Safety

Mitsubishi Recalls Electric Cars For Brake Problem

February 5, 2013 10:13 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Mitsubishi is recalling about 1,400 of its i-MiEV electric cars in the U.S. because a brake pump can fail. The automaker says the recall affects 2012 models made from Dec. 2, 2011 through Sept. 7, 2012. A defective vacuum pump can stop working. That can reduce braking power, increase stopping distances and raise the risk of a crash.

Air India Still Flying Troubled 787s

February 4, 2013 1:01 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

Air India continued to fly some of its 787 Dreamliner jets after the United States and other countries grounded the fleet as the probe into the aircraft's battery problems continues. Travel editor Peter Greenberg speaks to the "CBS This Morning" co-hosts about why some 787s are still allowed to fly.

787 Grounded, But Batteries Can Fly

February 4, 2013 10:09 am | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

At the same time the government certified Boeing's 787 Dreamliners as safe, federal rules barred the type of batteries used to power the airliner's electrical systems from being carried as cargo on passenger planes because of the fire risk. Now the situation is reversed.

Owners Of Bangladesh Factory Where 7 Died Arrested

February 1, 2013 10:29 am | by Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | Comments

Two owners of a Bangladesh garment factory where seven workers were killed in a weekend fire were arrested Thursday as police investigated allegations of murder and negligence. Police were questioning Smart Export Garment Ltd. Chairman Sharif Ahmed and Managing Director Zakir Ahmed after a court placed them on a two-day remand.

ANA To Seek Damages From Boeing For 787 Woes

January 31, 2013 2:03 pm | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Japan's All Nippon Airways is prepared to recoup from Boeing whatever damages it suffers from flight cancellations and other costs caused by the worldwide grounding of 787 jets, a senior executive said Thursday. All Nippon Airways Co. Chief Financial Officer Kiyoshi Tonomoto said the airline was focused on investigating the cause of the 787 battery problems, and it was not yet in damage negotiations with Boeing Co.

Where GM 'Beats The Heck' Out Of Cars

January 30, 2013 4:10 pm | by AssociatedPress | Videos | Comments

Before a brand new General Motors car or truck goes to a dealer, the company has to "beat the heck out of a vehicle before the customer can" on a proving ground, where vehicles are smashed, weathered, and driven to the extreme, says James Bell, V.P. of GM Consumer Affairs.

Boeing Focuses On 787 Fix; 4Q Profit Tops Estimate

January 30, 2013 1:42 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Boeing Co. said Wednesday that its top priority this year is fixing the battery problems that grounded its 787. The company made the pledge while reporting a fourth-quarter profit that topped Wall Street estimates, as rising profits from commercial jets offset a smaller profit from defense work.

Toyota Recalls 1.29M Vehicles For Air Bags, Wipers

January 30, 2013 10:25 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Toyota is recalling 907,000 vehicles, mostly Corolla models, around the world for faulty air bags and another 385,000 Lexus IS luxury cars for defective wipers. Initially, the Japanese automaker had said there were no accidents related to either problem. In total, it received 46 reports of problems involving the air bags from North America, and one from Japan, and 25 reports of problems related to the windshield wipers.

U.S. Investigators Ask Boeing For Battery History

January 30, 2013 10:21 am | by Elaine Kurtenbach, Joan Lowy, AP Business Writers | News | Comments

U.S. investigators said Wednesday they asked Boeing Co. to provide a full operating history of lithium-ion batteries used in its grounded 787 Dreamliners after Japan's All Nippon Airways revealed it had repeatedly replaced the batteries even before overheating problems surfaced.

Bangladesh Probing If Factory's Exit Was Locked

January 28, 2013 10:21 am | by Farid Hossain, Associated Press | News | Comments

Bangladesh's government is investigating allegations that the sole emergency exit was locked at a garment factory where a fire killed seven women. The fire Saturday at the Smart Export Garment Ltd. factory occurred just two months after a blaze killed 112 workers in another factory, raising questions about safety in Bangladesh's garment industry, which exports clothes to leading Western retailers.

Boeing 787 Probe Shifts To Monitoring System Maker

January 28, 2013 10:15 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

The joint U.S. and Japanese investigation into the Boeing 787's battery problems has shifted from the battery-maker to the manufacturer of a monitoring system. Japan transport ministry official Shigeru Takano said Monday the probe into battery-maker GS Yuasa was over for now as no evidence was found it was the source of the problems.

NTSB: Boeing 787 Battery Shows Short-Circuiting

January 25, 2013 12:21 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery that caught fire earlier this month in Boston shows evidence of short-circuiting and a chemical reaction known as "thermal runaway," in which an increase in temperature causes progressively hotter temperatures, federal accident investigators said Thursday.

U.S. Officials Defend Handling Of Boeing 787 Mishaps

January 24, 2013 2:18 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

Obama administration officials struggled Wednesday to defend their initial statements that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is safe while promising a transparent probe of mishaps involving the aircraft's batteries. FAA is working as quickly as possible to find the cause of the problems, assembling a team of technical experts that includes experts from industry as well as the agency's staff, Huerta said.

Boeing Battery Burn-Out

January 24, 2013 1:42 pm | by University of Michigan | Videos | Comments

University of Michigan Chemical Engineering Professor Levi Thompson discusses the grounding of the Boeing 787 jets due to battery malfunction. Thompson explains how overheating of Lithium Ion batteries could cause leaking of fluids, which may lead to ignition. For more information visit http://www.engin.umich.edu.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

January 22, 2013 8:08 am | Articles | Comments

From ringing bells to fireplace logs crackling, the sounds of the holiday season is a near-distant memory. However, for employees in loud workplaces, these sentimental noises may become an even more faint memory of the past if the proper precautions aren’t taken.

Aviation Technology Advances, FAA Tries To Keep Up

January 21, 2013 2:34 pm | by David Koenig, AP Airlines Writer | News | Comments

After two separate and serious battery problems aboard Boeing 787s, it wasn't U.S. authorities who acted first to ground the plane. It was Japanese airlines. The unfolding saga of Boeing's highest-profile plane has raised new questions about federal oversight of aircraft makers and airlines.

Turbulent Times For Boeing & Airbus

January 21, 2013 1:40 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

CNNMoney's Jim Boulden looks at the pressure and problems Boeing and Airbus have faced in launching their new high-tech airplanes. Airbus' A380 has seen mid-air engine explosions and cracked wings, and now Boeing is dealing with battery - and possibly electrical - issues of its own.

Boeing Halts 787 Deliveries Until Batteries Fixed

January 21, 2013 10:16 am | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Boeing is stopping deliveries of the 787 until the plane's electrical system is fixed but says production is not stopping. The plane is assembled in Everett, WA, and North Charleston, SC out of pieces built all over the world. The FAA has grounded the 787s currently in use until Boeing can prove the batteries are safe.

Toyota Settlement May Signal Future Legal Strategy

January 21, 2013 10:15 am | by Greg Risling, Associated Press | News | Comments

As Toyota Motor Corp. chips away at settling lawsuits claiming its vehicles suddenly accelerate, the question remains whether attorneys who sued could prove to a jury there was a design flaw. The company maintains stuck accelerator pedals, faulty floor mats and driver error are the reasons for vehicles unexpectedly surging, while plaintiffs' attorneys contend Toyota's electronic throttle control system is to blame.

Over 140 Nations Adopt Treaty To Cut Mercury

January 21, 2013 10:07 am | by John Heilprin, Associated Press | News | Comments

A new and legally binding international treaty to reduce harmful emissions of mercury was adopted Saturday by more than 140 nations, capping four years of difficult negotiations but stopping short of some of the tougher measures that proponents had envisioned.

Honda Issues Recall Because Of Airbag Problem

January 18, 2013 2:11 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Honda says it's recalling 748,000 Pilot and Odyssey vehicles because of a possible problem with their driver's-side airbags. Honda says that the airbags may have been assembled without some of the rivets needed to secure their cover. That could keep them from deploying properly in the event of a crash and increase the possibility of injury.

Japan Probe Suspects Excess Voltage In 787 Battery

January 18, 2013 2:08 pm | by Malcolm Foster, Associated Press | News | Comments

The burned insides of a battery in the Boeing 787 at the center of a worldwide grounding of the aircraft indicate it operated at a voltage above its design limit, a Japanese investigator said Friday, as U.S. officials joined Japan's probe into the incident.

Toyota Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit

January 18, 2013 10:21 am | by Andrew Dalton, Associated Press | News | Comments

Toyota Motor Corp. has settled with family members of two people killed in a sudden-acceleration crash in Utah as part of a lawsuit that was to go to court next month and serve as a test case for a group of hundreds more that are pending. Paul Van Alfen and Charlene Jones Lloyd were killed when their Camry slammed into a wall in 2010.

Dreamliner Woes Spotlight Japan Battery Maker

January 18, 2013 10:18 am | by Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

The troubles with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner are drawing an unwelcome spotlight for the Japanese maker of the powerful lithium-ion batteries that have become the focus of investigations into onboard fire risks. Kyoto, Japan-based GS Yuasa Corp. said it began working Thursday with investigators probing the cause of recent problems with the 787.

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner Grounded

January 17, 2013 12:33 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered all Boeing 787s in the United States to be grounded for safety inspections. CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg talks to Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell about what that means for Boeing and for passengers.