In 2016, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) announced the fourth generation of its electric drive would be coming to its Smart Fortwo vehicles. The system promised to offer “emission-free driving” for those who owned Smart cars.  In 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a Safety Recall Report on the Smart Fortwo. The report states…

Getting a car repaired is stressful in the best cases. When you take a car in repeatedly for the same defect or even multiple defects, the frustration involved may increase. Whether you’re taking a car in for a first repair or yet another attempt, it’s important to advocate for yourself and get the information you…

In February 2021, Hyundai issued a recall of Hyundai Kona Electric vehicles in model years 2019-2020. The recall covered all model year 2019 and 2020 vehicles made between August 28, 2018, and March 2, 2020. Since February 2021, the recall has expanded to cover vehicles in the United States, South Korea, and several other countries. …

In 2021, plaintiff Siamak Kermani filed Kermani v. Hyundai Motor America, et al. in the Los Angeles County courts. The case alleges that Hyundai violated several provisions of California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, commonly known as the state’s lemon law. Hyundai fought to have the case taken out of court and into arbitration. Hyundai lost…

J.D. Power’s 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS) raised concerns upon its recent release as J.D. Power reports a record high number of quality issues per vehicle studied. The IQS measures vehicle quality by collecting information about the rate of vehicle problems in various car brands. Rates are measured in problems per one hundred cars (PP100). …

Class action lawsuits tend to include hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people by default. Class action settlements automatically include people in a class action instead of leaving them out.  Yet, not everyone included in a class action should be included一or even wants to be there. Here’s when to consider opting out of…

When your vehicle is damaged and you submit an insurance claim, you trust that the insurance company will deal in good faith. You rely on the insurer to honor the terms of the insurance policy when it estimates the repair costs of your vehicle. But what happens when the insurer fails to live up to…

Like many car owners who find themselves in possession of a lemon, Crystal Young, began experiencing serious problems immediately after purchasing her 2019 Ford F-150 XLT pickup truck. The truck’s collision alert alarm would sound, warnings would flash on the dashboard screen, and brakes would automatically prime for no reason. These dangerous errors often occurred when…

Subaru owners have filed a New Jersey class-action lawsuit alleging that the manufacturer has known about defective engine pistons since 2008. This defect allowed debris into the engines of these cars, further damaging the engine.  The flaw in the EJ25 2.5-liter and FA20 2.0-liter turbocharged engines affected the 2009–18 WRX and STI model years and…

Korean car manufacturer Kia has issued a second recall for the Optima sedans manufactured in 2013–14. This is the second round of recalls since 2020 for this make and model years, and it was initiated over concerns that a malfunctioning low-pressure fuel hose could cause the vehicles to catch fire. This is a nationwide recall…