NHTSA Fined Fiat Chrysler $70M for Withholding Safety Data
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) broke out the big hammer again. This time, Fiat Chrysler was the nail. NHTSA fined Fiat Chrysler $70M for withholding safety data.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) broke out the big hammer again. This time, Fiat Chrysler was the nail. NHTSA fined Fiat Chrysler $70M for withholding safety data.
As bad an idea as that may seem, some drivers are choosing driving with no airbags over risking an explosion of defective Takata airbags. Millions of drivers are waiting for recall replacements but, for the majority, there’s no end in sight. One man took matters into his own hands, literally, and removed the Takata airbags from his vehicle.
A new recall has been issued by Toyota regarding Takata airbag inflators. This recall is for vehicles in Japan only and affects 1.6M vehicles that were recalled, inspected and deemed safe enough to not repair earlier this year. Nissan recently reported a previously inspected vehicle’s airbag inflator exploded, seriously injuring a passenger. This prompted Toyota to issue this massive recall. The company will replace the airbag inflators with a Takata model that does not contain ammonium nitrate.
GM, like most other corporate giants, is all about the bottom line. Unfortunately, what this means for those car buyers is Latin American markets is less safety. One of the most popular autos in those markets is the Chevy Aveo, which is sold without airbags. The safety rating on the Aveo in Mexico is ZERO ou of FIVE stars, according to an independent consumer safety organization.
Volkswagen came clean yet again telling the world it “misstated” the number of gas-powered vehicles affected by its CO2 emissions cheat. The company said that 24 gas-powered models out of its 130-model line-up are affected.
A consumer-driven lawsuit against Ford Motor Company alleging fraud in advertising will go forward. The judge ruled that the suit claiming that Ford over-estimated fuel-efficiency numbers on the Fusion and C-Max hybrids had merit.
The U.S. DOJ just appointed Bart Schwartz to be GM’s monitor overseeing the automaker’s safety efforts in the wake of the ignition switch scandal. The refreshing difference between this appointment and NHTSA’s appointment of Rodney Slater as FCA’s monitor is that Schwartz is actually independent. He comes to the post with no conflicts of interest.
NHTSA just appointed a lobbyist working for Takata airbags to oversee Fiat Chrysler’s (FCA) recall of millions of vehicles as an “independent” monitor. Four million of the FCA vehicles recalled were on the list due to defective Takata air bags, yet neither FCA nor Mark Rosekind, head of NHTSA, see a conflict of interest. Really?
General Motors seems to have weathered the worst of its ignition switch scandal, at least in investor’s eyes. Despite deep losses in other countries and huge fines at home, the automaker posted better-than-expected quarter three results. CEO Mary T. Barra says the company isn’t completely clear yet, though.
Williams’ announcement came minutes after Thursday’s midnight strike deadline, and it also comes exactly a week after UAW representatives announced that the 36,000 hourly and 4,000 salaried UAW members rejected the previous contract agreed on by the union and Fiat-Chrysler management by a sizable 65 to 35 margin. Williams said that there were changes made to this agreement from the one rejected, although he has yet to specify the differences. The deal will stave off the immediate threat of a strike, but it still must be approved both UAW local leaders and its members.