Industry groups, New York firefighters call for stronger rules on lithium ion battery safety
The Consumer Product Safety Commission acknowledged current standards “aren’t enough” to prevent deadly fires.
Ford recalls 870K F-150 pickups in US because parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 870,000 newer F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electric parking brakes can turn on unexpectedly.
The recall covers certain pickups from the 2021 through 2023 model years with single exhaust systems. Ford’s F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the U.S.
The company says in documents posted by government safety regulators Friday that a rear wiring bundle can come in contact with the rear axle housing. That can chafe the wiring and cause a short circuit, which can turn on the parking brake without action from the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Drivers may see a parking brake warning light and a warning message on the dashboard.
Ford says in documents that it has 918 warranty claims and three field reports of wire chafing in North America. Of these, 299 indicated unexpected parking brake activation, and 19 of these happened while the trucks were being driven.
The company says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.
NACTOY announces 30th anniversary eligible vehicles, charities
This year, 52 vehicles, split between 16 cars, seven trucks and 29 utility vehicles, will be reviewed by NACTOY’s jurors to determine a winner in each category.
CDK's Salty embedded insurance tech provider shuts down
The dealership management system giant acquired Salty Dot Inc. less than two years ago. A spokesperson said the company shut it down as part of an effort to “focus our investments on innovation and market growth.”
Starliner launch delays have sucked more than $1 billion from Boeing
As SpaceX gears up for its next crewed mission to the International Space Station, NASA and Boeing have taken a “step back” from plotting out just when its beleaguered CST-100 Starliner will attempt its first ever crewed launch.
The continued delays have meant a loss of more than $1.1 billion to Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program to date including another $257 million reported in the company’s 2nd quarter earning report this week,
“On Starliner we’re in lockstep with our customer. We prioritize safety, and we’re taking whatever time is required,” said Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun during the 2nd quarter earnings call on Tuesday. “We’re confident in that team and committed to getting it right.”
The program has been mired in extended delays since 2019 when its first uncrewed test flight was not able of rendezvous with the ISS. While the capsule did make it safely back to Earth, NASA dubbed the mission a “high visibility close call” that forced a major overhaul of the program including hardware, software and management practices from both Boeing and NASA oversight.