Issues
Safety Experts Alarmed by Mail Trucks Bursting Into Flames
“Non-crash fires are serious and rare and should always be taken seriously,” said Jason Levine, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer-advocacy group. by Cyndia Zwahlen May 13, 2019 Mail trucks are bursting into flames at a rate that would trigger a massive recall if they were passenger vehicles. More than…
Self-Driving Cars Will Come In Different Flavors, Later Not Sooner, Experts Tell Consumer Forum
The current regulatory framework for traditional cars won’t work for self-driving vehicles, asserted Center for Auto Safety Executive Director Jason Levine, professing technology and enforcement don’t always work at the same pace. “People say self driving vehicles are just computers on wheels. We don’t regulate computers very well.” Levine said. by Ted Knutson May 10,…
Lawsuit: Ford hid Focus, Fiesta transmission problems — then blamed customers
“There are some basics that we all expect to not have to worry about with our cars: Do they start? Are they safe? Will it drive as if it was built in the 21st Century and not as if it had a transmission built by the first assembly line conceived of by Henry Ford?” Levine…
Bay Area man survives car fire, Hyundai and Kia now under investigation
Click here to read the story from ABC7 News San Francisco
Federal Regulators Expand Investigation into Airbag Controls
It does not appear that the industry has learned its lesson from Takata. You don’t need to wait for a body count to take proactive measures to get defective parts out of your vehicle.
After second recall, Toyota Prius electrical system is still overheating
Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said limp-home is better than complete power loss, but it reduces a car to a “large golf cart.” There are few, if any, federal safety regulations that govern limp-home, he noted. “Unfortunately, there’s been a trend of manufacturers trying to turn safety recalls into what…
Nissan Canada recalls 90,000 Rogues over unintended braking
In March, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned for a NHTSA investigation, saying there had been at least 87 consumer complaints. “Nissan has attempted to address the defect as a service matter rather than a safety problem,” the Center said. Nissan Canada is recalling more than 90,000 Rogue crossovers because their automatic emergency braking (AEB) system could…
The Car Book Blog: Reducing Insurance Costs
With the release of the 39th edition of The Car Book—now available online—we’re sharing some of our best tips for car buying and maintaining your vehicle after you buy. The Car Book 2019 provides today’s car buyer with in-depth ratings of the 2019 vehicles, The Car Book’s unique crash test ratings, comparative complaint ratings, and all of the information…
US expands probe into air bag failures to 12.3M vehicles
Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer group, said the ZF-TRW case shows the auto industry thus far has learned very little from Takata. “A single supplier of an important safety component provided what appears to be a defective part across multiple manufacturers and 12 million cars,” Levine said.…
Mother demands answers after Hyundai SUV bursts into flames, nearly burns down her Lakeland home
Jason Levine of watchdog group the Center for Auto Safety said he also wants to know why the federal government waited nearly a year to open an investigation. “We were surprised to see it take this long over the seriousness of the defect,” said Levine. A Lakeland woman – whose Hyundai SUV burst into flames…