Chronicling the Ever-Changing Automotive Industry
Sales were up for the second month of 2010, with a total of 778,738 vehicles sold in America. The pundits were proven correct when they said that Ford stood to gain the most out of Toyota’s recent drama, as they took the #1 position away from cross-town rival General Motors.
Continue reading ‘Sales Figures: February, 2010′
With every new electronic gizmo added to a car, there’s a chance that something can go wrong. Even with decades-old technology, a fault might be found. Such is the case in some 2010 Mazda CX-9 crossovers, where a faulty seat heater can lead to “burn damage of the seat cushion surface,” or even smoke and fire, according to the NHTSA.
Continue reading ‘Ouch! Mazda CX-9 recalled over too-hot seat heaters’
2008 Infiniti QX56
What is it with braking systems on vehicles these days? Have automakers lost their minds? I believe it to be a combination of trying to save money and the mainstream application of “drive by wire” systems, where computers and sensors replace traditional hydraulics and cables. Nissan is the latest automaker to initiate a recall for its brakes, as well as faulty fuel gauges.
Continue reading ‘Nissan to recall 539,864 vehicles for brake pins, fuel gauges’
Toyota Avalon
Last year, Toyota released a “Limited Service Campaign” (LSC) for some of its V6-equipped vehicles. An LSC shouldn’t be confused with a recall, because recalls are for safety issues and the LSCs are for “customer satisfaction,” according to Toyota. This campaign is for a defective oil line for the affected engines. Over time, a rubber portion of the line may degrade, causing oil to leak out, the engine to make odd noises, and the oil pressure light to illuminate on the vehicle’s dashboard.
Continue reading ‘Toyota expands Oil Leak Fix to new models’
As a result of an earlier investigation, GM has announced the recall of 1.3 million cars. The bulk of them are in America, and are sold here as the Chevrolet Cobalt and the Pontiac G5. The latter is no longer sold (as Pontiac is being shut down), but the former will be replaced soon by the Cruze. In the mean time, 2005-2010 Cobalts and 2007 – 2010 G5s are being recalled for power steering issues. The problem stems from a power steering motor which wears out, leaving the driver with no power steering. While the car remains controllable, it requires more effort to steer, which has led to 14 accidents and 1 injury so far, in over 1,100 complaints.
Continue reading ‘GM Recalls 1.3 million Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac G5s’
Each year, Consumer Reports rates new cars, and publishes a list of their “Top Picks.” Each year, they pick the best overall winners in several categories, and there are usually a few winners with Honda or Toyota badges on them. This year is a bit different, with Nissan (including Infiniti) winning a couple of awards. With all the Toyota recall hubbub, it’s not too surprising to see the list change, but the biggest surprise for me was the Nissan Altima winning Best Family Sedan. Read on for the complete list.
Continue reading ‘Consumer Reports’ Top Picks for 2010′
