NHTSA News

U.S. Makes Little Progress on 4-Year Long Air Bag Inflator Probe

Nearly four years ago, the U.S. government’s highway safety agency began investigating air bag inflators made by ARC Automotive of Tennessee when two people were hit by flying shrapnel after crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 8 …

Study Questions Safety Claims About Tesla Autopilot’s Steering Feature

An analysis of government data disputes a finding by safety regulators and promoted by Tesla Inc. that crash rates of its older vehicles declined after they were equipped with an automatic steering capability. The study, released Friday by Quality Control …

Steering Failure Risk Prompts Fiat Chrysler Recall of More Than 660,000 Trucks

Fiat Chrysler is recalling over 660,000 heavy-duty trucks worldwide because a loose nut can cause a loss of steering control. The recall covers Ram 3500 pickups from 2013 through 2017, as well as 2500 pickups and 3500 Chassis cabs from …

Certain Hyundai, Kia Models Rank High for Fire Insurance Claims

Owners of five Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs file fire insurance claims at a rate far higher than the average for comparable vehicles, according to an insurance industry study. The Highway Loss Data Institute, which analyzes data from insurers …

Virginia Senate Panel Kills Stricter Seatbelt Law

Virginia will continue to have one of the weakest seatbelt laws in the country after a Senate committee killed a bill to require rear-seat passengers in a motor vehicle to wear safety belts and to make violating the state’s seatbelt …

Increased Fire Risk Leads to Hyundai, Kia Recall

Despite a government shutdown, Hyundai and Kia are moving ahead with a recall of about 168,000 vehicles to fix a fuel pipe problem that can cause engine fires. The problem stems from improper repairs during previous recalls for engine failures. …

Toyota Recalls 1.7M Vehicles in North America to Fix Airbags

Toyota is recalling 1.7 million vehicles in North America to replace potentially deadly Takata front passenger airbag inflators. The move announced Wednesday includes 1.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and is part of the largest series of automotive recalls in …

Hyundai, Kia Owners Sue Manufacturers, Claim Fires Caused by Engine Defect

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. were sued by U.S. drivers over an alleged defect that could cause certain engines to catch fire, adding pressure on the South Korean automakers being probed by U.S. authorities. More than 350 consumer …

Auto Safety Agency Says U.S. Mercedes Owners Got Recall Notices too Late

The U.S. government is investigating Mercedes-Benz, alleging that the German automaker has been slow to mail safety recall notices and file required reports involving recalls of over 1.4 million vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a review found …

Adaptive Headlights That Dim Themselves Could Be Coming to U.S.

U.S. auto safety regulators are moving to allow a new generation of brighter, self-dimming headlights that won’t blind other drivers on the road ahead. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing to permit so-called adaptive driving beam headlights on …