Volkswagen has been ordered to recall all of the new ID.Buzz microvans it’s sold in the U.S. because, says NHTSA, the third row is too roomy. According to the feds, that makes it too easy to squeeze a third passenger into the back row though it doesn’t have three seatbelts. That’s one of two new recalls that have forced VW to temporarily halt sales and deliveries of the new EV. Headlight.News explains.
General Motors dealers are gearing up to handle a massive new recall that will require them to repair or replace more than 700,000 V-8 engines in the automaker’s biggest pickups and SUVs, including the Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Silverado. More from Headlight.News.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began a probe into a transmission issue that could affect as many as 1.3 million Ford F-150 trucks from model years 2015 through 2017. The investigation began after the agency received more than 135 complaints. Get details at Headlight.News.
After initially halting deliveries due to reports of exterior panels detaching while the vehicle is being driven, Tesla said Thursday it would recall all Cybertrucks it has produced from launch through late last month. It comes as the eighth safety recall of the electric pickup and another setback for a manufacturer that has seen its stock price plummet by nearly half its value since mid-December. It underscores the fact that Tesla has had major ongoing quality, durability and recall problems. Headlight.News has more.
Bad enough for Tesla that demand Cybertruck has fallen far short of its original expectations – with the electric pickup coming to symbolize growing opposition to the politics of the automaker’s CEO. Now comes word Tesla has had to halt Cybertruck deliveries as it struggles to find a way to prevent sheet metal and other body parts from flying off when the truck is driven at highway speeds.
Tesla recalls 380,000 vehicles due to power steering issues that could cause a crash. It’s just the latest in a series of setbacks that sees the automaker ramp up incentives – including givebacks of up to $6,000 on Cybertruck – in a bid to reverse faltering momentum.
Chinese automotive exports hit an all-time record last year – even while being effectively locked out of the U.S. market. But despite incoming Pres. Donald Trump’s threat to put still more tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles, the doors may not be locked forever. And anyone who checked out the new Zeekr brand’s news conference and display at the Consumer Electronics Show is likely to understand why that worries other manufacturers.
Much like the update on the Model 3 last year, the new look for the Model Y in China is evolutionary on outside with upgrades keeping with consumer demand on the inside. Get more details at Headlight.News.
In response to a complaint and three media reports, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation opened a probe into the 2.6 million vehicles equipped with Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon and Smart Summon technologies. Get details at Headlight.News.
If you’re wondering just how bad things got for Stellantis last year, consider the fact that its Ram pickup fell off the podium, losing its traditional third-place position in the U.S. sales race – behind the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado – to Toyota’s RAV4 SUV. Overall, the Euro-American automaker was one of only two manufacturers to report a decline in sales in 2024 and faces serious challenges to turn things around in 2025.
The new year is likely to be a big year when it comes to the auto industry, especially with a new president coming into office who has signaled plans to scrap EV sales incentives and enact hefty new tariffs on imported auto parts and fully assembled vehicles. We’ve...
While EV sales growth has slowed down this past year, demand was still up by about 10% in 2024. And the numbers would have been even bigger were it not for Tesla. While still the market leader, it suffered a first-ever annual sales decline last year. A variety of factors were at play, including CEO Elon Musk’s increasingly polarizing politics. More from Headlight.News.