Official: NHTSA concludes investigation into Chevrolet Volt fires, no defect found

Filed under: Hybrid , Sedan , Government/Legal , Safety , Chevrolet The National Higway Traffic Safety Administration has officially closed the book on its investigation into the Chevrolet Volt . The result finds that “no discernible defect trend exists” and “Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles.” NHTSA supports the modifications developed by General Motors to address “specific attributes” particular to electric vehicles in the event of a crash. GM is retrofitting the nearly 8,000 Volts sold with additional side reinforcements and a sensor to detect coolant leaks, which was found to be the cause of the short-circuiting battery and resulting fires . The agency also issued guidelines for first responders and auto shops coming who encounter Volts that have been involved in accidents

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Official: NHTSA concludes investigation into Chevrolet Volt fires, no defect found

Kia recalls 145K Rondo, Optima models over airbag issues

Filed under: Minivan/Van , Sedan , Etc. , Recalls , Safety , Kia Kia has announced that it is recalling 145,000 vehicles to address faulty airbags. A total of 95,569 Optima sedans built between 2006 and 2008 and 50,186 Rondo MPVs built between 2007 and 2008 are included in the recall. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , the vehicles may have been built with a clock spring in the steering column that may fatigue and break over time

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Kia recalls 145K Rondo, Optima models over airbag issues

Report: TrueCar polishing edges off business model to comply with state regulations

Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Government/Legal , Marketing/Advertising TrueCar has attracted much unwanted attention recently, drawing the ire of Honda and torquing off regulators in several states . In response, the company has announced a series of changes to its business model, designed to address the legality of its service, according to a report in Automotive News . The biggest change is that dealers in some states will now have to subscribe to the lead service rather than paying a per-vehicle fee for sales closed from a TrueCar referral.

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Report: TrueCar polishing edges off business model to comply with state regulations

Report: GM CEO Akerson asked to testify at Volt hearing

Filed under: Hybrid , Sedan , Government/Legal , Safety , Chevrolet It’s a safe wager that no one expected the report of the Chevrolet Volt fire after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash test to turn into a Congressional dressing-down. The short story: NHTSA crash-tested a Volt in May , that car caught fire in June while in storage, and NHTSA alerted the public about the fire in November . Certain politicians have wondered if politics played a part in waiting until November to report the fire, and now a House panel is holding a hearing called “Volt Vehicle Fire: What did NHTSA know and when did they know it?” to find out. According to The Detroit News , the proceedings have now drawn General Motors CEO Dan Akerson into its maw, Akerson agreeing to testify before the panel next week

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Report: GM CEO Akerson asked to testify at Volt hearing

Report: Refreshed 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK to get diesel option

Filed under: Crossover , Mercedes-Benz , Diesel Even though spy shots signal that exterior adjustments on the next Mercedes-Benz GLK will be subtle, there’s one giant adjustment coming under the hood, and it smells like oil – in a good way. Automotive News says the revamped softroader will gain a new diesel engine option. For its part, Mercedes-Benz hasn’t said which of its oilburners it will offer with the GLK, but it’s been hinted that it could be the 2.1-liter turbo diesel mill with 204 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque that sees duty in models like the C-Class and M-Class in other lands. The addition of the GLK and next C-Class will make seven Mercedes model lines offered with diesel in the U.S.

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Report: Refreshed 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK to get diesel option

CES: Chevrolet MyLink democratizes infotainment, coming to 2013 Sonic and Spark

Filed under: Budget , Technology , Hatchback , Chevrolet , Infotainment Infotainment systems are expensive. Even rolled into the average new car payment and spread out over four or five years, you’re still talking about some serious cash. And if we’re honest, most buyers that can drop that kind of coin generally don’t care about deep smartphone integration. But young people do

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CES: Chevrolet MyLink democratizes infotainment, coming to 2013 Sonic and Spark