Report: GM CEO stands up for Chevy Volt in D.C. hearing; Issa tells NHTSA: "I don’t believe you"

Posted on January 25, 2012 by admin

Filed under: Hybrid , Government/Legal , Safety , Hatchback , Chevrolet , Electric What a surprise. Today’s Congressional hearing over the Chevrolet Volt fire and the resulting investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration turned out to be contentious. The hearing took place in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending. Just from the title of the event – “Volt Vehicle Fire: What did NHTSA Know and When Did They Know It?” – it was plain to see that chairman Darrell Issa was not looking to mess around

Top Gear celebrate 10 millionth facebook fan! Blows up caravan [video]

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

Presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have stayed away on this occasion, but who better to set the charges than The Stig.

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Top Gear celebrate 10 millionth facebook fan! Blows up caravan [video]

Report: Some Chevy dealers rejecting further Volt allocations

Posted on January 23, 2012 by admin

Filed under: Car Buying , Hybrid , Sedan , Etc. , Technology , Chevrolet , GM , Electric General Motors is having a hard time with the Chevrolet Volt . First, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into the vehicle over the possibility of post-crash fires , and now some of its dealers are refusing to take their allocations of the extended-range plug-in hybrid. For example, according to Automotive News , GM set aside 104 Volt models for 14 dealerships across the greater New York City market

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Report: Some Chevy dealers rejecting further Volt allocations

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

Posted on January 22, 2012 by admin

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

Report: PA couple accused of trying to blow up Ford Fusion with flaming tampons

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin

Filed under: Sedan , Etc. , Government/Legal , Safety , Ford Two Pennsylvanians recently found themselves in trouble with the law after vandalizing a 2006 Ford Fusion in a decidedly inventive manner. Patricia and Quentin Deshong, 25 and 22, respectively, are staring down the barrel of charges ranging from attempted arson to public drunkenness, criminal mischief and making terrorist threats. The Deshongs reportedly broke or cracked multiple windows in the vehicle, ripped various hoses from the engine bay and attempted to set the vehicle ablaze by sticking lit tampons into the fuel tank and oil cap

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Report: PA couple accused of trying to blow up Ford Fusion with flaming tampons

Report: National Academy of Sciences: Electronic glitches in cars untraceable, more oversight needed

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin

Filed under: Government/Legal , Safety , Technology , Toyota “We couldn’t find anything, but we’re still blaming the car.” That’s the gist of the statement from a National Academy of Sciences panel headed by New Jersey Institute of Technology physics professor Louis Lanzerotti. The NAS supports U.S. regulators shutting down investigation of Toyota unintended acceleration incidents without finding electronic faults that would cause the behavior. However, at the same time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is planning to call for further oversight and more study to attempt to rule out electronic causes.

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