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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule to revise civil penalty amounts for violations of various transportation regulations, effective December 30, 2024. These adjustments are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and are meant to ensure that penalties maintain their deterrent effect by accounting for inflation. The rule covers a wide array of areas including aviation, hazardous materials, and vehicle safety, among others. The adjustments apply prospectively, meaning they will only affect violations occurring after the rule takes effect.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has denied a petition from Mr. Sergio Betancourt to investigate claims of "wrong-sized wrist pins" in certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles. After reviewing technical data and complaints, the NHTSA concluded there was not enough evidence linking wrist pin issues to significant engine failures or threats to vehicle safety. As a result, they have decided that no further investigation is warranted at this time, but the agency will continue to monitor any new developments.

This document is a correction to a rule issued on January 7, 2025, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the Department of Transportation. The rule involves updates to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards regarding child restraint anchorage systems and child restraint systems. The correction clarifies compliance dates and specific requirements to enhance the use and efficacy of child restraint systems in vehicles. It establishes a phased implementation plan starting in 2028, allowing manufacturers time to meet the new standards, with full compliance required by 2030.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule amending the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 to enhance seat belt warning systems. The rule requires new warnings for rear seats and updates existing ones for the driver and front passenger seats in vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less. It mandates that these warnings be visible and audible to encourage seat belt use, aiming to address safety concerns and reduce injuries and fatalities. These changes must be implemented by September 1, 2027, for rear seat warnings and by September 1, 2026, for front seat warnings, with manufacturers given two years to comply.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. identified that certain 2008-2019 Porsche Cayenne and Macan vehicles did not have required markings on their rims as per the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110. The missing markings included the "E" designation symbol and the "DOT" certification symbol. Porsche argued that this noncompliance does not affect safety because the rims and tires are correctly matched and identified through other necessary labeling. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) agreed with Porsche's assessment, deeming the noncompliance inconsequential to vehicle safety, and granted Porsche's petition for exemption from notifying owners or providing a remedy for this issue.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has denied Ford Motor Company's petition to deem a defect in Takata-supplied airbag inflators as insignificant regarding vehicle safety. Takata identified a safety defect in its driver-side airbag inflators that Ford argued was inconsequential and requested exemption from recall obligations. However, NHTSA concluded that Ford did not sufficiently prove that the defect posed an insignificant risk, given the potential for the inflator to rupture and cause serious injury or death due to degradation over time. As a result, Ford is required to notify vehicle owners and provide a remedy for this defect.