Ferrari News: NHTSA Fines Ferrari $3.5 Million Over Missing Reports

[William Maley]

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a $3.5 million fine for Ferrari as it failed to comply with oversight requirements.

The agency announced today that the Italian sports car maker had not submitted early warning reports for the past three years. These reports are important for NHTSA as it helps them identify potential or existing safety problems. Federal law requires manufacturers these reports quarterly. Previously, Ferrari was qualified as a a small-volume manufacturer which exempted them from providing these reports. However, Ferrari was still required to notify the agency of any fatal accidents involving its vehicles, something it didn't do for three accidents in this time. Also, Ferrari lost its small-volume manufacturer exemption when it became part of Fiat in 2011.

"There is no excuse for failing to follow laws created to keep drivers safe, and our aggressive enforcement action today underscores the point that all automakers will be held accountable if they fail to do their part in our mission to keep Americans safe on the road," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Ferrari spokesperson Krista Florin said in a statement that the missed reports were unintended, and that the automaker had implemented new procedures to "ensure full compliance in the future."

Source: Reuters, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at[email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Press Release is on Page 2

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NHTSA Fines Ferrari $3.5 Million for Failing to Submit Early Warning Reports

• Automaker Did Not Submit Required Safety Information for Three Years
  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced that Ferrari will pay a $3.5 million civil penalty and has been ordered to comply with NHTSA oversight requirements as set forth in a Consent Order for failing to submit early warning reports (EWR reports) identifying potential or actual safety issues. Federal law requires large manufacturers and affiliates of large manufacturers to submit comprehensive EWR reports on a quarterly basis, in order to provide notice to the Department of potential safety concerns. Ferrari, an affiliate of Chrysler, admitted that it violated the law when it failed to submit required reports to NHTSA over a three-year period, and failed to report three fatal incidents. Until Fiat (which includes Ferrari since 2011) acquired Chrysler, Ferrari qualified as a small volume manufacturer and was not required to file quarterly EWR reports. However, while Ferrari was not required to file quarterly reports, it must report fatal incidents nonetheless.

"There is no excuse for failing to follow laws created to keep drivers safe, and our aggressive enforcement action today underscores the point that all automakers will be held accountable if they fail to do their part in our mission to keep Americans safe on the road," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

In addition to the civil penalty, the Consent Order requires the automaker to improve its processes for EWR reporting, to train personnel on the EWR requirements, to communicate these improvements to NHTSA, and to retroactively submit all EWR reports. The Consent Order is immediately enforceable in federal court if any terms are violated.

"The information included in early warning reports is an essential tool in tracking down dangerous defects in vehicles," added NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. "Early warning reports are like NHTSA's radar, helping us to find unsafe vehicles and make sure they are fixed. Companies that violate the law and fail to comply will be subject to comparable swift NHTSA enforcement action."

EWR reports are required under the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act of 2000. The law requires quarterly reporting of: production information; incidents involving death or injury; aggregate data on property damage claims, consumer complaints, warranty claims, and field reports; and, copies of field reports involving specified vehicle components, a fire, or a rollover.

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[G. David Felt]

Yet it took the NHTSA 3yrs to notice the reports were not being filed. FAILURE in the NHTSA! Who got fired over this lapse of coverage?