Safety

Subaru Recalling Vehicles To Fix Brake Problem

April 2, 2013 10:14 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

Subaru is recalling about 200,000 Legacy and Outback all-wheel-drive vehicles because the brake lines can rust and leak fluid. The recall affects cars from the 2005 through 2009 model years sold in 20 states and Washington, D.C., where salt is used to clear roads in the winter.

Feds Probe Hyundai Sonatas For Suspension Rust

April 1, 2013 9:50 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

U.S. safety regulators are investigating complaints that the rear suspension frames can rust and fail on Hyundai Sonata midsize cars. The probe affects about 393,000 cars from the 2006 through 2008 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say it has received six complaints of suspension failures, with three happening at highway speeds, according to documents posted on its website on Friday.

Redundancy In Manufacturing Control Systems

April 1, 2013 8:05 am | by Greg Lynch | Articles | Comments

Reliability in process control systems has a different meaning in each industry. Depending on the type of interruption and the severity of the consequences, some manufacturing systems require PLC redundancy to keep people and equipment safe.

Top Five Reasons For Self-Driving Cars

March 28, 2013 9:08 am | by CNETTV | Videos | Comments

Self-driving cars are inevitable. They eliminate the most commonly defective component in cars today: people. Brian Cooley reports for CNET on the top 5 reasons for self-driving cars based on the ills they cure like drunk-driving and accidents.

Mitsubishi Reports Lithium-Ion Battery Problems

March 27, 2013 1:59 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Mitsubishi Motors says a battery in a plug-in hybrid Outlander vehicle heated up and melted. No one was injured. Separately, the Japanese automaker said Wednesday a battery for i-MiEV electric cars caught fire at an auto-assembly plant, but that no one was injured.

Boeing 787 Makes Test Flight To Check Battery

March 26, 2013 9:45 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A Boeing 787 with a redesigned battery system made a 2-hour test flight on Monday, and the company said the event "went according to plan." The test flight was an important step in Boeing Co.'s plan to convince safety regulators to let airlines resume using the plane, which the company calls the Dreamliner.

Honda Accord, Now With Blind-Spot Camera

March 22, 2013 5:11 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

These days, lot of cars have cameras all around to use while you're driving but on the 2013 Accord, Honda has finally produced a camera you can use while you're driving down the highway. Honda has introduced the new Accord with the first-of-its-kind camera that allows drivers to check blind spots.

Acura Recalling TSX Sedans For Corrosion

March 22, 2013 5:11 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Honda Motor Co.'s luxury Acura brand is recalling 76,000 TSX sedans in 22 cold-weather states because corrosion could cause them to stall. TSX sedans from the 2004 through 2008 model years are included in the recall. Acura says that in places where road salt is heavily used, salt and water can saturate the carpet under the dashboard that covers the vehicle's electrical control unit.

Claims Against BP Contractors Dismissed At Trial

March 21, 2013 1:54 pm | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | Comments

A federal judge conducting a trial to assign fault for the nation's worst offshore oil spill dismissed claims Wednesday against a BP contractor and the company that made a key safety device on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, triggering the disaster.

VW Announces China Recall For Gearbox Problem

March 20, 2013 1:58 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Volkswagen AG announced a recall Wednesday of more than 384,000 vehicles in China to fix gearboxes following a report last week by state TV that criticized the quality of the German automaker's cars. Volkswagen said that problems with direct-shift gearboxes might cause a power interruption, but it said drivers could remain in control and maneuver to a stop.

Nearly 250 Laid Off At WA Hanford Nuclear Site

March 20, 2013 1:52 pm | by Shannon Dininny, Associated Press | News | Comments

State and federal officials are still analyzing the impact of layoffs and furloughs at south-central Washington's Hanford Nuclear Reservation, but outsiders say they are sure to slow cleanup at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site.

March 2013 iPurchase

March 20, 2013 11:44 am | Digital Editions | Comments

Walk through the latest trends in safety equipment and compliance issues relating to the manufacturing environment, including an analysis on investment requirements for meeting regulations, a look at how new PPE design elements translate to better adoption on the plant floor, a review of recent safety disasters, and an outline of resources that can help manufacturers continuously improve their safety programs.

GM Recalls 34K Vehicles To Fix Transmissions

March 20, 2013 10:07 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

General Motors is recalling nearly 34,000 Buicks and Cadillacs in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere to fix a problem with the automatic transmissions. The recall affects Buick LaCrosse full-size cars and Cadillac SRX crossover SUVs from the 2013 model year.

Transocean CEO: Rig Workers Should Have Done More

March 20, 2013 10:05 am | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | Comments

Transocean employees should have done more to detect signs of trouble before the company's drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the nation's worst offshore oil spill, Transocean's chief executive testified Tuesday.

Congress Silent On Dreamliner Woes

March 19, 2013 1:53 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

As Boeing, its airline customers and federal safety regulators struggled over the past two months to solve problems with the new 787 Dreamliner's fire-plagued batteries, one player has been strangely silent: Congress. Despite the plane's grounding and the safety issues raised by its cutting-edge technology, there have been no congressional hearings or news conferences focusing on the problems.

U.S. Safety Officials Probe Mercedes Fuel Leaks

March 19, 2013 9:42 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

U.S. safety regulators are investigating reports of fuel leaks in about 250,000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Mercedes have received 533 complaints from owners about a strong odor of gasoline, mainly after refueling. The agency says fuel may be leaking from the upper part of the gas tank.

Toyota Recalls 209,000 FJ Cruisers

March 18, 2013 4:26 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 209,000 FJ Cruiser SUVs because their front seatbelt retractors could fall off. FJ Cruisers from the 2007 through 2013 model years are included in the recall. Toyota said the driver and front passenger seatbelts are mounted on the vehicle's rear doors.

Cyber Attacks A Leading Threat Against U.S.

March 18, 2013 1:06 pm | by NBC News | Videos | Comments

For the first time, the U.S. intelligence community says cyber attacks and cyber espionage—not terrorism—are the top threats to national security. Now the Pentagon is forming 13 teams to guard the nation in cyberspace. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports.

Chrysler Recalls Dodge Challengers For Fire Risk

March 18, 2013 10:19 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Chrysler is telling owners of about 2,500 Dodge Challenger muscle cars with V-6 engines not to drive them because a short in a wiring circuit can set them on fire. Owners also are being told not to park the cars in a garage or near a structure until the problem can be fixed.

BP Seeks To Block Gulf Spill Settlement Payments

March 18, 2013 10:17 am | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | Comments

BP sued Friday to block what could be billions of dollars in settlement payouts to businesses over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The London-based oil giant accused the court-appointed administrator for the settlement, Patrick Juneau, of trying to rewrite the terms of the deal. BP said Juneau violated the settlement in the way he used a complex formula to determine the payments to businesses.

OR Bill Would Phase Out Chemicals Toxic To Kids

March 18, 2013 10:16 am | by Jeff Barnard, AP Environmental Writer | News | Comments

A bill before the Legislature would set up a state database to track the use of 19 chemicals in manufactured products shown to be harmful to children, and work with manufacturers to phase out use of the chemicals over five years. The bi-partisan bill is patterned after a law in Washington state.

Boeing: Commercial 787 Flights To Restart In Weeks

March 15, 2013 2:01 pm | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Boeing said Friday it sees commercial flights of its grounded 787 jets resuming "within weeks" even though it has not pinpointed the cause of battery overheating. Boeing Co. Chief Project Engineer Michael Sinnett outlined a fix centered on a new design for the lithium-ion battery system that has layers of safeguards to prevent overheating and measures to contain malfunctions.

$2.25M Penalty For MO Pharmaceuticals Plant

March 15, 2013 10:10 am | by Jim Salter, Associated Press | News | Comments

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. will pay a $2.25 million penalty for violations that included allowing fluorescent green discharge into a river at its plant in northeast Missouri, state and federal officials said Thursday. Teva makes antibiotics at a plant outside of Mexico, Mo., about 120 miles northwest of St. Louis.

Honda Recalls 57K Vehicles Due To Brake Problem

March 14, 2013 1:49 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Honda Motor Co. reported to the transport ministry Thursday it is recalling a total of 56,839 units of its Odyssey, Legend, Elysion and Step WGN passenger cars because of problems with the system designed to control vehicle stability. Subject to the recall are the four models made between April 2004 and May 2006, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Boeing Flies High On 787 Battery Hopes

March 14, 2013 12:04 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

The Dreamliner may still be grounded, but Boeing's stock has come roaring back lately as investors feel the worst is over. It's now outperforming the Dow. The FAA has given Boeing the go ahead on new solutions for the lithium battery issue, and that may be boosting investors' confidence in the company again.