Auto Safety Recall Roundup features Ford, Kia, General Motors, BMW, Porsche models, among others. Check weekly to be sure you're up to date.

Ford Takes the Lead with Three Major Recalls

1. Seat Belt Warning Chime Fails to Sound

• Affected Models: 2025 Ford F-150 Hybrid

• Issue: Audible warning chime may not activate when seat belts are unbuckled, violating FMVSS 208.

• Risk: Increases risk of injury in a crash.

• Fix: Audio control module software update (free of charge).

• Units Affected: 56,473

• Recall ID: 25V489000

2. Loss of Power Brake Assist During Driving

• Affected Models: 2025 Ford Bronco, Expedition, F-150, Ranger; 2025 Lincoln Navigator

• Issue: Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) may malfunction, disabling power brake assist.

• Risk: Extended stopping distance; ineffective ADAS braking.

• Fix: OTA or dealer software update.

• Units Affected: 312,120

• Recall ID: 25V488000

3. Rear Windows May Not Reverse as Required

• Affected Model: 2025 Lincoln Aviator

• Issue: Rear windows exert too much force before reversing, violating FMVSS 118.

• Risk: Pinch hazard to occupants.

• Fix: Driver and passenger door module software update.

• Units Affected: 23,111

• Recall ID: 25V484000

Kia in the Crosswinds with Detaching Trim Hazards

1. Door Belt Molding Can Detach in Transit

• Affected Model: 20232025 Kia Telluride

• Issue: Belt molding trim may delaminate and detach.

• Risk: Creates road debris, increasing crash risk.

• Fix: Inspection and replacement of trim.

• Units Affected: 201,149

• Recall ID: 25V494000

2. Rear Window Trim May Fall Off

• Affected Model: 20232025 Kia K5

• Issue: C-pillar trim pieces may loosen and detach.

• Risk: Road hazard risk for others.

• Fix: Dealer inspection and replacement.

• Units Affected: 100,063

• Recall ID: 25V493000

Porsche: Improper Front Airbag Installation

• Affected Model: 20242025 Porsche Macan 4 Electric

• Issue: Airbags may be improperly secured to the backrest frame.

• Risk: Improper deployment or loose components in a crash.

• Fix: Backrest screw inspection and repair.

• Units Affected: 3

• Recall ID: 25V492000

Tesla: Silent Horns in Select Model Y Units

• Affected Model: 2026 Tesla Model Y

• Issue: Loose ground wire may disable the horn.

• Risk: Driver unable to warn others, increasing crash risk.

• Fix: Steering wheel replacement.

• Units Affected: 5

• Recall ID: 25V490000

General Motors: Battery Mounting Bolts Missing or Loose

• Affected Models: 2026 Cadillac VISTIQ; 2025 Cadillac LYRIQ

• Issue: High-voltage battery may not be properly secured.

• Risk: Battery damage in a crash, risk of fire.

• Fix: Inspection and adjustment of battery bolts.

• Units Affected: 53

• Recall ID: 25V483000

BMW: eCall Emergency System Disabled by Software Bug

• Affected Models: 2025 BMW F 900 GS, F 800 GS, R 1300 GS/Adventure, S 1000 RR, S 1000 R, K 1600 GT

• Issue: Optional emergency call system (eCall) may be deactivated.

• Risk: First responders may not receive crash notifications.

• Fix: OTA or dealer software update.

• Units Affected: 33

• Recall ID: 25V480000

Recall Notifications

Most manufacturers plan to begin mailing notifications in late August through late September. If your vehicle is affected, its best to contact your dealer or the manufacturers hotline for guidance.

OPEC+ output boost could have a positive impact at the gas pump

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• OPEC+ will increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day starting in September, ending 2023-era cuts and pushing crude prices lower, which may help ease U.S. gasoline prices.

• GasBuddy reports the national average gas price has risen slightly to $3.11 per gallon, though prices remain 32.8 cents lower than a year ago; analysts expect potential declines ahead due to supply increases and economic headwinds.

• U.S. oil inventories are up and refinery activity remains strong, while weak employment data and geopolitical uncertainty may temper oil market volatility and influence future gas prices.

In a move that could reshape the global oil landscape and bring modest relief to U.S. drivers, OPEC+ has announced a significant increase in oil production set to begin in September. The decision is expected to influence gasoline prices in the United States, where prices at the pump have been on a slow upward climb over the past two weeks.

The 23-member alliance of oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, has agreed to restore production levels to pre-2023 levels, ending cuts that were put in place to stabilize falling prices. Beginning in September, OPEC+ will boost crude oil output by 547,000 barrels per day, rolling back a portion of the 2.2 million bpd cuts introduced last year.

The announcement quickly sent shockwaves through oil markets. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped to $65.72 per barrel, down from $66.46 a week ago, while Brent crude fell to $68.22 per barrel. These price drops mark a shift in sentiment following initial gains earlier in the week on fears of U.S. sanctions and tariffs affecting Russian oil.

Impacts on U.S. gasoline prices

The decision to increase supply arrives at a pivotal moment for U.S. motorists. According to GasBuddy, the national average price for gasoline has risen 1.2 cents over the past week to $3.11 per gallon. While up slightly from a month ago, prices are still 32.8 cents per gallon lower than this time last year.

Despite regional fluctuations such as an 18.9-cent surge in Indiana and a 12.7-cent drop in Florida most states have experienced only modest changes. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, noted that with OPEC+ now fully restoring production to 2023 levels oil prices may continue to face headwinds, potentially paving the way for a decline in gas prices in the weeks ahead.

Writing in the companys weekly blog, DeHaan said price cycling led gas prices in some states to see double-digit increases or decreases, but most saw only modest fluctuations.

Uncertainty complicates forecasts

While increased oil supply would typically push fuel prices lower, broader economic conditions could influence how the trend plays out. A weak U.S. jobs report and looming geopolitical uncertainties including renewed tariff threats have produced some uncertainty in the markets.

Commodities analysts say the oil market remains volatile. U.S. Energy Information Agency data further support the possibility of softer prices ahead.

U.S. oil inventories rose by 7.7 million barrels last week, and although gasoline inventories fell by 2.7 million barrels, they remain near seasonal norms. Refinery utilization is still high at 95.4%, with implied gasoline demand climbing to 9.15 million barrels per day suggesting strong but manageable consumption.

Illinois researchers put AI to the test in a recent study

• Findings from a recent study found that students who use ChatGPT as their only study tool can still pass a class with a B grade.

• ChatGPT excelled at structured math questions, but struggled with openended analysis.

• This study exposes course design implications as AI becomes part of education.

At the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, researchers in aerospace engineering asked a simple but provocative question: Can you pass a demanding controlsystems course using only ChatGPT, with minimal effort?

They put a free version of ChatGPT to the test by feeding it exactly the same assignments students got in AE353: Aerospace Control Systems, covering math problems, code projects, and analytical writing.

The result: ChatGPT earned a B (82.24%) close to the class average of around 84.99%, but with very little actual learning.

We found ChatGPT technology can get an A on structured, straightforward questions, Ph.D. student Gokul Puthumanaillam said in a news release.

On open-ended questions it got a 62% bringing ChatGPTs semester grade down to an 82%, a low B. The class average for the human students was 84.85% because they could handle the problems that required higher-level reasoning.

How did they test it?

The researchers ran ChatGPT through all 115 homework sets, exams, and programming assignments from the semester-long course, simulating a realistic usage style just the bare minimum effort a timepressured student might use.

The model tackled structured, autograded multiplechoice and math problems, wrote Python code, and wrote longer analytical answers all using only the free ChatGPT interface and no additional instructor guidance or corrections beyond those prompts. They recorded scores across different task types to understand where ChatGPT performed well and where it fell short.

Results: What did they find?

On routine, structured math questions, ChatGPT delivered near-perfect answers earning top marks with minimal prompting. But as questions grew more openended and analytical especially longer essays or designoriented tasks its performance dropped sharply, sometimes earning Ds.

Despite the fact that we provided all of the course material needed to ChatGPT, it still hallucinated, using words that were never used in the class, in the lectures, or course materials, said Puthumanaillam.

Overall, the model earned 82.24%, a solid B, though slightly below the human student average of about 84.99%.

That means, in practical terms, a lazy student could rely on ChatGPT, breeze through math assignments, get a passing grade, and still barely understand the course.

Why it matters

This study isnt just a curiosity it raises important questions for educators.

Like calculators in math classes, ChatGPT is a tool thats here to stay and that students will use, researcher Melkior Ornik said in the news release. What the results of this study pointed out to me is that I need to adjust as an educator.

I plan to consider how I design my courses so that, over time, I include more higher-level questions, perhaps including project-based assignments. Students will still use programs like ChatGPT to do the simpler math problems, but by adding more open-ended questions, theyll also reach a higher level of critical thinking and truly learn the material.

New study shows high-fat, high-sugar diets may hurt your navigation skillsand its easier to fix than you think

• Findings from a recent study found that young adults who eat lots of refined sugar and saturated fat struggled more to remember locations in a virtual maze.
  

• This effect held true even after adjusting for BMI and general working-memory ability.
  

• Promisingly, experts believe these cognitive changes are reversible by choosing healthier foods.

Researchers at the University of Sydney wanted to understand how Western-style diets rich in refined sugars and saturated fats affect spatial navigation (the ability to learn and remember routes).

While previous animal studies pointed to problems with the hippocampus (a brain region tied to memory), this is the first human study to test that directly.

Participants were 55 university students, aged 1838, who self-reported their diets, had their BMIs measured, and took a basic workingmemory test.

The goal? To isolate the effects of diet on navigation skills, rather than body weight or memory capacity.

Weve long known eating too much refined sugar and saturated fat brings the risk of obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers, researcher Dr. Dominic Tran said in a news release. We also know these unhealthy eating habits hasten the onset of age-related cognitive decline in middle age and older adults.

This research gives us evidence that diet is important for brain health in early adulthood, a period when cognitive function is usually intact.

The study

Participants completed a diet questionnaire, focusing on frequency of high-sugar and high-fat food intake. They then entered a virtualreality maze with landmarks scattered around.

• Six practice runs: They searched for a treasure chest in under four minutes or else got teleported to it and studied its position for 10 seconds.

• Seventh trial (memory test): The chest was removed. Participants had to point out where it had been relying purely on memory.
  

By comparing performance on that final test against diet, BMI, and memory scores, researchers isolated the impact of diet on spatial recall.

The findings

• Clear pattern: Participants who reported higher fat and sugar consumption were significantly less accurate in pinpointing the former treasure location even after adjusting for BMI and working memory.

• Hippocampus in the spotlight: The deficits were specific to spatial navigation, linking back to hippocampal functioning not overall cognition.

• Reversible impact? Dr. Tran emphasizes that the effect is likely reversible: The good news is we think this is an easily reversible situation, he said. Dietary changes can improve the health of the hippocampus, and therefore our ability to navigate our environment, such as when were exploring a new city or learning a new route home.

Why it matters for you

You dont need to wait until mid-life to think about diet and brain health. This study shows cognitive performance can be affected now even in young adults with normal weight and good short-term memory. But the bright side is that the negative impact isnt permanent and can likely be improved with better food choices.

Its likely our participants were a little healthier than the general population and we think, if our sample better represented the public, the impact of diet on spatial navigation would likely be even more pronounced, Dr. Tran said.

University researchers say Medicare wasting $4.4 billion on tests that offer little to no benefit

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• $4.4 billion in annual spending goes toward tests and procedures offering little to no benefit to older adults

• Five services alone account for nearly $2.6 billion in potential savings if eliminated

• Experts urge clinically informed reforms over blunt cost-cutting to protect patients and Medicare's future

A new study reveals that Medicare and older adults are spending $4.4 billion a year on medical services that offer low or no clinical valueand, in many cases, pose unnecessary health risks.

Published in JAMA Health Forum, the research focuses on 47 medical servicesincluding tests, scans, and proceduresthat experts say are overused in the Medicare population. The study was led by health economist David D. Kim, Ph.D. of the University of Chicago and primary care physician A. Mark Fendrick, M.D. of the University of Michigans Center for Value-Based Insurance Design.

Five risky services cost billions

Just five of the 47 services account for $2.6 billion in potentially avoidable spending. All five have received a D grade from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), meaning their harms outweigh their benefits. Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare is authorized to deny payment for such services.

The five low-value services are:

• Screening all older adults for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Screening for asymptomatic urinary tract bacteria

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in men over 70 without prostate issues

• Carotid artery blockage screening in symptom-free older adults

• Electrocardiogram screening for heart rhythm issues in asymptomatic older adults

These are services where the risks often outweigh the potential benefits, particularly for older adults without symptoms, said Dr. Kim. Avoiding them when they are unnecessary could save Medicare billions.

94% of costs concentrated in 20 services

The researchers also analyzed 42 other services flagged by professional medical societies as low-value in certain patient groups. Just 20 of the 47 total services accounted for 94% of all unnecessary spending during the 20182020 period.

The study was based on anonymized data from traditional Medicare claims, extrapolated to reflect the national Medicare population. It did not include the downstream costssuch as additional care resulting from unnecessary testswhich could vastly increase the overall waste. For example, prior research found that for every $1 spent on PSA screening, $6 in follow-up costs ensue.

Smarter cuts, not blunt ones

Rather than advocating across-the-board cuts, the studys authors argue for targeted, evidence-based decisions. This is much more nuanced than blunt policies that reduce government spending on health care but could harm patients, said Dr. Fendrick.

The Affordable Care Act already provides mechanisms to curtail low-value services, but the authors emphasize that smarter policy guided by clinical nuance and patient need is key to preserving both patient safety and Medicares sustainability.

Patients who can benefit from these services should absolutely receive them, said Kim. But tremendous savings can be achieved by avoiding them in those who wont.