Archive for the 'Under the Hood (In Depth)' Category

Opinion: Distance to Empty? (w/Poll)

Published on February 16, 2011 in General, Polls and Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Starting about 15 years ago, some vehicles began shipping with Distance To Empty (DTE) computers on-board.  These DTE computers take a few variables into account and give the driver a running update of how many miles he or she may drive before they run out of fuel.  Now that I’ve owned a few vehicles which feature these displays, I have come to realize that there are two ways manufacturers calculate DTE: Optimist, and Pessimist (my own names for them).  Read on for the explanation of each and which one I think is better.

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Toyota Announces Repair Bulletin for 2004-2007 Prius, over Cooling

Published on December 1, 2010 in Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The Toyota Prius has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the last year, seeing unintended acceleration and other recalls.  Now, Toyota has announced a Repair Campaign.  While not a safety recall, it’s still a fairly serious issue.  From the press release, it looks like some 378,000 Priuses in the US can develop an issue with the hybrid drive’s cooling system.  Click past the jump for more details and the press release.

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Update: Ford’s EcoBoost F-150 Runs Baja 1000 in 38 Hours!

Published on November 23, 2010 in Fun Stuff, Hot Car - Upcoming and Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Remember in September, when Ford announced that they were torture-testing their new EcoBoost-powered F-150?  Well, the results of the Baja 1000 off-road race are in, and the twin-turbo F-150 ran the entire race in 38 hours.  Just finishing the Baja 1000 is an accomplishment, but the F-150 had a well-used engine in it.  Click through the jump for details and the press release.

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Cadillac Escalade – Gone in 14 Seconds? (w/video)

Published on November 18, 2010 in Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Fourteen seconds.  That’s about the time it takes to unlock, get into, and start my car.  For car thieves, that’s how long it takes to steal a late-model GM SUV – including the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban – says a report from Detroit’s WXYZ, an ABC affiliate.  The reason the vehicles are so easy to steal?  They’re missing safety and theft deterrent features found on almost all cars these days.  Continue past the jump for a more in-depth explanation and WXYZ’s own video.

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Ford’s new EcoBoost F-150 Gets Endurance and Durability-Tested

Published on September 24, 2010 in Fun Stuff, Hot Car - Upcoming and Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The news is quickly making it through the automotive industry (and the posts here on Road Reality) that Ford is expanding its line-up of EcoBoost-equipped vehicles, including the 2011 F-150 full-size pickup truck.  Ford’s EcoBoost engines combine turbochargers and direct injection to create more power while keeping the all-mighty MPGs in check.  Now, they’ve released a set of endurance and durability tests for the 2011 F-150, powered by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.  Read on for more details and the requisite pictures.

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Ford Develops new Airbag, will debut in 2012 Focus

Published on September 24, 2010 in Hot Car - Upcoming, Manufacturer Update and Under the Hood (In Depth). 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Ford’s not sitting on their laurels.  After introducing a slew of new models this year, they’ve apparently got a couple more aces up their sleeves.  Car buyers looking for safer vehicles may want to look at the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus when it goes on sale early next year.  The new airbags will feature internal tethers and vents to better shape and distribute forces, which will protect drivers and passengers better than existing airbag technology.

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