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Tag: Auto safety

  • US opens investigation into Ford gasoline leak, saying automaker’s remedy doesn’t fix the problem

    US opens investigation into Ford gasoline leak, saying automaker’s remedy doesn’t fix the problem

    DETROIT — The U.S. government’s auto safety agency has opened an investigation into a Ford recall for gasoline leaks from cracked fuel injectors that can cause engine fires, saying in documents that the remedy doesn’t fix the leaks.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in the documents posted Friday on its website that the probe will “evaluate the adequacy and safety consequences of the remedy” that Ford specifies in the recall.

    The agency moved with unusual speed, posting documents detailing the “recall query” just two days after the recall was made public.

    The recall covers nearly 43,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2022 and 2023 model years, and Escape SUVs from 2022. All have 1.5-liter engines.

    NHTSA said that fuel injectors can crack, causing gasoline or vapors to leak at a high rate onto hot surfaces in the engine compartment.

    The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Ford’s remedy for the leaks is installation of a drain tube to send the gas away from hot surfaces, and a software update to detect a pressure drop in the fuel injection system. If that happens, the software will disable the high pressure fuel pump, reduce engine power and cut temperatures in the engine compartment. Owners also will get a “seek service” message.

    But the safety agency said that Ford’s fix lets fuel drain from a cylinder head hole to the ground below the vehicles. “The recall remedy does not include replacement of the cracked fuel injector,” the agency said.

    Ford said Friday it is working with NHTSA on the investigation.

    The company said in documents that it has reports of five under-hood fires and 14 warranty replacements of fuel injectors, but no reports of crashes or injuries.

    In an email on Wednesday, Ford said it is not replacing fuel injectors because it is confident the recall repairs “will prevent the failure from occurring and protect the customer.” The new software triggers a dashboard warning light and allows customers to drive to a safe location, stop the vehicle and arrange for service, the company said. NHTSA documents filed by Ford say the problem happens only in about 1% of the SUVs.

    The company also said it will extend warranty coverage for cracked fuel injectors, so owners who experience the problem will get replacements. Ford said repairs are already available, and details of the extended warranty will be available in June.

    Ford said the recall is an extension of a 2022 recall for the same problem. The repair has already been tested on vehicles involved in the previous recall, and Ford said it’s not aware of any problems.

    The company also said it isn’t recommending that the SUVs be parked only outdoors because there’s no evidence that fires happen when vehicles are parked and the engines are off.

    NHTSA said in documents that in the 2022 recall, which covered nearly 522,000 Bronco Sports and Escapes, Ford had the same remedy as the latest recall.

    Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, called Ford’s remedy for the fuel leaks a “Band-aid type recall” and said the company is trying to avoid the cost of repairing the fuel injectors.

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  • Most automated driving systems aren’t good making sure drivers pay attention, insurance group says

    Most automated driving systems aren’t good making sure drivers pay attention, insurance group says

    DETROIT — Most electronic systems that take on some driving tasks for humans don’t adequately make sure drivers are paying attention, and they don’t issue strong enough warnings or take other actions to make drivers behave, according to an insurance industry study published Tuesday.

    Only one of 14 partially automated systems tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performed well enough to get an overall “acceptable” rating. Two others were rated “marginal,” while the rest were rated “poor.” No system received the top rating of “good.”

    “Most of them don’t include adequate measures to prevent misuse and keep drivers from losing focus on what’s happening on the road,” said IIHS President David Harkey.

    The institute, Harkey said, came up with the new ratings to get automakers to follow standards, including how closely they watch drivers and how fast the cars issue warnings if drivers aren’t paying attention.

    It also says it is trying to fill a “regulatory void” left by inaction on the systems from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Harkey said the agency needs to do more to set standards for the systems, which are not able to drive vehicles themselves.

    A message was left seeking comment from the agency.

    IIHS safety ratings are closely followed by automakers, which often make changes to comply with them.

    The 14 systems, which include several variations from single automakers, are among the most sophisticated now on the market, Harkey said.

    Only one of the systems, Teammate in the Lexus LS, earned the adequate rating. General Motors‘ Super Cruise in the GMC Sierra and Nissan’s Pro-Pilot Assist with Navi-Link in the Ariya electric vehicle were rated marginal.

    Other systems from Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Ford, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo were rated poor.

    Harkey said the driving systems initially were combinations of safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, lane centering and blind-spot detection. But now they give drivers the chance to not pay attention for some period of time, raising safety risks, he said in an interview.

    “That’s why the focus is on how do we make sure that the driver remains focused on the driving task,” Harkey said.

    Some automakers, he said, market the systems in a way that drivers could think they are fully autonomous. “The one thing we do not want is for drivers to misinterpret what these things can or cannot do,” he said.

    The systems, IIHS said, should be able to see if a driver’s head or eyes are not directed on the road, and whether their hands are on the wheel or ready to grab it if necessary.

    The institute also said if a system doesn’t see a driver’s eyes on the road or hands aren’t ready to steer, there should be audible and visual alerts within 10 seconds. Before 20 seconds, the system should add a third alert or start an emergency procedure to slow down the vehicle, the institute said.

    Automakers should also make sure safety systems such as seat belts and automatic emergency braking are activated before the driving systems can be used, it said.

    None of the 14 systems met all the driver monitoring requirements in the test, but Ford’s came close, the group said.

    Lexus’ Teammate system and GM’s Super Cruise met the warning requirements, while systems from Nissan and Tesla were close.

    Harkey said automakers already are responding to the tests and preparing changes, many of which can be accomplished with software updates.

    Toyota, which makes Lexus vehicles, said it considers IIHS ratings in setting up safety standards, while GM said the IIHS ratings are important. Nissan said it will work with the institute.

    Mercedes said the company said it takes the findings seriously, and it relies on the system collaborating with the driver.

    BMW said it respects IIHS’s efforts, but it differs philosophically about how systems should monitor drivers. One BMW system evaluated by IIHS is not intended for drivers to take their hands off the wheel and only considers input from steering wheel sensors. BMW tests have not found a clear advantage in turning on the driver monitoring camera, the company said. Another more sophisticated system intended for drivers to take hands off the steering wheel uses a camera to watch drivers, the company said.

    Ford said its Blue Cruise system monitors drivers and sends repeated warnings. The company said it disagrees with IIHS’ findings but will consider its feedback in updates.

    Other automakers did not immediately comment.

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  • Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot

    Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot

    DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly all vehicles sold in the U.S., more than 2 million, to update software and fix a defective system that’s supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention when using Autopilot.

    Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the update will increase warnings and alerts to drivers and even limit the areas where basic versions of Autopilot can operate.

    The recall comes after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use. Some were deadly.

    The agency says its investigation found Autopilot’s method of making sure that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate and can lead to “foreseeable misuse of the system.”

    The added controls and alerts will “further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility,” the documents said.

    But safety experts said that, while the recall is a good step, it still makes the driver responsible and doesn’t fix the underlying problem that Tesla’s automated systems have with spotting and stopping for obstacles in their path.

    The recall covers models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7 of this year. The update was to be sent to certain affected vehicles on Tuesday, with the rest getting it later.

    Shares of Tesla slid more than 3% in earlier trading Wednesday but recovered amid a broad stock market rally to end the day up 1%.

    The attempt to address the flaws in Autopilot seemed like a case of too little, too late to Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured in 2019 crash involving a Tesla that was using the technology along a rural stretch of Florida highway where the software isn’t supposed to be deployed.

    “This technology is not safe, we have to get it off the road,” said Angulo, who is suing Tesla as he recovers from injuries that included brain trauma and broken bones. “The government has to do something about it. We can’t be experimenting like this.”

    Autopilot includes features called Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, with Autosteer intended for use on limited access freeways when it’s not operating with a more sophisticated feature called Autosteer on City Streets.

    The software update will limit where Autosteer can be used. “If the driver attempts to engage Autosteer when conditions are not met for engagement, the feature will alert the driver it is unavailable through visual and audible alerts, and Autosteer will not engage,” the recall documents said.

    Depending on a Tesla’s hardware, the added controls include “increasing prominence” of visual alerts, simplifying how Autosteer is turned on and off, and additional checks on whether Autosteer is being used outside of controlled access roads and when approaching traffic control devices. A driver could be suspended from using Autosteer if they repeatedly fail “to demonstrate continuous and sustained driving responsibility,” the documents say.

    According to recall documents, agency investigators met with Tesla starting in October to explain “tentative conclusions” about the fixing the monitoring system. Tesla did not concur with NHTSA’s analysis but agreed to the recall on Dec. 5 in an effort to resolve the investigation.

    Auto safety advocates for years have been calling for stronger regulation of the driver monitoring system, which mainly detects whether a driver’s hands are on the steering wheel. They have called for cameras to make sure a driver is paying attention, which are used by other automakers with similar systems.

    Philip Koopman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University who studies autonomous vehicle safety, called the software update a compromise that doesn’t address a lack of night vision cameras to watch drivers’ eyes, as well as Teslas failing to spot and stop for obstacles.

    “The compromise is disappointing because it does not fix the problem that the older cars do not have adequate hardware for driver monitoring,” Koopman said.

    Koopman and Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, contend that crashing into emergency vehicles is a safety defect that isn’t addressed. “It’s not digging at the root of what the investigation is looking at,” Brooks said. “It’s not answering the question of why are Teslas on Autopilot not detecting and responding to emergency activity?”

    Koopman said NHTSA apparently decided that the software change was the most it could get from the company, “and the benefits of doing this now outweigh the costs of spending another year wrangling with Tesla.”

    In its statement Wednesday, NHTSA said the investigation remains open “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”

    Autopilot can steer, accelerate and brake automatically in its lane, but is a driver-assist system and cannot drive itself, despite its name. Independent tests have found that the monitoring system is easy to fool, so much that drivers have been caught while driving drunk or even sitting in the back seat.

    In its defect report filed with the safety agency, Tesla said Autopilot’s controls “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”

    A message was left early Wednesday seeking further comment from the Austin, Texas, company.

    Tesla says on its website that Autopilot and a more sophisticated Full Self Driving system are meant to help drivers who have to be ready to intervene at all times. Full Self Driving is being tested by Tesla owners on public roads.

    In a statement posted Monday on X, formerly Twitter, Tesla said safety is stronger when Autopilot is engaged.

    NHTSA has dispatched investigators to 35 Tesla crashes since 2016 in which the agency suspects the vehicles were running on an automated system. At least 17 people have been killed.

    The investigations are part of a larger probe by the NHTSA into multiple instances of Teslas using Autopilot crashing into emergency vehicles. NHTSA has become more aggressive in pursuing safety problems with Teslas, including a recall of Full Self Driving software.

    In May, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes NHTSA, said Tesla shouldn’t be calling the system Autopilot because it can’t drive itself.

    —-

    AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke contributed to this story.

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  • BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    DETROIT — BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver’s air bag inflators can blow apart in a crash, hurling metal shrapnel and possibly injuring or killing people in the vehicles.

    U.S. auto safety regulators say in documents posted Saturday that the recall covers 486 X3, X4 and X5 SUVs from the 2014 model year that are equipped with air bags made by Takata Corp. of Japan.

    The recall raises questions about the safety of about 30 million Takata inflators that are under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most have not been recalled.

    Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

    At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured.

    Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding air bags sent Takata into bankruptcy.

    Documents say the inflators in the BMWs have a moisture absorbing chemical called a dessicant that were not part of previous recalls.

    BMW says in documents that in November, it was told of a complaint to NHTSA that the driver’s air bag in a 2014 X3 had ruptured. The automaker began investigating and hasn’t determined an exact cause. But preliminary information points to a manufacturing problem from Feb. 22, 2014 to March 7, 2014, the documents said.

    The German automaker says in documents that it’s still investigating but it has not yet been able to inspect the X3 with the faulty air bag.

    NHTSA records show a complaint saying that on Oct. 23, the inflator on a 2014 X3 exploded in Chicago, sending a large piece of metal into the driver’s lung. The driver also had chest and shoulder cuts that appeared to be caused by shrapnel, the complaint said. A surgeon removed a gold-colored disc from the driver’s lung, according to the complaint, which did not identify the driver.

    NHTSA says Takata air bags with a dessicant are under investigation because they have the potential to explode and expel shrapnel. The investigation opened in 2021 covers more than 30 million inflators in over 200 models from 20 car and truck makers, including Honda, Stellantis, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler Vans, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Mazda, Karma, Fisker, Spartan Fire vehicles.

    The agency decided in May of 2020 not to recall the inflators with the dessicant, but said it would monitor them.

    “While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled dessicated inflators,” the agency said in a document opening the probe.

    A spokeswoman for NHTSA said Saturday she would check into the status of the investigation. A message was left seeking comment from BMW.

    In the BMW recall, dealers will replace the air bags at no cost to owners, who will be notified by letter starting Jan. 16.

    The BMW recall comes after General Motors recalled nearly 900 vehicles in July with Takata inflators that have the dessicant. GM also blamed the problem on a manufacturing defect at Takata.

    In a statement about the GM recall last summer, NHTSA said the agency did not have any data suggesting that other dessicated Takata inflators might rupture.

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  • BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    DETROIT — BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver’s air bag inflators can blow apart in a crash, hurling metal shrapnel and possibly injuring or killing people in the vehicles.

    U.S. auto safety regulators say in documents posted Saturday that the recall covers 486 X3, X4 and X5 SUVs from the 2014 model year that are equipped with air bags made by Takata Corp. of Japan.

    The recall raises questions about the safety of about 30 million Takata inflators that are under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most have not been recalled.

    Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

    At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured.

    Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding air bags sent Takata into bankruptcy.

    Documents say the inflators in the BMWs have a moisture absorbing chemical called a dessicant that were not part of previous recalls.

    BMW says in documents that in November, it was told of a complaint to NHTSA that the driver’s air bag in a 2014 X3 had ruptured. The automaker began investigating and hasn’t determined an exact cause. But preliminary information points to a manufacturing problem from Feb. 22, 2014 to March 7, 2014, the documents said.

    The German automaker says in documents that it’s still investigating but it has not yet been able to inspect the X3 with the faulty air bag.

    NHTSA records show a complaint saying that on Oct. 23, the inflator on a 2014 X3 exploded in Chicago, sending a large piece of metal into the driver’s lung. The driver also had chest and shoulder cuts that appeared to be caused by shrapnel, the complaint said. A surgeon removed a gold-colored disc from the driver’s lung, according to the complaint, which did not identify the driver.

    NHTSA says Takata air bags with a dessicant are under investigation because they have the potential to explode and expel shrapnel. The investigation opened in 2021 covers more than 30 million inflators in over 200 models from 20 car and truck makers, including Honda, Stellantis, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler Vans, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Mazda, Karma, Fisker, Spartan Fire vehicles.

    The agency decided in May of 2020 not to recall the inflators with the dessicant, but said it would monitor them.

    “While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled dessicated inflators,” the agency said in a document opening the probe.

    A spokeswoman for NHTSA said Saturday she would check into the status of the investigation. A message was left seeking comment from BMW.

    In the BMW recall, dealers will replace the air bags at no cost to owners, who will be notified by letter starting Jan. 16.

    The BMW recall comes after General Motors recalled nearly 900 vehicles in July with Takata inflators that have the dessicant. GM also blamed the problem on a manufacturing defect at Takata.

    In a statement about the GM recall last summer, NHTSA said the agency did not have any data suggesting that other dessicated Takata inflators might rupture.

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  • BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver

    DETROIT — BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver’s air bag inflators can blow apart in a crash, hurling metal shrapnel and possibly injuring or killing people in the vehicles.

    U.S. auto safety regulators say in documents posted Saturday that the recall covers 486 X3, X4 and X5 SUVs from the 2014 model year that are equipped with air bags made by Takata Corp. of Japan.

    The recall raises questions about the safety of about 30 million Takata inflators that are under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most have not been recalled.

    Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

    At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured.

    Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding air bags sent Takata into bankruptcy.

    Documents say the inflators in the BMWs have a moisture absorbing chemical called a dessicant that were not part of previous recalls.

    BMW says in documents that in November, it was told of a complaint to NHTSA that the driver’s air bag in a 2014 X3 had ruptured. The automaker began investigating and hasn’t determined an exact cause. But preliminary information points to a manufacturing problem from Feb. 22, 2014 to March 7, 2014, the documents said.

    The German automaker says in documents that it’s still investigating but it has not yet been able to inspect the X3 with the faulty air bag.

    NHTSA records show a complaint saying that on Oct. 23, the inflator on a 2014 X3 exploded in Chicago, sending a large piece of metal into the driver’s lung. The driver also had chest and shoulder cuts that appeared to be caused by shrapnel, the complaint said. A surgeon removed a gold-colored disc from the driver’s lung, according to the complaint, which did not identify the driver.

    NHTSA says Takata air bags with a dessicant are under investigation because they have the potential to explode and expel shrapnel. The investigation opened in 2021 covers more than 30 million inflators in over 200 models from 20 car and truck makers, including Honda, Stellantis, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Tesla, BMW, Toyota, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler Vans, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Mazda, Karma, Fisker, Spartan Fire vehicles.

    The agency decided in May of 2020 not to recall the inflators with the dessicant, but said it would monitor them.

    “While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled dessicated inflators,” the agency said in a document opening the probe.

    A spokeswoman for NHTSA said Saturday she would check into the status of the investigation. A message was left seeking comment from BMW.

    In the BMW recall, dealers will replace the air bags at no cost to owners, who will be notified by letter starting Jan. 16.

    The BMW recall comes after General Motors recalled nearly 900 vehicles in July with Takata inflators that have the dessicant. GM also blamed the problem on a manufacturing defect at Takata.

    In a statement about the GM recall last summer, NHTSA said the agency did not have any data suggesting that other dessicated Takata inflators might rupture.

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  • Toyota recalls 751,000 Highlanders in the US to make sure bumper covers and hardware can’t fall off

    Toyota recalls 751,000 Highlanders in the US to make sure bumper covers and hardware can’t fall off

    Toyota is recalling about 751,000 large SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with the tabs that hold the front bumper covers on

    ByThe Associated Press

    October 26, 2023, 1:08 PM

    DETROIT — Toyota is recalling about 751,000 large SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with the tabs that hold the front bumper covers on.

    The recall covers certain Toyota Highlanders from the 2020 through 2023 model years including gas-electric hybrids.

    The company says in a statement that the SUVs have resin front lower bumper covers that are connected with mounting tabs. If there’s a even a minor impact to the lower bumper cover assembly, the mounting tabs could detach, and parts of the assembly could fall into the road and become a hazard.

    Dealers will inspect the bumper cover tabs for damage. If there isn’t any, they’ll install improved hardware to hold the covers. If damage is found, dealers will replace the upper and/or lower bumper covers and add the improved hardware.

    Toyota says it will notify owners by late December. Owners can check to see if their Highlander is affected by going to nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering vehicle identification or license plate numbers, the company said.

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  • Drive a Hyundai or Kia? See if your car is one of the nearly 3.4 million under recall for fire risks

    Drive a Hyundai or Kia? See if your car is one of the nearly 3.4 million under recall for fire risks

    DETROIT — Nearly 3.4 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the U.S. are under recall due to the risk of engine compartment fires and it’s important for drivers to check if their car is one of them.

    Both the companies and federal regulators are warning owners of the recalled vehicles to park them outdoors until repairs are made. Mail notifications about the recalls won’t begin until November, but owners can check right now to see if their vehicle in on the list — which covers multiple car and SUV models from the model years 2010 through 2019.

    Here’s what you need to know about the recalls and what to do if your car is impacted by it.

    According to documents posted this week by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an anti-lock brake control module in recalled vehicles can leak fluid and cause an electrical short, which can touch off a fire whether the cars or being driven, or are parked.

    Hyundai has already reported 21 fires in the U.S. vehicles, and another 22 “thermal incidents” including smoke, burning and melting of parts, according to government documents.

    No related crashes or injuries have been reported by the companies as of Wednesday.

    Affected Kia models include the 2010 through 2019 Borrego, the 2014 to 2016 Cadenza, 2010 through 2013 Forte, Forte Koup and Sportage, the 2015 to 2018 K900, the 2011 to 2015 Optima, the 2011 to 2013 Optima Hybrid and Soul, the 2012 to 2017 Rio, the 2011 to 2014 Sorento, and the 2010 to 2011 Rondo.

    Hyundai models covered by the recall include the 2011 to 2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, and Sonata Hybrid, the 2012 to 2015 Accent, Azera, and Veloster, the 2013 to 2015 Elantra Coupe and Santa Fe, the 2014 to 2015 Equus, the 2010 to 2012 Veracruz, the 2010 to 2013 Tucson, the 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and the 2013 Santa Fe Sport.

    Owners can go to www.nhtsa.gov/recalls — as well as Kia and Hyundai’s websites — and use their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their vehicle is affected. Automakers also have 60 days to notify owners of recalled vehicles by letter, but the mailings can happen sooner, the NHTSA said.

    Both the automakers and the NHTSA are warning impacted owners to park their vehicles outdoors until repairs are made. Kia and Hyundai also advised parking the recalled cars away from structures.

    Dealers will replace the anti-lock brake fuse at no cost to owners. Kia says in documents that it will send notification letters to owners starting Nov. 14. For Hyundai, the notifications will begin is Nov. 21.

    Hyundai says that owners can continue to drive the vehicles. The company said an O-ring in the antilock brake motor shaft can lose sealing strength over time due to the presence of moisture, dirt and dissolved metals in the brake fluid, causing leaks. The new fuse limits the operating current of the brake module, the company said.

    In a separate statement, Kia said an engine compartment fire could happen in the area of the brake control unit due to an electrical short that results in excessive current — but the exact cause of the short circuit is unknown.

    Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, questioned why the companies aren’t fixing the leak problem and why they are waiting so long to send letters to owners.

    The remedy is replacing one fuse with another, but brake fluid can still leak, potentially causing a safety problem, he said. Brooks also questioned why NHTSA is allowing the companies to only replace a fuse, and why owners aren’t being sent interim letters immediately warning them of a serious problem.

    Statements from both companies don’t address why the fluid leaks aren’t being repaired or why it will take about two months to notify owners by letter. Spokespeople for both companies said Wednesday they would look into the questions.

    NHTSA said that under the federal motor vehicle safety act, automakers can choose the remedy to fix a defect. The agency said it will monitor the effectiveness of the repairs and open an investigation if warranted.

    Hyundai and Kia have been plagued by fire problems since 2015. The Center for Auto Safety successfully petitioned U.S. regulators to seek recalls in 2018 and says on its website that the automakers have recalled more than 9.2 million vehicles for fires and engine problems, not including the recalls announced Wednesday.

    In addition, NHTSA is investigating 3 million vehicles made by the automakers from the 2011 through 2016 model years. NHTSA says it’s received 161 complaints of engine fires, some of which occurred in vehicles that had already been recalled.

    In June 2018, NHTSA said it had received owner complaints of more than 3,100 fires, 103 injuries and one death. Hyundai and Kia were fined by NHTSA in 2020 for moving too slowly to recall vehicles that were prone to engine failures.

    ________________

    AP Business Reporter Wyatte Grantham-Philips contributed to this report from New York.

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  • US steps toward forcing recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel

    US steps toward forcing recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel

    DETROIT — The U.S. government is taking a big step toward forcing a defiant Tennessee company to recall 52 million air bag inflators that could explode, hurl shrapnel and injure or kill people.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it has made an initial decision that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc., and under license by another company, are defective. The agency scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 5, a required step before deciding to seek a court-ordered recall.

    In May the agency asked ARC to recall the inflators, which it says are responsible for at least seven injuries and two deaths in the U.S. and Canada since 2009. But ARC has refused to issue a full-scale recall, setting the stage for the possible court fight.

    Messages were left Tuesday seeking comment from ARC. The company maintains that no safety defect exists, that NHTSA’s demand is based on a hypothesis rather than technical conclusions, and that the agency has no authority to order a parts manufacturer to announce recalls.

    “These air bag inflators may rupture when the vehicle’s air bag is commanded to deploy, causing metal debris to be forcefully ejected into the passenger compartment of the vehicle,” NHTSA wrote in an initial decision document. “A rupturing air bag inflator poses an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.”

    NHTSA wants ARC to recall inflators in driver and passenger front air bags from at least a dozen automakers. Neither ARC nor the auto industry has released a full list of vehicle models with the kind of air bag inflators that have exploded. But at least 25 million of the 284 million vehicles on U.S. roads are believed to contain them.

    Owners of vehicles made by at least a dozen auto brands — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Hyundai and Kia — are left to wonder anxiously whether their vehicles contain driver or front passenger inflators made by ARC.

    Though ARC is resisting a full-scale recall, automakers have conducted seven smaller recalls of inflators since 2017 that were attributed to isolated manufacturing problems. Those recalls included one that General Motors announced in May involving nearly 1 million vehicles. Ultimately, automakers are responsible for the recalls.

    Initially NHTSA said that an estimated 67 million inflators should be recalled, but it revised the number to 52 million due to manufacturer responses in its investigation that over-counted the number, the agency said in documents issued Tuesday.

    NHTSA contends that byproducts from welding during manufacturing can clog a vent inside the inflator canister that is designed to let gas escape to quickly fill air bags in a crash. In the defective products, pressure can build to the point where the canister is blown apart.

    The inflators that NHTSA seeks to recall are from before 2018, when ARC finished installing scopes to monitor welding byproducts and the vents. NHTSA said in April that it was unaware of any explosions involving inflators that were manufactured after the scopes were installed.

    ARC, acquired in 2016 by Chinese real estate developer Yinyi Group, has said in letters to the government that it can’t state for sure whether its inflators might rupture again.

    “Even with appropriate industry standards and efforts by manufacturers to minimize the risks of failures, the manufacturing processes may not completely eliminate the risk of occasional or isolated failures,” ARC wrote.

    The company further argued that the federal motor vehicle safety act “does not require vehicles and equipment to never experience a failure in the field. Rather the Safety Act seeks to protect the public against unreasonable risks.”

    ARC said that during NHTSA’s eight-year investigation into the inflators, air bag makers, automakers and the government have been informed of any unexplained ruptures on the roads.

    But NHTSA wrote on Tuesday that it’s aware of seven U.S. ruptures of ARC inflators and at least two outside the U.S. A rupture happened as recently as March 22, the agency said, adding that inflators have exploded outside of groups that were previously recalled.

    “An inflator that explosively ruptures, propelling metal fragments at high velocity into an occupied passenger compartment of a motor vehicle — and into the occupants themselves — cannot simply be dismissed as a normal manufacturing anomaly, with vehicle owners left uninformed yet bearing the risk of the peril they and their occupants face,” the agency wrote.

    One person who died after an ARC inflator explosion was Marlene Beaudoin, a 40-year-old mother of 10 from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She was struck by metal fragments when her 2015 Chevrolet Traverse SUV was involved in a minor crash in 2021. Beaudoin and four of her sons had been on their way to get ice cream. The sons were not hurt.

    Steve Polich, a Michigan attorney representing Beaudoin’s family in a lawsuit against ARC, General Motors and air bag assembly maker Toyoda Gosei, welcomed NHTSA’s finding and said in an email that it supports his case.

    ____

    This story has been corrected to show that at least 25 million vehicles could have the ARC air bag inflators, not 33 million.

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  • Kia recall to fix trunk latch that won’t open from the inside, which could leave people trapped

    Kia recall to fix trunk latch that won’t open from the inside, which could leave people trapped

    Kia is recalling about 320,000 cars in the U.S. to fix a problem that could stop the trunk from being opened from the inside

    FILE – The company logo shines off the hood of a 2021 K5 sedan on display in the Kia exhibit at the Denver auto show Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, at Elitch’s Gardens in downtown Denver. Kia is recalling about 320,000 cars in the U.S. to fix a problem that could stop the trunk from being opened from the inside, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. The recall covers the Optima midsize car from 2016 through 2018, Optima hybrids and plug-ins from 2017 and 2018, and the Rio small car from 2016 and 2017. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

    The Associated Press

    DETROIT — Kia is recalling about 320,000 cars in the U.S. to fix a problem that could prevent the trunk from being opened from the inside.

    The recall covers the Optima midsize car from 2016 through 2018, Optima hybrids and plug-ins from 2017 and 2018, and the Rio small car from 2016 and 2017.

    Kia says in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that the trunk latch base can crack, and may not open from the inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says a person inside the trunk could become trapped.

    Dealers will replace part of the trunk latch base. Owners will be notified by letter starting Oct. 19.

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  • Ford recalls 870K F-150 pickups in US because parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    Ford recalls 870K F-150 pickups in US because parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    Ford is recalling more than 870,000 F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    FILE – This Oct. 24, 2021 file photo shows a Ford company logo on a sign at a Ford dealership in southeast Denver. Ford Motor is reporting earnings on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

    The Associated Press

    DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford is recalling more than 870,000 newer F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly.

    The recall covers certain pickups from the 2021 through 2023 model years with single exhaust systems. Ford’s F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the U.S.

    The company says in documents posted by government safety regulators Friday that a rear wiring bundle can come in contact with the rear axle housing. That can chafe the wiring and cause a short circuit, which can turn on the parking brake without action from the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Drivers may see a parking brake warning light and a warning message on the dashboard.

    Ford says in documents that it has 918 warranty claims and three field reports of wire chafing in North America. Of these, 299 indicated unexpected parking brake activation, and 19 of these happened while the trucks were being driven.

    The company says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.

    Dealers will inspect the rear wiring harness. If protective tape is worn through, the harness will be replaced. If the tape isn’t worn, dealers will install a protective tie strap and tape wrap.

    Owners will be notified by letter starting Sept. 11.

    Owners with questions can call Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332.

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  • Ford recalls 870K F-150 pickups in US because parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    Ford recalls 870K F-150 pickups in US because parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    Ford is recalling more than 870,000 F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly

    FILE – This Oct. 24, 2021 file photo shows a Ford company logo on a sign at a Ford dealership in southeast Denver. Ford Motor is reporting earnings on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

    The Associated Press

    DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford is recalling more than 870,000 newer F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly.

    The recall covers certain pickups from the 2021 through 2023 model years with single exhaust systems. Ford’s F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the U.S.

    The company says in documents posted by government safety regulators Friday that a rear wiring bundle can come in contact with the rear axle housing. That can chafe the wiring and cause a short circuit, which can turn on the parking brake without action from the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Drivers may see a parking brake warning light and a warning message on the dashboard.

    Ford says in documents that it has 918 warranty claims and three field reports of wire chafing in North America. Of these, 299 indicated unexpected parking brake activation, and 19 of these happened while the trucks were being driven.

    The company says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.

    Dealers will inspect the rear wiring harness. If protective tape is worn through, the harness will be replaced. If the tape isn’t worn, dealers will install a protective tie strap and tape wrap.

    Owners will be notified by letter starting Sept. 11.

    Owners with questions can call Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332.

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  • Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system gets closer look as US seeks details on recent changes

    Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system gets closer look as US seeks details on recent changes

    DETROIT — U.S. automobile safety regulators are zeroing in on changes that Tesla has made to its Autopilot partially automated driving system, including how it makes sure drivers pay attention and how it detects and responds to objects.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked for details of changes made to all versions of the system including dates and detailed descriptions, according to a post on its site Thursday.

    The request is part of a larger investigation into why Teslas operating on Autopilot have struck emergency vehicles that are stopped along highways while they are responding to other incidents. It covers all versions of automated driving system including “Full Self-Driving,” which is being tested on public roads by Tesla owners.

    The agency has been investigating crashes involving Teslas using the system since August of 2021. Investigators have sent teams to probe more than 30 crashes since 2016 that have caused at least 14 deaths.

    In a letter dated July 3 and posted on the agency’s website Thursday, NHTSA asks Tesla to describe all changes to the systems in the “design, material composition, manufacture, quality control, supply, function, or installation of the subject system, from the start of production to date.”

    Tesla must respond to the request by July 19, or it could face civil penalties, the letter states. It asks the electric vehicle maker to update a previous response dated Sept. 19 of last year.

    A message was left early Thursday seeking comment from Tesla. The company says on its website that neither Autopilot nor “Full Self-Driving” can drive themselves and that drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.

    The letter also asks for which Tesla vehicles had cameras installed in the cabin to monitor drivers, and whether the system uses “Tesla Vision” which relies only on cameras to view the road and does not use radar.

    NHTSA’s request includes changes that Tesla made as part of a February recall of “Full Self-Driving” software. NHTSA pressured Tesla into recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with the software because the system can break traffic laws. The problem was to be fixed with an online software update.

    NHTSA said in recall documents that the system can make unsafe actions such as traveling straight through an intersection from a turn-only lane, going through a yellow traffic light without proper caution or failing to respond to speed limit changes.

    The documents said that Tesla does not agree with the agency’s analysis of the problem. The company was to fix the problems with an online software update.

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he expects to have fully autonomous vehicles this year, a pledge he has made for several years. “The trend is very clearly toward full self-driving,” Musk said in April. “And I hesitate to say this, but I think we’ll do it this year.”

    The system is being tested on public roads by as many as 400,000 Tesla owners.

    NHTSA also has opened investigations during the past three years into Teslas braking suddenly for no reason, suspension problems and other issues.

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  • Highway safety agency reports power problems in 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SUVs

    Highway safety agency reports power problems in 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SUVs

    U.S. regulators say multiple U.S. owners of Hyundai’s popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, many after hearing a loud popping noise

    FILE – Bollywood actor and brand ambassador of Hyundai Shah Rukh Khan attends the launch of IONIQ 5 electric car at the Auto Expo in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Multiple U.S. owners of Hyundai’s popular IONIQ 5 electric SUV have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, many after hearing a loud popping noise, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday, Saturday, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)

    The Associated Press

    DETROIT — Multiple U.S. owners of Hyundai‘s popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, many after hearing a loud popping noise, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday.

    The agency said in a notice posted online that it received 30 complaints about the problem in 2022 models, of which it estimated 39,500 were on U.S. highways.

    The Office of Defects Investigation at the NHTSA has opened a preliminary investigation and says Hyundai indicated in an initial review that a power surge was damaging transistors, preventing vehicles’ 12-volt battery from recharging.

    A Hyundai spokesperson did not immediately respond to phone and email queries from The Associated Press asking if the complaints might lead to a service recall.

    Technical problems accompanying automakers’ growing global rollout of electric vehicles to fight climate change have included battery recalls because of the potential for fires. Last month, Jaguar recalled more than 6,000 I-Pace electric SUVs in the U.S. due to the risk of the high-voltage battery catching fire.

    General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis and Volkswagen have also issued recalls since February of 2020, most due to internal battery failures that can increase the risk of fires.

    The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board also investigated a series of fires in Tesla vehicles and said the high-voltage lithium-ion batteries pose safety risks to first responders after crashes.

    Many governments are counting on EVs to replace gasoline-burning vehicles that emit greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

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  • Ford recalls 310,000 trucks to fix problem with driver’s front air bag

    Ford recalls 310,000 trucks to fix problem with driver’s front air bag

    Ford is recalling more than 310,000 trucks in the U.S. because the driver’s front air bag may not inflate in a crash

    FILE – A Ford sign is shown at a dealership in Springfield, Pa., Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain 2004 to 2006 Ranger vehicles, Friday, May 5, 2023, because replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter that the recall includes 231,942 vehicles. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

    The Associated Press

    DETROIT — Ford is recalling more than 310,000 trucks in the U.S. because the driver’s front air bag may not inflate in a crash.

    The recall covers certain F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks from the 2016 model year.

    The company says dust can accumulate in a cable inside the steering wheel, interrupting the electrical connection. Ford says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.

    Dealers will replace the steering wheel wiring assembly at no cost to owners, who will be notified starting July 5.

    Owners may hear popping or clicking noises inside the steering wheel, or steering wheel switches and the horn might not work. They may also see an air bag warning light notifying them of the problem.

    .

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  • Ford recalls some vehicles for air bag inflator installation

    Ford recalls some vehicles for air bag inflator installation

    Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain 2004 to 2006 Ranger vehicles because replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly

    Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain 2004 to 2006 Ranger vehicles because replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter that the recall includes 231,942 vehicles.

    The vehicles had received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The NHTSA said that an incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

    Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, if needed, for free.

    Notification letters are expected to be mailed to owners of the impacted vehicles on May 22.

    Ford recalled about 98,000 Rangers for the same problem in February, and the recent action adds about 133,000 of the pickups.

    Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA at vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

    Ford recalled about 98,000 Rangers for the same problem in February, and the recent action adds about 133,000 of the pickups.

    A day earlier, BMW warned the owners of about 90,000 older vehicles in the U.S. not to drive them due to an increasing threat that the air bags might explode in a crash.

    The warning covers vehicles from the 2000 through 2006 model years that previously had been recalled to replace faulty and dangerous air bag inflators made by Takata.

    The company used volatile ammonium nitrate to inflate the air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to heat and humidity and blow apart a metal canister, hurling shrapnel that can injure or kill drivers and passengers.

    Since 2009, the exploding air bags made by Takata have killed at least 33 people worldwide, including 24 in the United States. Most of the deaths and about 400 injuries have happened in U.S., but they also have occurred in Australia and Malaysia.

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  • GM recalling Bolt EVs; seat belt problem could cause fires

    GM recalling Bolt EVs; seat belt problem could cause fires

    DETROIT — General Motors is recalling nearly 140,000 Chevrolet Bolt electric cars in the U.S. and Canada to fix a seat belt problem that can cause fires.

    The recall covers certain Bolt hatchbacks from the 2017 to 2023 model years, but does not include Bolt utility vehicles or Bolts made for Cruise, GM’s autonomous vehicle unit.

    GM said in a statement Tuesday that in rare cases, exhaust gases from the front seat belt pretensioners can come in contact with carpet fibers after a crash, potentially causing a fire. The company found three reports of fires that could have been caused by the problem. The severity of those was unknown.

    Dealers will install metal foil along the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Some vehicles will get a pretensioner cover.

    Seat belt pretensioners have sensors that determine a crash is imminent, and they pull a passenger into the proper seating position before a crash, slowing the passenger’s speed.

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