Congress

NHTSA rejects 'tin whiskers' theory for Toyota's unintended acceleration incidents

3:14 pm U.S. ET | July 27, 2012
U.S. safety regulators, responding to an inquiry by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, stood by their original assessment that sticky pedals caused Toyota cars to accelerate unintentionally and struck down the possibility that an electrical problem was behind it.... Read More »

 

Energy Department grants to promote green vehicles made despite conflicts, report says

1:04 pm U.S. ET | July 26, 2012
A U.S. Energy Department program designed to promote use of alternative fuels for vehicles gave out about $5 million in grants to individuals with conflicts of interest, the agency's inspector general said.... Read More »

 

CHRISTINA ROGERS

Congress mulls what to do with those dusty insurance booklets

12:01 am U.S. ET | July 23, 2012
Each year U.S. regulators pull together data on insurance costs for all makes and models of cars, SUVs, light trucks and vans and compile it into a report made available to retailers.... Read More »

 

CHRISTINA ROGERS

In Washington, a classic debate over pay for dealership service advisers

12:01 am U.S. ET | July 22, 2012
Attention dealership service advisers: A regulatory tussle is developing in Washington that could affect your paychecks.... Read More »

 

Ford, other manufacturers split on U.S. tax breaks, corporate rate

5:04 am U.S. ET | July 20, 2012
Tax directors at Ford and other large U.S. manufacturers are split on how much they are willing to give up in tax breaks in exchange for a lower corporate rate.... Read More »

 

GM, Ally exit plan needed for U.S. Treasury, says government watchdog

10:21 am U.S. ET | July 10, 2012
Market conditions have slowed the Treasury's progress in selling stakes in General Motors and Ally Financial, its one-time consumer financing arm, but the Obama administration should develop a solid plan for doing so, a government watchdog told a House panel today.... Read More »

 

LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE

The rap against the Wrangler is a wobbly argument

2:58 pm U.S. ET | July 6, 2012
If the English-speaking world changed the name of the common cold to “fatal sniffles,” the ubiquitous ailment would sure get a lot more attention from drug companies and the media -- but the symptoms would remain.... Read More »

 

Chrysler pressed to issue wobble warning on Jeep Wrangler

12:50 pm U.S. ET | July 6, 2012
Two House Democrats are pressing Chrysler Group to launch a campaign warning Jeep Wrangler owners about a potential "wobble" condition in the SUV's front suspension. In a letter sent to Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne this week, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., urged Chrysler to notify owners of late-model Wranglers of the vibrating effect, as well as possible ways to repair and prevent it. The letter concerns complaints involving 2005-10 Wranglers.... Read More »

 

Car dealers seek break from handing out insurance book

7:28 am U.S. ET | June 1, 2012
Auto dealers such as AutoNation and Group 1 Automotive want Congress to end a federal mandate to distribute a rarely requested booklet on car insurance costs, calling it an example of regulatory overreach.... Read More »

 

Enterprise, Avis Budget join Hertz in pledge to not rent vehicles under recall

3:45 pm U.S. ET | May 24, 2012
Car-rental companies Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis Budget Group Inc. said today that they have pledged not to rent or sell recalled vehicles that have not been repaired. The actions are in response to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's letter this month to the CEOs of three leading U.S. car-rental companies -- Enterprise, Avis, and Dollar Thrifty -- asking them to adopt such a policy.... Read More »