Defect Investigations
CAS Fact Sheet: NHTSA Shutdown Endangers American Drivers
October 8, 2013
Fact Sheet: NHTSA Shutdown Endangers American Drivers (.PDF)
The American public has been forced to assume the risk due to the furlough of employees at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency has furloughed 333 of 597 regulatory staff, issuing the following statement:
Vehicle safety complaints not investigated during shutdown
October 9, 2013
David Shepardson
The Detroit News
Washington— The nine-day government shutdown has forced the nation’s auto safety regulator to halt most vehicle safety programs, prompting a House Republican to introduce a bill to fund its operations.
Last week, when an all-electric Tesla Motors Model S caught fire in Washington state, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was unable to send investigators, as it normally would have done.
Shutdown would force NHTSA to stop vehicle investigations – 9/30/13
by David Shepardson
RQ10-003 Index
July 11, 2013
Federal investigators end probe into stuck throttles in Ford Escapes after ABC15 Investigation – 2/28/13After seven months, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed its investigation into a safety defect and recall involving stuck throttles in 2001-2004 model year Ford Escapes and 2001-2008 Mazda Tributes. Despite three reported deaths related to the defect and pressure from auto safety advocates, the agency is not pursuing any civil fines against the automakers for failing to recall the SUVs years earlier. |