In late November of last year, a 2012 Sonic purchased by a rental car agency was brought into a dealership for what seemed like regular warranty-covered servicing, where it was discovered that the new car had neither an outer nor an inner front disc brake pad. This is found to be very troubling because vehicles are supposed to be test driven after assembly, before shipment to dealerships. How were over 4000 Chevrolet Sonics able to slip past simple brake tests and shipped out for sale?

This defect presents a dangerous safety hazard. It negatively affects reaction time in an emergency braking scenario. It could cause and accident and lead to serious injuries or worse. GM is working to notify all registered owners of affected 2012 Sonics and install front brake pads in them, free of charge.

Today 115 vehicles manufactured in the United States qualified for the IIHS’s safety awards. Adrian Lund, president of IIHS, said that is “a testament to the commitment auto makers have made to go above and beyond minimum safety standards.” The two companies with the most Top Picks were Subaru and Toyota of North America. All 5 Subaru models sold in the US were awarded this year. 15 of Toyota of North America’s Toyota, Lexus and Scion models won a Top Safety Pick Rating this year, including the redesigned 2012 Camry, which also got a 5-Star Rating in crash tests done by the NHTSA, which recently tightened and toughened their guidelines for their rating system.

Honda of America was awarded for Most Improvement. 10 of the 18 vehicles awarded Top Safety Picks for their first time were all Hondas and Acuras (a Honda subsidiary). The manufacturer redesigned these models’ roofs, which did not pass guidelines for rollover protection last year.

Almost every type of automobile had a Top Pick in its category. Those eco-friendly high-mileage cars awarded this year include the Nissan Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt* and the Prius V (larger than the original Prius model). Vans awarded for Top Safety were the Volkswagen Routan, the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey, the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country.

*General Motors & Chevrolet announced a Safety Recall for the Chevy Volt due to unexpected, delayed combustion of their lithium-ion battery days after an accident or crash occurs.

The plug-in electric vehicle has proven popular among Hollywood hot shots like Leonardo DiCaprio and John Lasseter whom both own the recalled luxury car. Al Gore is rumored to have invested in the company. Ashton Kutcher‘s character, Walden Schmidt, from the CBS sitcom Two and A Half Men drives a Karma on the show.

A total of 239 hybrid electric plug-in Karmas have been recalled. Fisker’s report to the NHTSA explained that the hose clamps maybe improperly implanted. The off-set clamps could possibly cause coolant fluid to leak, leading to an electrical short, present a dangerous fire hazard. The leak was first detected at Fisker’s factory in Finland by assembly plant workers in mid-December, this past year.

For those who are unaware of Dodge’s history with the Dart name, Dodge first released a car back in 1960 with that same model name. The original Dart was manufactured for 16 years until production was ceased in 1976.

The Dart was usually powered by Chrysler’s old but durable straight-six cylinder engine, which was placed at a 30-degree angle in the engine compartment. That is how the Dodge Dart earned its nickname the “Slant Six Lead Sled.” It also became known as “Grandma’s Car” because of its low price and immense popularity in the 60s and 70s.

New Dart Model:

The new version of the Dart is the first real vehicle to come out of the recent Fiat-Chrysler merger. The new compact hatch is based on the Alfo Romeo Giulietta which is only manufactured in Europe.

Arriving next year, the new version of the Dart will offer consumers a choice between three different engines. Two of the options are updated Chrysler 4-cylinder engines redubbed “Tigershark.” The new Dart will make its first public appearance at the Detroit Auto Show this month.

But now, their acclaimed plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is raising major concern amongst consumers, with the auto manufacturer, safety groups and, more significantly, the United States government and their auto safety regulating agency, the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The NHTSA recently announced a “safety defect investigation” into the Chevy Volt after 3 crash tests, which were specifically design to simulate common real-life car crash situations, revealed a dangerous flaw. After a crash, the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is susceptible to combustion. Even days after the crash a fire could ignite within the battery compartment and lead to serious damage or injury.

In an effort to save the Chevy Volt’s reputation, General Motors announced plans to loan out cars to owners while the auto manufacturer’s engineers work with the NHTSA to find the cause of the fires and how to fix the problem. GM was quick to point out that the Chevy Volt fires occured days after the crash, not at the time of impact. Where as, with gas-powered vehicles the risk of fire is immediate if a major accident occurs.

Jeremy Anwyl, Chief Executive Officer of Edmunds.com (an auto research website based in Southern California), pointed out that the Volt is General Motors’ “counter to the Prius. They will do everything the can to make sure people don’t draw negative conclusions.” Many other analysts are more concerned about how this development will affect public opinion towards hybrid electric vehicles as a whole. All hybrid electrics use similar lithium-ion batteries. The concern is that consumers will be swayed by fear and rethink their decision to opt for an eco-friendly, fuel-efficient vehicle.