Tag Archives: lemon laws

Auto Rental Companies Question Recall Pledge

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Three major car rental companies in the United States are refusing to pledge to not rent or sell vehicles with recalls on them, because the pledge does not make exceptions for minor recalls, such as updates to the user manual or door stickers. The companies say they support federal legislation to make rental vehicles safer and they have already pledged to not rent dangerous vehicles, but they feel exceptions should be made for minor recalls that don’t affect safety. Lawyers for the companies say that it is unreasonable to “ground” a vehicle for such minor recalls and a pledge to notify customers of the problem prior to renting them the vehicle should be enough.

The pledge was introduced by Senate chairman Barbara Boxer earlier this year in response to a 2004 rental vehicle accident that claimed the life of two sisters. Boxer says it is unreasonable to make exceptions because all it will do is create legal loopholes. She feel consumers should put pressure on the rental companies to support the pledge, and urges customers to avoid the companies that don’t comply until they make the commitment.

The problem of unfixed recalls continues to plague not only rental car companies, but is an issue with taxis, limousines, used car lots and privately owned vehicles as well.

Private Auto Sales And The California Lemon Law

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Some California lemon law attorneys believe that it is possible to get a privately bought automobile refunded under the California lemon law by getting the seller to “sell” their Lemon Law rights with the sale of the vehicle. The California Lemon Law states that the vehicle must be purchased from someone who is an authorized dealer in order for the laws to apply. Unless there is a legal agreement that states otherwise, a private sale is always “AS IS”.

When buying a vehicle privately, you are hoping that the seller is honest in telling you the condition of the car. Some states may require the seller to fill out an odometer statement and have the vehicle pass emissions testing, but it is beneficial to you to get the vehicle checked out by a mechanic as well. Still, there are no guarantees. This does not mean that every privately sold vehicle is going to be a lemon, because there are good ones out there, but if you do buy a “lemon”, in most cases, it is your loss. Every situation is unique and if you believe that you have a legitimate lemon law case, a consultation with a lemon law lawyer experienced in your state laws can help you decide how to proceed .

Jeep Liberty Control Arm Problem Expands

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Chrysler is expanding a recent recall on certain Liberty vehicles to include 2004-2007 Jeep Liberty models originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. According to the recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rear lower control arms can fracture due to excessive corrosion from road salts during winter weather. The fracture could result in loss of vehicle control and could lead to a crash. Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Consumers Fail To Respond To Recalls

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After three recalls and multiple recall notices, owners of certain 1998-2003 Ford Windstar minivans continue to fail to bring in their vehicles to get their recalled rear axles replaced. The automaker had even offered to buy back the vehicles with cracked or perforated axles, but only 60% of the vans have been repaired. There has been substantial talk in the news lately about vehicles being rented and sold with unfixed recalls on them. Automobile manufacturers, rental companies, and car lots have all been working with the government to improve recall notification policies and to improve the recall process, but ultimately it is up to the consumer to take their vehicles in to their local dealerships for repairs. Recalls often seem insignificant to some consumers because of the constant bombardment of recall notices, also known as “recall fatigue”. Unfixed recalls not only affect the occupants of the vehicle, it can have dangerous repercussions to everyone on the road.

Kia Borrego Brake Problem

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Kia is recalling certain 2009 Borrego vehicles equipped with non adjustable brake pedals. The recall report states that certain pedal mounts may have a fiberglass composition that allows them to break off in a collision. If the vehicle continues to roll after the impact, the driver would only have the parking brake to stop it. Kia will be notifying owners to take their vehicles to their dealerships to have the brake pedal mount replaced. For more information on the problem, contact the Kia consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.

Posted in Kia.

Kia Rio Airbag Sensor Problem

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Kia has announced a recall for certain 2006-2008 Kia Rio vehicles built between February 2005 to December 2007 for a problem with the passenger side airbag sensor. The front passenger seat occupant sensor could crack leaving the occupant classification system (OCS) inoperative. The system will not be able to detect the size of the passenger and the air bag may not deploy correctly. Kia will start notifying owners starting in July, and will correct the problem by replacing the OCS seat sensor mat. For more information about the problem, contact the Kia consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.

Posted in Kia.

May Automobile Sales Rise

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Automobile manufacturers reported the sales of new vehicles rose 26% in May compared to last year despite the slow recovery of the American economy. Americans bought over 1.3 million new vehicles last month according to Autodata Corp., giving automobile manufacturers a reason to add jobs and increase production. Analysts say the numbers are distorted because last year major Japanese auto companies were dealing with shortages brought on by the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake in Japan. This year they posted some of the largest gains. Industry analysts, however, had predicted an even better year over year increases, predicting the annualized sales rate would be 14 million to 15 million. Much of the higher demand for new vehicles is being blamed on the age of existing models on the road. Vehicle registration data shows the average vehicle age at 10.8 years. Better sales, combined with the deep restructurings in recent years, have also resulted in healthy profits for the car companies.

Auto makers expressed confidence the industry will remain on an upward trajectory. “I don’t believe that the employment data in and of itself will have an impact,” according to Ken Czubay, Ford’s U.S. marketing and sales chief. “The dealers are telling me that they had excellent traffic over the weekend. There is significant pent-up demand in the marketplace.”

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

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Breakthroughs in fuel cell programs and affordable natural gas prices are prompting the U.S. Department of Energy to take another look at hydrogen powered vehicles. In 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, suggested cutting back funding to the Energy Department budge for hydrogen fuel cell research because the technology did not have an efficient way of storing and distributing the product. A closed door subcommittee meeting of the department’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee, (HTAC) is changing his mind. According to Bill Gibbons, a spokesman for the department, the cost of hydrogen production alone can be cut in half. The only challenge is getting enough stations to meet the needs of the consumer.

Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) have the potential to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower harmful emissions that cause climate change. FCVs run on hydrogen gas and emit no harmful tailpipe emissions. Automakers like Daimler, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda plan to start commercial production of fuel-cell cars in 2015, but say that lack of a widespread refueling network is the biggest obstacle to public adoption of these vehicles.