Tesla earns best crash test ratings — ever

Posted on August 22, 2013 by admin

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that the Tesla Model S earned a 5-star rating — in each crash configuration — front, side, rear, and rollover.

The agency’s testing also showed that the Model S set a new record for the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants, based on specific scoring.

According to Tesla, the vehicle’s unique design creates major injury-prevention advantages. The California-based automaker explained, “The Model S has the advantage in the front of not having a large gasoline engine block, thus creating a much longer crumple zone to absorb a high speed impact. This is fundamentally a force over distance problem – the longer the crumple zone, the more time there is to slow down occupants at g loads that do not cause injuries.”

The sedan’s low center of gravity and the mid-mount position of the battery pack also make the vehicle remarkably stable and unlikely to tip over, particularly when compared with SUVs and minivans with much higher centers of gravity.

Despite its stellar safety performance, Tesla still faces an uphill battle with auto dealers, who seek to force the company to stop selling vehicles directly to the public, instead of making its customers spend an average of 4 hours at a car dealership in order to drive a Tesla home.

US Senators Schumer, Murkowski, Boxer, and McCaskill introduce bill to ban rental car companies from renting recalled vehicles to consumers

Posted on May 9, 2013 by admin

LEGISLATION TO RECEIVE HEARING FOR FIRST TIME

A Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduces Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 That Would Close A Dangerous Loophole That Allows Rental Car Companies To Rent Or Sell Recalled Vehicles That Are Unlawful for Car Dealers to Sell

Legislation is Named for California Girls Killed When Recalled Rental Car Caught Fire and Has Support of Rental Car Industry – Bill to Receive Hearing in Commerce Subcommittee For the First Time

Senators: Keeping Defective and Potentially Dangerous Cars Off the Road Is a Matter of Life and Death

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduced legislation that would ban car rental companies from allowing consumers to rent or sell vehicles that are under manufacturer recall. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 is supported by all the major car rental companies – Hertz, Enterprise, Avis Budget, Dollar Thrifty, and National – as well as the American Car Rental Association – together representing virtually 100 percent of the rental car market.

While current law prohibits car dealerships from selling recalled vehicles to consumers, no law bans rental car companies from doing the same or renting them to unsuspecting consumers. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 would keep unsafe rental cars that have been recalled off the road. Later this month, Senator Claire McCaskill, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Consumer Protection Subcommittee, intends to hold a hearing on the bill.

“Rental car companies are rolling the dice with passengers’ lives each and every time they rent a car that’s under a recall,” said Senator Schumer. “This practice has already proved tragic. Most rental companies have now changed their policies, but we need a law to ensure that recalled cars are never again driven off of rental lots. This bipartisan bill is a common sense safety measure, and I’m very grateful that Senator McCaskill has agreed to hold a hearing on it.”

“This legislation honors the memory of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck – two beautiful girls who lost their lives in a senseless tragedy – by ensuring that no other family will have to fear that the rental car they are driving is unsafe,” said Senator Boxer. “Because of the tireless work of their mother, Cally, we are able to introduce this bipartisan bill today that will make sure that vehicles rented or sold by rental car companies are safe and sound.”

“Our goals for this legislation are twofold—to protect families, and to prevent undue burdens for employers—and this agreement succeeds on both fronts,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, which will hold a hearing on the legislation later this month. “Neither side got everything they wanted, but by everybody giving a little, we’re getting a lot—and that’s what compromise is all about.”

“No other family should have to endure such horrific losses just because a rental car company didn’t bother to ensure that their cars are not being recalled due to safety defects,” said Cally Houck, the mother of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck.

Rosemary Shahan, President of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety added, “We’re optimistic that Congress will act to stop all rental car companies from playing ‘rental car roulette’ with their customers’ lives.”

In 2004, sisters Raechel and Jacqueline Houck were killed driving a rental car that had been recalled for a power steering hose defect but had not been repaired. The car caught fire because of the defect while traveling on the highway, causing a loss of steering and a head-on collision with a semi-trailer truck. The young women died in the crash. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 is needed to ensure this tragedy is not repeated.

Getting unsafe vehicles off the road is integral to improving safety and saving lives. This is why current law requires manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or do not meet federal safety standards. Current law also prohibits auto dealers from selling a new car under recall unless the defect has been remedied. The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 would, for the first time, hold rental companies to the same standard as auto dealers. Specifically, the bill:

· Prohibits Rental or Sale of Vehicles Subject to a Safety Recall. Under the senators’ plan, vehicles may not be rented or sold until the vehicles are fixed, consistent with existing law for new car dealers, who have been prohibited from selling or leasing recalled vehicles for decades. Rental companies would be permitted to sell a damaged vehicle subject to recall for parts or scrap with a junk title.

· Requires Rental Companies to Ground Vehicles Under a Safety Recall. The bill would ensure that vehicles under a safety recall will be grounded as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after the rental company gets the safety recall notice. Rental companies will have up to 48 hours for recalls that include more than 5,000 vehicles in their fleet.

· Permits Rental Companies to Rely on Temporary Measures Identified by Manufacturers. If a manufacturer’s recall notice specifies steps that can be taken to eliminate the safety risk until parts are available, a rental company may continue to rent the vehicle if those measures are put in place but must ground and repair the vehicle once parts become available.

· Ensures NHTSA Has Tools Necessary to Protect Consumers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will have authority to investigate and police rental companies’ recall safety practices.

The Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013 is supported by Carol (Cally) Houck – mother of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Center for Auto Safety, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Action, National Association of Consumer Advocates, and Trauma Foundation.

The bill has been endorsed by all the major car rental companies – Hertz, Enterprise, Avis Budget, Dollar Thrifty, and National – as well as the American Car Rental Association. The bill also is supported by the Truck Renting and Leasing Association, representing the vast majority of truck renting and leasing operations in the United States, as well as AAA and State Farm.

Enterprise

“Although most of the car rental industry already prohibits renting or selling recalled cars if they haven’t been repaired, lawmakers can further reassure car rental customers across the board by supporting and voting in favor of this important federal legislation. As a result, we will continue advocating on behalf of this bill and working diligently with consumer advocates, the American Car Rental Association and other key stakeholders to help get it passed.”

The American Car Rental Association

“The American Car Rental Association (ACRA) is pleased to join with consumer advocates in support of this legislation, which prohibits the rental of any vehicle that has an unrepaired safety recall and addresses certain practical implementation issues of our industry. It is critically important that Congress codify what most of the car rental industry voluntarily enacted last year. By formally creating a uniform standard, both car-rental and car-sharing customers will have even greater confidence going forward no matter where they rent their vehicles.”

Hertz

“Hertz supports efforts to prohibit car rental companies from renting or selling recalled cars if they haven’t been repaired. The major companies do an excellent job handling recalls, and consumers should have confidence that the cars they drive are safe; this legislation will help improve the public’s perception of our industry’s commitment to safety.”

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Chrysler refuses to recall its flaming Jeeps — Act Now!

Posted on February 26, 2013 by admin

Over 287 people have died in 202 fiery crashes involving 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees, more than the ill-famed Ford Pinto in the 1970s. Yet Chrysler continues to refuse to recall their flaming Jeeps.

Please help stop innocent people from being burned to death in Jeeps designed with the gas tanks behind the rear axle, where rear-end collisions cause the tanks to rupture and explode.

A courageous woman from Virginia who witnessed a horrific crash, which cost a mother and teenager their lives, has filed an online petition. Once you read it, you’ll know why those Jeeps have to be recalled — and why it’s important to add your name to the growing list of concerned consumers calling on Chrysler to stop the carnage —

Here’s where you can sign Janelle’s petition

Who needs car dealers?

Posted on February 19, 2013 by admin

If you want a new car, unless you are buying a Tesla, you are probably going to be forced to buy from a car dealer. That’s because car dealers in all 50 states have paid legislators handsomely to enact special franchise laws that give them monopolies over new car sales. This leaves new car buyers with little choice, but to buy from a dealer.

But used cars are another story. Each year, millions of American consumers buy and sell used cars directly to each other — without having to pay a middleman. Why is this kind of transaction so popular?

You can save thousands of dollars

You can avoid major headaches and hassles

You can get a newer, cleaner-running, safer, better vehicle — for the same amount of money you would have paid for an older, dirtier, less safe vehicle from a dealer.

According to the Better Business Bureau, year after year, auto dealers are the #1 source of consumer complaints to the BBB. So why go there?

The average dealership sales transaction takes approximately 4 hours, and is designed to wear you down and get you to the point where you will sign anything, just to get it over with and leave. Some consumers have been literally held hostage at dealerships that took the keys to their cars– supposedly to evaluate them as a trade-in — then refused to give them back — until they bought a car.

Common scams you can avoid when you buy from a private person —

Sales of unsafe, recalled vehicles — it seems incredible, but — the National Automobile Dealers Association has taken the official position that its dealer members should be able to sell you an unsafe, recalled used car that hasn’t been fixed. Even though the fix is FREE. In some cases, innocent, unsuspecting used car buyers have been maimed or killed in recalled vehicles sold to them by licensed dealers — who claim it’s not their responsibility if the car was under a recall.

“Yo-yo” financing — basically, bait and switch on the terms of the loan. You sign a contract with the dealer, that says you’re going to pay 4% or 5% interest. You leave a down payment and trade in your old car. You drive off the lot and everything seems fine. Then you get a call from the dealer telling you that you have to come back because the financing “fell through” — which is a lie. But if you refuse to return and sign a new contract to buy the car at, say, 16% interest, or give the dealer a bigger down payment, or both, the dealer threatens to repossess your car, or report it as stolen. The dealer refuses to give you back your down payment and traded-in vehicle, to trap you and keep you from being able to go elsewhere to buy.

Dealer “markups” — hidden kickbacks that increase the price of auto loans from car dealers, and cost consumers over $25.8 billion in a single year. Dealers get kickbacks from lenders, in exchange for raising the interest rate on your car loan beyond the rate you actually qualify to get. This extra charge is not based on risk, but on the dealer’s assessment of how much they can get away with charging you, after sizing you up, including checking out your profile in databases that have your personal information sliced and diced by literally hundreds of criteria.

Unsafe, Recalled Used Cars for Sale on Dealer Lots

Posted on February 4, 2013 by admin

Used car dealers across the nation persist in foisting off unsafe, recalled vehicles on an unsuspecting public. Motor vehicles rank among the most hazardous consumer products in the nation, in terms of fatalities, serious and debilitating injuries, and economic costs to our country.

Fortunately, car dealers are prohibited by federal law from selling or leasing NEW cars that are being recalled by the manufacturer. But unfortunately, there is no such law to protect USED car buyers.

Each year, about 40 million people purchase used cars. But the powerful auto dealer lobby — which received billions of taxpayer dollars during the Great Recession — has blocked attempts in Congress to protect used car buyers from unsafe, defective recalled cars being sold at dealerships.

News organizations have repeatedly identified this problem. In 2010, the non-partisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that Congress address the threat posed by unsafe, recalled used cars. But so far, Congress has failed to act. Auto dealers are not even required to report fatal or injury crashes involving recalled vehicles they sell to the public, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CBS’ Early Show investigated sales of recalled, used cars and found unfixed, recalled cars on lots scattered across the country. When they asked if the cars were being recalled, sales personnel assured them that they wouldn’t have them for sale if they were being recalled. If only that were true.

According to CBS’ Early Show: “A dealer in Oklahoma sold Tabitha Gordon a used Durango in 2009. She was driving with her son, Kaden, when the lights, wipers and locks went haywire. Gordon said of the incident, “I felt like I was in a twilight zone. … The plastic that covers the speedometer had popped, and smoke started billowing into the vehicle.”

She managed to pull over and get Kaden out as the car caught on fire. [“Early Show” Consumer Correspondent Susan] Koeppen said it turns out Gordon was sold a car that had been recalled for an electrical defect. “We were told that it was safe and it would be a safe vehicle for our family,” Gordon said. “And it wasn’t, it was far from it.”

Watch video: CBS Early Show — Recalled Used Cars Up For Sale

Can you imagine how awful it would be, for your car to catch on fire, when you have your child strapped in a child safety seat in the back? What if you are driving with several children who are strapped in? Would you be able to get all of them out in time, before the car explodes?

Auto dealers complain that it’s too much bother for them to find out if a car is being recalled and get it fixed, before offering it for sale. They would rather risk your life, and your family’s safety, than take the time to call the manufacturer’s toll free number and check the car’s status, or visit the manufacturer’s website, online, and get the car fixed — for free.

CARS believes that even if you can’t afford a new car, or if you simply decide that a used car is a better deal, you and your family still deserve to be safe.

What can you to to protect yourself from unsafe, recalled used cars? When you find a car you like, NEVER take the car dealer’s word for it that the car does not have a safety recall pending. As reporters have repeatedly documented, car dealers are prone to lying about safety recalls, even if you ask them face-to-face about a specific car.

Instead, BEFORE you buy, do your own research. Note the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is stamped on a small plate on the dashboard, visible through the windshield. Call the auto manufacturer’s toll-free number and ask if all the recall work has already been done. Or check the auto manufacturer’s website, under “safety recalls,” and enter the VIN. You can also contact a local dealership that sells that make of vehicle, and ask them to double-check for you. Since new car dealers get paid to do recall repairs on makes they sell, at least they have some incentive to tell you the truth.

Buyer Beware: Auto dealers selling unsafe, recalled cars — without fixing them first

Posted on December 8, 2012 by admin

One of the reasons many car buyers purchase used cars from an auto dealer is to get a car that they think is safer. But are they really safe? Not necessarily. Each year, millions of used cars are sold, without the safety recall work being done. Many are being sold by so-called “reputable” auto dealers.

The harsh reality — dealers are prohibited from selling NEW cars that are under a safety recall, but are exploiting a loophole in federal law that allows them to sell USED cars that are under a safety recall, without fixing them first.

Their excuse? They don’t want to bother to take them out of service as loaner cars, or to another dealer, for FREE repairs. After all, that might cut into their profits or be inconvenient.

Never mind the fact they are putting their customers’ lives in jeopardy. And also creating a hazard for other motorists who share the road with the unsafe, recalled cars. This excuse is especially lame, since the repairs are FREE. By federal law, the auto manufacturers must pay for the repairs, in full.

According to a report issued by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office, car dealers’ sales of unrepaired, recalled cars is a serious problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

In the wake of the Toyota recall scandal, and in reaction to the GAO report, Congress attempted to require auto dealers to fix recalled used cars before selling them to the public. But under pressure from the powerful auto dealer lobby, that provision was stripped from the national auto safety bill that finally passed.

Tragically, unsafe, recalled cars continue to put unsuspecting car buyers and their families at risk. One investigation by highly respected consumer reporter Joe Ducey, Channel 15 in Arizona found dozens of recalled cars for sale on the lots of major auto dealers:

Cars with unrepaired safety recall issues sold from Valley car lots

Don’t fall prey to this dangerous scam. Be aware you can’t rely on auto dealers not to sell or rent an unsafe, recalled car. In fact, the powerful auto dealer lobby is actively pushing in Congress to keep on putting their customers’ lives in jeopardy. So far, they have prevailed.

Were you sold an unsafe, recalled car by a dealer? If so, CARS wants to hear from you. The only way this reckless policy will stop is when people like you speak up and the truth gets out.

Contact CARS

Meanwhile, here are 11 top tips from CARS, for how to buy a safe, reliable used car — without even having to step foot on a car dealer’s lot:

How to buy a safe, reliable used car — without getting ripped off

Buyer Beware: Flood cars from states hit by Hurricane Sandy

Posted on November 2, 2012 by admin

WARNING!!

Tens of thousands of flood cars that have been submerged in salt water, and contaminated by bacteria and various toxins, will soon start to appear all over the country, even in states far from the center of the storm. Flood cars are inherently unsafe, and pose a serious risk to anyone who drives them, rides in them, or even just comes into contact with them.

Flood cars are basically rotting from the inside out. The electronic / computer systems, which control everything including the brakes, engine, air bags, and other major safety systems, are hopelessly compromised and will inevitably corrode and fail, over time.

Bacteria, mold, and other contaminants can cause serious or fatal health problems, particularly among children and adults with asthma and people with allergies or compromised immune systems.

Tips for consumers — how to avoid flood car scams:

Be on the lookout for both new and used cars with tell-tale signs of having been submerged — musty smell or “over-perfumed,” silt in places like under carpeting, in the well where the spare is stored, or title histories indicating the car was in the flood area

Check federal database of total loss carsprior to purchase (this is the official website for the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, established by the US Dept. of Justice, where insurers, self-insured entities, salvage pools (auctions), and junkyards in all 50 states MUST report all total loss vehicles, within 30 days — many report daily)

If the vehicle is relatively new, or still within the factory warranty period, get the VIN number and call the manufacturer to ask if they will honor the warranty — if it’s a flood car, they won’t honor the warranty, even if it’s new. Insist on getting confirmation in writing that the manufacturer will honor the warranty, before you buy.

Keep in mind that a “clean” title is not an indication the car is OK — many cars have had the titles “washed” to remove the “flood” car brand, and many states don’t even have a “flood” car designation. Plus some insurers have admitted routinely failing to properly brand titles — increasing the price the car can command at auction, by making it easier for unscrupulous sellers to hide the car’s checkered past. This is one reason NMVTIS is so valuable for consumers — total loss vehicles MUST be reported to NMVTIS, even if the titles have never been branded, or if they have been “washed.”

Get any car inspected by a trustworthy auto technician — for example, one who gets consistently high ratings in Car Talk’s Mechanics Files — before you buy

Test drive the car before you buy — be watchful for signs the car is hesitating, running rough, smells musty, has tell-tale signs of silt or premature rust in places where you wouldn’t expect to see rust

NEVER, EVER buy a car sight unseen, without an inspection and test drive. If you are interested in a car you found over the internet, buy locally and go check it out in person, in a safe, public place, during daylight hours. It the seller claims they are the owner, make sure they show you the work orders from the repairs they had performed, and confirm the name on the work orders matches the name on the registration and title.

Take the pledge — I won’t text while I drive

Posted on September 20, 2012 by admin

You’ve probably seen the ads. A young man who has difficulty talking is reaching out to the rest of us, to warn us — don’t text while you drive. He was brain-injured in a crash, where a moment’s inattention resulted in a lifetime of dealing with serious brain damage.

No text or other message is worth risking your life, or harming your passengers or other people who share the roads. Imagine how horrible you would feel if you killed someone inadvertently just because you couldn’t wait to send a text.

AT&T has launched a national drive, to urge everyone to pledge not to text and drive. It’s a good idea, even if they are motivated partly because they want to stave off laws that prohibit texting and driving.

Don’t let your last text end with a crash.

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Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

Category Archives: Auto safety tips