40 Articles
Motorsports
FIA finds Jules Bianchi at fault for his tragic crash

Formula One is getting safer all the time, but it's still a fundamentally dangerous way to make a living. That much was underscored when Jules Bianchi crashed during the Japanese Grand Prix nearly two months ago, sustaining serious head trauma. But in a display of how seriously the FIA takes the is

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NHTSA closes Ford F-150 EcoBoost acceleration probe

Typically when we report on the findings of an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it's because the government body has discovered a safety issue and prescribed a recall. In this case, however, NHTSA has closed an investigation into a reported performance deficit without ever getting to the recall stage.

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NHTSA opens investigation into Ford Super Duty trucks over steering woes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into certain 2008 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickup trucks. The investigation covers some 340,000 trucks after the government agency received five complaints of steering box failures. Owners claim internal failures resulted in the complete loss of their vehicles' control. In one case, steering box failure is being blamed

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2005-2007 Corvette investigated for faulty headlamps

The Detroit News reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 103,374 Chevrolet Corvette models built between 2005 and 2007. The administration is currently looking into a headlight issue after receiving 30 complaints from owners saying that the vehicle abruptly lost both low beams. Demonstrat

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NHTSA upgrades Ford floor mat unintended acceleration probe

According to a Bloomberg report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has upgraded an investigation into complaints of unintended acceleration lodged against Ford vehicles. The investigation began in June of 2010 when just three complaints had been received and it only concerned the Ford Fusion and Merc

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NHTSA Expands Probe Into Jeeps Catching Fire

More than 5 million face potential recall

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expanded a probe into more than 5 million Jeep vehicles for a possible faulty gas tank that can catch fire after an accident.

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Two Japanese suppliers plead guilty for bid-fixing, will pay record fines

Two more Japanese auto industry suppliers, Yazaki and Denso, have been fined by the U.S. Department of Justice and four executives from Yazaki will go to jail, according to reports in the New York Times and Automotive News. Yazaki's $478 million fine and Denso's $78 million fine come on top of the $200 million penalty paid by another Japanese supplier, Furukawa Electric Company, last November as Jonathon Ramsey

2010 Ford Fusion safety investigation opened by NHTSA

The 2010 Ford Fusion is the subject of a preliminary investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Problems and complaints that would have been mere blips on the radar in the past are now cause for further scrutiny, and four complaints against the 2010 Fusion, three from the same fleet, have sparked interest.

Chrysler Pacifica being investigated by NHTSA for fires

Investigators for the National Highway Traffic safety Administration are taking a closer look at 2007 Chrysler Pacificas equipped with the 4.0-liter V6. There is a concern that the vehicles could be prone to engine bay fires. A cross-threaded power steering fitting that prevents proper sealing of the hydraulic system could be the root cause. Chrysler has received 166 warranty claims and 25 complaints reporting smoke and fire breaking out. NHTSA has also received three complaints, and the fires s

VW Passat being investigated for fires

Boy, that's one hot car, that Passat. But is it so hot, in fact, that it self-immolates? The NHTSA seems to think that the ignition coil packs are prone to faults that can lead to fires underhood, in the instrument panel, or underneath the vehicle. Passats from 2000 to 2003 are currently under investigation by the NHTSA after 19 reports of spontaneous Teutonic combustion (hey!). Lucky owners who opted for the frugal TDI or spendy W8 can motor along

Government investigating if Big Oil thwarting biodiesel

This week, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and the state's two U.S. senators, Richard Durbin and Barack Obama, sent letters to the heads of the six major oil companies as part of an investigation to see if they have any policies that are inhibiting construction and operation of biodiesel and ethanol pumps at fuel service stati

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