Autoblog

REPORT: NHTSA proposing new side airbag standards expected to cost $54 per car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:58:00 EST

Naturally, safety is a top priority for both automakers and consumers alike. It's also of paramount concern to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, which is the government body that sets standards for automobile safety here in the States. According to The Detroit News, NHTSA is currently drafting up new legislation that would make side curtain airbags more robust.

NHTSA projects that the modified airbags would save some 402 lives and prevent 302 serious injuries per year, with the bulk of those made up of motorists who are not properly wearing their seat belts. The new rules would mandate curtain airbags that cover up more of the window opening and stay inflated longer, helping to ensure that occupants are not ejected during a rollover accident.

What price safety? Current estimates peg the upgrade at about $54 per vehicle, which equals roughly $920 million annually. Under the proposal, 20 percent of every major manufacturer's fleet would need to comply by 2014 and all vehicles would need to be so-equipped by 2017.

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: NHTSA proposing new side airbag standards expected to cost $54 per car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge recalling nearly 85k 2007 Nitro models over failing wiper concern

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Dodge

Roughly 85,000 2007 Dodge Nitros are being recalled for a windshield wiper issue. Use of the delay settings could lead to the wiper not working at all in any setting. The recall is expected to begin this month, and dealers will repair the wiper mechanism and software for free. For further information you can read the press release after the jump or contact the NHTSA.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Dodge recalling nearly 85k 2007 Nitro models over failing wiper concern

Dodge recalling nearly 85k 2007 Nitro models over failing wiper concern originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota forced to submit data on Tundra frame rust to NHTSA

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Toyota

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began a preliminary evaluation last month of rusting Tundra frames from the 2000 and 2001 model years. Around 200 complaints had been registered before the NHTSA commenced its investigation, with upwards of seventy more complaints coming in since then.

As with the rusting Tacoma frames, the Tundra members in question were made by Dana. Importantly, though, the Tundra examination is focused only on "the cross member that supports the spare tire -- not the entire frame." Still, that area has been blamed by consumers for the spare tire coming loose, and for brake system failures due to corrosion at the brake line mounting points.

Toyota ended up buying back Tacomas or extending warranties to settle the rust issue, but Tundra frames were built at different Dana plants and to different specifications, so the Tundra issue is not assumed to be the same as the Tacoma issue. Toyota had until last week to submit its information on the frames, now the NHTSA will need to decide what to do next.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Toyota forced to submit data on Tundra frame rust to NHTSA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari F355 recalled over fuel system concerns... again

Noah Joseph — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Ferrari

We see all sorts of recall notices here at Autoblog. Most of them affect ordinary passenger vehicles, but nearly all of them get cleared up the first time around. So this is a bit of a first: Ferrari North America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a second recall notice to correct a problem on the F355 that should have been addressed with the initial recall issued 12 years ago.

The concern apparently centers around the fuel delivery system, which initially prompted a recall back in 1997. The original repair should have corrected the issue, but if the "independent automobile repair facilities" that performed the service on many of the cars didn't properly install the new screw clamps, they could have damaged the fuel hoses, which in turn could cause smoke or even an engine fire. New fuel divider blocks should (hopefully) fix the issue this time around, which affects some 2,356 F355s and F355 F1s manufactured between 1995 and 1999. Full details in the recall notice at NHTSA.

[Source: NHTSA]

Ferrari F355 recalled over fuel system concerns... again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Toyota may offer to fix 4 million accelerator pedals

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Lexus, Toyota

While Toyota maintains its position that recent accelerator issues have only to do with floor mats, the company has reportedly agreed to "make changes to gas pedals in certain U.S. models under an agreement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration." That means that 3.8 million Toyota products - among which are the Camry, Avalon, Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, and Lexus IS250, IS350, ES350 - will be recalled to address the accelerators.

With negotiations said to be ongoing between the NHTSA and Toyota, the automaker hasn't said what those changes will be, nor has it stated exactly when the recall will begin. According to Reuters, Toyota has a $5.6 billion slush fund to pay for recalls so the repair costs, while sure to be intergalactic, shouldn't affect earnings. The company can only hope now that the rumors, current lawsuits, other current lawsuits, yet-to-be-filed lawsuits, and the 24-hour news cycle don't do the kind of damage that is much worse than merely financial.

[Source: Reuters, MarketWatch]

REPORT: Toyota may offer to fix 4 million accelerator pedals originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA study indicates hybrids have higher pedestrian crash rates

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:17:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Safety

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finds that hybrid vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists under certain scenarios. According to state-level accident data, 77 of 8,387 hybrid vehicles (that's .9 percent) were involved in crashes with pedestrians and 48 (.6 percent) were found to have been in accidents with bicyclists.

By way of comparison, 3,578 of 559,703 non-hybrid vehicles (.6 percent) were involved in pedestrian accidents and 1,862 (.3 percent) were involved with bicyclists. Tellingly, the NHTSA data shows that hybrid vehicles are twice as likely as non-hybirds to be involved in pedestrian or bicyclist accidents at low speeds when the internal combustion engine is not running.

These statistics are not a complete representation of all accidents nationwide, and NHTSA is quick to point out that additional research is necessary before any final conclusions can be made. Still, this is valuable data that "should serve as a guide when designing future HEV pedestrian and bicyclist crash prevention programs."

[Source: NHTSA - PDF via Consumer Reports]

NHTSA study indicates hybrids have higher pedestrian crash rates originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: NHTSA upgrading investigation into Honda Odyssey brakes

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:59:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Safety, Honda

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has upgraded their preliminary probe into an issue with the Honda Odyssey to an engineering analysis. The agency has received more than 500 complaints about a braking problem, with drivers saying the pedal gets soft or spongy. According to reports on ten crashes that have been submitted, the van in some cases hasn't stopped as it should.

The years in question are the 2006-2008 Odysseys. The problem being looked at is whether air entering the brake lines is degrading brake performance. Honda says air might enter the lines, but that wouldn't change the operation of the brakes. This is not a recall, merely an analysis, and there is no indication yet that a recall will be necessary. Later model vans are being looked at most closely, and NHTSA should release its findings soon.

[Source: Reuters]

REPORT: NHTSA upgrading investigation into Honda Odyssey brakes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan recalls 26,000+ 2009-2010 Altima and Maxima models over strut issue

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Nissan

2010 Nissan Altima -- Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2009 and 2010 Nissan Altima and Maxima are being recalled over a suspension issue. The problem is the upper front strut insulators on some cars, which might not meet specified tolerances and therefore crack. Nissan is notifying owners this month and the repair will be taken care of by dealers, who will replace the strut insulators on both sides. Follow the jump to read the notice from the NHTSA. Hat tip to Art G

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Altima Sedan

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Nissan recalls 26,000+ 2009-2010 Altima and Maxima models over strut issue

Nissan recalls 26,000+ 2009-2010 Altima and Maxima models over strut issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Ford widens cruise control recall by 4.5M vehicles - now biggest in company history

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, SUV, Truck, Recalls, Safety, Ford

For the past ten years, Ford has been doing a dance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and consumers over the issue of leaking cruise control switches in certain company vehicles. As of 2008, it had recalled some 9.6 million vehicles to repair a faulty Texas Instruments cruise-control deactivation switch, and now after a NHTSA investigation, the Blue Oval has added 4.5 million more Ford and Mercury vehicles to the recall.

The latest action covers these vehicles:

1992-2003 Ford Econoline
2000-2003 Ford Excursion
1995-2002 Ford Explorer
1993-1997, 1999-2003 Ford F-Series Super Duty
1994 Ford F-53 chassis
1995-1997, 2001-2003 Ford Ranger
1995-2003 Ford Windstar
1995-2002 Mercury Mountaineer

According to NHTSA, the switch can leak and overheat, which can lead to smoking and, in some cases, fire. In fact, The Detroit News notes that the switches have been faulted in more than 550 fires - some of which led to fatalities - many of which have led to lawsuits. A Ford statement declared, "Aside from the Windstar, the additional vehicles addressed in this action have different system parameters and do not pose an unreasonable risk to safety. However, Ford is taking this action on all of these vehicles to address possible ongoing customer lack of confidence in vehicles with the affected switch."

The recall begins on October 26. Anyone with an affected vehicle can take it to a Ford dealer and have the switch repaired with a fused harness. Owners can get more information directly from NHTSA by calling the government agency's hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: Ford widens cruise control recall by 4.5M vehicles - now biggest in company history originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan may bust a nut under pressure, recalls 143,000 over tire monitoring woe

Chris Shunk — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Wagon, Government/Legal, Safety, Crossover, Hatchback, Infiniti, Nissan, Luxury

2009 Nissan Cube - click above for hi-res image gallery

If you own a 2008-2010 Nissan with Tire Pressure Monitoring and you live in one of the 21 "cold weather" states, your tires could lose an air load in a big hurry. Nissan is recalling 143,000 vehicles equipped with TPMS after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that the material in the nut may corrode in areas that use high concentrations of road salt. If this happens, the nut could come out of the sensor-transmitter, illuminating the amber TPMS lamp. if the driver ignores this warning, the tire could quickly deflate, possibly resulting in a crash (or at least a ruined trip to the grocery store).

What models are covered in the recall? The 2009 Nissan Cube and Murano, along with the 2008 Rogue. 2008-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45 sport sedans are also affected by the action. Owners of model affected by the recall will be able to head over to the nearest Nissan or Infiniti dealer to get a "more robust nut." Dealers will be able fix recalled vehicles on or before November 2010. Hit the jump to see if you live in one of the states affected by the recall. Hat tip to Art G.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Cube (US Model)

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Nissan may bust a nut under pressure, recalls 143,000 over tire monitoring woe

Nissan may bust a nut under pressure, recalls 143,000 over tire monitoring woe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi recalls over 10,000 2006-2010 A3 and TT models over potential fuel leak

Noah Joseph — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Recalls, Hatchback, Audi

2009 Audi TT - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you've got an Audi A3 or TT and like to drive it hard, you may want to check in with your local dealer, because a recall notice has been issued that is directly focused on enthusiastic drivers.

The action concerns a spring that holds the fuel tank ventilation valve closed. Under "extreme driving conditions", the spring in question might not be strong enough to prevent gasoline from leaking out. And since that could start a fire, this recall strikes us as rather important.

The vehicles in question include some 10,200 A3s, TT coupes and TT Roadsters built between September 29, 2005 and August 26, 2009. Volkswagen of America will be contacting vehicle owners to notify them of the recall, and Audi dealerships will replace the faulty ventilation valves with an improved design free of charge. Full details in the recall notice after the jump.

Gallery: Audi TT 2.0 TDI

Gallery: 2009 Audi A3

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Audi recalls over 10,000 2006-2010 A3 and TT models over potential fuel leak

Audi recalls over 10,000 2006-2010 A3 and TT models over potential fuel leak originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four stars means Chevy Camaro falls short of Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger crash tests

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Safety, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS - Click above for high-res image gallery

Modern muscle car buyers looking for reasons to purchase one machine over another may not be as easily swayed by safety ratings as horsepower figures and zero-to-sixty times. Regardless, Ford Mustang aficionados and Mopar enthusiasts high on the Dodge Challenger now have a bit of forum fodder against their arch rival from General Motors. How so? The 2010 Chevy Camaro has just been crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and it's only managed to earn a four-star driver and passenger frontal rating.

For the sake of comparison, the 2010 Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger each came away full five-star report cards in this test. What does it all mean? According to NHTSA's website, the full five stars means the is a 10-percent or less chance of serious injury in an accident. Four stars means there's an 11- to 20-percent chance of serious injury in the same scenario. Click here to check out the official NHTSA stats.

Gallery: One Night Stand: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: SaferCar.gov]

Four stars means Chevy Camaro falls short of Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Dealers now allowed to kill C4C engines after they get rebate checks

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Last week, there were gasps all around as people watched how a Cash-for-Clunkers trade-in meets its smoky end. Even though the program was blessed with a $2B lifeline to continue, there may be fewer silicate glass engine deaths from now on since dealers have been granted the option of waiting to kill engines until after they receive their rebates.

Many dealers complained of having their rebate applications rejected, and if they can't get the rejection overturned, they're left with tons of useless junk on which they've just lost thousands of dollars. In order not to leave dealers in the lurch if their rebate applications are rejected, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will now allow dealers to store the car in working order until seven days after they receive their rebate checks.

We don't know the rejection rate for cars that dealers believed would be approved, but we can't help but wonder what a dealer might do with a car that's not worth at least $3,500 on the open or wholesale market if it's not sure that reimbursement for the rebate's a lock.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd | Image: Flickr, VJnator CC 2.0]

REPORT: Dealers now allowed to kill C4C engines after they get rebate checks originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Cash-For-Clunkers dealers instructed to kill engines with sodium silicate

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

According to Bloomberg, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration got wind that some cars being turned in under Germany's Cash-For-Clunkers program were being certified as destroyed, but actually being resold. To prevent that scenario from repeating itself in the U.S., land of Honest Abe, dealers have apparently been instructed to fill the engines of trade-ins with sodium silicate and run them for seven minutes in order to permanently disable them.

Early reports from around the country indicate that Cash-For-Clunkers is having the intended effect, and the authorities want to make sure no one takes undue advantage by making money on the turned-in vehicles. Normally sodium silicate, often referred to as "liquid glass," is used to seal leaks in things like head gaskets, but in this case, it's used to seize an engine that could be well worth reselling. Dealer records will be reviewed by federal agents, and if the dealer is found not to have complied, the dealer will have to pay $15,000 per infraction.

[Source: Bloomberg via Boston.com | Image - Dave7 under CC2.0]

REPORT: Cash-For-Clunkers dealers instructed to kill engines with sodium silicate originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

As always, it ain't the crime, it's the cover-up. In what looks to be Congress protecting its turf, a planned study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on driver distraction - specifically, drivers using cell phones - was put on hold. The reason, according to The New York Times, was allegedly a fear of upsetting the Capitol body. The reason, according to an ex-head of NHTSA, was "to avoid antagonizing members of Congress who had warned the agency to stick to its mission of gathering safety data but not to lobby states."

In 2003, NHTSA already had "hundreds of pages" of research on the effects of multitasking while driving. And yes, as many Autoblog commenters have surmised, the research does indeed point to people using their cell phones being "as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol content." NHTSA officials also felt that hands-free systems weren't a safe enough solution - drivers were still too distracted.

But when the safety agency drafted a letter to then Transport Secretary Norman Mineta that included policy recommendations, the head of the agency began hearing complaints about NHTSA overstepping its bounds. Congress, it was said, "warned the agency not to use its research to lobby states." As the story goes, the threat to NHTSA was that if it upset Congress, it "could jeopardize billions of dollars of its financing."

So instead of going forward with a focused study of cell phone usage that would include 10,000 drivers, the agency shelved everything and stayed quiet. Due to Freedom of Information Act requests, the research gathered up to now is being revealed. But there is still the issue of Congress holding back information that, frankly, could save lives.

What do you think? Do you use your mobile phone while driving? Do you think doing so should be illegal? Drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: The New York Times | Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty]

REPORT: NHTSA withheld results of studies on cell phone use while driving because of Congress originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA introduces new tire labels

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:49:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Safety

You will soon have more ways to choose which tire is right for you: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed a new tire label that ranks rubber based on fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas rating, safety (wet traction), and durability. According to NHTSA's calculations, rolling resistance accounts for up to 7% of "uses and losses of fuel energy in a vehicle." With everyone paying close attention to gas mileage and gas prices now, the federal agency wants to give consumers more info on how to maximize a car's performance in that respect.

There are a variety of labels NHTSA has come up with to display a tire's ratings. When the final rule is implemented, the removable label will be located on the tire at the point-of-sale, and the ratings will also be available at the NHTSA website, www.safercar.gov. The agency is taking comments from consumers now, and needs to come up with a final rule by December of this year. You can read the press release after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Nick

[Source: LA Times]

Continue reading NHTSA introduces new tire labels

NHTSA introduces new tire labels originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New roof-crush standards reported to cost automakers $1.4 billion annually

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

It's been almost 35 years since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) enacted its roof strength standards, but come late 2012 the new requirements will be in affect and in addition to saving around 135 lives each year and preventing over 1,000 injuries, it's going to cost automakers around $1.4 billion annually.

The new standards up the current crush force from 1.5-times the vehicle's unloaded weight to 3.0-times, along with maintaining sufficient head-room for an average-sized adult male held in place by a seat-belt. The same standard will eventually extend to vehicles up to 10,000 pounds - from the current 6,000-pound requirement - and eventually, the regulation will mandate that vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds and under should withstand three-times their unloaded weight.

Naturally, the additional strengthening is going to add weight, thus increasing fuel use - another hurdle automaker will have to overcome when striving to achieve new CAFE standards. The phase-in will begin in September 2012, with total compliance required for all new vehicles in 2017.

[Source: Detroit News]

New roof-crush standards reported to cost automakers $1.4 billion annually originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 May 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: NHTSA to allow vehicle-specific child seats after all?

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Volvo, Lifestyle

Last week Volvo announced a range of car seats designed with Britax specifically for Volvo cars. The same announcement also stated the seats wouldn't be for sale in the U.S. because NHTSA doesn't allow the sale of car seats only meant for specific cars. In our reader poll of your opinion, more than 80% of you declared the feds universal child seat mandate wrong.

Could it be a coincidence that today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood wrote, "NHTSA will ... institute a new program to make it easier for parents to choose child safety seats for their specific vehicles"?

LaHood had ordered a review of child seat policy and the new program is part of the review findings. Although the program isn't specifically geared toward Volvo's development, it provides that "Manufacturers will recommend specific seats in various price ranges that work best for individual vehicles." The DoT is aiming for a start date in 2011. Hat tip to JM

[Source: U.S. DoT]

Followup: NHTSA to allow vehicle-specific child seats after all? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA in hot seat after troubling baby car seat test found - Part II

Michael Harley — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Earlier this week, we reported that the NHTSA was in the hot seat when it failed to report infant seat failures. Our post stemmed from a report in the Chicago Tribune following its investigation through thousands of buried National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test reports. The Tribune report raised more than a few eyebrows as it called into question current child seat safety standards, and accused the NHTSA of negligence in not reporting the poor results to the public.

SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., a national non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety, was quick to issue a response in a effort to clear up the Tribune's alarming and sensational report. According to SBS, the infant/child seat manufacturers do exhaustive testing of new designs on computers before they ever get bolted to a test sled. Those tests, run at 30 mph into a rigid barrier (as required by FMVSS 213), "...are the equivalent of hitting another car at 60 mph and more severe than more than 95% of real-world crashes." As of today, the largest collection of consistently analyzed cases of children in crashes over a ten-year period was done by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The findings indicated that "...the chance of injury of an infant properly restrained in a correctly secured rear-facing seat is less than 1%." While no restraint system (adult, child, or infant) is optimal for every crash scenario, all studies still indicate that a properly restrained infant is going to fend very well in a real-world crash. Keep 'em buckled up!

[Source: CarSeat.org]

NHTSA in hot seat after troubling baby car seat test found - Part II originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA in hot seat after troubling baby car seat tests found

Michael Harley — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:19:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Carsumer Advocacy

The Chicago Tribune is shaking a rattle at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Its investigation has found 31 cases of infant seats exceeding injury limits or disconnecting from their bases during federal vehicle frontal impact crash tests. The NHTSA slams countless cars into barriers each year, like the 2008 Dodge Caravan in the gallery below. In addition to the sensor-laden crash dummies, some of the vehicles are also fitted with infant or child seats. According to the Tribune, the unreported child seat failures in those tests - crashes conducted only to test vehicle safety, not the safety of the child seats - has uncovered a serious flaw in infant/child seat testing.

In the United States today, infant seats are only tested on a sled. Before being sold, the seats must demonstrate the ability to survive a "simulated" head-on crash at 30 mph. On the other hand, the NHTSA crashes actual vehicles into a barrier at 35 mph (although it is only 5 mph faster, the impact is significantly greater). Sled tests are effective in some studies, but they fail to test the variables found among different vehicle interiors and the unique seat designs that change from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Responding to the Tribune report, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a written statement Friday that he ordered a "complete top to bottom review of child safety seat regulations." He will also make changes to make the crash-test results "more available" to consumers. Government crash test regulations have held automakers to the fire, and the result has been much safer vehicles for adults. Now it's time to bring infant/child seat manufacturers to the same flame and improve small occupant safety, as well.

Gallery: 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Crash Tests

[Source: Freep, image by NHTSA]

NHTSA in hot seat after troubling baby car seat tests found originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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