Ford, GM Safety Probes Closed Without Recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed a pair of investigations into various Ford and GM vehicles.
The agency looked into 502,000 Ford cars and 100,000 General Motors vehicles for possible defects but have closed the pair of investigations without asking either company to initiate a recall.
NHTSA opened the investigations in July for 502,410 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Marauder vehicles after receiving nine complaints of interference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle. One complaint claimed that the interference caused a crash on a highway entrance ramp but the crash could not be verified and the description of the crash complaint did not coincide with the police accident report.
NHTSA said it will continue to monitor complaints and other information related to the alleged defects and will take action if necessary in the future.
SEE ALSO: Crown Victoria Police Cruiser NHTSA Probe Upgraded
The other investigation involved 105,675 Chevrolet Impala cars that were supposedly braking autonomously while driving. Two complaints were received noting incidents of sudden and severe non-commanded braking that resulted in collisions. NHTSA investigated the allegations and concluded that neither incident involved sudden or extended autonomous braking greater than one second and both rental vehicles were equipped with an electrical park brake system and no autonomous driving functions.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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