NADA Reminder: Dealers Must Follow New Ban on Selling Recalled Parts
Effective May 23, dealers must comply with a new ban on the sale or lease of motor vehicle equipment that is defective or has been recalled for safety reasons for installation in a motor vehicle, according to NADA. It is the dealer’s responsibility to stay informed of recall notices, even if none was received. The ban does not apply to new or used equipment no longer reasonably suited for its original purpose (e.g., tires sold with holes drilled in their sidewalls). While dealers should not install recalled parts on new or used inventory or service vehicles, the ban does not apply to the resale of used vehicles that may contain recalled motor vehicle equipment.
The regulation also clarifies that dealers may sell or lease recalled vehicles to customers, but cannot deliver them until the safety defects or noncompliance problems are remedied. The restriction on delivery applies to vehicles in a dealer’s possession when a safety recall notice is received. Vehicles delivered to customers before a notice is received are not restricted.
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California Bill to Cut Tailpipe Exhaust Could Force Higher CAFE
The California Senate has passed the nationês first bill to limit carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle exhaust a bow to fears of global warming, and a move automakers say might force them to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles, according to The Associated Press.
Environmentalists and many senators, hoping to see the idea spread to other states, see the move as a way to get around the federal governmentês failure to impose tougher fuel mileage standards and reduce greenhouse gases. Our federal government has let us down by failing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, Democratic state Sen. Debra Bowen told the AP. California should take the lead when the federal government refused to do what most Californians support.
But Kris Kiser, vice president of state affairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said, We view it as nothing more than a California CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standard. It’s a back-door attempt at mileage standards that should be handled in Washington.
Itês going to whiplash our California car market without any benefit for our consumers,” said Peter Welch, representing the California Motor Car Dealers Association. We just think it’s a dumb idea.
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NHTSA Issues Warning on 15-Passenger Vans
NHTSA Administrator Dr. Jeffrey Runge warned consumers and dealers last week that vans with 10 or more occupants have a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes nearly three times that of vans with lighter loads. Because of these risks, it is vital that users of 15-passenger vans be aware of some safety precautions that will significantly reduce the risk, said Runge. NHTSA urged dealers to communicate the risks and precautions to consumers who buy or lease these vans.
Runge also noted that federal law prohibits the sale of 15-passenger vans for school-related transport of high school age and younger students, but not college students or other passengers.
Any new van sold or leased to transport students must meet Federal safety standards for school buses in addition to state regulations. NHTSA offered several sources for more information:
A safety flyer to prevent rollover of 15-passenger vans is at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/Hot/15PassVans/index.htm.
An analysis of the rollover characteristics of 15-passenger vans and a consumer advisory are at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/announce/press/index.cfm.
Training for consumers or employees driving 15-passenger vans is available from the National Safety Council at http://secure.nsc.org/onlinecart/; search for Coaching the Van Driver II.
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