NHTSA PROBING 2006 HONDA CR-V, 2007 KIA OPTIMA OVER SAFETY CONCERNS

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

NHTSA PROBING 2006 HONDA CR-V, 2007 KIA OPTIMA OVER SAFETY CONCERNS

By Drew Johnson

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced it has two separate safety probes involving the Honda CR-V and the Kia Optima.

The first investigation, involving the 2006 Honda CR-V, is due to an electrical issue. The NHTSA is investigating complaints that the vehicle’s master power window switch is defective, causing the melting or burning or related electrical wiring components. The NHTSA has only received three complaints about the issue, but all of them have involved a vehicle fire.

If a recall is issued, it could include 150,000 2006 CR-V models.

In a separate investigation, the NHTSA is looking into complaints involving the 2007 Kia Optima. The complaints allege that the vehicle’s automatic transmission cable can become detached, preventing the car from engaging any gears. Three complaints have been filed, with one involving “a rollaway incident after parking the vehicle.”

Kia previously issues a technical service bulletin for the 2006-07 Optima for a similar problem, but no recall was ever issued. If the most recent investigation necessitates a recall, 41,000 vehicles could be involved.

link:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/nhtsa-probing-2006-honda-cr-v-2007-kia-optima-over-safety-concerns.html

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Report: NHTSA opens safety probes into older Honda CR-V, Kia Optima models

by Zach Bowman (RSS feed) on Nov 29th 2010 at 6:01PM

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is looking into issues with 2006 Honda CR-V models and 2007 Kia Optimas. According to The Detroit News, both vehicles have garnered a fairly small number of complaints – just three each – for separate problems. In the case of the CR-V models, owners have experienced electrical failures that led to fires in the driver's side door. Owners claim that the master window switch overheated, causing the damage. NHTSA is looking into around 150,000 of the Honda models.

Meanwhile, the agency is investigating 41,000 Kia Optimas for faulty transmission shift cables. Owners have reported problems with the cables becoming detached from the transmission, effectively locking the vehicle into or out of gear. In one case, a vehicle rolled away after being shut off. The Detroit News reports that Kia has issued a service bulletin concerning improperly-installed shift cables that may detach over time.

link:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/29/report-nhtsa-opens-safety-probes-into-older-honda-cr-v-kia-opt/