to fail.

  

  Jun 16, 2017 — A Cadillac SRX headlight moisture and condensation lawsuit alleges faulty seals allow water to enter the headlight assemblies, corroding and shorting out the headlights. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes 2010-2015 Cadillac SRXs with headlights that allegedly fail and can cause thousands of dollars to replace. The plaintiff says he purchased a 2010 Cadillac SRX in 2012 with headlights that accumulated water and moisture through defective seals, making ...

• Chrysler Calls Foul on University Emissions Report FCA says report about illegal emissions in Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee is bogus.

  

  Jun 14, 2017 — Ram 1500 trucks and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs allegedly have nitrogen oxide emissions up to 20 times the legal limits when the vehicles are tested on the roads, according to researchers from West Virginia University’s Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions (CAFEE). The Ram 1500 trucks and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs are the same vehicles targeted by a lawsuit filed against Chrysler by the U.S. Department of Justice. In addition, those same vehicles ...

• Toyota Loses Appeal in Koua Fong Lee Crash Appeals court says Toyota must pay $11.4 million in unintended acceleration crash of Koua Fong Lee.

  

  Jun 13, 2017 — Toyota has lost an appeal to have an $11.4 million jury award overturned after the automaker lost a case over a deadly unintended acceleration event. In 2006, Koua Fong Lee was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry with his pregnant wife, child, brother and father when his car slammed into the rear of a 1995 Oldsmobile Ciera. Killed in the Ciera were Javis Trice-Adams and his son, Javis Adams, Jr. Six-year-old Devyn Bolton was left paralyzed in the crash and died 16 ...

• Chevy Corvette Z06 Lawsuit Says Cars Enter 'Limp Mode' Lawsuit alleges 2015-2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 cars overheat and aren't 'track-proven'

  

  Jun 13, 2017 — A Chevrolet Corvette Z06 lawsuit alleges the cars overheat and enter "limp mode" within 15 minutes of being on the track even though General Motors advertises the expensive cars as being track-ready. The plaintiffs claim the 2015-2017 Corvette Z06 cars cost between $80,000 to $120,000 and are marketed for road and track use with “Track-Proven Structure and Technologies.” But according to the class-action lawsuit, the cars are completely unreliable on the ...

• Dollar General Motor Oil Lawsuit Says Oil is 'Obsolete' New Mexico alleges some Dollar General motor oil can't be used in cars built after 1930.

  

  Jun 6, 2017 — A Dollar General motor oil lawsuit alleges the discount stores spent years selling motor oils that are "obsolete" because the DG Auto SAE 10W-30, SAE 10W-40 and DG SAE-30 oils can't be used in vehicles built after 1988. In addition, some of the motor oils can't be used in vehicles built after 1930. The Dollar General lawsuit was filed by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas for violations of the Unfair Practices Act, False Advertising Act and for Public ...

• BMW Fire Lawsuit Says 328i Burned From Electrical Problems Woman says her BMW 328i caught on fire because BMW couldn't fix electrical problems.

  

  Jun 4, 2017 — A BMW fire lawsuit alleges a 328i caught on fire while it was parked because electrical problems were never repaired during numerous previous visits to BMW dealers. The BMW fire lawsuit was filed by California resident Mehvish Mona Shaikh, who leased a new 2013 BMW 328i on July 5, 2013, for a total price of $36,622.75. Everything with the car seemed to be fine until January 2014 when the BMW 328i started allegedly having electrical problems. The iDrive system ...

• Audi and Porsche Under the Gun at Home in Germany Germany believes Audi and Porsche models have steering wheels that activate illegal emissions.

  

  Jun 4, 2017 — Audi and Porsche are in more trouble at home as Germany's transportation authority and prosecutors take new actions against the automakers over illegal emissions. The Federal Motor Transport Authority has Porsche in its sights over the way steering wheels operate during emissions tests and Audi is under the microscope concerning illegal software in A7 and A8 cars. According to German media reports, officials believe Porsche may be using software that detects ...

• Toyota Owned Part of Tesla, But Not Anymore Toyota pulls out of partnership with Tesla as Toyota looks to create and sell more electric cars.

  

  Jun 4, 2017 — Once upon a time, Toyota and electric automaker Tesla were best buds, with Toyota looking at the new company called Tesla that was gaining a reputation of thinking outside the box, or completely throwing out the box. That was in 2010, when Toyota bought part of Tesla for $50 million or what at the time was a 3 percent share of the company. Toyota knew how opposites attract and looked at Tesla as the number one automaker focused on electric vehicles, something ...

• BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota Will Settle Takata Lawsuits Four automakers will settle Takata airbag lawsuits for a combined $553 million.

  

  Jun 3, 2017 — BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota have reached agreements to resolve Takata multidistrict litigation filed by owners of numerous models affected by Takata airbags at risk of exploding when they deploy. While the agreements haven't been finalized by the court, both sides are confident everything is in place, to the point parts of the agreements will begin before the litigation is finally approved by the judge. The programs offered in these agreements are intended ...

• Ford PowerShift Transmission Lawsuit Includes Fiesta and Focus Lawsuit alleges dual-clutch PowerShift transmissions jerk, shudder and buck due to defects.

  

  Jun 3, 2017 — A Ford PowerShift transmission lawsuit alleges Fiesta and Focus cars suffer from bucking, jerking, shuddering and other defects related to the dual-clutch transmissions. The lawsuit includes 2012-2016 Focus and 2011-2016 Fiesta vehicles with allegedly defective dual-clutch PowerShift transmissions that slip and suffer from premature internal wear, delays in downshifting and delayed acceleration. The consolidated lawsuit alleges Fiesta and Focus owners take ...

• Researchers Say Fatal Teen Car Crash Stats 'Alarming' Teens 16-17 years old are nine times more likely as drivers 18 and older to be in a car crash.

  

  Jun 3, 2017 — If you're the parent of a teen driver between the ages of 16 and 17, you may want to pay attention to the latest research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The latest stats show the difference that one year can make when sitting behind the wheel of a car. AAA researchers found that teens 16-17 years old are nine times more likely as drivers 18 and older to be involved in a crash, and six times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash. AAA says ...

• Takata Airbags Being Replaced Nationwide, Slowly About 15.5 million Takata airbags have been repaired, but some in Congress say the pace is too slow.

  

  Jun 2, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says nearly 15.5 million Takata airbags have been repaired in the U.S. out of 70 million that need replaced by 2019. According to safety regulators, about 43 million vehicles are involved in the recalls that include about 35 automakers/brands. As of the beginning of May 2017, some automakers have repaired only 2 percent of affected Takata airbags. Some in Congress are concerned about the completion ...

• Takata Says It Didn't Make Airbag Named in Lawsuit Takata says it didn't make airbag components that allegedly caused severe facial injuries.

  

  Jun 2, 2017 — Airbag manufacturer Takata has been involved in numerous lawsuits over defective airbags that explode, but a case concerning a Texas crash is a bit different as Takata says it didn't even make the airbag that allegedly caused serious injuries to the driver. In the lawsuit, plaintiff Fredys Cabrera says the Takata airbag caused "serious, permanent, life scarring and post-crash personal injuries" even though a crash never occurred. Cabrera says he was driving ...

• Jeep Wrangler Casting Sand Lawsuit Alleges Engine Damage Jeep Wrangler engines, radiators and oil coolers fill with sludge due to leftover casting sand.

  

  Jun 2, 2017 — A Jeep Wrangler casting sand lawsuit alleges sludge blocks radiators, engines and oil coolers due to excess sand left from the casting of the engines during manufacturing. The class-action lawsuit says 2012-2017 Jeep Wranglers have excess sand left in the cylinder heads that seeps out gradually as the vehicles are driven. The plaintiffs say all the sand must be removed or destroyed during production of the cylinder head or other component engine parts will ...

• General Motors Still Battling Ignition Switch Lawsuits GM may bring smoking habits into play in lawsuit over crash of a 2012 Chevrolet Impala.

  

  May 31, 2017 — The mother of a 19-year-old New Hampshire woman has filed a lawsuit against General Motors alleging a defective ignition switch caused the airbags to fail in a deadly crash. Paige Garneau was riding in the front seat with an 18-year-old male driver in a car that had been reported stolen by his father. Police found the vehicle and the driver of the stolen car took off with police in pursuit. The driver lost control of the car and crashed into trees, killing the ...

• Volkswagen Timing Chain Lawsuit Continues in Jersey VW fails to get timing chain lawsuit dismissed that alleges defects cause engine failure.

  

  May 31, 2017 — A Volkswagen timing chain lawsuit will continue after a New Jersey federal judge refused to dismiss the complaint that alleges VW and Audi timing chain systems have defects that cause engine failure. According to the class-action lawsuit, VW and Audi vehicles equipped with the allegedly defective timing chain systems go back to 2008 models. 2008-2010 and 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2009-2013 Volkswagen CC 2008 -2012 Volkswagen EOS 2008-2012 ...

• Honda Starter Problems Cause Class-Action Lawsuit Honda Accord and Crosstour starter problems lead to lawsuit alleging Honda ignores complaints.

  

  May 30, 2017 — Honda starter problems have caused Accord and Crosstour owners to file a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the starters fail and cause a small fortune to replace. The lawsuit includes current and former owners and lessees of 2013-2015 Honda Accord and Crosstour vehicles with allegedly defective starter systems that typically fail during or shortly after the limited warranties expire. Owners complain about being stranded from starter failures and dead ...

• Attorneys Receive $52 Million From Bosch Emissions Settlement Parts supplier Bosch pays millions over VW emissions scandal while Germany opens new probe.

  

  May 29, 2017 — Attorneys who prosecuted parts manufacturer Bosch in the Volkswagen emissions scandal will receive $51 million in fees and another $1 million in costs for the role the legal team played in the settlement against Bosch. The judge didn't have a problem awarding that amount to attorneys because the court said VW owners received good deals in the settlement. The settlement with Bosch will see the company pay $327.5 million for designing the software VW used to ...

• Excess Vehicle Emissions Contribute to 38,000 Premature Deaths Researchers say nitrogen oxide emissions contributed to 107,600 premature deaths in 2015.

  

  May 28, 2017 — While attorneys and governments target Volkswagen, Chrysler, General Motors and other automakers over excess nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles, researchers discovered problems with all diesel vehicles on the roads. Published by the science journal, Nature , a new study says overall, nitrogen oxide emissions contributed to 107,600 premature deaths in 2015 and emissions above legal standards will contribute to 38,000 premature deaths worldwide each ...

• Hawaii Sues Ford, Nissan and Toyota Over Takata Airbags Hawaii accuses Ford, Nissan and Toyota of selling dangerous vehicles in the state for 10 years.

  

  May 28, 2017 — Hawaii has filed a lawsuit against Ford, Nissan and Toyota for marketing and selling vehicles equipped with deadly Takata airbags. Filed by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection, the lawsuit alleges the automakers should have known for more than 10 years the Takata airbags could explode and cause injuries and death. Prosecutors allege the automakers used Takata airbags to save money because the airbags use ammonium ...

• Government Sues Chrysler Over Ram and Jeep Emissions Prosecutors allege 2014-2016 Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesels are illegal.

  

  May 25, 2017 — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US) has been sued by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allegedly selling 104,000 Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs equipped with illegal emissions software. Just days ago, Chrysler filed an application with the government proposing a fix for the SUVs and likely hoping that action would erase any talk of a federal lawsuit. Apparently it didn't work, as federal prosecutors ...

• GM Duramax Diesel Emissions Lawsuit Filed in Michigan Lawsuit says 700,000 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Duramax trucks emit illegal emissions.

  

  May 25, 2017 — A GM Duramax diesel emissions lawsuit has been filed for owners and lessees of 2011-2016 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax and GMC Sierra Duramax diesel trucks that allegedly emit too much nitrogen oxides. The General Motors lawsuit alleges the automaker rigged the trucks to pass emissions tests while emitting illegal nitrogen oxide levels on the roads. Attorneys say the trucks emit up to five times the legal limits of nitrogen oxides during normal driving by using ...

• Mercedes-Benz Air Conditioning Odor Lawsuit Filed in Georgia Mercedes sued by owners who say air conditioning systems emit mold and mildew odors.

  

  May 23, 2017 — A Mercedes-Benz air conditioning odor lawsuit alleges numerous models emit mold and mildew odors that make it unbearable to be in the vehicles. Named in the air conditioning smell lawsuit are the following vehicles: 2004-2012 Mercedes A-Class 2001-2017 Mercedes C-Class 2000-2014 Mercedes CL-Class 2013-2017 Mercedes CLA-Class 2003-2009 Mercedes CLK-Class 2004-2017 Mercedes CLS-Class 2003-2016 Mercedes E-Class 2007-2017 Mercedes ...

• Cadillac SRX Leaking Sunroof Lawsuit Filed in California Lawsuit alleges Cadillac SRX sunroofs leak water and damage carpets and electronics.

  

  May 22, 2017 — A Cadillac SRX leaking sunroof lawsuit alleges the SUVs have defective sunroof drains or seals that allow water to enter the passenger areas. The intruding water causes damage to the carpet, wiring and all kinds of electronics. Even the sound deadener used in the vehicles can be damaged by water intrusion, according to court documents. Plaintiff Kelley Gaines filed the proposed class-action lawsuit after she allegedly experienced a leaking sunroof in February ...

• Ford Explorer Carbon Monoxide Fumes Plague Police More police departments report officers getting sick and crashing in Ford Explorer police SUVs.

  

  May 22, 2017 — Ford Explorer carbon monoxide problems continue to plague police departments as officers say the deadly fumes are causing them to pass out and crash their SUVs. Thanks to driving a Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, a Louisiana officer landed in the hospital with alleged carbon monoxide poisoning while her Explorer landed nearly upside down in a canal next to a highway. In April 2017, the officer was driving in Henderson, Louisiana, when she passed out and the ...

• Hyundai Peeling Paint Lawsuit Dismissed Lawsuit tossed out that alleges Hyundai paint peels and bubbles on Santa Fe, Sonata and Elantra.

  

  May 21, 2017 — A Hyundai peeling paint lawsuit is over, at least for now, as a U.S. district judge dismissed the lawsuit that alleges Hyundai used a paint that bubbles and flakes off the vehicles. However, in her ruling, the judge left the door open for the plaintiffs to amend and refile their complaint. The Hyundai class-action lawsuit was filed by car owners who claim the paint peeled, bubbled and flaked at alarming rates, with some owners saying the paint came off in ...

• Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee Emissions Fix Proposed Facing federal lawsuit, FCA says it will update emissions systems in Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs.

  

  May 19, 2017 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) wants away from any potential charges from the U.S. Justice Department over illegal emissions, so the automaker has formally filed an application to update emissions software in Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Ram 1500 trucks. Word has been floating around that U.S. prosecutors were on the verge of filing suit against Chrysler after environmental regulators accused FCA of using illegal emissions software in 104,000 vehicles . In January ...

• South Korea Looking to Prosecute More VW Executives South Korea sends Volkswagen cars back to Germany as prosecutors want VW execs in prison.

  

  May 18, 2017 — Volkswagen is sending about 2,500 illegal diesel vehicles out of South Korea and back to Germany after the vehicles were parked following a 2016 sales ban ordered by the government. South Korea sent the vehicles on their way based on a 2016 ban of about 80 models put in place by the Ministry of Environment, which left thousands of VW diesel vehicles parked at a port. The deportation of the diesel vehicles comes as South Korean prosecutors try to nail VW ...

• Crash Tests: Tesla Model S, BMW i3, Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius Prime All-electric and plug-in hybrid cars put through their paces by safety investigators.

  

  May 18, 2017 — Consumers who purchase hybrid or all-electric cars want to save money on fuel but without sacrificing safety. This is why the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested four 2017 model year cars for crashworthiness, two of those cars powered by all-electric motors and two plug-in hybrid models. The all-electric cars, the Tesla Model S and BMW i3, didn't fare as well as the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius Prime, two plug-in hybrids that earned the ...

• Kia Sued For $95 Million in Deaths of Twin Boys Lawsuit says 2008 Kia Optima experienced unintended acceleration in fatal Tennessee crash.

  

  May 17, 2017 — A $95 million Kia Optima unintended acceleration lawsuit alleges the absence of a brake-throttle override system caused the deaths of 7-year-old twin boys from Tennessee. The crash occurred on December 31, 2015, as 83-year-old Mary Parks was driving her 2008 Kia Optima with her sister as the passenger in the back seat. Parks was only four miles from her home in Winchester, Tennessee, when her Optima slammed into the rear-end of a 2003 Ford Windstar stopped at ...

• Lawsuit Says 2015-2017 Honda CR-V SUVs Have Fuel Odor Problems Honda CR-V fuel smell lawsuit alleges owners get sick from fumes and dealers can't help.

  

  May 17, 2017 — A Honda CR-V fuel smell lawsuit alleges model year 2015-2017 CR-V SUVs have defects that cause fuel odor problems typically within a year of owning the SUVs. According to the plaintiffs, Honda deceived them with national marketing campaigns promoting the SUVs as reliable and safe, misleading the plaintiffs to buy vehicles that in fact make people too sick to drive. Affected owners say they would not have purchased the SUVs if Honda would have mentioned the ...

• Ford Antifreeze Leak Recall May Not Be Good Enough Government looking into Ford recall procedures after 29 engine fires were reported.

  

  May 16, 2017 — A Ford antifreeze leak recall is on the radar of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as safety regulators want to know if the recall will only cause consumers to spend money on future engine repairs. Ford recalled about 230,000 1.6-liter vehicles in North America after 29 fires were caused by overheating due to a lack of antifreeze. The affected vehicles include the following: 2014 Ford Escape 2014-2015 Ford Fiesta ...

• Blue-Colored Headlights Should Be Banned, Petitioner Says Petition says LED and HID lights blind drivers, sometimes even during the day.

  

  May 16, 2017 — A California man has started a petition asking that government and safety regulators step in and do something about LED and HID (high-intensity discharge) headlights blinding oncoming drivers. In addition, the petition seeks to require changes to other vehicle lighting, including daytime running lights as well as turn signal and brake lights. While traffic fatalities increase due to factors such as distracted driving caused by the use of wireless devices, the ...

• GM Headlight Module Warranty Extended GM creates special program to replace headlamp driver modules in Buick, Chevy, GMC and Pontiac cars.

  

  May 10, 2017 — A GM headlight warranty extension has been created to cover problems related to headlamp driver modules that cause the low-beam headlights and daytime running lights to fail. Vehicles affected by the headlight module program include the following: 2006–2008 Buick LaCrosse 2006–2008 Buick Allure 2006 Buick Rainier 2006-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer 2006-2009 GMC Envoy 2006 or 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer ...

• Nissan Sunroof Shattered For No Reason, Says Lawsuit Nissan owners say sunroofs shatter for no reason, file class-action lawsuit against the automaker.

  

  May 9, 2017 — Owners who say their Nissan sunroofs shattered for no reason have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the panoramic glass is prone to shatter while the vehicles are parked or traveling highway speeds. Customers pay premium prices for panoramic sunroofs, but the Nissan plaintiffs say their faith in the automaker has been shattered as easily as glass because of enduring the dangers and cost of exploded sunroofs. The plaintiffs say it would have ...

• Dodge Ram Emissions Lawsuit Should Be Dismissed, Chrysler Says Chrysler and Cummins say Ram emissions lawsuit should be tossed based on empty claims.

  

  May 7, 2017 — A Dodge Ram emissions lawsuit is still in court but won't be much longer if Chrysler gets what it wants from a judge. The automaker filed a motion to dismiss the emissions lawsuit that alleges Dodge Ram trucks emit illegal levels of nitrogen oxides due to "defeat devices" that alter emissions during testing. In addition to Fiat Chrysler (FCA US), engine manufacturer Cummins is named as a defendant because the trucks are equipped with 6.7-liter diesel ...

• Audi Lawsuit Alleges Cars Emit Illegal Carbon Dioxide Emissions About 100 Audi owners file lawsuit alleging illegal defeat devices alter CO2 emissions.

  

  May 4, 2017 — An Audi defeat device lawsuit alleges numerous gasoline-powered vehicles contain illegal software that causes false carbon dioxide levels. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes at least 100 named plaintiffs from numerous states, all claiming they were harmed by buying Audi vehicles. According to the Audi emissions lawsuit, the automaker installed illegal emissions defeat devices in gasoline-powered cars to get around government emissions regulations and to ...

• Honda and Takata Sued Over Malaysian Death Caused by Airbag Dr. Nida Asis killed after Takata airbag explodes and sends metal inflator into her skull.

  

  May 3, 2017 — A Takata/Honda lawsuit alleges Dr. Nida Fatin Binti Mat Asis of Malaysia was killed by an exploding Takata airbag that sent the metal airbag inflator through her mouth and into her skull. Nida's husband, Dr. Abdullah Shamshir Bin Abdul Mokti, filed the wrongful death lawsuit that alleges the couple never received a recall notice on the 2006 Honda City. Nida, 29, was killed in the April 16, 2016, crash while driving the Honda City that left the road, struck a ...

• Chrysler Leaking Sunroof Lawsuit Still Alive A Chrysler leaking sunroof lawsuit alleges sunroof drain tubes clog and cause water leaks.

  

  Apr 27, 2017 — A Chrysler leaking sunroof lawsuit is still trying to reach class-action certification about three years after it was filed. The leaking sunroof lawsuit alleges water damages the interiors of 2009-present Jeep Patriot, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Compass, Jeep Commander, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Town and Country and Chrysler 300 vehicles. Filed in 2014 by lead plaintiff David Cox, the lawsuit says his 2010 Jeep Patriot sunroof started leaking after ...

• Infiniti Q50 InTouch Lawsuit Will Be Settled 2014 Infiniti Q50 InTouch app lawsuit will be settled after owners say the systems don't work.

  

  Apr 26, 2017 — Nissan has agreed to settle an Infiniti Q50 InTouch lawsuit that alleges owners and lessees paid money for systems that didn't work as advertised. The plaintiffs say Nissan promoted the benefits of the InTouch technology as a state-of-the-art infotainment system that worked with popular applications such as Facebook, yet many of the features don't work. The lawsuit also alleges the systems have problems connecting to email accounts or calendars as ...

• Automakers Say California Autonomous Rules Too Strict Automakers say California self-driving car regulations too strict, safety advocates say opposite.

  

  Apr 26, 2017 — California may be afraid of losing driverless car business to other states as the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has proposed rules that safety advocates say allow automakers to call the shots. Previous rules proposed by the California DMV would have required a driver in every test vehicle to monitor any potential problems. The DMV now says no human driver will be required and the car's computer system can be considered a driver, following a ...

• Dodge Dart Clutch Lawsuit Should be Dismissed, Says Chrysler Chrysler says Dodge Dart clutch lawsuit should be dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

  

  Apr 25, 2017 — Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) is asking a federal judge to dismiss a Dodge Dart clutch lawsuit based on a lack of evidence concerning defects in the clutch or transmission. According to court documents, the Dart clutch master cylinder has defects that affect the seals and causes a loss of hydraulic fluid to the slave cylinder, damaging transmission components. The lawsuit was filed by Carlos Victorino and Adam Tavitian who allege 2013-2016 Dodge Dart clutches fail ...

• Another Study Says Most Consumers Fear Driverless Cars Almost all age groups fear riding in fully autonomous cars, and the percentage is increasing.

  

  Apr 24, 2017 — More evidence of drivers fearing driverless cars shows almost all age groups are scared of riding in fully autonomous cars, even people born between 1995 and 2004. Research conducted by J.D. Power for its 2017 U.S. Tech Choice Study shows that drivers don't mind certain autonomous technologies, but trust in the technology overall is declining. The study found that compared with results from 2016, 11 percent more consumers born between 1995-2004 say they ...

• Lawsuit: Chrysler Gear Shift Confusing and Dangerous Owners say Chrysler gear shifts are confusing and cause vehicles to roll away.

  

  Apr 24, 2017 — Allegedly confusing Chrysler gear shifts have caused another lawsuit that alleges Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles are at risk of rolling away and doing damage to people and property. The Texas plaintiff, Sonya Dawson, says her 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee tried to kill her when she allegedly shifted the transmission into PARK and exited the SUV with the engine running. Dawson says with the driver's side door closed and the Jeep rolling backward, she tried to ...

• Supreme Court Says GM Must Face Hundreds of Lawsuits U.S. Supreme Court says General Motors must deal with billions of dollars in ignition switch claims.

  

  Apr 24, 2017 — General Motors could be facing a mess worth billions of dollar after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that says GM's 2009 bankruptcy that turned the company from the "Old GM" into the allegedly "New GM" does not mean hundreds of lawsuits can't be filed against the automaker. However, the justices didn't say why they let the appeals court ruling stand as-is. Attorneys for the plaintiffs say hundreds of victims will now have the chance to ...

• Ford Explorer Exhaust Leak Lawsuit Dismissed by Judge Ford Explorer exhaust leak lawsuit alleges carbon monoxide enters the cabins, and occupants.

  

  Apr 23, 2017 — A Ford Explorer exhaust leak lawsuit is over as a federal judge granted the wishes of Ford to dismiss the proposed class-action lawsuit. Filed by plaintiff David Schiesser, the lawsuit alleges Schiesser purchased a 2013 Ford Explorer that eventually had problems with exhaust leaks that caused odors and fumes to enter the cabin area. Plaintiff Schiesser says he purchased a 2013 Ford Explorer in June 2012 from an Illinois Ford dealer, but in August or September ...

• Volkswagen Sentenced to 3 Years Probation in Emissions Scheme VW to pay $4.3 billion, be placed on probation and get a corporate babysitter for 3 years.

  

  Apr 21, 2017 — Volkswagen has been sentenced in a federal court to three years probation after the automaker pleaded guilty in March 2017 for conspiracy to defraud U.S. customers and federal regulators and for violating the Clean Air Act by intentionally lying to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In addition, the court agreed to accept the $4.3 billion dollar settlement amount that was first announced in January . As part of the sentence, Volkswagen was nailed with ...

• Woman Punctured in the Throat by Exploding Takata Airbag Karina Dorado, 18, injured by Takata airbag that Honda says shouldn't have been in the car.

  

  Apr 19, 2017 — Honda says it has confirmed a driver's side Takata airbag inflator exploded in a 2002 Honda Accord on March 3, 2017, sending shards of metal into the throat and vocal chords of the 18-year-old female driver. While that news is scary enough, Honda says the airbag wasn't the airbag originally installed in the Accord, and the airbag inflator wasn't installed as part of the massive Takata recalls . Honda believes the Takata airbag was likely removed from a ...

• Tesla Autopilot Lawsuit Says Enhanced AP2.0 Software is 'Dangerous' Tesla Autopilot lawsuit says 'Standard Safety Features' and Enhanced AP2.0 software still don't work

  

  Apr 19, 2017 — A Tesla Autopilot lawsuit alleges Model S and Model X owners haven't received the safety features that were supposed to be included in the Enhanced Autopilot AP2.0 software. According to the class-action lawsuit, Tesla sold about 47,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2016 and first quarter of 2017, all with safety features that don't work. The Autopilot lawsuit alleges Tesla missed numerous deadlines to roll out its "Standard Safety ...

• Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler Valve Stems Focus of Lawsuit Owners of Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler vehicles say TPMS valve stems corrode and break.

  

  Apr 17, 2017 — A Chrysler TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) valve stem lawsuit alleges the stems used with the monitoring systems are prone to fail because of corrosion destroying the metal valve stems, causing them to break without warning. The valve stem class-action lawsuit includes the 2010 Jeep Liberty, 2010 Dodge Journey, 2010 Chrysler Town & Country and other Chrysler vehicles that use the same TPMS metal alloy stems. A TPMS is an electronic system designed to ...

• BMW Soft Close Doors Lawsuit Dismissed by Judge BMW wins dismissal of soft close door lawsuit filed after people's fingers were smashed.

  

  Apr 17, 2017 — A BMW soft close doors lawsuit is over as BMW won its motion to dismiss the lawsuit that alleges the doors can close on people's fingers due to a lack of sensors in the soft close door systems. The judge said that humans have been slamming their fingers in doors since doors were invented and the doors on BMW's vehicles are no exception. Plaintiffs Avi Azoulai, Kamil Cirak, and Reem Haidary and/or their family members suffered injuries humans are all too ...

• Nissan Sentra Transmission Lawsuit Alleges CVTs Are Defective 2014 Nissan Sentra CVT (continuously variable transmission) problems lead to New Jersey lawsuit.

  

  Apr 16, 2017 — A Nissan Sentra transmission lawsuit filed in New Jersey alleges the CVT (continuously variable transmission) in the 2014 Sentra is prone to shaking, jerking, sudden downshifts and other problems. Filed by a New Jersey garbage collection company, the lawsuit alleges Nissan Sentra transmissions have caused owners problems for years and 2007-2010 Sentras have already been subject to a customer service warranty program. Nissan started the Sentra warranty ...

• 75 Percent of Americans Afraid to Ride in Driverless Cars What do women, men, Baby Boomers, Millennials and Generation X think of driverless cars?

  

  Apr 12, 2017 — With the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and automakers pushing toward a goal of driverless cars filling the highways and backroads, U.S. consumers don't seem too gung-ho about fully autonomous vehicles. Researchers from the American Automobile Association (AAA) confirmed what previous researchers have found, namely that consumers want some aspects of autonomous technology, but riding in fully autonomous vehicles may be too much to ask. ...

• Tesla Wants Unintended Acceleration Lawsuit Dismissed Tesla says unintended acceleration lawsuit shows owners want 'failsafe' cars that have never existed

  

  Apr 9, 2017 — A Tesla sudden unintended acceleration lawsuit is in full swing in a California courtroom as the plaintiffs allege Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles are prone to unintended acceleration that is the result of design defects that allow the vehicles to crash head-on into fixed objects. Although the Tesla lawsuit now includes multiple plaintiffs, the suit was originally filed by Ji Chang Son , 46, a South Korean celebrity who lives in California. The plaintiff ...

• Chrysler Wins Jeep Gas Tank Lawsuit Dismissal Lawsuit over that alleges Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee SUVs are worth less due to gas tanks.

  

  Apr 9, 2017 — A Jeep Liberty gas tank lawsuit has been dismissed by a Missouri judge after the plaintiff claimed Fiat Chrysler concealed defects with the location of the gas tanks, causing a loss of vehicle value. The plaintiff says Chrysler lied about the gas tanks in Jeep vehicles, only to later order a recall of the SUVs. The plaintiff says he bought his 2003 Jeep Liberty in 2013 believing the SUV was safe, until Chrysler recalled the Jeeps to help protect the gas tanks ...

• Mazda Connect 'Live Traffic' Lawsuit Says Alerts Don't Work Mazda live traffic lawsuit alleges real-time traffic alerts don't work in 2016 Grand Touring models.

  

  Apr 8, 2017 — A Mazda Connect "live traffic" lawsuit alleges the automaker sold 2016 models with navigation software that was supposed to provide real-time traffic alerts to help drivers avoid traffic and take alternative routes. However, the plaintiff says real-time traffic doesn't work and Mazda has no plans on making it work. The proposed Mazda real-time traffic class-action lawsuit includes all consumers who purchased and/or leased a 2016 Mazda vehicle advertised to ...

• Why Do Car Owners Ignore Safety Recalls? Researchers find reasons why vehicle owners ignore safety recalls and skip free repairs.

  

  Apr 8, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automakers and safety advocates are always left scratching their heads when car owners don't have free repairs performed when cars are recalled to fix safety defects. Federal safety regulators say 20 percent of car owners skip the free repairs, even when the safety defects are serious and can cause accidents, injuries and deaths. That's a lot of people considering more than 50 million vehicles were recalled in ...

• Former NHTSA Chief Now Works For Driverless Car Industry Mark Rosekind joins the very driverless car industry he once was supposed to regulate.

  

  Apr 5, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has come under fire for its voluntary agreements made with companies concerning driverless cars invading U.S. roads. Consumer advocates have repeatedly complained NHTSA should be creating rules to mandate self-driving companies abide by strict regulations enforced by safety regulators. But the government seems to be more concerned with allowing driverless car companies to test their technology under ...

• Ford Door Sensor Problems Cause Lawsuit Ford door sensor problems lead to 'door ajar' lights in the Ford Edge, Flex, Lincoln MKT and MKX.

  

  Apr 5, 2017 — Ford door sensor problems have caused the owner of a 2011 Ford Edge to file a class-action lawsuit alleging door sensors fail and cause "door ajar" lights to illuminate on the 2011-2014 Ford Edge, 2011-2015 Lincoln MKX, 2013 Ford Flex and 2013 Lincoln MKT. Plaintiff Roger Kinnunen purchased a new 2011 Ford Edge and by October 2012 he experienced a “door ajar” warning light on his instrument panel. Kinnunen says he took the SUV to a dealership that verified the ...

• Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Stall Class-Action Lawsuit Settled Judge finalizes Hyundai Santa Fe engine stall class-action lawsuit for 2010-2012 model years.

  

  Apr 3, 2017 — A Hyundai Santa Fe engine stall class-action lawsuit is finally settled and over as a federal judge gave final approval to the settlement terms concerning 2010-2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs. The class-action lawsuit was filed by lead plaintiffs Julia Reniger and Greg Battaglia who claim their SUVs kept stalling without warning, causing problems with trying to steer and stop the SUVs. The plaintiffs allege Hyundai knew about the stalling problems but concealed ...

• Tesla Loses Battle to Sell Cars in Utah Utah Supreme Court says Tesla can't sell cars to Utah consumers, at least for now.

  

  Apr 3, 2017 — Tesla won't legally be able to sell its electric cars in Utah after the Utah Supreme Court agreed with state regulators who earlier ruled the automaker does not qualify for a license to sell the vehicles. In 2015, state licensing officials turned down Tesla's request to sell its cars in the state by saying a car manufacturer cannot own a dealership, something it saw Tesla was trying to do. Tesla argued it doesn't use dealerships, but does all its business ...

• Volkswagen UK Complaints Continue After Emissions Repairs Thousands of UK Volkswagen owners complain their cars are ruined after emissions system repairs.

  

  Apr 1, 2017 — Volkswagen UK complaints are still being filed even after cars were allegedly fixed to make their emission systems legal. Numerous UK media outlets report VW owners say their cars are running worse than before the automaker made repairs. Out of about 1.2 million affected diesel vehicles in the UK, Volkswagen says about 540,000 have been repaired, most that required an allegedly simple software update. UK owners of Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW diesel vehicles with ...

• Ford F-150 Door Latch Lawsuit Says Latches Freeze Lawsuit alleges 2015-2017 Ford F-150 doors won't latch, lock, open or close in the cold.

  

  Mar 27, 2017 — A Ford F-150 door latch lawsuit alleges cold weather and freezing temperatures prevent the doors from being closed or locked, especially in the cold state of New York. The Ford F-150 door latch lawsuit currently includes New York consumers, but just as with many vehicle lawsuits, what starts in one area can easily spread across the country. The proposed class-action lawsuit includes current and former owners and lessees of 2015-2017 Ford F-150 ...

• Ford Transmission Lawsuit Settlement Agreed Upon by Parties Ford Fiesta and Focus transmission lawsuit will be settled concerning PowerShift transmissions.

  

  Mar 27, 2017 — A Ford transmission lawsuit settlement is on the way as the automaker agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit concerning Ford Focus and Fiesta dual-clutch "PowerShift" transmissions that jerk, hesitate and shudder. The settlement, once approved by a federal judge, will include about 1.5 million model year 2011-2016 Ford Fiesta and 2012-2016 Ford Focus cars with automatic transmissions that caused Ford to issue two customer satisfaction programs. Customer ...

• Nissan EVAP Canister Warranty Extended Owners say they have trouble putting gas in Nissan cars due to clogged EVAP emissions vent tubes.

  

  Mar 27, 2017 — Nissan EVAP canisters and emissions vapor vent tubes will be covered under an extended warranty after owners kept complaining about gas spilling out while trying to pump fuel into the tanks. Nissan is calling it the "EVAP Emission Warranty Policy Enhancement" that will extend the evaporative emission vapor vent tube warranty to 15 years or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first, if the tube is clogged. Nissan says many 2003-2017 models can develop clogs in the ...

• Toyota and Lexus Melting Dashboard Lawsuit Filed, Again Toyota and Lexus owners still waiting for their melting and shiny dashboard replacements.

  

  Mar 26, 2017 — A Toyota and Lexus melting dashboard lawsuit alleges millions of owners have waited two years for replacement dashboards that Toyota and Lexus promised to replace after a different dashboard lawsuit was dismissed. The lawsuit comes two years after Toyota and Lexus announced a "customer support program" (ZE6) to replace about 3.5 million dashboards that melt in heat and humidity. Toyota announced the program only after the automaker had been sued in 2014 over ...

• Is TOP TIER Gas Worth It? Research shows TOP TIER gas helps keep engines clean for just 3 cents more per gallon.

  

  Mar 26, 2017 — TOP TIER gas is advertised as a better way to keep your engine clean for just a few pennies more per gallon. But talk is cheap, so researchers decided to put the marketing slogans to the test and determine if TOP TIER fuel really can improve engine performance by removing carbon deposits that build up in the engine. Automakers are always concerned about deposits because of how those deposits cause problems with emissions, performance and fuel economy. In ...

• VW Sedric Looks Like an Evil Lunchbox Volkswagen introduces its first idea for a driverless car with no steering wheel, pedals or driver.

  

  Mar 25, 2017 — The Volkswagen Sedric may look like an evil lunchbox looking for trouble, but VW has high hopes for its autonomous driverless car of the future. The automaker created the car from scratch for the sole purpose of focusing on autonomous technology that will allegedly one day rule the roads. Deploying Sedric on the roads is a goal of Volkswagen as the automaker continues to suffer the consequences of its emissions scandal that has cost the company billions of ...

• $200 Million Requested to Test Driverless Cars Driverless car proving grounds in place, but millions of dollar still needed to build the facilities

  

  Mar 25, 2017 — The testing of self-driving car technology continues on American roads, and as 10 proving ground locations have been picked by the Department of Transportation (DOT), the question of money to pay for those 10 sites hasn't been included in the 2018 federal budget. But four members of Congress are trying to do something about that as they joined forces to request $200 million be set aside for the facilities designated by the DOT as driverless car proving ...

• Toyota Tire Savings Event Lawsuit Says Event Isn't a Good Deal Toyota 'tire savings event' lawsuit says offer to 'buy 3 tires, get the 4th for $1' is bogus.

  

  Mar 25, 2017 — A Toyota "tire savings event" lawsuit alleges consumers get ripped off by an offer to “buy 3 tires, get the 4th for $1.” According to the Toyota tire savings event lawsuit, the “regular price” of the tires offered for the promotion was increased above the normal selling price. The plaintiff claims he was offered three tires at $173 each, plus one tire at $1, when in fact the tires had been regularly sold at $149.30 per tire prior to the Toyota tire savings ...

• Dodge Ram Tie-Rod Lawsuit Will Be Settled Chrysler agrees to settle Dodge Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 tie-rod lawsuit over 'death wobble'

  

  Mar 24, 2017 — A Dodge Ram tie-rod class-action lawsuit will be settled after Chrysler agreed to the settlement terms that allege Ram trucks were built with tie rods that can break and cause crashes and injuries. However, Ram truck owners across the country shouldn't cheer because the settlement includes California owners only, about 7,100 to be exact. The $3.1 million lawsuit includes Dodge Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 built between July 1, 2009 and November 6, 2013. ...

• Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Lawsuit Says Cars Overheat Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 owners say 'track-ready' cars overheat from missing coolers.

  

  Mar 22, 2017 — A 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 lawsuit alleges the cars overheat and go into "limp mode" whether driving on an Interstate or a race track. Included in the proposed class-action lawsuit are all current and former owners or lessees of the 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 "Base" and "Technology Package" models. According to the lawsuit, the GT350 is equipped with a “Track-Ready” powertrain system that is allegedly defective because it lacks a transmission cooler ...

• BMW i3 REx Lawsuit Says 'Range Extenders' Cause Loss of Power Class-action lawsuit alleges 2014-2016 BMW i3 REx cars experience sudden deceleration.

  

  Mar 21, 2017 — A BMW i3 REx (Range Extender) class-action lawsuit is working its way through the legal jungle after BMW asked the court to dismiss the original i3 REx lawsuit and the judge did just that, at least partially. The plaintiffs went back to the drawing board and on March 6, 2017, filed their first consolidated lawsuit against BMW alleging violations of several statutes. The lawsuit alleges 2014-2016 BMW i3 REx cars have defects that cause the cars to experience ...

• Nissan Frontier Side Airbag Lawsuit Moves Forward Judge refuses to dismiss Nissan Frontier lawsuit that alleges side airbags deploy unnecessarily.

  

  Mar 20, 2017 — A Nissan Frontier side airbag lawsuit will continue after a federal judge ruled against Nissan's motion to dismiss, at least for the most part. Plaintiff Bobette Brantley says the side airbags deploy too easily in Frontier trucks, all without need of a crash. She also alleges Nissan won't cover the damages under warranty and refuses to reimburse owners who must pay out-of-pocket for repairs. In addition to the expense of repairing the airbags and any damage ...

• Ford Explorer Police Vehicles Get Carbon Monoxide Detectors Austin Police Department in Texas says Explorer drivers getting sick from carbon monoxide.

  

  Mar 20, 2017 — Alleged Ford Explorer carbon monoxide dangers have caused a large Texas police department to install carbon monoxide detectors in more than 360 Ford Explorer police vehicles. The Austin Police Department says it will start using stickers that change color if carbon monoxide is detected and will eventually spend about $50 per vehicle to install detectors similar to what are used in homes. Police officials say recent reports suggest officers may be getting ill ...

• No Bail For Volkswagen Executive Oliver Schmidt VW's law firm raided by German prosecutors while U.S. judge rules Oliver Schmidt will sit in jail.

  

  Mar 18, 2017 — Volkswagen has more problems in Germany as Munich prosecutors raided the offices of Jones Day, the large law firm VW hired to learn how the emissions scandal started and continued for years. German prosecutors raided Jones Day and the offices of Audi's corporate division searching for any evidence to use against VW management or employees. Volkswagen released a statement saying the raid by the prosecutor is "unacceptable in every respect" and is a "clear ...

• Is Premium Gas Worth It? Car owners waste $2 billion a year believing premium fuel is worth it when it's not.

  

  Mar 15, 2017 — Is premium gas worth the extra cost? Probably not, at least according to research conducted by the American Automobile Association (AAA). Researchers used vehicles of the same makes and models and compared what happened to the vehicles when using premium versus regular gas by testing horsepower, emissions and fuel economy data in a lab under different driving conditions. All the vehicles were sold without any recommendations or requirements to use premium ...

• Mazda MAZDA3 Clutch Noise Lawsuit Keeps Moving Owners claim 2010-2015 MAZDA3 clutch noise and failures cause too much time and expense.

  

  Mar 8, 2017 — A Mazda MAZDA3 clutch noise and replacement lawsuit will continue after a California federal judge granted in part Mazda's motion to dismiss, but allowed some claims to carry on, giving 2010-2015 MAZDA3 owners hope of relief. In addition to noise from the clutch systems, MAZDA3 owners describe defective clutch forks, pins and bearings that cause catastrophic clutch failure. The class-action lawsuit alleges the clutch assemblies have design defects that Mazda ...

• NHTSA: No Need to Mandate Automatic Emergency Braking Safety regulators say automakers have volunteered to use AEB technology, and that's good enough.

  

  Mar 7, 2017 — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it doesn't need to force automakers to equip cars with automatic emergency braking systems because 20 manufacturers have voluntarily agreed to install the technology. In January 2016, three consumer advocacy organizations petitioned NHTSA to require the technology in vehicles because of the safety benefits. The petition was filed by Consumer Watchdog, the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, ...

• Nissan Altima and Maxima Steering Lock Problems to be Fixed Nissan agrees to 'service campaign' to fix 2009-2010 Nissan Altima and Maxima steering locks.

  

  Mar 7, 2017 — Nissan Altima and Maxima steering lock problems will be fixed for free after the automaker announced a "service campaign" for 243,000 model year 2009-2010 Nissan Altima, Altima Coupe, Altima Hybrid and Maxima cars. Although not a recall, the service campaign will fix steering locks that have plagued Altima and Maxima owners for years and caused owners to send their bank accounts into shock. The cars are equipped with electronic steering column locks (ESCLs) ...

• Chevy Cruze Emissions Lawsuit Will Continue Judge says lawsuit can continue that alleges 2014 Chevrolet Cruze cars have 'defeat devices'

  

  Mar 5, 2017 — A Chevy Cruze emissions lawsuit will continue after U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington denied in part GM's motion to dismiss the complaint that alleges 2014 Chevrolet Cruze cars are equipped with illegal emissions defeat devices . The 442-page class-action lawsuit alleges General Motors installed emissions "defeat devices" in the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze diesel cars which results in illegal nitrogen oxide emissions. Owners claim they paid about $2,000 more for ...

• Ford Dual-Clutch Transmission Lawsuit Filed in Texas Ford dual-clutch PowerShift transmissions in Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport cars allegedly defective.

  

  Mar 5, 2017 — A Ford dual-clutch transmission lawsuit alleges PowerShift transmissions installed in 2011-present Ford Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport models are defective and prone to premature failures. Filed by 28 plaintiffs, the dual-clutch lawsuit alleges the vehicles suffer from a long list of problems including shuddering, slipping, bucking, jerking, hesitation while changing gears, premature internal wear, delays in downshifting and sudden or delayed acceleration. The ...

• Illegal VW Emissions May Cause 1,200 Premature Deaths Researchers say nitrogen oxide emissions from Volkswagen vehicles will heavily impact Europe.

  

  Mar 4, 2017 — Back in October 2015, researchers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) conducted a study that concluded illegal Volkswagen emissions could prematurely end the lives of 59 people in the U.S. Now those same researchers have published a study that estimates 1,200 people in Europe will die early by as much as a decade due to Volkswagen's illegal nitrogen oxide emissions that were emitted between 2008 and 2015. Researchers ...

• Tractor-Trailer Underride Guards Getting More Attention Safety advocates start paying more attention to safety flaws with tractor-trailer underride guards.

  

  Mar 2, 2017 — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is known for tough crash tests that can send an automaker back home to improve the safety of a car, right down to the headlights. But a new safety award seeks to do more than award only car manufacturers, although the tests will have a tremendous impact on the safety of typical car occupants. IIHS has created a new award called TOUGH GUARD for tractor-trailer manufacturers that offer the best rear "underride ...

• Kia Sorento Crankshaft Bolt Lawsuit Will Be Settled Kia agrees to settle crankshaft pulley bolt lawsuit that alleges broken bolts damage engines.

  

  Feb 28, 2017 — A Kia Sorento crankshaft bolt lawsuit will be settled after owners alleged 2003-2006 Kia Sorento SUVs have defects in the design of the crankshaft pulley bolts and balancers that can cause the front crankshaft pulley bolts to break and damage the engines. The plaintiffs claim Kia knew about the problems but concealed that knowledge from consumers and refused to cover repair costs under warranty. Kia says it agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit to save on ...

• Judge Dismisses Ford Power Steering Lawsuit Ford power steering lawsuit alleges electric power-assisted steering systems are defective.

  

  Feb 26, 2017 — A Ford power steering lawsuit is over after a federal judge ruled in favor of Ford and said the plaintiffs didn't have a case. According to the lawsuit, the Ford Fusion and Ford Focus have defective electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) systems that cause drivers to lose power steering. The plaintiffs had a tough time with the lawsuit because the judge had already denied class-action certification and at one point dismissed the lawsuit , but left the ...

• General Motors Whistleblower Lawsuit Filed in Missouri GM employee says he suffered extreme stress and retaliation for reporting unfixed safety defects.

  

  Feb 13, 2017 — A General Motors whistleblower lawsuit alleges the automaker retaliated against an employee after he reported alleged safety violations and workplace harassment at a GM assembly plant in Missouri. Plaintiff Richard Barcomb says he worked for GM from September 1999 to May 2016 doing assembly-related work and for the last two years worked as a repairman. Barcomb says he had a good work record and was never formally disciplined until he began reporting defects and ...

• Nissan Exploding Sunroof Lawsuit Filed in California Nissan exploding sunroofs cause owners to file lawsuit that alleges problems with the glass.

  

  Feb 12, 2017 — A Nissan exploding sunroof lawsuit alleges 2008-present Nissan and Infiniti models with factory-installed sunroofs made of tempered glass are at risk of the sunroof glass exploding without warning, leaving occupants a bundle of nerves if the glass shatters while driving. Plaintiff Janelle Horne says she was riding with her husband and four kids in a leased Infiniti QX80 when the sunroof exploded like a shotgun, causing Mr. Horne to pull off the highway and see ...

• Lawsuit: FTC is Failing to Protect Car Buyers Six consumer groups sue Federal Trade Commission for allowing defective cars to be sold.

  

  Feb 11, 2017 — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was created to protect consumers, but a lawsuit filed by six consumer advocacy groups alleges the FTC is turning its back on the safety of consumers by ignoring responsibilities about auto safety defects. Filing the lawsuit are the Center for Auto Safety, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS), U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), MASSPIRG, CONNPIRG and CALPIRG, all that accuse federal regulators of allowing ...

• Ford Wins $3 Million Ford Ranger Lawsuit on Appeal Appeals court sides with Ford, says Ford won't pay $3 million jury award in Ford Ranger crash.

  

  Feb 11, 2017 — A Ford Ranger lawsuit has been overturned after a West Virginia couple was originally awarded $3 million over a crash the couple blames on a defective throttle and speed control system. The Ford lawsuit was brought by Howard and Nancy Nease alleging Howard Nease suffered serious injuries in an accident caused by a defect in the speed control system of his 2001 Ford Ranger truck. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Nease was driving his 2001 Ford Ranger in November ...

• U.S. DOT Chooses 10 Driverless Car Proving Grounds Federal regulators pick sites that will be used to put driverless car technology through its paces.

  

  Feb 11, 2017 — Be advised that if you live in certain areas of the U.S., the next car you wave at may not have a driver to wave back, especially if you live or work near these areas: City of Pittsburgh and the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center American Center for Mobility (ACM) at Willow Run Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) & GoMentum Station San Diego ...

• BMW 5 Series Clogged Sunroof Drain Tube Lawsuits to be Settled BMW agrees to settle two class-action lawsuits over clogged sunroof drain tubes and water damage.

  

  Feb 6, 2017 — BMW has agreed to settle two class-action lawsuits that allege sunroof drain tubes get clogged, cause water to enter the area of the spare tires and ruin electrical components and important modules. Included in the proposed settlement are 2004-2010 BMW 5 Series (E60 and E61) cars that allegedly have electrical components that aren't properly protected from water, causing the components to fail and cost a small fortune to repair or replace. One plaintiff said ...

• VW 3.0 TDI Settlement Terms Released Government releases details for owners of 3.0-liter TDI diesel Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen vehicles

  

  Feb 5, 2017 — A VW 3.0 TDI settlement update has been announced that sets forth more specific details about the 3.0-liter diesel settlement that involves about 83,000 owners of Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen "turbocharged direct injection" engines. According to the federal court order, owners of 2009-2012 VW Touareg and 2009-2012 Audi Q7 3.0-liter vehicles affected by emissions defeat devices are eligible to receive buyback offers of $26,000 to $58,000 based on the model and ...

• Ford Sudden Deceleration Lawsuit Aims At Throttle Body System Owners say bad throttle bodies cause Ford vehicles to suddenly lose power without warning.

  

  Feb 1, 2017 — A Ford sudden deceleration lawsuit alleges a host of vehicles have defective electronic throttle body control systems that cause the vehicles to suddenly and dangerously lose power. If certified as a class-action, the Ford sudden deceleration lawsuit will include all consumers who purchased or leased one of the following vehicles: 2011-2014 Lincoln Mark LT (3.5L and 3.7L engines) 2011-2016 Lincoln MKX (3.7L engine) 2013-2016 Lincoln MKZ (3.7L  ...

• Lawsuit Claims Volvo Rear Cameras Don't Work Volvo owners say rear-view cameras stop working, leaving a frozen or blank screen.

  

  Jan 30, 2017 — A Volvo rear-view camera lawsuit has been filed alleging the rear (park assist) cameras stop working when the transmissions are shifted into reverse, the very time the cameras are needed. The plaintiffs claim Volvo knows about the backup camera problems but has failed to create a fix to the problems, even though vehicles may be under warranty when the rear-view cameras fail. Jacquelyn and David Obergfell say they bought a new 2014 Volvo XC90 in October 2014 ...

• GM Pays $1 Million Penalty For Accounting Failures General Motors agrees to $1 million payment to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

  

  Jan 18, 2017 — General Motors will pay a $1 million penalty to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle charges over GM's internal accounting controls and practices. The SEC says GM failed to properly account for the impact defective ignition switches would have on corporate financial statements, even leaving its own accountants in the dark about the dangers. Financial regulators say GM company accountants didn't learn about the problems until November ...

• Nissan GT-R Melted Dashboard Lawsuit Filed in Florida Florida owner of a Nissan GT-R files a class-action lawsuit alleging the sun damaged the dashboard.

  

  Jan 17, 2017 — A Nissan GT-R melted dashboard lawsuit has been filed in Florida alleging the heat and humidity destroys the dashboards in the $100,000 cars. Based on court documents, the proposed class-action lawsuit includes Florida owners and lessees of 2008-present Nissan GT-R cars. Lead plaintiff Neil Heuer says he purchased a new 2009 Nissan GT-R and by 2016 the dashboard was melting and causing a severe glare from the windshield. Mr. Heuer claims the dashboard melted to ...

• EPA Targets Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee Emissions Environmental Protection Agency accuses FCA of using emissions defeat devices in trucks, SUVs.

  

  Jan 15, 2017 — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have issued notices of emissions violations to Fiat Chrysler for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. The notices allege FCA installed and concealed "engine management software" in 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Ram 1500 trucks sold in the U.S. and equipped with 3-liter diesel engines. The EPA and CARB accuse Chrysler of installing and concealing ...

• Takata to Pay $1 Billion, 3 Executives Indicted by U.S. Takata agrees to $1 billion settlement while 3 execs are charged with covering up the airbag scheme.

  

  Jan 13, 2017 — Takata, the company responsible for the largest auto-related recalls in U.S. history, will pay $1 billion for one count of wire fraud and for concealing deadly airbag defects since at least 2000. Those airbags have caused at least 16 deaths and nearly 200 injuries from metal airbag inflators that explode and send shrapnel into vehicle occupants. Included in the $1 billion settlement is $850 million for automakers that have been ripped off by purchasing the ...

• Volkswagen to Pay $4.3 Billion to U.S., 6 VW Executives Indicted VW pleads guilty in emissions scheme and will pay $4.3 billion, while prosecutors indict 6 execs.

  

  Jan 11, 2017 — Volkswagen has agreed to plead guilty and pay $4.3 billion in civil and criminal penalties for illegal schemes to manufacturer, advertise, import and sell about 590,000 "clean diesel" vehicles in the U.S. In addition, U.S. prosecutors have indicted six Volkswagen executives for their roles in the emissions fraud. By pleading guilty, VW will pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty and another $1.5 billion penalty to satisfy claims connected to the automaker ...

• Volkswagen Gets Approval to Fix Certain 2-Liter Diesel Vehicles Volkswagen gets approval to repair about 67,000 2-liter model year 2015 diesel vehicles.

  

  Jan 9, 2017 — Volkswagen finally received approval to fix certain 2-liter diesel vehicles to make their emissions systems legal, at least for about 67,000 of the 475,000 illegal 2-liter "clean diesel" vehicles. The fix has been approved for what Volkswagen calls Generation 3 diesel vehicles from model year 2015, including the 2015 diesel Volkswagen Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat and the 2015 Audi A3. Customers have the option of getting ...

• VW Executive Oliver Schmidt Arrested in Florida Feds arrest Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt amid charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.

  

  Jan 9, 2017 — Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt has been arrested in Miami and charged in a criminal complaint for his alleged role in a conspiracy to defraud U.S. regulators and customers by using emissions defeat devices in hundreds of thousands of Volkswagen vehicles. Schmidt, 48, is a resident of Germany but was in Florida when the feds arrested and charged him with conspiracy, wire fraud and violations of the U.S. Clean Air Act. Prosecutors say VW employees knew as ...

• Toyota Rusted Frame Settlement Agreement Nears Website and details released concerning a Toyota rusted frame settlement worth billions.

  

  Jan 4, 2017 — A Toyota rusted frame settlement agreement is one step closer to being finalized for owners of 2005-2010 Toyota Tacoma, 2007-2008 Toyota Tundra and 2005-2008 Toyota Sequoia trucks. The rusted frame class-action lawsuit may cost Toyota as much as $3.4 billion to replace truck frames that corrode and rust, making the frames a danger due to structural failures. The lawsuit alleges Toyota didn't apply enough rust protection on the frames, resulting in premature ...

• South Korea: BMW, Nissan and Porsche Falsified Documents BMW, Nissan and Porsche fined $5.9 million over false emissions documents, 10 models banned.

  

  Jan 2, 2017 — Three automakers selling cars in South Korea have been slapped with fines totally $5.9 million (7.17 billion won) for falsifying documents related to emissions tests. According to the South Korean Ministry of Environment, vehicles from BMW, Nissan and Porsche were illegally certified for sale based on fabricated documents. The Ministry started looking at various automakers after the mess caused by Volkswagen hiding illegal software in its cars for years. ...

• Hyundai Sonata Class-Action Lawsuit Will Be Approved Judge to approve Hyundai Sonata class-action lawsuit settlement terms to fix Theta II engines.

  

  Jan 2, 2017 — A Hyundai Sonata class-action lawsuit will receive final approval after U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman said she sees no problem with the settlement terms and believes the agreement is excellent for Sonata owners. The Hyundai Sonata class-action lawsuit was filed by Elizabeth Mendoza, who purchased a 2011 Hyundai Sonata in 2012 and by October 2014, she started hearing a loud knocking noise coming from the engine. A dealer told Mendoza the Sonata had a ...

• Ford Power Steering Lawsuit Denied Class-Action Certification Judge won't allow Ford electronic power assisted steering (EPAS) lawsuit as a class-action.

  

  Jan 1, 2017 — A Ford Focus and Fusion electronic power assisted steering (EPAS) lawsuit won't be certified as a class-action after a judge ruled the plaintiffs can't prove all owners experienced harm from the alleged defect. The Ford EPAS lawsuit was filed as a proposed class-action in 2014 after owners complained about their cars suddenly losing power steering while driving. The 2010-2014 Ford Fusion and 2012-2014 Ford Focus cars allegedly have defects in the sensors and ...

• Hyundai Shattering Panoramic Sunroof Lawsuit Will Continue Hyundai class-action lawsuit alleges panoramic sunroofs explode because of defective glass.

  

  Jan 1, 2017 — A Hyundai panoramic sunroof lawsuit will continue after a federal judge shot down a motion by Hyundai to toss claims made by the plaintiffs. The lawsuit alleges the automaker has known about exploding panoramic sunroofs for years but concealed the defects from consumers. Plaintiff Billy Glenn filed the Hyundai exploding sunroof lawsuit in 2015 after the glass in his 2014 Santa Fe Sport allegedly exploded and had to be replaced, just for the replacement sunroof ...

• Tesla Model X Unintended Acceleration Lawsuit Filed Tesla Model X owner Ji Chang Son says unintended acceleration caused SUV to crash into wall.

  

  Dec 31, 2016 — A Tesla Model X unintended acceleration lawsuit alleges the SUV "spontaneously began to accelerate at full power, jerking forward and crashing through the interior wall of the garage, destroying several wooden support beams in the wall and a steel sewer pipe, among other things, and coming to rest in Plaintiffs' living room." The plaintiff, Ji Chang Son, 46, is a South Korean celebrity who lives in California and who claims he was returning home with his son, ...

• Toyota Prius Headlight Lawsuit Targets Low-Beam Failures Owners say Toyota Prius low-beam headlights burn out and melt assemblies and housings.

  

  Dec 31, 2016 — A Toyota Prius headlight lawsuit alleges low-beam headlights fail at alarming rates, leaving owners to pay for repeated headlight repairs and replacements. The proposed class-action lawsuit says 2010-2011 Prius cars should have been recalled long ago after owners kept complaining about spending a fortune to replace burned out low-beam headlights. Plaintiff Michael Robey says he purchased a new 2010 Toyota Prius in December 2010 and by 2014 Mr. Robey noticed ...

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

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