Global News

[ad_1] Toyota is recalling roughly 1.9 million RAV4 sport utility vehicles in the U.S. because the batteries can shift during sharp turns and potentially cause a fire. The recall, which Toyota  announced Wednesday, affects certain RAV4s from the 2013 through 2018 model years. The Japanese automaker said in a statement that some replacement 12-volt batteries used in the SUVs have smaller top dimensions than others. If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said. Toyota said it is still preparing a fix. When the remedy is ready, dealers will replace the hold-down clamp, battery tray and positive terminal cover with improved ones. The company said it will notify owners by late December. Toyota did not say in its statement whether the problem has caused any fires or injuries.  Owners ca

[ad_1] The front seats of a pickup truck are the safest place on the vehicle to be in the event of a collision. That's according to a new crash test designed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to evaluate rear-seat passenger safety. Four out of 5 compact pickup trucks in the study earned substandard ratings. Just one truck, the 2022-2023 Nissan Frontier, clinched an "acceptable" rating.  "All these things tell us that the rear seat belts need improvement," IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement. A high risk of head and chest injuries was behind the majority of the disappointing safety ratings. The 2023 Nissan Frontier was the only truck (along with the 2022 model) to clinch an "acceptable" rating in a new crash test designed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to evaluate rear-seat passenger safety.  Nissan