Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[BMW agrees to pay $3M fine for late reporting of recalls]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/13/bmw-agrees-to-pay-3m-fine-for-late-reporting-of-recalls/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/13/bmw-agrees-to-pay-3m-fine-for-late-reporting-of-recalls/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/13/bmw-agrees-to-pay-3m-fine-for-late-reporting-of-recalls/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

BMW logoBMW is handing over $3 million in fines to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the way it has handled recalls. NHTSA began an investigation of BMW's practices in 2010, looking at 16 recalls that covered more than 300,000 of the company's cars and motorcycles going back in some cases to 2002.

In levying the fine, NHTSA found that "BMW appears to maintain a practice, by design or habit, in which it provides little information in its initial (recall) filings." Of the instances which garnered fines, however, BMW said all but one of them concerned its motorcycles, not its cars. The NHTSA said that BMW would eventually provide the information but only after what the NHTSA termed an "inordinate amount of time."

To address the issue, BMW is changing its methods for how it provides information to the government and how it deals with recalls.

BMW agrees to pay $3M fine for late reporting of recalls originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwbmw motorradbmw recallfinesNational Highway Traffic Safety Administrationnhtsanhtsa finenhtsa finesMon, 13 Feb 2012 07:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20169611/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/13/bmw-agrees-to-pay-3m-fine-for-late-reporting-of-recalls/20169611/article-detail.xml 20169611 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/nhtsabmwfines_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/nhtsabmwfines.jpg <![CDATA[Report: NHTSA reopens probe into VW Passat engine fires]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/report-nhtsa-reopens-probe-into-vw-passat-engine-fires/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/report-nhtsa-reopens-probe-into-vw-passat-engine-fires/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/04/report-nhtsa-reopens-probe-into-vw-passat-engine-fires/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The fifth-generation (1996-2005) Volkswagen Passat was always a bit of a problem child for the German automakers and its vehicle owners. While it was both handsome and a pleasure to drive, it was afflicted by numerous mechanical maladies, including engine sludge and an issue with a heat shield that could contact the exhaust system and potentially trigger a fire in the engine compartment. In 2007 and 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted several investigations into the various problems that were reported, which later led to a recall to install a new heat shield and adjust fuel lines.

Among the body of complaints that didn't result in a recall were potentially defective ignition coils which could lead to stalling and/or engine fires. Now NHTSA has reportedly opened a fresh investigation into those ignition coil packs which have reportedly caused at least 10 fires in the past two years. Prior to the earlier investigation, there were 78 complaints of crashes resulting from engine stalls or fires.

Up to 199,000 vehicles built between 2000 and 2003 could be involved if this investigation precipitates another recall.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: NHTSA reopens probe into VW Passat engine fires originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ignition coilIgnitionCoilnational highway tra...National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNationalHighwayTra...NationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationnhtsanhtsa fineNhtsaFinepassatpassat engine firepassat engine problemspassat problemPassatEngineFirePassatEngineProblemsPassatProblemvolkswagenVolkswagen Passatvolkswagen passat recall investigationVolkswagenPassatVolkswagenPassatRecallInvestigationvw engine firevw firevw firesvw ignition coilVwEngineFireVwFireVwFiresVwIgnitionCoilWed, 04 Aug 2010 09:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19579233/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/08/04/report-nhtsa-reopens-probe-into-vw-passat-engine-fires/19579233/article-detail.xml 19579233 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/passat_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/passat.jpg <![CDATA[Done Deal: Toyota wires $16M fine payment to U.S. Treasury]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/18/done-deal-toyota-wires-16m-fine-payment-to-u-s-treasury/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/18/done-deal-toyota-wires-16m-fine-payment-to-u-s-treasury/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/18/done-deal-toyota-wires-16m-fine-payment-to-u-s-treasury/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Toyota has officially handed over every last cent of its $16.4 million fine for not notifying the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of potential defects in a timely manner. That figure marks the largest fine possible under the law, though by paying it, the Japanese automaker has somehow managed to skip out on admitting any wrong doing. We're still having a hard time wrapping our fragile journo minds around that one.

NHTSA came down hard on Toyota for bumbling the recall of accelerator pedals that wouldn't spring back once depressed. Meanwhile, the automaker claims it did everything it was supposed to in handling the problem and notifying the government of the issue. Even so, Toyota has declined to fight the "civil penalty" or appeal the government's decision. The cash will be put directly into the U.S. Treasury.

Toyota is also under investigation for all-weather floor mats that could have contributed to the rash or unintended acceleration claims that cropped up in recent months as well as steering linkage issues in older T100 pickups and 4Runner models. The NHTSA has yet to rule on either of those issues.

[Source: Reuters]

Done Deal: Toyota wires $16M fine payment to U.S. Treasury originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 May 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationNHTSA FineNhtsaFineToyotaToyota FineToyotaFineunintended accelerationUnintendedAccelerationTue, 18 May 2010 17:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19482129/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/05/18/done-deal-toyota-wires-16m-fine-payment-to-u-s-treasury/19482129/article-detail.xml 19482129 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/toyota-250-1274208184_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/toyota-250-1274208184.jpg <![CDATA[NHTSA launching probe into timeliness of three Toyota recalls]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/nhtsa-launching-probe-into-timeliness-of-three-toyota-recalls/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/nhtsa-launching-probe-into-timeliness-of-three-toyota-recalls/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/nhtsa-launching-probe-into-timeliness-of-three-toyota-recalls/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Another day, another major story on Toyota's recent recall woes. As you may have already heard, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration - and particularly U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood - is less than pleased with the way Toyota has handled its various vehicle callbacks.

Now, NHTSA has made its public displeasure official with a press release indicating that it will "[use] its statutory authority to obtain documents from Toyota to determine if the automaker conducted three of its recent recalls in a timely manner." To what end? To determine "when and how it learned of the defects affecting approximately 6 million vehicles in the U.S. alone" and to be sure that there aren't any additional problems Toyota has yet to announce.

If the NHTSA finds that Toyota failed to deal with known safety issues in a timely manner, it could find the Japanese automaker liable for a maximum of $16.4 million in civil penalties. Granted, that's a pretty small dollar amount for such a large company, but it could spearhead the already rising tide of negative press and keep the issue fresh in the public's mind for some time to come. Click past the break for the official press release.


Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading NHTSA launching probe into timeliness of three Toyota recalls

NHTSA launching probe into timeliness of three Toyota recalls originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>NHTSAnhtsa finenhtsa finesnhtsa recallnhtsa toyotaNhtsaFineNhtsaFinesNhtsaRecallNhtsaToyotarecallRecallstoyotatoyota recalltoyota recall acceleratortoyota recall fixToyota Recall Throttletoyota recallsToyota safetytoyota safety concealedtoyota safety concernsToyotaRecallToyotaRecallAcceleratorToyotaRecallFixToyotaRecallsToyotaRecallThrottleToyotaSafetyToyotaSafetyConcealedToyotaSafetyConcernsTue, 16 Feb 2010 15:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19360486/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/02/16/nhtsa-launching-probe-into-timeliness-of-three-toyota-recalls/19360486/article-detail.xml 19360486 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/gyi0059486991-630op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/gyi0059486991-630op.jpg <![CDATA[Mercedes-Benz pays $28.9m in fines for fuel efficiency crimes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/08/mercedes-benz-pays-28-9m-in-fines-for-fuel-efficiency-crimes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/08/mercedes-benz-pays-28-9m-in-fines-for-fuel-efficiency-crimes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/08/mercedes-benz-pays-28-9m-in-fines-for-fuel-efficiency-crimes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



According to the NHTSA, more than $37 million in fines were collected last year for cars sold in 2007 from manufacturers that failed to meet current CAFE standards. Of the six manufacturers that paid fines, Mercedes-Benz was hit the hardest, racking up an astounding $28.9 million bill that was paid in December. That's a huge figure, especially in this troubled automotive market, but it's actually a bit smaller than the $30.3 million fine paid by DaimlerChrysler the previous year -- a figure that still holds the record. Go Daimler!

Other marques that failed to meet CAFE requirements included Volkswagen, which was hit with a $4.5 million sum, along with Porsche and Maserati, both of which paid fees of $1.2 million and Ferrari, which managed to skate by with a relatively paltry $1.1 million fine.

With increasingly strict regulations expected in the near future, these fines don't exactly bode well for the manufacturers of higher-end luxury vehicles, and the fact that the timing for these requirements is still undecided makes it even tougher to plan for them.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Mercedes-Benz pays $28.9m in fines for fuel efficiency crimes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafe finecafe finesCafeFineCafeFinesdaimler cafeDaimlerCafemercedes-benzmercedes-benz cafeMercedes-benzCafenhtsanhtsa cafe rulesnhtsa finenhtsa finesNhtsaCafeRulesNhtsaFineNhtsaFinesThu, 08 Jan 2009 16:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1423386/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/01/08/mercedes-benz-pays-28-9m-in-fines-for-fuel-efficiency-crimes/1423386/article-detail.xml 1423386 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/01/sl65amgblackseries22_580op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/01/sl65amgblackseries22_580op.jpg -1 2