Defect Investigations
2004-05 Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey Transmission Problems
Ford Minivans Investigated for Transmission Failure, NY Times, 11-19-09
NHTSA EA09-016 Investigation Opening Resume, 11-10-09
Class Action Complaint, 6-8-10
Government Deepens Investigation of Saturn Ion for Steering Problem
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is a step closer to concluding that General Motors should have recalled 384,000 Saturn Ions in 2010 as part of a larger recall that covered one million Chevrolets and Pontiacs for a steering problem.
The agency posted a document on its Web site over the weekend saying that it upgraded its investigation into Saturn Ions from the 2004-7 model years as a result of heightened concern that a sudden loss of electric power steering could cause crashes.
Ford Minivans Investigated for Transmission Failure
By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has intensified its investigation into transmission failures on about 205,000 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans from the 2004-2005 model years.
The agency began a preliminary evaluation in July, saying it had received 178 complaints from owners about transmission failure. Some cases resulted “in a sudden loss of vehicle propulsion.”
Woman Asks U.S. to Investigate Honda Accord Hybrid
A little more than five years after a crash killed Lalitha Seetharaman’s husband, Gautam, she is hoping the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be able to confirm her contention that her Honda Accord Hybrid’s brakes were responsible for his death.
To obtain that information, she is employing a little-used and little-known federal regulation that requires the safety agency to consider carrying out a defect investigation.
U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Results from NHTSA-NASA Study of Unintended Acceleration in Toyota Vehicles
DOT 16-11
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Contact: Olivia Alair
Tel: (202) 366-4570