Tag Archives: safety recalls

Ford recalls 370,000 sedans over possible steering loss

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Ford Motor Co. announced it is recalling about 370,000 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Cars produced between 2005 through 2011 because corrosion could cause a loss of steering. The safety recall includes about 355,000 vehicles in the U.S. and another 15,000 in Canada.

The recall is focused on vehicles in 22 states and Washington, DC, and includes about 195,000 Crown Victoria police cars.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been investigating multiple complaints about steering loss in 2005-2008 Crown Victoria cars outfitted for use by police.

Ford said owners in other states, who may not receive notice of the recall in the mail, could take their vehicles to Ford dealers for a check-up, and, if necessary, the cars would be repaired at no cost to the consumers. Federal law requires auto manufacturers to provide auto safety recall repairs at no cost to the owners.

Unfortunately, if the vehicles are owned by new or used car dealers who do not have a Ford franchise, they may not  be repaired before they are rented, sold, or loaned to unsuspecting used car buyers.  Auto dealers are fighting attempts in Washington, DC and Sacramento to help ensure that dealers have the safety recall repairs performed — for FREE — before they foist them off on their customers.

Did a dealer sell you an unsafe, recalled used car? If they did, CARS wants to hear from you — here’s where to contact CARS.

Read more:

NY Times report: Ford announces safety recall

Car dealers oppose having to fix unsafe, recalled used cars

 

 

 

 

 

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

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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!

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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

Unsafe, Recalled Used Cars for Sale on Dealer Lots

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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.

Read More: CARS tips for used car buyers

 

 

 

 

 

CA Senator Boxer and U.S. Rep. Capps: Stop Renting Unsafe Cars to Consumers, Federal Workers

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Are the rental cars driven by consumers and federal employees safe? Or are they prone to catching fire, having brake failures, or other serious safety defects?

CA Senator Boxer and U.S. Rep. Lois Capps call on Congress and federal agency to protect consumers and federal workers from unsafe rental cars

Lawmakers Urge Agency to Take Action Now While Congress Works on Legislation to Stop the Renting or Selling of Vehicles Under Safety Recall

Santa Barbara, CA – On August 10, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA23) sent a letter calling on Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Jeffrey Zients to take steps to protect federal workers from renting vehicles under safety recall while they are traveling on official business.

Boxer and Capps are the lead authors of House and Senate legislation – the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2012 – which would ensure the safety of America’s rental car fleet by preventing rental car companies from renting or selling recalled cars or trucks. The legislation is named in honor of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck, who were killed in a tragic accident in 2004 caused by an unrepaired defect in a PT Cruiser rented from Enterprise that was under a safety recall.

The two California lawmakers wrote in the letter, “This terrible accident drew attention to the fact that car rental companies are not required to repair vehicles under safety recall before they are rented or sold to the public. We have written legislation to close this loophole and are working with our colleagues in the House and Senate to enact this measure into law.

“In the meantime, we believe it is imperative that we protect people from unsafe recalled vehicles,” the lawmakers wrote. “So today we are urging the Federal government to put in place policies that will ensure that no Federal employee rents a vehicle under safety recall until it has been fixed.”

Senator Boxer and Congresswoman Capps announced the letter at a press conference at Santa Barbara Airport today. They were joined by Cally Houck of Ojai, California, the mother of Raechel and Jacqueline, who along with Hertz and consumer groups has endorsed the new House and Senate rental car safety legislation.

The text of the letter follows:

August 10, 2012

Dear Acting Director Zients:

We are writing today to call on your agency to ensure the safety of all Federal employees driving rental vehicles while on official duty.

In 2004, Raechel and Jacqueline Houck of Ojai, California, were killed in a tragic accident caused by an unrepaired defect in a rental car that was under a safety recall. This terrible accident drew attention to the fact that car rental companies are not required to repair vehicles under safety recall before they are rented or sold to the public. We have written legislation to close this loophole and are working with our colleagues in the House and Senate to enact this measure into law.

In the meantime, we believe it is imperative that we protect people from unsafe recalled vehicles. So today we are urging the Federal government to put in place policies that will ensure that no Federal employee rents a vehicle under safety recall until it has been fixed.

On July 30, 2012, the California Department of General Services announced plans to amend the State’s contracts with Enterprise to include specific policies for recalled vehicles. The Director of the Department of General Services, Fred Klass, wrote “Under the terms of the amended contract, Enterprise will be required to repair all recalled vehicles prior to making them available to State employees. In addition, Enterprise will be required to call back any vehicles already being rented to State employees once a recall notice is issued so those vehicles can be exchanged for a non-recalled vehicle.”

We urge the Federal government to act now to protect Federal workers from the type of tragedy that this California family endured. We would be happy to work with you on this critical matter.

Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Lois Capps
Member of Congress