Toyota to fix over 735,000 cars outside recall
Wed, Jul 14 2010
* 2001-2003 RAV4 models may experience uneven shifting
* 2009-2010 Matrix, Corolla models may have steering issue
* Technical service bulletin issued for Matrix, Corolla
* Matrix, Corolla, and RAV4 issues did not lead to recalls (Recasts to include technical service campaign for 500,000 Matrix and Corolla issues; adds Toyota confirmation, comment)
By Bernie Woodall and Soyoung Kim
DETROIT, July 14 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Wednesday it will extend warranties on about 235,500 RAV4 vehicles and address steering complaints on as many as 500,000 late model Matrix and Corollas in the United States.
Toyota is taking the action to repair vehicles outside the channel for recalls tracked by U.S. regulators because it does not consider the reported problems to be safety issues.
Drivers of 2001 to 2003 model year RAV4s equipped with automatic transaxles may experience a "harsh shift" or have a dashboard light turn on indicating a malfunction, Toyota said in a notice to U.S. dealers.
Meanwhile, drivers of about a half million U.S. Matrix and Corolla vehicles from model years 2009 and 2010 may experience steering drift, the company said.
U.S. Toyota dealers will fix the steering for owners who complain, said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons. He said the matter was not a safety issue but one of customer satisfaction.
In February, when the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had opened a preliminary investigation into complaints over steering issues on the Corolla and Matrix.
At the time, NHTSA had received 168 consumer complaints about the steering issue linked to eight crashes and 11 injuries.
Toyota has said Corollas made in Japan and Europe had different parts for steering than the affected models sold in North America.
Lyons did not provide an estimate of how much the repairs would cost Toyota.
The automaker estimated that fixing the steering would take about four hours representing a labor bill of about $350 per fix based on average dealer costs.
RAV4 SHIFTING ISSUES
Meanwhile, owners of RAV4s covered by the extended warranty will be sent a letter this month advising them to bring their vehicle to a dealer to be examined if they have experienced a problem with shifting.
Toyota will pay for repairs and extend warranties of the affected RAV4s, the note sent to dealers said.
The notice of the vehicle repair campaign was sent to Toyota's U.S. dealers on Monday. A copy of the Toyota "Customer Support Program" was obtained by Reuters.
Major automakers often extend warranty terms or notify dealers that they will pay for repairs that they judge to be unrelated to the kinds of safety issues covered by recalls.
Toyota's RAV4 warranty campaign comes after a series of high-profile recalls that have damaged the automaker's reputation for quality. More than 10 million Toyota and Lexus models have been recalled since last fall worldwide.
Toyota said that solder in one of the circuits on the RAV4's engine control module is at risk for peeling over time.
In most cases, dealers would be able to fix any vehicle problems by replacing the engine control module, an onboard computer, Toyota said.
In some cases, dealers will also have to replace the automatic transaxle on affected RAV4s, Toyota said.
Hundreds of U.S. consumer complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about transmission-related problems with the RAV4.
In some cases, drivers have complained of repair bills of several thousand dollars or sluggish acceleration that put them in dangerous situations.
One driver of a 2002 RAV4 told U.S. regulators that in March 2007 he was involved in a minor accident after the "automatic transmission went crazy and (the) car started lunging forward and then not going when it should."
"We have not felt safe enough to even keep the car on the road," the consumer told NHTSA.
No other Toyota, Lexus or Scion models are impacted by the issue, Toyota said in its notice to dealers.
RAV4 owners who have already paid for repairs can apply to be reimbursed, Toyota said. New repairs must be made at Toyota dealerships. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall and Soyoung Kim; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz and Richard Chang)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The New LaCrosse
LaCrosse: The Buick we finally would rather have
USA Today Drive On Blog
June 15, 2010
By Chris Woodyard
A big comfortable sedan with ample power and nimble handling, a blow-away great interior and a price tag that seems about $8,000 less than you'd expect to pay.
That's the Buick LaCrosse, which Drive On finally took for a spin even though it's been out for months. Why haven't we paid much attention before? Because it's a Buick.
LaCrosse seems impressive because it comes from a brand that makes you think of your father, or your father's father. But it is getting discovered. LaCrosse sales were up 212% last month from a year ago on the strength of the new model. For Buick executives, the challenge is just to get potential customers in the car.
"The product is the great proof point," says Roger McCormick, Buick's chief marketing guy, adding, "once people spend time in the car."
One victory: the percentage of customers coming to the brand are arriving from trade-ins from other brands, including imports he says. It's used to be 22%; now it's closer to 50%.
Though the starting price of a LaCrosse is around $26,000, McCormick says the average price of the LaCrosse leaving showrooms is around $32,000, an increase over the model it replaces. The one that Drive On tested was $37,280, and it had about every modern convenience and gee-whiz feature that you could pack into a car.
Buick is about to shift its marketing focus to the smaller Regal, but if you really want to see what's going to happen to this brand, keep your eyes on LaCrosse.
USA Today Drive On Blog
June 15, 2010
By Chris Woodyard
A big comfortable sedan with ample power and nimble handling, a blow-away great interior and a price tag that seems about $8,000 less than you'd expect to pay.
That's the Buick LaCrosse, which Drive On finally took for a spin even though it's been out for months. Why haven't we paid much attention before? Because it's a Buick.
LaCrosse seems impressive because it comes from a brand that makes you think of your father, or your father's father. But it is getting discovered. LaCrosse sales were up 212% last month from a year ago on the strength of the new model. For Buick executives, the challenge is just to get potential customers in the car.
"The product is the great proof point," says Roger McCormick, Buick's chief marketing guy, adding, "once people spend time in the car."
One victory: the percentage of customers coming to the brand are arriving from trade-ins from other brands, including imports he says. It's used to be 22%; now it's closer to 50%.
Though the starting price of a LaCrosse is around $26,000, McCormick says the average price of the LaCrosse leaving showrooms is around $32,000, an increase over the model it replaces. The one that Drive On tested was $37,280, and it had about every modern convenience and gee-whiz feature that you could pack into a car.
Buick is about to shift its marketing focus to the smaller Regal, but if you really want to see what's going to happen to this brand, keep your eyes on LaCrosse.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Chrysler is Now Recalling Cars for Pedal Issues
From Automotive News Online Today.
Chrysler recalls more than 25,000 vehicles with CTS pedals
Automotive News
June 4, 2010 - 2:46 pm EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group is recalling more than 25,000 Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass vehicles to address the risk that accelerator pedals could become stuck and cause unintended acceleration, the automaker said today.
The recall comes five weeks after U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into potentially sticky accelerator pedals in Chrysler vehicles, based on five consumer complaints.
Chrysler said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of its 2007 model-year Caliber and Compass vehicles, manufactured between March and May of 2006, might have been equipped with faulty accelerator pedals.
CTS Corp. made the pedals involved in the recall. Elkhart, Ind.-based CTS is also the supplier of pedals involved in Toyota Motor Corp.'s January recall of more than 2 million vehicles.
Chrysler said the accelerator pedal for the Caliber and Compass vehicles is a "completely different" design and manufactured with different tooling than the pedals involved in Toyota's recall.
Chrysler also said its recalled vehicles are equipped with a brake override system, which allows the engine controller to reduce power and stop the car when both the brake and the accelerator are depressed.
Chrysler recalls more than 25,000 vehicles with CTS pedals
Automotive News
June 4, 2010 - 2:46 pm EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group is recalling more than 25,000 Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass vehicles to address the risk that accelerator pedals could become stuck and cause unintended acceleration, the automaker said today.
The recall comes five weeks after U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into potentially sticky accelerator pedals in Chrysler vehicles, based on five consumer complaints.
Chrysler said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of its 2007 model-year Caliber and Compass vehicles, manufactured between March and May of 2006, might have been equipped with faulty accelerator pedals.
CTS Corp. made the pedals involved in the recall. Elkhart, Ind.-based CTS is also the supplier of pedals involved in Toyota Motor Corp.'s January recall of more than 2 million vehicles.
Chrysler said the accelerator pedal for the Caliber and Compass vehicles is a "completely different" design and manufactured with different tooling than the pedals involved in Toyota's recall.
Chrysler also said its recalled vehicles are equipped with a brake override system, which allows the engine controller to reduce power and stop the car when both the brake and the accelerator are depressed.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Regal Wins High Praise from Wall Street Journal
An article form the Wall Street Journal.
SEAT MAY 29, 2010 Confession: The Regal's a Pretty Great Car
Love the bailout or hate it, GM has a success in its Europe-derived Buick sedan; an automotive Zelig
By DAN NEIL
It gives me no joy to write this. I know it will upset a lot of readers, and that's never pleasant. So I might as well come right out and say it: The new Buick Regal is a really nice car.
If you regard the federal government's taking a majority stake in General Motors in 2009 as an unforgivable overreach by the Socialist in Chief Obama, a political payoff to the United Auto Workers, a fleecing of the taxpayer, etc., nothing would conform to that narrative better than a ugly, spastic Buick Regal. After all, the government can't do anything right, can it?
Unfortunately for you—and fortunately for the rest of us, who want the company to succeed and in so succeeding make taxpayers whole on their investment—the post-bankruptcy, fed-owned GM is gaining altitude. The company posted a healthy Q1 profit; global sales are rebounding; GM is a fraction of its former, overgrown self; the board and most of the executive management has been replaced; the UAW has been given a pretty good haircut; the electric Chevy Volt is on track to be released on time, as promised. Hundreds of thousands of auto-industry jobs were preserved in the past year. If GM had gone into liquidation—remember, there was no financing available for a conventional Chapter 11 bankruptcy—GM's collapse would have acted like a black hole, further destabilizing the economy and obliterating the value of car companies and suppliers around it.
I'm not saying it was pretty. So little of summer '09 was. And I'm not predicting that taxpayers will absolutely break even. I am saying the alternative would have been far worse.
Why, Martha, can't this guy keep politics out of car reviews? Because car building, and car buying, is inherently political. I've received dozens of purple-faced emails in the past year declaring "I'll never by another GM because of [circle one] a) the bailout, b) Obama, c) the UAW...." That's perfectly legitimate. Consumers vote with their dollars, and as much as we'd like the universe of commerce to operate outside the gravity of ideology, it doesn't.
So while I understand this is a season of deep discontent with big-G government, with respect I invite you to consider the possibility that Government Motors will actually build some fine cars.
The Regal has been a kind of automotive Zelig, everywhere you look in the GM bailout. Development of this global, midsize, front-drive platform (Epsilon II) was begun at GM's Opel operations in Russelsheim, Germany, in 2004. It was intended to be the next-generation Saturn Aura for North America but when the money-losing Saturn division went away in the reorganization plan of 2009, GM quickly rebadged the car—known as the Opel Insignia in Europe—as a Buick. It's also built and sold as a Buick in China, where it's been a huge success (Buick's ascendance in the Chinese market is the main reason GM kept the division and dumped, say, Pontiac).
Meanwhile, as GM was lurching toward bankruptcy in the spring 2009, it put Opel up for sale, which would have been a monstrous mistake, given the division's role in global product development. But by November, the board of the new GM—made up mostly of Obama Administration appointees—wisely decided to hang on to Opel.
All of which led to the Opel Insignia/Buick Regal's arriving on our shores this month. How is it? Well, it's kind of terrific. Thick-shouldered, wide, with a graceful canopy (and a Hofmeister kink positively stolen from BMW) and about as nice a front end as can be managed with Buick's fussy waterfall grille, the Regal's look is competent and substantial, with the kind of sporty visual amplitude you'd expect of a Autobahn-bred car. I really like the hockey-stick-shaped accent line in the fuselage. This car nicely bottles pride of ownership.
The base model, the CXL, is powered by a direct-injection, 2.4-liter, 182-hp four cylinder and six-speed automatic with manual-shift mode. Amenities include heated leather seats, OnStar and Bluetooth. Price: $26,995. For $2,500 more ($29,495) Buick will throw in its 2.0-liter, 220-hp turbocharged Ecotec four cylinder, 19-inch wheels and what GM calls Interactive Drive Control, which includes Sport and Touring modes for suspension, throttle response, steering, etc. The highway fuel economy for the nonturbo is 30 mpg, while the turbo returns 29 mpg.
The Buick Regal is a nut-and-bolt clone of the Opel Insignia, which was Europe's Car of the Year in 2009. A half-foot shorter than the LaCrosse (also Insignia-based) the Regal feels like it should be pounding around the Périphérique instead of muddling through California freeway traffic. Taut and torquey, with bankable style and features, the Buick hands it to its intended competitor, the Acura TSX.
The Benefits of Bailout
Prebankruptcy GM's list of problems was long and stubborn. High pension and health-insurance liabilities, a vastly overgrown, insupportable corporate structure, and then the crisis in auto sales, which plunged them below their inflated break-even sales volume. But its biggest problem, many would argue, was a self-inflicted wound called product. The company is still a long way from healthy, but only the most ideologically driven naysayer could drive the Regal and conclude the company's products aren't coming back.
Buick execs have confirmed a yet-hotter edition of the car, the Regal GS—dredging up the old Gran Sport name—will hit the market next year. That car will have a high-output turbo engine (255 hp), six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, knotty Brembo brakes, the whole smash.
I spent most of a day this week thumping a well-equipped turbo model (about $35,000) through the hills east of San Diego and came away deeply impressed, if not quite panting with desire. For starters, the interior is excellent, easily the equal of the Hyundai Sonata or Acura TSX, which bracket the Buick in price. The Regal's central console, with flush-faced, soft-touch buttons arranged in intuitive geometry, is impeccable. Between the seats of my tester was a multifunction rotary control, a la BMW's iDrive, that worked beautifully. The seats are comfortable, supportive and well contoured. The sight lines are right. The wind management and soundproofing have been sweated over, to good effect.
And, best of all, the car handles like a European sport sedan. Think, not BMW, but perhaps Peugeot or Renault. With the adaptive suspension switched to Sport mode, the Regal's ride is firm but compliant, with a nice evenness while cornering. Lift off the throttle, hit the brakes and take a big chop and the wheel and the car turns in confidently. Pitch and body roll is well modulated. The 19-inch tires serve up loads of lateral grip. This is actually a pretty amusing car to abuse.
My only complaint—and, I gather, it was a common one—was that the speed-sensitive steering felt a little spooky. The steering had a deep self-centering inclination and tended to waver a bit as steering angles increased. It didn't really inspire a lot of go-fast confidence. Buick's engineering staff promised the steering calibration would be tweaked to correct.
Also, deep under the hood, there was a little bit of off-throttle chuff, a rather rude sound caused by back pressure in the turbo. Again, the Buick lab-coats said they were on it.
It's no secret that Buick is chasing younger buyers (voters?) and—the product guys having delivered—it's now up to the marketing guys to reach the very elusive, brand-agnostic Gen Y. I've got no insight on that question. But I do think that Regal is the just sort of product people hoped GM would produce post-bankruptcy. And here it is. Bit by bit, GM is pulling itself together. Politics aside, that's good for all of us.
SEAT MAY 29, 2010 Confession: The Regal's a Pretty Great Car
Love the bailout or hate it, GM has a success in its Europe-derived Buick sedan; an automotive Zelig
By DAN NEIL
It gives me no joy to write this. I know it will upset a lot of readers, and that's never pleasant. So I might as well come right out and say it: The new Buick Regal is a really nice car.
If you regard the federal government's taking a majority stake in General Motors in 2009 as an unforgivable overreach by the Socialist in Chief Obama, a political payoff to the United Auto Workers, a fleecing of the taxpayer, etc., nothing would conform to that narrative better than a ugly, spastic Buick Regal. After all, the government can't do anything right, can it?
Unfortunately for you—and fortunately for the rest of us, who want the company to succeed and in so succeeding make taxpayers whole on their investment—the post-bankruptcy, fed-owned GM is gaining altitude. The company posted a healthy Q1 profit; global sales are rebounding; GM is a fraction of its former, overgrown self; the board and most of the executive management has been replaced; the UAW has been given a pretty good haircut; the electric Chevy Volt is on track to be released on time, as promised. Hundreds of thousands of auto-industry jobs were preserved in the past year. If GM had gone into liquidation—remember, there was no financing available for a conventional Chapter 11 bankruptcy—GM's collapse would have acted like a black hole, further destabilizing the economy and obliterating the value of car companies and suppliers around it.
I'm not saying it was pretty. So little of summer '09 was. And I'm not predicting that taxpayers will absolutely break even. I am saying the alternative would have been far worse.
Why, Martha, can't this guy keep politics out of car reviews? Because car building, and car buying, is inherently political. I've received dozens of purple-faced emails in the past year declaring "I'll never by another GM because of [circle one] a) the bailout, b) Obama, c) the UAW...." That's perfectly legitimate. Consumers vote with their dollars, and as much as we'd like the universe of commerce to operate outside the gravity of ideology, it doesn't.
So while I understand this is a season of deep discontent with big-G government, with respect I invite you to consider the possibility that Government Motors will actually build some fine cars.
The Regal has been a kind of automotive Zelig, everywhere you look in the GM bailout. Development of this global, midsize, front-drive platform (Epsilon II) was begun at GM's Opel operations in Russelsheim, Germany, in 2004. It was intended to be the next-generation Saturn Aura for North America but when the money-losing Saturn division went away in the reorganization plan of 2009, GM quickly rebadged the car—known as the Opel Insignia in Europe—as a Buick. It's also built and sold as a Buick in China, where it's been a huge success (Buick's ascendance in the Chinese market is the main reason GM kept the division and dumped, say, Pontiac).
Meanwhile, as GM was lurching toward bankruptcy in the spring 2009, it put Opel up for sale, which would have been a monstrous mistake, given the division's role in global product development. But by November, the board of the new GM—made up mostly of Obama Administration appointees—wisely decided to hang on to Opel.
All of which led to the Opel Insignia/Buick Regal's arriving on our shores this month. How is it? Well, it's kind of terrific. Thick-shouldered, wide, with a graceful canopy (and a Hofmeister kink positively stolen from BMW) and about as nice a front end as can be managed with Buick's fussy waterfall grille, the Regal's look is competent and substantial, with the kind of sporty visual amplitude you'd expect of a Autobahn-bred car. I really like the hockey-stick-shaped accent line in the fuselage. This car nicely bottles pride of ownership.
The base model, the CXL, is powered by a direct-injection, 2.4-liter, 182-hp four cylinder and six-speed automatic with manual-shift mode. Amenities include heated leather seats, OnStar and Bluetooth. Price: $26,995. For $2,500 more ($29,495) Buick will throw in its 2.0-liter, 220-hp turbocharged Ecotec four cylinder, 19-inch wheels and what GM calls Interactive Drive Control, which includes Sport and Touring modes for suspension, throttle response, steering, etc. The highway fuel economy for the nonturbo is 30 mpg, while the turbo returns 29 mpg.
The Buick Regal is a nut-and-bolt clone of the Opel Insignia, which was Europe's Car of the Year in 2009. A half-foot shorter than the LaCrosse (also Insignia-based) the Regal feels like it should be pounding around the Périphérique instead of muddling through California freeway traffic. Taut and torquey, with bankable style and features, the Buick hands it to its intended competitor, the Acura TSX.
The Benefits of Bailout
Prebankruptcy GM's list of problems was long and stubborn. High pension and health-insurance liabilities, a vastly overgrown, insupportable corporate structure, and then the crisis in auto sales, which plunged them below their inflated break-even sales volume. But its biggest problem, many would argue, was a self-inflicted wound called product. The company is still a long way from healthy, but only the most ideologically driven naysayer could drive the Regal and conclude the company's products aren't coming back.
Buick execs have confirmed a yet-hotter edition of the car, the Regal GS—dredging up the old Gran Sport name—will hit the market next year. That car will have a high-output turbo engine (255 hp), six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, knotty Brembo brakes, the whole smash.
I spent most of a day this week thumping a well-equipped turbo model (about $35,000) through the hills east of San Diego and came away deeply impressed, if not quite panting with desire. For starters, the interior is excellent, easily the equal of the Hyundai Sonata or Acura TSX, which bracket the Buick in price. The Regal's central console, with flush-faced, soft-touch buttons arranged in intuitive geometry, is impeccable. Between the seats of my tester was a multifunction rotary control, a la BMW's iDrive, that worked beautifully. The seats are comfortable, supportive and well contoured. The sight lines are right. The wind management and soundproofing have been sweated over, to good effect.
And, best of all, the car handles like a European sport sedan. Think, not BMW, but perhaps Peugeot or Renault. With the adaptive suspension switched to Sport mode, the Regal's ride is firm but compliant, with a nice evenness while cornering. Lift off the throttle, hit the brakes and take a big chop and the wheel and the car turns in confidently. Pitch and body roll is well modulated. The 19-inch tires serve up loads of lateral grip. This is actually a pretty amusing car to abuse.
My only complaint—and, I gather, it was a common one—was that the speed-sensitive steering felt a little spooky. The steering had a deep self-centering inclination and tended to waver a bit as steering angles increased. It didn't really inspire a lot of go-fast confidence. Buick's engineering staff promised the steering calibration would be tweaked to correct.
Also, deep under the hood, there was a little bit of off-throttle chuff, a rather rude sound caused by back pressure in the turbo. Again, the Buick lab-coats said they were on it.
It's no secret that Buick is chasing younger buyers (voters?) and—the product guys having delivered—it's now up to the marketing guys to reach the very elusive, brand-agnostic Gen Y. I've got no insight on that question. But I do think that Regal is the just sort of product people hoped GM would produce post-bankruptcy. And here it is. Bit by bit, GM is pulling itself together. Politics aside, that's good for all of us.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Summer Gas Savings Tips
SUMMER GAS SAVINGS TIPS
BY: Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr.
The summer driving season is upon us and so are the related costs associated with taking the family across the country for vacation. One way to save a little money along the way is to insure that your vehicle is getting the best mileage possible under prevailing conditions. While the savings on a particular trip may not be tremendous, the savings could substantial over time.
Fortunately, most modern vehicles take some of the guesswork out of the variables that affect gas mileage. For instance, on-board vehicle computers automatically compute tire pressure in all four tires making a physical pressure reading unnecessary. Additionally, the computers calculate instant gas mileage as the vehicle is being driven so no complicated math of gallons divided by miles driven is necessary. While the following tips may not make you rich, they will put a little extra change in your pocket in a time when gas prices are on the rise. These suggestions will result in small but significant fuel savings.
1. Make Sure the Engine is Properly Tuned
A properly tuned engine can account for as much as a 4.1 percent increase in gas mileage according to government studies. The most common tuning problem is a faulty oxygen sensor. Gasoline engines work by creating a combustible spark caused by the ignition of the gas in the cylinder. A proper amount of oxygen is required for the spark. The oxygen sensor in the vehicle regulates the amount of gas and oxygen necessary for optimal performance and reduction in pollution. If the Oxygen sensor is malfunctioning it can decrease efficiency by up to forty percent. If the check engine light or oxygen sensor light illuminates, take the vehicle to the dealer for repair and you might just see a significant increase in miles per gallon.
2. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Underinflated tires create unnecessary friction between the vehicle and the road, which reduces efficiency. Because the underinflated tires have more tire area contacting the road, friction is increased and the engine has to work harder to get the vehicle in motion. It is the same as when you were a kid and the tires on a bicycle were a little flat. The bike was harder to pedal and more energy was required to get the bike in motion. The vehicle’s onboard computer will alert the driver of significant pressure reduction and also give an accurate reading of tire pressure for each tire. If the vehicle does not have this function, use a manual pressure gage to check inflation. The proper inflation will be listed on the inside door jamb of the vehicle and in the owners manual. Properly inflating tires can improve miles per gallon by up to 3.3 percent
3. Use a Clean Air Filter and Change Oil as Recommended
An engine requires the proper amount of oxygen and gasoline to mix together to create a combustible spark for the engine to work properly. One of the items that regulate the oxygen/fuel mix is the air filter. If the filter is dirty, less oxygen will get into the system and the vehicle will run poorly and use more gas than necessary. A clogged air filter will reduce fuel economy by as much as 22 cents per gallon according to the Department of Energy. Likewise, motor oil should be changed as directed by the vehicle manufacturer. The proper viscosity should be used in conjunction with regular oil and filter changes. Like the air filter, dirty oil can reduce the efficiency of fuel consumption. Changing both the air filter and the oil will save a few cents per gallon.
In all, simple maintenance can add up over the long summer driving season. While the amount saved will not necessarily pay for the admission to Disney, it might pay for a snack or two while you are in the park. For more information on driving and maintenance tips visit www.walkerwill.blogspot.com.
BY: Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr.
The summer driving season is upon us and so are the related costs associated with taking the family across the country for vacation. One way to save a little money along the way is to insure that your vehicle is getting the best mileage possible under prevailing conditions. While the savings on a particular trip may not be tremendous, the savings could substantial over time.
Fortunately, most modern vehicles take some of the guesswork out of the variables that affect gas mileage. For instance, on-board vehicle computers automatically compute tire pressure in all four tires making a physical pressure reading unnecessary. Additionally, the computers calculate instant gas mileage as the vehicle is being driven so no complicated math of gallons divided by miles driven is necessary. While the following tips may not make you rich, they will put a little extra change in your pocket in a time when gas prices are on the rise. These suggestions will result in small but significant fuel savings.
1. Make Sure the Engine is Properly Tuned
A properly tuned engine can account for as much as a 4.1 percent increase in gas mileage according to government studies. The most common tuning problem is a faulty oxygen sensor. Gasoline engines work by creating a combustible spark caused by the ignition of the gas in the cylinder. A proper amount of oxygen is required for the spark. The oxygen sensor in the vehicle regulates the amount of gas and oxygen necessary for optimal performance and reduction in pollution. If the Oxygen sensor is malfunctioning it can decrease efficiency by up to forty percent. If the check engine light or oxygen sensor light illuminates, take the vehicle to the dealer for repair and you might just see a significant increase in miles per gallon.
2. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Underinflated tires create unnecessary friction between the vehicle and the road, which reduces efficiency. Because the underinflated tires have more tire area contacting the road, friction is increased and the engine has to work harder to get the vehicle in motion. It is the same as when you were a kid and the tires on a bicycle were a little flat. The bike was harder to pedal and more energy was required to get the bike in motion. The vehicle’s onboard computer will alert the driver of significant pressure reduction and also give an accurate reading of tire pressure for each tire. If the vehicle does not have this function, use a manual pressure gage to check inflation. The proper inflation will be listed on the inside door jamb of the vehicle and in the owners manual. Properly inflating tires can improve miles per gallon by up to 3.3 percent
3. Use a Clean Air Filter and Change Oil as Recommended
An engine requires the proper amount of oxygen and gasoline to mix together to create a combustible spark for the engine to work properly. One of the items that regulate the oxygen/fuel mix is the air filter. If the filter is dirty, less oxygen will get into the system and the vehicle will run poorly and use more gas than necessary. A clogged air filter will reduce fuel economy by as much as 22 cents per gallon according to the Department of Energy. Likewise, motor oil should be changed as directed by the vehicle manufacturer. The proper viscosity should be used in conjunction with regular oil and filter changes. Like the air filter, dirty oil can reduce the efficiency of fuel consumption. Changing both the air filter and the oil will save a few cents per gallon.
In all, simple maintenance can add up over the long summer driving season. While the amount saved will not necessarily pay for the admission to Disney, it might pay for a snack or two while you are in the park. For more information on driving and maintenance tips visit www.walkerwill.blogspot.com.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Toyota Suspends Sales of Lexus Vehicles
From Automotive News this Afternoon....Problems at the troubled automaker continue to mount.
Toyota suspends sales of some Lexus LS sedans after recall
Automotive News
May 25, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said it had temporarily suspended sales of certain Lexus LS sedans following a steering-related recall.
The decision announced on Monday marks the third time in recent months that Toyota has told dealers to stop selling vehicles in the wake of a recall.
The voluntary recall of about 3,800 late model 2009 and some 2010 model year LS 460 and LS600h vehicles in the United States was finalized on Friday.
In certain scenarios, Toyota said the steering wheel in recalled models may not return to a centered position after a tight turn.
Toyota recalled up to 11,500 vehicles worldwide to correct the problem.
Sales are expected to resume gradually in mid-June, beginning with models that arrive in showrooms with the required fix.
Existing inventory and vehicles already on the road will require a computer system changeout that will be completed as dealers receive parts.
Toyota suspends sales of some Lexus LS sedans after recall
Automotive News
May 25, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said it had temporarily suspended sales of certain Lexus LS sedans following a steering-related recall.
The decision announced on Monday marks the third time in recent months that Toyota has told dealers to stop selling vehicles in the wake of a recall.
The voluntary recall of about 3,800 late model 2009 and some 2010 model year LS 460 and LS600h vehicles in the United States was finalized on Friday.
In certain scenarios, Toyota said the steering wheel in recalled models may not return to a centered position after a tight turn.
Toyota recalled up to 11,500 vehicles worldwide to correct the problem.
Sales are expected to resume gradually in mid-June, beginning with models that arrive in showrooms with the required fix.
Existing inventory and vehicles already on the road will require a computer system changeout that will be completed as dealers receive parts.
Monday, May 17, 2010
E-Class Wins Top Safety Pick
The redesigned 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class luxury vehicle earned the 2010 Top Safety Pick awards from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. The Top Safety Pick award recognizes vehicles that earn a "good" rating -- the highest available -- for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection. The award is only given to vehicles that also have electronic stability control, which comes standard on the E-Class. Design changes and improvements to the front and rear doors for better protection on side-impact crashes enabled the E-Class to capture this years rating. This is the first time the E class has earned the Institute's top safety designation. For more information contact Walker Mercedes at http://www.walkerautomotive.com/ or 318-445-6421.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Walker Automotive Voted "Best of Cenla" For 2010
The votes have been cast and Walker Automotive has again won top honors from The Cenla Focus Best of Cenla Readers Choice Awards. The awards are given annually by the Cenla Focus Community Journal and recognize "excellence in our community for great service...outstanding leadership...and much more." The awards are given based on the number of ballots received by the Focus each year. Thank you to all of the voters this year who selected Walker Automotive as best automotive dealership.
Friday, May 7, 2010
E-Mail Fraud and Phishing
BMW Email Fraud Warning
Earlier this week I received an email from BMW North America's Legal News and Information department warning of an email scam that I thought should be passed on to the general public. Apparently a series of emails are being sent to email recipients claiming to be from the "BMW Security Department" or the "BMW Lottery Department" located in Great Britain or the Netherlands. The email look official with BMW logos or trademarks and tell the recipient that they have won a prize. While the email may look authentic, BMW is warning that the emails are a scam.
BMW has been investigating the emails for more than a year and have determined that the majority are originating in Nigeria. For more information, the general public can access the bmwusa.com consumer website at www.bmwusa.com/standard,content/contactus/fraudwarning.aspx.
Earlier this week I received an email from BMW North America's Legal News and Information department warning of an email scam that I thought should be passed on to the general public. Apparently a series of emails are being sent to email recipients claiming to be from the "BMW Security Department" or the "BMW Lottery Department" located in Great Britain or the Netherlands. The email look official with BMW logos or trademarks and tell the recipient that they have won a prize. While the email may look authentic, BMW is warning that the emails are a scam.
BMW has been investigating the emails for more than a year and have determined that the majority are originating in Nigeria. For more information, the general public can access the bmwusa.com consumer website at www.bmwusa.com/standard,content/contactus/fraudwarning.aspx.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Infinity Recall
FROM AUTOMOTIVE NEWS ONLINE MAY 4, 2010
Nissan recalls 134,000 Infiniti G35s for airbag fix
Automotive News
May 4, 2010 - 8:00 am EST
(Reuters) -- Nissan Motor Co. recalled Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes because of faulty airbags that may not deploy during a crash, U.S. regulators said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said as many as 134,215 G35 sedans from model years 2005-2006 and G35 coupes from model years 2005-2007 are subject to the recall.
The recall is for vehicles sold both in and outside of the United States, a Nissan official said.
Nissan has yet to inform federal officials how the problem will be fixed, the agency said. Nissan informed U.S. safety regulators of the potential problem two weeks ago, NHTSA reports show.
NHTSA said a wire harness for the airbags may wear down to the point that it could interrupt a signal to deploy the airbags in the event of a crash.
The report mentioned no crashes or injuries related to the problem.
Nissan recalls 134,000 Infiniti G35s for airbag fix
Automotive News
May 4, 2010 - 8:00 am EST
(Reuters) -- Nissan Motor Co. recalled Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes because of faulty airbags that may not deploy during a crash, U.S. regulators said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said as many as 134,215 G35 sedans from model years 2005-2006 and G35 coupes from model years 2005-2007 are subject to the recall.
The recall is for vehicles sold both in and outside of the United States, a Nissan official said.
Nissan has yet to inform federal officials how the problem will be fixed, the agency said. Nissan informed U.S. safety regulators of the potential problem two weeks ago, NHTSA reports show.
NHTSA said a wire harness for the airbags may wear down to the point that it could interrupt a signal to deploy the airbags in the event of a crash.
The report mentioned no crashes or injuries related to the problem.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Dodge Investigating Sticky Gas Pedal
The following is a story first published by Automotive News. The pedal involved in the Dodge vehicle is made by the same compnay that supplied pedals to Toyota.
Dodge Caliber being probed for sticky pedal issue, U.S. says
Neil Roland
Automotive News
May 3, 2010 - 10:00 am EST
UPDATED: 5/3/10 1:20 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON -- Chrysler Group's 2007 Dodge Caliber cars are under federal investigation for unintended acceleration caused by a sticky pedal -- the same type of problem that led to a large Toyota recall this year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating as many as 161,000 Calibers for an accelerator pedal that “can stick or bind and not return to the idle position when it is released.”
The safety agency has received five customer complaints but no reports of deaths, injuries or crashes.
Chrysler's own investigation has narrowed the population of suspect vehicles to 10,000 that were made during five weeks in March and April 2006, a company spokesman said.
Supplier issue?
The problem appears to be a mechanical one caused by parts made by CTS Corp., of Elkhart, Ind., Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said.
A NHTSA official said the automaker had been cooperative.
"The manufacturer is responsible for the performance of the car, and that's who we're investigating,” a NHTSA official said. “Chrysler has been cooperative.”
CTS also was blamed by Toyota Motor Corp. for its sticky gas pedals, which led to a January recall of 2.1 million vehicles.
The supplier denied the Toyota charge, noting that the automaker has recalled millions of other vehicles for unintended acceleration that were not equipped with CTS pedals.
CTS did not immediately respond today to a request for comment.
Electronic defects probed
In the wake of Toyota's worldwide recall of 9 million vehicles for unintended acceleration, NHTSA has been investigating the possible role played by electronic defects in triggering speed control problems across the auto industry.
Toyota's problems have been far more extensive -- and far more severe, with reports of dozens of deaths and injuries -- than the possible defects under investigation at Chrysler.
Chrysler said today that the sticky-pedal problem “is mechanical in nature and not a design or electronic issue.”
Cappa said Chrysler was able to narrow the problem population to 10,000 vehicles after being alerted to customer complaints by NHTSA on April 23 and then comparing complaints to warranty data.
On April 29, NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation, the first stage of a formal investigation, the agency said on its Web site. This review can lead to an engineering analysis and, ultimately, a recall.
Four of the five complainants reported that they had found bushings -- bearings made of brass to allow the pedal to pivot -- on the driver's side floor, NHTSA said.
Without the bushings, the pedal arm “can become misaligned” and be prevented from returning to the idle position, the agency said.
Dodge vs. Toyota
The CTS pedals used in the Dodge Calibers are different from those used in the recalled Toyotas, a NHTSA official said.
Chrysler said that since 2003, the Caliber has been equipped with a brake override system that reduces power when both the brake and the gas pedal are depressed.
Most Toyota vehicles have not had a brake override system, which would be mandated under legislation to be discussed at a congressional committee hearing Thursday.
But some consumer complaints to NHTSA raise questions about the effectiveness of the Chrysler brake override system.
One complainant reported that while traveling at 65 mph, the Dodge Caliber accelerated suddenly to over 90 mph, a report on NHTSA's site said. Neither the brakes nor emergency brake could stop the car. It slowed only when the car was put in neutral, the driver said.
Another complainant said that while driving his Caliber at 15 mph, it “abnormally accelerated” to 75 mph. The driver reached over and lifted the pedal with his hand, he said.
One complainant expressed frustration with Chrysler's response to his reports and appealed to NHTSA to investigate.
“I am not getting any satisfaction from Chrysler; they continue to blow me off,” he said. “Please respond; no one else does.”
Dodge Caliber being probed for sticky pedal issue, U.S. says
Neil Roland
Automotive News
May 3, 2010 - 10:00 am EST
UPDATED: 5/3/10 1:20 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON -- Chrysler Group's 2007 Dodge Caliber cars are under federal investigation for unintended acceleration caused by a sticky pedal -- the same type of problem that led to a large Toyota recall this year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating as many as 161,000 Calibers for an accelerator pedal that “can stick or bind and not return to the idle position when it is released.”
The safety agency has received five customer complaints but no reports of deaths, injuries or crashes.
Chrysler's own investigation has narrowed the population of suspect vehicles to 10,000 that were made during five weeks in March and April 2006, a company spokesman said.
Supplier issue?
The problem appears to be a mechanical one caused by parts made by CTS Corp., of Elkhart, Ind., Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said.
A NHTSA official said the automaker had been cooperative.
"The manufacturer is responsible for the performance of the car, and that's who we're investigating,” a NHTSA official said. “Chrysler has been cooperative.”
CTS also was blamed by Toyota Motor Corp. for its sticky gas pedals, which led to a January recall of 2.1 million vehicles.
The supplier denied the Toyota charge, noting that the automaker has recalled millions of other vehicles for unintended acceleration that were not equipped with CTS pedals.
CTS did not immediately respond today to a request for comment.
Electronic defects probed
In the wake of Toyota's worldwide recall of 9 million vehicles for unintended acceleration, NHTSA has been investigating the possible role played by electronic defects in triggering speed control problems across the auto industry.
Toyota's problems have been far more extensive -- and far more severe, with reports of dozens of deaths and injuries -- than the possible defects under investigation at Chrysler.
Chrysler said today that the sticky-pedal problem “is mechanical in nature and not a design or electronic issue.”
Cappa said Chrysler was able to narrow the problem population to 10,000 vehicles after being alerted to customer complaints by NHTSA on April 23 and then comparing complaints to warranty data.
On April 29, NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation, the first stage of a formal investigation, the agency said on its Web site. This review can lead to an engineering analysis and, ultimately, a recall.
Four of the five complainants reported that they had found bushings -- bearings made of brass to allow the pedal to pivot -- on the driver's side floor, NHTSA said.
Without the bushings, the pedal arm “can become misaligned” and be prevented from returning to the idle position, the agency said.
Dodge vs. Toyota
The CTS pedals used in the Dodge Calibers are different from those used in the recalled Toyotas, a NHTSA official said.
Chrysler said that since 2003, the Caliber has been equipped with a brake override system that reduces power when both the brake and the gas pedal are depressed.
Most Toyota vehicles have not had a brake override system, which would be mandated under legislation to be discussed at a congressional committee hearing Thursday.
But some consumer complaints to NHTSA raise questions about the effectiveness of the Chrysler brake override system.
One complainant reported that while traveling at 65 mph, the Dodge Caliber accelerated suddenly to over 90 mph, a report on NHTSA's site said. Neither the brakes nor emergency brake could stop the car. It slowed only when the car was put in neutral, the driver said.
Another complainant said that while driving his Caliber at 15 mph, it “abnormally accelerated” to 75 mph. The driver reached over and lifted the pedal with his hand, he said.
One complainant expressed frustration with Chrysler's response to his reports and appealed to NHTSA to investigate.
“I am not getting any satisfaction from Chrysler; they continue to blow me off,” he said. “Please respond; no one else does.”
Friday, April 30, 2010
Acura Recalls TSX Models
Honda recalls 167,255 Acura TSX cars in the U.S.
Automotive News
April 30, 2010 - 9:01 am EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co. today said it would recall 167,255 Acura TSX sedans sold in the U.S. market to address the risk that power steering fluid could leak and cause an under-the-hood fire.
The recall, covering 2004-2008 model year Acura TSX vehicles with 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engines, comes after one fire was reported due to leaking fluid.
Honda and U.S. safety regulators said that over time power steering hoses may crack and leak.
U.S. safety regulators in a statement issued today said power steering fluid "leaking onto a hot exhaust pipe will generate smoke and a burning smell, and could potentially result in an under hood fire."
Honda will notify U.S. Acura TSX owners and its dealers will repair the Acuras for free, beginning on May 28, said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a report.
The repair, Honda said, involves installation of a new power steering hose, O-ring gasket and fluid.
Honda officials in Canada said that cars in Canada were not subject to the recall.
Automotive News
April 30, 2010 - 9:01 am EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co. today said it would recall 167,255 Acura TSX sedans sold in the U.S. market to address the risk that power steering fluid could leak and cause an under-the-hood fire.
The recall, covering 2004-2008 model year Acura TSX vehicles with 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engines, comes after one fire was reported due to leaking fluid.
Honda and U.S. safety regulators said that over time power steering hoses may crack and leak.
U.S. safety regulators in a statement issued today said power steering fluid "leaking onto a hot exhaust pipe will generate smoke and a burning smell, and could potentially result in an under hood fire."
Honda will notify U.S. Acura TSX owners and its dealers will repair the Acuras for free, beginning on May 28, said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a report.
The repair, Honda said, involves installation of a new power steering hose, O-ring gasket and fluid.
Honda officials in Canada said that cars in Canada were not subject to the recall.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Walker Automotive Blog Recognized in National Magazine
The May 2010 edition of Auto Dealer Monthly magazine has recognized Walker Automotive's Blog as one of the "Great Dealer Blogs." In an article about internet marketing techniques, the magazine singled out several automobile dealers across the country for their social media effectiveness. For instance, dealers were recognized as having great fan pages on Facebook, or for the number of followers on Twitter. When it came to blogs, Walker's blog at http://walkerwill.blogspot.com was named in the top six blogs in the country. Congratulations to all of the employees of Walker Automotive who contribute to the blog on a regular basis. For more information about products, services, parts or accessories offered at Walker automotive visit the web site at www.walkerautomotive.com.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Another Toyota Recall
Toyota to recall Sequoia SUVs to repair stability control units
Automotive News
April 28, 2010 - 11:41 am EST
UPDATED: 4/28/10 4:51 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., which recalled Lexus GX sport-utility vehicles this month because stability controls failed to engage fast enough, is recalling Sequoia SUVs to adjust a control system that drivers say is too aggressive.
Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today 50,000 of the 2003 Sequoias are covered in the recall. The agency has been investigating the defect since 2008. About half those vehicles had the control unit adjusted after a technical service bulletin was sent to dealers, said John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman.
“We have customer complaints dating back to 2003” that vehicle stability control “kicked in at times it shouldn't have, maybe too early,” said Hanson, based at Toyota's U.S. sales unit in Torrance, Calif.
Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide in the past year for defects that may cause unintended acceleration in its cars and trucks. The company on April 19 said it would recall the Lexus GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports magazine rated it a “safety risk” because the model can roll over in certain driving conditions.
“Toyota is cooperating with NHTSA's request to issue a safety recall of the 2003 Sequoia,” said Julia Piscitelli, an agency spokeswoman. “NHTSA has been investigating electronic stability control malfunctions which have turned up 163 safety- related failure incidents” reported to the agency or Toyota.
The VSC system can help control a loss of traction in turns as a result of front or rear tire slippage during cornering. In vehicles without the upgrade, the VSC system could, in limited situations, activate at low speed (approximately 9 mph) for a few seconds after acceleration from a stopped position and, as a result, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects. There have been no reported injuries or accidents as a result of this condition.
Toyota instituted a running production change during the 2003 model year and published a Technical Service Bulletin to address this issue when it was first identified in fall 2003. Since that time, Toyota has been responding to individual owner concerns by replacing the Skid Control Engine Control Unit (ECU) in Sequoias impacted by this condition. Of the approximately 50,000 vehicles included in this recall, approximately half have already been serviced under warranty.
Starting in late May, Toyota will begin mailing letters to all 2003 Model-Year Sequoia owners included in this recall, including owners of vehicles that have been previously serviced. If a customer has previously paid to replace the Skid Control ECU for this specific condition prior to receiving a letter, the customer should mail a copy of their repair order, to the following address for reimbursement consideration: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Toyota Customer Experience, WC 10, 19001 South Western Avenue, Torrance, CA 90509.
Detailed information and answers to questions are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
Automotive News
April 28, 2010 - 11:41 am EST
UPDATED: 4/28/10 4:51 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., which recalled Lexus GX sport-utility vehicles this month because stability controls failed to engage fast enough, is recalling Sequoia SUVs to adjust a control system that drivers say is too aggressive.
Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today 50,000 of the 2003 Sequoias are covered in the recall. The agency has been investigating the defect since 2008. About half those vehicles had the control unit adjusted after a technical service bulletin was sent to dealers, said John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman.
“We have customer complaints dating back to 2003” that vehicle stability control “kicked in at times it shouldn't have, maybe too early,” said Hanson, based at Toyota's U.S. sales unit in Torrance, Calif.
Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide in the past year for defects that may cause unintended acceleration in its cars and trucks. The company on April 19 said it would recall the Lexus GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports magazine rated it a “safety risk” because the model can roll over in certain driving conditions.
“Toyota is cooperating with NHTSA's request to issue a safety recall of the 2003 Sequoia,” said Julia Piscitelli, an agency spokeswoman. “NHTSA has been investigating electronic stability control malfunctions which have turned up 163 safety- related failure incidents” reported to the agency or Toyota.
The VSC system can help control a loss of traction in turns as a result of front or rear tire slippage during cornering. In vehicles without the upgrade, the VSC system could, in limited situations, activate at low speed (approximately 9 mph) for a few seconds after acceleration from a stopped position and, as a result, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects. There have been no reported injuries or accidents as a result of this condition.
Toyota instituted a running production change during the 2003 model year and published a Technical Service Bulletin to address this issue when it was first identified in fall 2003. Since that time, Toyota has been responding to individual owner concerns by replacing the Skid Control Engine Control Unit (ECU) in Sequoias impacted by this condition. Of the approximately 50,000 vehicles included in this recall, approximately half have already been serviced under warranty.
Starting in late May, Toyota will begin mailing letters to all 2003 Model-Year Sequoia owners included in this recall, including owners of vehicles that have been previously serviced. If a customer has previously paid to replace the Skid Control ECU for this specific condition prior to receiving a letter, the customer should mail a copy of their repair order, to the following address for reimbursement consideration: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Toyota Customer Experience, WC 10, 19001 South Western Avenue, Torrance, CA 90509.
Detailed information and answers to questions are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Honda Has Best Used Cars According to Consumer Reports
Many people are aware that a new car depreciates the minute it is driven off of the lot. In fact, the average new car loses almost half of its value in the first three years of ownership. For many purchasers, the choice is to buy a quality pre-owned vehicle to avoid taking the hit on depreciation. The problem, though, is finding one that is considered reliable. There are many tools to help consumers find the most reliable used vehicle but the authority on the matter is probably Consumer Reports.
Each year Consumer Report Magazine ranks the most reliable models. Each winner in a category indicates that owners of those vehicles have experienced relatively few problems over time with the winning make and model. This year, Honda models dominated the winners circle. Toyota suffered several losses on the list because of their continued troubles with recalled models. In all, Honda won the top spot in six out of the nine categories. Here is how the list shaped up:
Category: Small Cars
Winner: Honda Civic
Consumer Reports says: “The Civic is reliable, economical, and fun to drive. In 2003 the Hybrid model arrived, and 2006 brought standard antilock brakes and curtain air bags. But electronic stability control is available only on later high-end models. The Honda Fit hatchback is smaller than the Civic. “
Category: Family Cars
Winner: Honda Accord
Consumer Reports says: “The Accord is a very reliable choice and is enjoyable to drive. It's a quiet, agile car that received a standard antilock brake system with the 2003 redesign. In 2006 the V6 models received standard ESC, which was added to all models with the 2008 redesign.”
Category: Small SUV
Winner: Honda CR-V
Consumer Reports says “The comfortable, carlike CR-V has a smooth, spirited four-cylinder engine and gets good fuel economy. Look for models from 2005 on, when ESC and curtain air bags became standard. Reliability has been better than average each year.”
Category: Large SUV
Winner: Honda Pilot
Consumer Reports says: “The Pilot is a roomy, refined, and fuel-efficient SUV. It has flexible seating for eight passengers, and crash-test results are impressive.”
Category: Minivans
Winner: Honda Odyssey
Consumer Reports says: “The Odyssey is a spacious and comfortable minivan that has always had a good ride and handling. A 2005 redesign improved interior flexibility. Look for models built after 2003.”
Category: Pickup Trucks
Winner: Honda Ridgeline
Consumer Reports says: “The Ridgeline combines the handling of a car with the utility of a pickup truck. The cabin is easy to access, and the engine is smooth and responsive.”
Contact Walker Honda at http://www.walkerhonda.com/ or 318-445-6677 for information on a new or pre-owned Honda.
Each year Consumer Report Magazine ranks the most reliable models. Each winner in a category indicates that owners of those vehicles have experienced relatively few problems over time with the winning make and model. This year, Honda models dominated the winners circle. Toyota suffered several losses on the list because of their continued troubles with recalled models. In all, Honda won the top spot in six out of the nine categories. Here is how the list shaped up:
Category: Small Cars
Winner: Honda Civic
Consumer Reports says: “The Civic is reliable, economical, and fun to drive. In 2003 the Hybrid model arrived, and 2006 brought standard antilock brakes and curtain air bags. But electronic stability control is available only on later high-end models. The Honda Fit hatchback is smaller than the Civic. “
Category: Family Cars
Winner: Honda Accord
Consumer Reports says: “The Accord is a very reliable choice and is enjoyable to drive. It's a quiet, agile car that received a standard antilock brake system with the 2003 redesign. In 2006 the V6 models received standard ESC, which was added to all models with the 2008 redesign.”
Category: Small SUV
Winner: Honda CR-V
Consumer Reports says “The comfortable, carlike CR-V has a smooth, spirited four-cylinder engine and gets good fuel economy. Look for models from 2005 on, when ESC and curtain air bags became standard. Reliability has been better than average each year.”
Category: Large SUV
Winner: Honda Pilot
Consumer Reports says: “The Pilot is a roomy, refined, and fuel-efficient SUV. It has flexible seating for eight passengers, and crash-test results are impressive.”
Category: Minivans
Winner: Honda Odyssey
Consumer Reports says: “The Odyssey is a spacious and comfortable minivan that has always had a good ride and handling. A 2005 redesign improved interior flexibility. Look for models built after 2003.”
Category: Pickup Trucks
Winner: Honda Ridgeline
Consumer Reports says: “The Ridgeline combines the handling of a car with the utility of a pickup truck. The cabin is easy to access, and the engine is smooth and responsive.”
Contact Walker Honda at http://www.walkerhonda.com/ or 318-445-6677 for information on a new or pre-owned Honda.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Further Toyota Recalls
Toyota to recall 870,000 Sienna minivans for rusty spare-tire cables
Automotive News
April 16, 2010 - 5:53 pm EST
UPDATED: 4/16/2010 7:45 p.m. ET
(Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States and Canada since the 1998 model year because of a risk that the spare tire could drop onto the road.
The recalls cover minivans sold in 20 cold-weather U.S. states and Canada due to potential corrosion from long-term exposure to road salt that could in the worst case cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, Toyota said.
All told, the recalls cover some 600,000 two-wheel-drive Sienna minivans from the 1998 to 2010 model years sold or registered in the United States and 270,000 of the same vehicles in Canada.
Friday's action pushes the number of Toyota vehicles recalled since late last year to more than 9.3 million. Most address the risk of unintended acceleration tied to faulty gas pedals and floor mats that can interfere with pedals. The Prius and other hybrids have also been recalled for brake problems.
On Tuesday, Toyota halted sales of its Lexus GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports said its handling in certain curves posed a "safety risk."
The automaker has not yet decided whether it would have to recall the GX 460, but has said its engineers duplicated the results of Consumer Reports' tests.
For the Sienna recall, Toyota said prolonged exposure to high use of road salt could cause excessive corrosion in the cable. Owners will receive a letter urging them to bring their minivans to a dealership for inspection while Toyota develops a remedy.
The recall covers vehicles sold or registered in the District of Columbia as well as Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Owners in other states also can choose to have their vehicles inspected, Toyota said.
Automotive News
April 16, 2010 - 5:53 pm EST
UPDATED: 4/16/2010 7:45 p.m. ET
(Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States and Canada since the 1998 model year because of a risk that the spare tire could drop onto the road.
The recalls cover minivans sold in 20 cold-weather U.S. states and Canada due to potential corrosion from long-term exposure to road salt that could in the worst case cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, Toyota said.
All told, the recalls cover some 600,000 two-wheel-drive Sienna minivans from the 1998 to 2010 model years sold or registered in the United States and 270,000 of the same vehicles in Canada.
Friday's action pushes the number of Toyota vehicles recalled since late last year to more than 9.3 million. Most address the risk of unintended acceleration tied to faulty gas pedals and floor mats that can interfere with pedals. The Prius and other hybrids have also been recalled for brake problems.
On Tuesday, Toyota halted sales of its Lexus GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports said its handling in certain curves posed a "safety risk."
The automaker has not yet decided whether it would have to recall the GX 460, but has said its engineers duplicated the results of Consumer Reports' tests.
For the Sienna recall, Toyota said prolonged exposure to high use of road salt could cause excessive corrosion in the cable. Owners will receive a letter urging them to bring their minivans to a dealership for inspection while Toyota develops a remedy.
The recall covers vehicles sold or registered in the District of Columbia as well as Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Owners in other states also can choose to have their vehicles inspected, Toyota said.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Toyota Halts Sales of Lexus
Toyota temporarily halts sales of Lexus GX 460
Automotive News
April 13, 2010 - 6:56 pm EST
Toyota has temporarily halted sales of its Lexus GX 460 after a safety warning was issued by Consumer Reports magazine.
The magazine said the 7-passenger SUV was at risk for a roll over accident during certain types of turns. The Japanese automaker said it would suspend sales until it had conducted its own testing.
On its Web site, the automaker said, "for any customer who has purchased a 2010 GX 460 and is concerned about driving their vehicle, we will provide a loaner car until a remedy is available."
Automotive News
April 13, 2010 - 6:56 pm EST
Toyota has temporarily halted sales of its Lexus GX 460 after a safety warning was issued by Consumer Reports magazine.
The magazine said the 7-passenger SUV was at risk for a roll over accident during certain types of turns. The Japanese automaker said it would suspend sales until it had conducted its own testing.
On its Web site, the automaker said, "for any customer who has purchased a 2010 GX 460 and is concerned about driving their vehicle, we will provide a loaner car until a remedy is available."
Lexus Deemed Unsafe By Cnsumer Reports
Toyota's Lexus GX SUV called ‘safety risk'
Bloomberg News
Automotive News
April 13, 2010 - 7:12 am EST
LOS ANGELES (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s new Lexus GX SUV was labeled a “safety risk” by a magazine, complicating efforts by the world's largest automaker to repair its image after record recalls.
The 2010 GX 460 received the designation because of handling in emergency driving tests, Consumer Reports said today in a statement. The magazine, published by Yonkers, New York-based Consumers Union, said it hadn't deemed any vehicle a potential safety risk since 2001.
The GX's rear end “slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control” at a Connecticut test track, the magazine said. “In real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death.”
Toyota's recalls of more than 8 million vehicles worldwide for defects linked to unintended acceleration and brakes have hurt its reputation and led to U.S. congressional hearings and a rebuke by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The U.S. assessed a $16.4 million penalty against Toyota for delaying its recall of sticky accelerator pedals and said there may be more fines.
“We're concerned with the results of Consumer Reports testing on the Lexus GX 460 and their suggested buyer recommendation,” Bill Kwong, a Lexus spokesman, said in an e-mail. While the model meets or exceeds U.S. safety rules, Toyota will try to duplicate the test results, Kwong said.
The company “appreciates Consumer Reports bringing it to our attention,” he said.
The GX has a starting price of about $52,000, according to Lexus's Web site. The Japan-based company has its U.S. sales headquarters in Torrance, California.
Consumer Reports checked the initial findings in the “lift-off oversteer” test of the GX by repeating it on a second vehicle, said Douglas Love, a spokesman for the magazine. The publication said it shared the results with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The magazine said it is unaware of reports of accidents resulting from what it found in the GX tests.
Bloomberg News
Automotive News
April 13, 2010 - 7:12 am EST
LOS ANGELES (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s new Lexus GX SUV was labeled a “safety risk” by a magazine, complicating efforts by the world's largest automaker to repair its image after record recalls.
The 2010 GX 460 received the designation because of handling in emergency driving tests, Consumer Reports said today in a statement. The magazine, published by Yonkers, New York-based Consumers Union, said it hadn't deemed any vehicle a potential safety risk since 2001.
The GX's rear end “slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control” at a Connecticut test track, the magazine said. “In real-world driving, that situation could lead to a rollover accident, which could cause serious injury or death.”
Toyota's recalls of more than 8 million vehicles worldwide for defects linked to unintended acceleration and brakes have hurt its reputation and led to U.S. congressional hearings and a rebuke by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The U.S. assessed a $16.4 million penalty against Toyota for delaying its recall of sticky accelerator pedals and said there may be more fines.
“We're concerned with the results of Consumer Reports testing on the Lexus GX 460 and their suggested buyer recommendation,” Bill Kwong, a Lexus spokesman, said in an e-mail. While the model meets or exceeds U.S. safety rules, Toyota will try to duplicate the test results, Kwong said.
The company “appreciates Consumer Reports bringing it to our attention,” he said.
The GX has a starting price of about $52,000, according to Lexus's Web site. The Japan-based company has its U.S. sales headquarters in Torrance, California.
Consumer Reports checked the initial findings in the “lift-off oversteer” test of the GX by repeating it on a second vehicle, said Douglas Love, a spokesman for the magazine. The publication said it shared the results with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The magazine said it is unaware of reports of accidents resulting from what it found in the GX tests.
Friday, April 9, 2010
GMC Announces Prices of HD Trucks
By: Chrissie Thompson, Automotive News online April 9, 2010
DETROIT -- General Motors Co.'s 2011 heavy-duty pickups will start at $28,960, including delivery, undercutting the Ford Super Duty's starting price by $35.
Both automakers are releasing re-engineered heavy-duty pickups this year. The Super Duty goes on sale this month, while the heavy-duty GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado will arrive at dealerships in June.
The GM pickup prices, released today, underscore the truck battle brewing between the automakers. As the economy improves, automakers are also hoping new home construction will show signs of a recovery to boost new truck sales, as builders invest in pickups to carry supplies.
The automakers' truck battle starts with optional diesel engines. Upgrading to a diesel on the Sierra and Silverado costs $8,395, while Ford's diesel engine costs $7,835. The GM diesels offer 397 hp and 765 pounds-feet of torque, while the Super Duty gives 735 pounds-feet and 390 hp. Neither automaker has released fuel-economy ratings, but Ford has promised “class-leading” fuel efficiency for its diesel.
The Sierra and Silverado can pull up to 20,000 pounds and carry 6,335 pounds, GM says.
GM increased the base-model price of heavy duties from the 2010 models by $500, while Ford upped its starting price $600.
DETROIT -- General Motors Co.'s 2011 heavy-duty pickups will start at $28,960, including delivery, undercutting the Ford Super Duty's starting price by $35.
Both automakers are releasing re-engineered heavy-duty pickups this year. The Super Duty goes on sale this month, while the heavy-duty GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado will arrive at dealerships in June.
The GM pickup prices, released today, underscore the truck battle brewing between the automakers. As the economy improves, automakers are also hoping new home construction will show signs of a recovery to boost new truck sales, as builders invest in pickups to carry supplies.
The automakers' truck battle starts with optional diesel engines. Upgrading to a diesel on the Sierra and Silverado costs $8,395, while Ford's diesel engine costs $7,835. The GM diesels offer 397 hp and 765 pounds-feet of torque, while the Super Duty gives 735 pounds-feet and 390 hp. Neither automaker has released fuel-economy ratings, but Ford has promised “class-leading” fuel efficiency for its diesel.
The Sierra and Silverado can pull up to 20,000 pounds and carry 6,335 pounds, GM says.
GM increased the base-model price of heavy duties from the 2010 models by $500, while Ford upped its starting price $600.
Monday, April 5, 2010
U.S. Fidelis Files for Bankruptcy
Several months ago I wrote an article in the Cenla Focus about the automobile warranty companies that advertise on television on on satellite radio. Essentially, the article warned customers about these aftermarket companies that are not supported by the local franchised dealer network. Many of the companies had failing Better Business Bureau grades and others were being investigated by certain state's attorneys general.
Well, the shoe has dropped on at least one of the companies that I warned against. U.S. Fidelis, based in St. Louis, filed for bankruptcy protection in March citing more than $25 million in debt. The company is supposed to be issuing refunds to customers for cancelled contracts and claims that all warranty obligations are insured. In news articles published in Automotive News in March, reports show that the two brothers who owned U.S. Fidelis borrowed more than $49 million from the company to spend on themselves and their families.
When shopping for a vehicle or related products remember to shop locally and with people you know.
Well, the shoe has dropped on at least one of the companies that I warned against. U.S. Fidelis, based in St. Louis, filed for bankruptcy protection in March citing more than $25 million in debt. The company is supposed to be issuing refunds to customers for cancelled contracts and claims that all warranty obligations are insured. In news articles published in Automotive News in March, reports show that the two brothers who owned U.S. Fidelis borrowed more than $49 million from the company to spend on themselves and their families.
When shopping for a vehicle or related products remember to shop locally and with people you know.
Monday, March 29, 2010
GM Recalls Vans
GM recalls 5,000 vans for potential engine fires
Sales halted; owners advised to stop driving until fix is found
Chrissie Thompson
Automotive News
March 27, 2010 - 10:51 am EST
DETROIT -- General Motors Co. is recalling about 5,000 heavy-duty vans and stopping production and sales because of alternators that could cause engine fires.
The recall, announced just before midnight Friday, affects some 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana 2500, 3500 and 4500 Series built in February or March. Light-duty versions use a different alternator.
GM says that until it has a fix for the alternators, customers should stop driving the vans; park them outside, away from buildings or other vehicles; and disconnect both battery cables if possible.
Few of the vans are owned by retail customers.
“It's in the teens,” GM spokesman Alan Adler said. “We're calling the customers we know who have them.”
About 1,300 of the vans are in fleets, and GM's stop-sale order prevents people from renting them. Many vans are still on dealer lots or are awaiting export.
GM builds the vans in Wentzville, Mo., where 60 percent of the production is typically devoted to heavy-duty models.
Sales halted; owners advised to stop driving until fix is found
Chrissie Thompson
Automotive News
March 27, 2010 - 10:51 am EST
DETROIT -- General Motors Co. is recalling about 5,000 heavy-duty vans and stopping production and sales because of alternators that could cause engine fires.
The recall, announced just before midnight Friday, affects some 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana 2500, 3500 and 4500 Series built in February or March. Light-duty versions use a different alternator.
GM says that until it has a fix for the alternators, customers should stop driving the vans; park them outside, away from buildings or other vehicles; and disconnect both battery cables if possible.
Few of the vans are owned by retail customers.
“It's in the teens,” GM spokesman Alan Adler said. “We're calling the customers we know who have them.”
About 1,300 of the vans are in fleets, and GM's stop-sale order prevents people from renting them. Many vans are still on dealer lots or are awaiting export.
GM builds the vans in Wentzville, Mo., where 60 percent of the production is typically devoted to heavy-duty models.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Honda Gets Aggressive With Pricing
Honda enters price war with Toyota
The automaker moves to preserve its market share amid aggressive sales incentives offered by its rival.
By Jerry Hirsch - LA Times
March 25, 2010
The auto price war is escalating with American Honda Motor Co. offering its biggest lease deal ever, a move analysts said was designed to offset aggressive sales incentives by rival Toyota Motor Corp.
What's unusual about this price war is that it is being fought the hardest by Japanese automakers, which historically have resisted using large incentives to sell vehicles.
Toyota fired the first volley when it announced a variety of discount financing and special lease deals this month in a move to regain market share in the U.S. after a series of embarrassing recalls.
"There is an irony in the fact that you have a price war launched by Toyota, which has never been reactionary before," said James Bell, an analyst with auto information company Kelley Blue Book. "They are playing the game other brands previously had to play to keep up with Toyota."
American automakers, by comparison, are showing restraint, if for no other reason that they don't have a lot of cash to burn on incentives, said Aaron Bragman, auto industry analyst at IHS Global Insight.
The discounting comes in the wake of a turbulent period of plunging sales for the automakers and bankruptcy restructurings for General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group last year. The industry has been working to wean itself from stimulating sales with large profit-trimming incentives.
"Any type of price competition hurts everybody's profits," said Shelly Lombard of Gimme Credit, a corporate credit research firm.
But moves by manufacturers to close factories and reduce expenses last year should make the companies less vulnerable to the current round of incentives because they have learned to make money on a lower sales volume, she said.
Honda has to act because it has the most shoppers who also consider buying Toyota vehicles and faces the "most competitive pressure," Lombard said. GM also is vulnerable because it has been supplanted by Ford Motor Co. as the biggest auto seller nationally and is still working to gain sales momentum after its bankruptcy reorganization. Ford, which "is on a roll," would be less vulnerable because it has fewer cross shoppers with Toyota, Lombard said.
Honda is offering lease promotions across all of its models -- the first time the automaker has had such a large incentive program. These include no down payment or security deposit, no money due for a month and waiving of any fees when the agreement is signed, spokesman Kurt Antonius said. The program runs until May 3, about a month longer than the current Toyota promotion.
"It just shows how slow the car business is," Antonius said.
Analysts said Honda had lost the most sales to Toyota.
"Honda needed to match [Toyota] to maintain its market share," Bell of Kelley Blue Book said.
Through mid-March, the Toyota incentives had allowed the company to build back market share lost to a continued recall and controversies over unintended acceleration in its vehicles, according to TrueCar.com, an auto pricing information company. Sales were running at about 15.5% of the market, the slice it held at this time last year.
Prior to offering its own incentives, Honda saw its share drop this month almost a full percentage point to 9.4%, TrueCar.com said.
Toyota's incentives may haunt it in future months, Bell said. The company has seen sales soar as bargain hunters and loyal customers stream into showrooms to take advantage of the deals, he said. But once that traffic runs out, Toyota faces the daunting task of selling to "people who are not loyal or who are skeptical of the brand," Bell said.
The automaker moves to preserve its market share amid aggressive sales incentives offered by its rival.
By Jerry Hirsch - LA Times
March 25, 2010
The auto price war is escalating with American Honda Motor Co. offering its biggest lease deal ever, a move analysts said was designed to offset aggressive sales incentives by rival Toyota Motor Corp.
What's unusual about this price war is that it is being fought the hardest by Japanese automakers, which historically have resisted using large incentives to sell vehicles.
Toyota fired the first volley when it announced a variety of discount financing and special lease deals this month in a move to regain market share in the U.S. after a series of embarrassing recalls.
"There is an irony in the fact that you have a price war launched by Toyota, which has never been reactionary before," said James Bell, an analyst with auto information company Kelley Blue Book. "They are playing the game other brands previously had to play to keep up with Toyota."
American automakers, by comparison, are showing restraint, if for no other reason that they don't have a lot of cash to burn on incentives, said Aaron Bragman, auto industry analyst at IHS Global Insight.
The discounting comes in the wake of a turbulent period of plunging sales for the automakers and bankruptcy restructurings for General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group last year. The industry has been working to wean itself from stimulating sales with large profit-trimming incentives.
"Any type of price competition hurts everybody's profits," said Shelly Lombard of Gimme Credit, a corporate credit research firm.
But moves by manufacturers to close factories and reduce expenses last year should make the companies less vulnerable to the current round of incentives because they have learned to make money on a lower sales volume, she said.
Honda has to act because it has the most shoppers who also consider buying Toyota vehicles and faces the "most competitive pressure," Lombard said. GM also is vulnerable because it has been supplanted by Ford Motor Co. as the biggest auto seller nationally and is still working to gain sales momentum after its bankruptcy reorganization. Ford, which "is on a roll," would be less vulnerable because it has fewer cross shoppers with Toyota, Lombard said.
Honda is offering lease promotions across all of its models -- the first time the automaker has had such a large incentive program. These include no down payment or security deposit, no money due for a month and waiving of any fees when the agreement is signed, spokesman Kurt Antonius said. The program runs until May 3, about a month longer than the current Toyota promotion.
"It just shows how slow the car business is," Antonius said.
Analysts said Honda had lost the most sales to Toyota.
"Honda needed to match [Toyota] to maintain its market share," Bell of Kelley Blue Book said.
Through mid-March, the Toyota incentives had allowed the company to build back market share lost to a continued recall and controversies over unintended acceleration in its vehicles, according to TrueCar.com, an auto pricing information company. Sales were running at about 15.5% of the market, the slice it held at this time last year.
Prior to offering its own incentives, Honda saw its share drop this month almost a full percentage point to 9.4%, TrueCar.com said.
Toyota's incentives may haunt it in future months, Bell said. The company has seen sales soar as bargain hunters and loyal customers stream into showrooms to take advantage of the deals, he said. But once that traffic runs out, Toyota faces the daunting task of selling to "people who are not loyal or who are skeptical of the brand," Bell said.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Parts Availability for recalled Honda Models
Earlier this week Honda issued a recall for 2007-2008 Honda Odyssey minivans and Element SUVs. The recall has to do with extended travel of the brake pedal. In essence the pedal can feel mushy. Parts should become available for the fix by mid-April 2010. For specific information on certain models or to determine if a vehicle is affected, contact Walker Honda at 318-445-6677. Honda is mailing all customers later this week.
TOYOTA CONSIDERS ADDITIONAL RECALLS
Toyota Motor Corp. has told U.S. safety regulators it is considering how to fix nearly 1.2 million Corolla and Matrix models that risk stalling because of flaws in an electronic system.
In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said it wanted to meet U.S. officials to discuss an early-stage investigation of the stalling problem.
"Toyota does not believe that the alleged defect creates an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety," Toyota's regulatory affairs manager Chris Santucci said in the letter, which was dated March 2 and available on the NHTSA Web site on Wednesday.
The discussion of the engine stalling problem comes at a time when Toyota's safety record is under intense scrutiny. The automaker has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles globally this year, mostly for accelerator-related problems.
U.S. safety regulators and members of three congressional panels have criticized the Japanese automaker for moving too slowly to address consumer complaints of unintended acceleration and other safety concerns.
NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation of Corolla stalling complaints in November.
Engine control module issues
The agency said then that it had received 26 complaints of engines stalling in Toyota Corolla and Matrix models because of failures in the engine control modules.
U.S. safety regulators said drivers reported the stalls happened "randomly" and some had occurred in highway driving or when drivers were passing through intersections.
Toyota said it did not believe drivers would have any "prior warning" that the engine was about to stall because of a glitch with the engine's electronic control unit, or ECU.
But Santucci said Toyota had concluded it would be better for the engine to stall than "become damaged or dangerous," putting it at risk of "catastrophic failures" or "fire."
"Toyota would like to meet with the agency to discuss this issue," Santucci said in the letter.
Toyota said it believed the ECU could malfunction because of a crack in soldered joints in the unit or because of an electrical short. Both conditions could cause the engine to shut down without warning or fail to start, it said.
The stalling problem affects 1.19 million Corolla and Matrix models from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 model years, Toyota said.
GM checking Vibes
The Matrix is sister vehicles with General Motors Co.'s Pontiac Vibe. The automakers built the Vibe at their former joint-venture NUMMI plant in Fremont, Calif. The Vibe also was part of Toyota's floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls that included the Matrix, which is built at Toyota's plant in Cambridge, Ontario.
GM spokesman Alan Adler said GM is assessing the engine-stalling situation.
In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said it wanted to meet U.S. officials to discuss an early-stage investigation of the stalling problem.
"Toyota does not believe that the alleged defect creates an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety," Toyota's regulatory affairs manager Chris Santucci said in the letter, which was dated March 2 and available on the NHTSA Web site on Wednesday.
The discussion of the engine stalling problem comes at a time when Toyota's safety record is under intense scrutiny. The automaker has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles globally this year, mostly for accelerator-related problems.
U.S. safety regulators and members of three congressional panels have criticized the Japanese automaker for moving too slowly to address consumer complaints of unintended acceleration and other safety concerns.
NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation of Corolla stalling complaints in November.
Engine control module issues
The agency said then that it had received 26 complaints of engines stalling in Toyota Corolla and Matrix models because of failures in the engine control modules.
U.S. safety regulators said drivers reported the stalls happened "randomly" and some had occurred in highway driving or when drivers were passing through intersections.
Toyota said it did not believe drivers would have any "prior warning" that the engine was about to stall because of a glitch with the engine's electronic control unit, or ECU.
But Santucci said Toyota had concluded it would be better for the engine to stall than "become damaged or dangerous," putting it at risk of "catastrophic failures" or "fire."
"Toyota would like to meet with the agency to discuss this issue," Santucci said in the letter.
Toyota said it believed the ECU could malfunction because of a crack in soldered joints in the unit or because of an electrical short. Both conditions could cause the engine to shut down without warning or fail to start, it said.
The stalling problem affects 1.19 million Corolla and Matrix models from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 model years, Toyota said.
GM checking Vibes
The Matrix is sister vehicles with General Motors Co.'s Pontiac Vibe. The automakers built the Vibe at their former joint-venture NUMMI plant in Fremont, Calif. The Vibe also was part of Toyota's floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls that included the Matrix, which is built at Toyota's plant in Cambridge, Ontario.
GM spokesman Alan Adler said GM is assessing the engine-stalling situation.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Honda Recalls Odyssey Vans and Element SUV
From Automotive News Online MArch 16, 2010
Honda Motor Co will recall about 412,000 vehicles in the United States to address the risk that brake pedals may feel soft and slip closer to the floor over time.
The recall covers about 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Element SUVs for the 2007 and 2008 model years and follows customer complaints over the issue, Honda said in a statement.
On some of the vehicles, air could enter the unit that controls braking and stability system, which may result in the "soft brake pedal" or "low brake pedal" after months or years, the company said.
Honda spokesman Chris Martin said several crashes and three minor injuries have been reported to the U.S. Transportation Highway Safety Administration regarding the problem.
"Although not all vehicles being recalled are affected by this issue, we are recalling all possible units to assure all customers that their vehicles will perform correctly," Honda said.
The recall comes at a time of public and regulatory scrutiny over vehicle safety issues in the wake of damaging safety problems involving Toyota Motor Corp vehicles.
For more information or to set up an appointment to get your vehicle repaired, Contact Walker Honda at 318-445-6677
Honda Motor Co will recall about 412,000 vehicles in the United States to address the risk that brake pedals may feel soft and slip closer to the floor over time.
The recall covers about 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Element SUVs for the 2007 and 2008 model years and follows customer complaints over the issue, Honda said in a statement.
On some of the vehicles, air could enter the unit that controls braking and stability system, which may result in the "soft brake pedal" or "low brake pedal" after months or years, the company said.
Honda spokesman Chris Martin said several crashes and three minor injuries have been reported to the U.S. Transportation Highway Safety Administration regarding the problem.
"Although not all vehicles being recalled are affected by this issue, we are recalling all possible units to assure all customers that their vehicles will perform correctly," Honda said.
The recall comes at a time of public and regulatory scrutiny over vehicle safety issues in the wake of damaging safety problems involving Toyota Motor Corp vehicles.
For more information or to set up an appointment to get your vehicle repaired, Contact Walker Honda at 318-445-6677
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Nissan Recalling 598,000 Trucks
Nissan is recalling about 598,000 trucks, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Nissans are being recalled for two problems, which in a few cases means two repairs on the same vehicle. The first recall involves about 179,000 vehicles because the brake pedal could become “partially disengaged” from its bracket. The recalled vehicles are the 2008–10 Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56 and the 2008–9 Quest minivan. The second recall covers almost 419,000 vehicles on which the fuel gauge could show there is a quarter tank of fuel when the tank is, in fact, empty, the automaker told the safety agency. The vehicles affected in this second recall are the 2005–8 Titan, Armada and QX56, as well as some 2006 and 2008 Frontiers, Pathfinders and Xterras. For more information contact your local dealer or check the NHTSA web page.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Continued Complaints of Sudden Acceleration By Toyota Owners
Reproduction of Articel From Automotive News.
Neil Roland
Automotive News
March 4, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
WASHINGTON -- U.S. regulators are investigating 10 recent cases in which owners of recalled Toyota vehicles say they brought their cars in for repair and yet still experienced unintended acceleration.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has started contacting consumers about these complaints “to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe,” agency chief David Strickland said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday.
A recurrence of unintended acceleration, even after sticky gas pedals and obtrusive floor mats have been addressed by dealers, would suggest there may be other causes of the loss of speed control in Toyota vehicles.
“We are confident that Toyota vehicles are safe, and we're doing everything we can to ensure that our customers are satisfied with the repairs we are making,” Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said in an e-mail.
Lyons said Toyota has asked NHTSA for the information needed to contact customers with post-repair complaints.
Toyota's top executives have repeatedly denied that electronic throttle-control systems may interfere with acceleration, most recently at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday. The company has hired the Exponent consulting firm to look into the matter further.
Since October, Toyota has recalled more than six million U.S. vehicles for unintended acceleration. The causes were attributed either to sticky gas pedals or to floor mats that entrap pedals.
The Safety Research & Strategies consulting firm reported this week that four Toyota customers complained to NHTSA last month of recurring unintended acceleration, even after their vehicles were recalled and repaired.
In one case, the owner of a 2008 Toyota Avalon reported Feb. 25 that a few days after a recall, the driver had the car in reverse and was slowly backing out of a residential carport when it accelerated on its own, the Safety Research report said.
“The car did about three loops around the garage area of the home, causing damage to the car, benches, tree, bushes, lamp post, etc.” the report said.
The owner of a 2010 Camry reported that within a week of its Feb. 12 acceleration fix, the car sped up as the driver was entering a parking space.
“I was pressing the brake,” the complainant said, according to Safety Research. “I jammed both feet into the brake. After three seconds, as my car was climbing up a snow bank, it stopped.”
The complainant added: “The fix done by Toyota is not the fix for the acceleration problem.”
Said Toyota's Lyons: “We have rigorously tested the solutions that Toyota engineers have developed, and are aggressively investigating any complaints.”
Neil Roland
Automotive News
March 4, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
WASHINGTON -- U.S. regulators are investigating 10 recent cases in which owners of recalled Toyota vehicles say they brought their cars in for repair and yet still experienced unintended acceleration.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has started contacting consumers about these complaints “to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe,” agency chief David Strickland said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday.
A recurrence of unintended acceleration, even after sticky gas pedals and obtrusive floor mats have been addressed by dealers, would suggest there may be other causes of the loss of speed control in Toyota vehicles.
“We are confident that Toyota vehicles are safe, and we're doing everything we can to ensure that our customers are satisfied with the repairs we are making,” Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said in an e-mail.
Lyons said Toyota has asked NHTSA for the information needed to contact customers with post-repair complaints.
Toyota's top executives have repeatedly denied that electronic throttle-control systems may interfere with acceleration, most recently at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday. The company has hired the Exponent consulting firm to look into the matter further.
Since October, Toyota has recalled more than six million U.S. vehicles for unintended acceleration. The causes were attributed either to sticky gas pedals or to floor mats that entrap pedals.
The Safety Research & Strategies consulting firm reported this week that four Toyota customers complained to NHTSA last month of recurring unintended acceleration, even after their vehicles were recalled and repaired.
In one case, the owner of a 2008 Toyota Avalon reported Feb. 25 that a few days after a recall, the driver had the car in reverse and was slowly backing out of a residential carport when it accelerated on its own, the Safety Research report said.
“The car did about three loops around the garage area of the home, causing damage to the car, benches, tree, bushes, lamp post, etc.” the report said.
The owner of a 2010 Camry reported that within a week of its Feb. 12 acceleration fix, the car sped up as the driver was entering a parking space.
“I was pressing the brake,” the complainant said, according to Safety Research. “I jammed both feet into the brake. After three seconds, as my car was climbing up a snow bank, it stopped.”
The complainant added: “The fix done by Toyota is not the fix for the acceleration problem.”
Said Toyota's Lyons: “We have rigorously tested the solutions that Toyota engineers have developed, and are aggressively investigating any complaints.”
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Nissan Recalls 539,000 Vehicles
Nissan Motor Co., Japan’s third- largest automaker, will recall 539,864 vehicles to check and fix potentially faulty parts in models sold mainly in the U.S. Nissan will inspect and fix brake-pedal pins in 2008-2010 model year Titan pickup trucks, Quest minivans and Armada and Infiniti QX56 sport-utility vehicles, the company said in an e- mailed statement. The Yokohama-based carmaker will also check and fix fuel gauges in 2005-2008 model year Titans, Armadas and QX56s, as well as Frontier pickups and Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs produced from January to March 2006 and October 2007 to January 2008. From Bloomberg News
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
0% on GMC Vehicles
GMC is offering a 0 percent/60-month financing program on most of its 2010 model vehicles, its head of sales said today.
GM reported a 12 percent U.S. sales gain for February in a market that rose 13 percent.
The program will cover GMc Trucks and the Acadia. about This is an opportunity to launch GMC Truck Month which has traditionally been in March each year. The incentives also give APR's as low as 1.9 and 2.9% on some Buick models.
The plan also includes 0 percent/72-month financing for remaining 2009 model inventory which covers about 97 percent of GM's 2009 models. Contact Walker Automotive at http://www.walkerautomotive.com/ or 318-445-6421 for more information on low financing rates and other programs that may apply.
GM reported a 12 percent U.S. sales gain for February in a market that rose 13 percent.
The program will cover GMc Trucks and the Acadia. about This is an opportunity to launch GMC Truck Month which has traditionally been in March each year. The incentives also give APR's as low as 1.9 and 2.9% on some Buick models.
The plan also includes 0 percent/72-month financing for remaining 2009 model inventory which covers about 97 percent of GM's 2009 models. Contact Walker Automotive at http://www.walkerautomotive.com/ or 318-445-6421 for more information on low financing rates and other programs that may apply.
GM Recalling Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G-5
From: Automotive News
March 2, 2010 - 1:46 am EST
DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Co. is recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America to address a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes and one injury, the company said on Tuesday.
U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation on Jan. 27 into approximately 905,000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1,100 complaints of power steering failures. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.
The recall covers the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 in the United States; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico, GM said in a statement.
GM said it told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding its own investigation that began in 2009.
GM said the affected vehicles can be still be "safely controlled" but it may require greater steering effort under 15 mph (24 kph). Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement.
"Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," he said.
GM said it is currently developing a remedy to fix the problem and will notify customers when the plan is finalized.
March 2, 2010 - 1:46 am EST
DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Co. is recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America to address a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes and one injury, the company said on Tuesday.
U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation on Jan. 27 into approximately 905,000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1,100 complaints of power steering failures. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.
The recall covers the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 in the United States; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico, GM said in a statement.
GM said it told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding its own investigation that began in 2009.
GM said the affected vehicles can be still be "safely controlled" but it may require greater steering effort under 15 mph (24 kph). Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement.
"Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," he said.
GM said it is currently developing a remedy to fix the problem and will notify customers when the plan is finalized.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Chrysler to Replace Airbag Sensors in 355,000 vehicles
Chrysler to replace airbag sensors in 355,000 minivans
Automotive News
February 24, 2010 - 3:00 pm EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group LLC said it will replace a front airbag sensor in more than 355,500 minivans, starting in June.
The automaker's "safety improvement campaign" covers 355,562 of its 2005-2006 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans, including 259,437 in the United States and 72,035 in Canada.
The move comes after Chrysler found one of the front airbag crash sensors could crack under some environmental conditions and allow water to enter the sensor, potentially causing the sensor to become inoperative.
The company, which is controlled by Fiat S.p.A., said it is not aware of any complaints, injuries or property damage related to this issue.
Chrysler said the campaign is different from a recall because should problems occur, the vehicles would still meet crash standards outlined by U.S. safety regulators.
"If the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light," Chrysler said in a document sent last week to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to notify the agency of its decision.
"Until the vehicle is repaired, the airbags may not provide the enhanced protection in the event of a crash," Chrysler said.
The voluntary safety action comes at a time when Toyota Motor Corp. faces heightened scrutiny over its handling of a series of safety problems that rocked its reputation and results.
Hyundai Motor Co. said on Tuesday it will recall 47,000 of its new Sonata sedans to fix faulty door latches.
Automotive News
February 24, 2010 - 3:00 pm EST
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group LLC said it will replace a front airbag sensor in more than 355,500 minivans, starting in June.
The automaker's "safety improvement campaign" covers 355,562 of its 2005-2006 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans, including 259,437 in the United States and 72,035 in Canada.
The move comes after Chrysler found one of the front airbag crash sensors could crack under some environmental conditions and allow water to enter the sensor, potentially causing the sensor to become inoperative.
The company, which is controlled by Fiat S.p.A., said it is not aware of any complaints, injuries or property damage related to this issue.
Chrysler said the campaign is different from a recall because should problems occur, the vehicles would still meet crash standards outlined by U.S. safety regulators.
"If the front crash sensors become inoperative, the driver is immediately alerted by illumination of the airbag warning light," Chrysler said in a document sent last week to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to notify the agency of its decision.
"Until the vehicle is repaired, the airbags may not provide the enhanced protection in the event of a crash," Chrysler said.
The voluntary safety action comes at a time when Toyota Motor Corp. faces heightened scrutiny over its handling of a series of safety problems that rocked its reputation and results.
Hyundai Motor Co. said on Tuesday it will recall 47,000 of its new Sonata sedans to fix faulty door latches.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
2011 Hyundai Sonata Recalled
Hyundai to recall 2011 Sonata because of door glitch
Dealers informed of sales halt
Lindsay Chappell
Automotive News
February 24, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
UPDATED: 2/24/10 1:08 p.m. ET
Hyundai Motor America Inc. late Tuesday told regulators that front door-lock modules on some 2011 Sonatas can stick under some circumstances.
The Korean automaker planned to notify customers of a recall.
“Anything to do with door latches warrants a recall,” said Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson in Fountain Valley, Calif.
Earlier Tuesday, Hyundai ordered a halt to sales of the 2011 Sonata after notifying dealers of the problem.
The recall will affect about 1,300 of the 2011 Sonata sedans built through Feb. 16 at Hyundai's plant in Alabama and sold to customers, plus 46,000 Sonata units produced through Dec. 6 in South Korea. The new model started to be sold from September 2009 in South Korea and this month in the United States.
It will notify South Korea's transport ministry and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week of the decision to recall the cars in March.
The company said it received complaints from customers but no reports of accidents or injuries related to the model.
Quick resolution
With intense scrutiny bearing down on rival Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai hopes to quickly resolve the product glitch on the recently released sedan.
The Sonata is Hyundai's biggest-volume vehicle, with 2009 sales of 120,028 cars. The 2011 model went on sale only two weeks ago. There are currently only about 5,000 cars in U.S. inventory, and about 1,300 have been sold, Johnson said .
It is unclear how many of those have the faulty locks.
Johnson said the malfunction occurs only in situations where front-seat passengers try to open their doors from the inside while simultaneously holding down the lock button. In that circumstance, the interior door handle will not return to its normal position, and passengers cannot fully close the door.
If they press the lock button again, the handle will correct itself and allow the door to function correctly.
Heightened sensitivity
He acknowledged that there is heightened sensitivity to product issues at the moment because of the headlines and congressional hearings surrounding Toyota's global recalls of 8.5 million vehicles over safety concerns since late last year.
The Sonata repair will consist of replacing the front door-lock mechanism. Johnson said the replacement parts will begin reaching dealerships tomorrow, and the stop-sale will be lifted as soon as repairs are made.
He said communications to NHTSA and to vehicle owners will begin this week.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Dealers informed of sales halt
Lindsay Chappell
Automotive News
February 24, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
UPDATED: 2/24/10 1:08 p.m. ET
Hyundai Motor America Inc. late Tuesday told regulators that front door-lock modules on some 2011 Sonatas can stick under some circumstances.
The Korean automaker planned to notify customers of a recall.
“Anything to do with door latches warrants a recall,” said Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson in Fountain Valley, Calif.
Earlier Tuesday, Hyundai ordered a halt to sales of the 2011 Sonata after notifying dealers of the problem.
The recall will affect about 1,300 of the 2011 Sonata sedans built through Feb. 16 at Hyundai's plant in Alabama and sold to customers, plus 46,000 Sonata units produced through Dec. 6 in South Korea. The new model started to be sold from September 2009 in South Korea and this month in the United States.
It will notify South Korea's transport ministry and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week of the decision to recall the cars in March.
The company said it received complaints from customers but no reports of accidents or injuries related to the model.
Quick resolution
With intense scrutiny bearing down on rival Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai hopes to quickly resolve the product glitch on the recently released sedan.
The Sonata is Hyundai's biggest-volume vehicle, with 2009 sales of 120,028 cars. The 2011 model went on sale only two weeks ago. There are currently only about 5,000 cars in U.S. inventory, and about 1,300 have been sold, Johnson said .
It is unclear how many of those have the faulty locks.
Johnson said the malfunction occurs only in situations where front-seat passengers try to open their doors from the inside while simultaneously holding down the lock button. In that circumstance, the interior door handle will not return to its normal position, and passengers cannot fully close the door.
If they press the lock button again, the handle will correct itself and allow the door to function correctly.
Heightened sensitivity
He acknowledged that there is heightened sensitivity to product issues at the moment because of the headlines and congressional hearings surrounding Toyota's global recalls of 8.5 million vehicles over safety concerns since late last year.
The Sonata repair will consist of replacing the front door-lock mechanism. Johnson said the replacement parts will begin reaching dealerships tomorrow, and the stop-sale will be lifted as soon as repairs are made.
He said communications to NHTSA and to vehicle owners will begin this week.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Toyota Has Problems With Corolla
FROM THE NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DELAERS ASSOCIATION
Toyota Probes Corolla Steering, Considers Recall
Toyota is considering a recall of its hot-selling Corolla subcompact after complaints about power steering problems — another blow to the world's largest automaker already reeling from a string of recalls for safety troubles. ... in an alarming disclosure that could widen Toyota's recall crisis, the executive in charge of quality controls, Shinichi Sasaki, said Toyota was taking seriously the complaints about power-steering problems in the Corolla, the world's best-selling car. He said it was still uncertain if a Corolla recall would be necessary, but it is an option the automaker is considering. He didn't disclose model years or regions that could be affected and said there have been fewer than 100 complaints. Toyota sold nearly 1.3 million Corolla cars worldwide last year.
Toyota Probes Corolla Steering, Considers Recall
Toyota is considering a recall of its hot-selling Corolla subcompact after complaints about power steering problems — another blow to the world's largest automaker already reeling from a string of recalls for safety troubles. ... in an alarming disclosure that could widen Toyota's recall crisis, the executive in charge of quality controls, Shinichi Sasaki, said Toyota was taking seriously the complaints about power-steering problems in the Corolla, the world's best-selling car. He said it was still uncertain if a Corolla recall would be necessary, but it is an option the automaker is considering. He didn't disclose model years or regions that could be affected and said there have been fewer than 100 complaints. Toyota sold nearly 1.3 million Corolla cars worldwide last year.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Toyota recalls another 8,000 trucks - From Automotive News 2/12/2010
From Automotive News Article February 12, 2010
Toyota Motor Corp. will recall 8,000 Tacoma pickups due to possible cracks in a common drive shaft component that Ford Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. said posed no safety risk to their vehicles.
Toyota's decision to call back the 2010 model year trucks in the United States, which it announced on Friday, was the latest in a series of recalls that have hurt the automaker's sales and its reputation for quality.
The recall followed supplier Dana Holding Corp.'s report to U.S. safety regulators that 34,000 drive shaft parts it supplied to Toyota, Ford and Nissan could have cracks.
Dana said it was investigating the cause of the problem, and remedies would be specific to each vehicle on which the parts are used. It believed less than 2 percent of the parts shipped to the automakers had cracks.
Toyota dealers will get instructions on how to perform a 10-minute inspection to locate identification numbers, the automaker said in a statement. In some cases, the part may need to be replaced. Owners will begin receiving notices in mid-March.
Dana spokesman Chuck Hartlage said the issue was detected quickly. The supplier believes only a small percentage of affected vehicles have been sold.
The vehicles "will not experience a loss of control or present a safety risk even in the unlikely event the part should fail," Nissan spokesman Colin Price said in a statement.
Toyota said in a document obtained by Reuters that the all-wheel drive version of the 2010 Tacoma trucks may have a component containing cracks in the joint portion of the drive shaft due to an "improper manufacturing process control."
The cracks eventually could cause the drive shaft to separate and strike the road surface, potentially causing drivers to lose control of the vehicle, the document showed.
Toyota said in the document the pickups were built from mid-December to early February. It told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its planned recall on Thursday and was not aware of any accidents caused by the defect.
Dana said it has told the agency about a crack in some ''yolks'' that transfer torque between the drive shaft tube and universal joint.
Toyota's latest move follows a string of recalls in recent months that cover more than 8.5 million vehicles globally due to the risk that a loose floor mat or a sticky accelerator pedal may lead to unintended acceleration, and to resolve a problem with regenerative braking on its Prius hybrid car.
The 2005-10 model year Tacomas were also involved in a safety recall last September for the risk of unintended acceleration, which Toyota said was linked to floor mats that can become lodged under the acceleration pedal.
Toyota sold about 112,000 Tacomas in the United States last year, down from nearly 145,000 in 2008.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100212/RETAIL05/100219948#ixzz0fjTecySi
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100212/RETAIL05/100219948#ixzz0fjTTXT93
Toyota Motor Corp. will recall 8,000 Tacoma pickups due to possible cracks in a common drive shaft component that Ford Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. said posed no safety risk to their vehicles.
Toyota's decision to call back the 2010 model year trucks in the United States, which it announced on Friday, was the latest in a series of recalls that have hurt the automaker's sales and its reputation for quality.
The recall followed supplier Dana Holding Corp.'s report to U.S. safety regulators that 34,000 drive shaft parts it supplied to Toyota, Ford and Nissan could have cracks.
Dana said it was investigating the cause of the problem, and remedies would be specific to each vehicle on which the parts are used. It believed less than 2 percent of the parts shipped to the automakers had cracks.
Toyota dealers will get instructions on how to perform a 10-minute inspection to locate identification numbers, the automaker said in a statement. In some cases, the part may need to be replaced. Owners will begin receiving notices in mid-March.
Dana spokesman Chuck Hartlage said the issue was detected quickly. The supplier believes only a small percentage of affected vehicles have been sold.
The vehicles "will not experience a loss of control or present a safety risk even in the unlikely event the part should fail," Nissan spokesman Colin Price said in a statement.
Toyota said in a document obtained by Reuters that the all-wheel drive version of the 2010 Tacoma trucks may have a component containing cracks in the joint portion of the drive shaft due to an "improper manufacturing process control."
The cracks eventually could cause the drive shaft to separate and strike the road surface, potentially causing drivers to lose control of the vehicle, the document showed.
Toyota said in the document the pickups were built from mid-December to early February. It told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its planned recall on Thursday and was not aware of any accidents caused by the defect.
Dana said it has told the agency about a crack in some ''yolks'' that transfer torque between the drive shaft tube and universal joint.
Toyota's latest move follows a string of recalls in recent months that cover more than 8.5 million vehicles globally due to the risk that a loose floor mat or a sticky accelerator pedal may lead to unintended acceleration, and to resolve a problem with regenerative braking on its Prius hybrid car.
The 2005-10 model year Tacomas were also involved in a safety recall last September for the risk of unintended acceleration, which Toyota said was linked to floor mats that can become lodged under the acceleration pedal.
Toyota sold about 112,000 Tacomas in the United States last year, down from nearly 145,000 in 2008.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100212/RETAIL05/100219948#ixzz0fjTecySi
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100212/RETAIL05/100219948#ixzz0fjTTXT93
GM Announces Pricing on New Regal
BUICK ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR 2011 REGAL
Detroit – Buick announced pricing for the all-new 2011 Regal. Prices start at $26,995 for the premium CXL model, including a $750 destination charge. Regal’s CXL turbo model will start at $29,495, including a $750 destination charge.
Regal will initially be offered in premium CXL trim only, with additional trim levels to be offered in the 2012 model year. The well-equipped Regal CXL includes the following as standard or available equipment:
• Standard 2.4L Ecotec direct injected engine rated at an estimated 182 horsepower (136 kW)
• Available 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected engine rated at an estimated 220 horsepower (164 kW) – available late-summer 2010
• Both engines have six-speed automatic transmission standard with Driver Shift Control (DSC)
• Estimated 30 mpg on the highway with the 2.4L and 29 mpg highway with the 2.0L turbo engine
• MacPherson strut front suspension and four-link independent rear suspension
• Class-exclusive Interactive Drive Control System is available with the 2.0L turbo, offering enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, while also adapting the driving characteristics of the car to the driver’s preferences. The driver selects among three operating modes that adjust suspension, steering, throttle, transmission, and stability systems to personalize the driving experience.
• Four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel anti-lock braking system, brake assist and electronic parking brake
• Standard StabiliTrak stability control system and full-function traction control
• Standard dual-stage frontal air bags, side-curtain air bags and pedal-release system; and available rear-seat thorax air bags
• Available navigation system, Harman Kardon sound system, and internal flash drive (1GB)
• Standard 18-inch aluminum wheels (19-inch aluminum wheels come with available Interactive Drive Control on the 2.0L turbo)
• Standard 12-way power, leather and heated driver seat; leather and heated passenger front seat; Bluetooth for phone capability; i-Pod auxiliary jack and USB port; XM Satellite Radio and OnStar
“The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and we’re excited to bring this Buick sport sedan to market,” said Craig Bierley, Buick Marketing Director. “The dynamic driving experience and intuitive, personal technologies offer customers a premium sport sedan for great value.” 2011 Regal pricing compares to the 2010 LaCrosse as follows:
Buick Trim Level 2011 Buick Regal 2010 Buick LaCrosse
(CX) Available 2012MY $26,995
(CXL) $26,995 $30,395
(CXL) with turbo $29,495 N/A
CXS N/A $33,765
Regal production for sale in the U.S. and Canada begins late Q1 2010 in Russelsheim, Germany, with vehicles expected to start arriving at dealerships in Q2 2010. North American production will begin at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant beginning in Q1 2011.
About Buick
Buick is in the midst of a transformation that started with the Enclave luxury crossover and continues with the completely redesigned LaCrosse luxury sedan and Regal sport sedan. Buick is emerging as a modern, premium brand with vehicles characterized by sculpted designs, personal technologies, luxurious interiors and responsive performance. Future new sedans and crossovers are planned and will continue to expand Buick's portfolio both in North America and China. More information can be found at www.buick.com
Detroit – Buick announced pricing for the all-new 2011 Regal. Prices start at $26,995 for the premium CXL model, including a $750 destination charge. Regal’s CXL turbo model will start at $29,495, including a $750 destination charge.
Regal will initially be offered in premium CXL trim only, with additional trim levels to be offered in the 2012 model year. The well-equipped Regal CXL includes the following as standard or available equipment:
• Standard 2.4L Ecotec direct injected engine rated at an estimated 182 horsepower (136 kW)
• Available 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected engine rated at an estimated 220 horsepower (164 kW) – available late-summer 2010
• Both engines have six-speed automatic transmission standard with Driver Shift Control (DSC)
• Estimated 30 mpg on the highway with the 2.4L and 29 mpg highway with the 2.0L turbo engine
• MacPherson strut front suspension and four-link independent rear suspension
• Class-exclusive Interactive Drive Control System is available with the 2.0L turbo, offering enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, while also adapting the driving characteristics of the car to the driver’s preferences. The driver selects among three operating modes that adjust suspension, steering, throttle, transmission, and stability systems to personalize the driving experience.
• Four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel anti-lock braking system, brake assist and electronic parking brake
• Standard StabiliTrak stability control system and full-function traction control
• Standard dual-stage frontal air bags, side-curtain air bags and pedal-release system; and available rear-seat thorax air bags
• Available navigation system, Harman Kardon sound system, and internal flash drive (1GB)
• Standard 18-inch aluminum wheels (19-inch aluminum wheels come with available Interactive Drive Control on the 2.0L turbo)
• Standard 12-way power, leather and heated driver seat; leather and heated passenger front seat; Bluetooth for phone capability; i-Pod auxiliary jack and USB port; XM Satellite Radio and OnStar
“The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and we’re excited to bring this Buick sport sedan to market,” said Craig Bierley, Buick Marketing Director. “The dynamic driving experience and intuitive, personal technologies offer customers a premium sport sedan for great value.” 2011 Regal pricing compares to the 2010 LaCrosse as follows:
Buick Trim Level 2011 Buick Regal 2010 Buick LaCrosse
(CX) Available 2012MY $26,995
(CXL) $26,995 $30,395
(CXL) with turbo $29,495 N/A
CXS N/A $33,765
Regal production for sale in the U.S. and Canada begins late Q1 2010 in Russelsheim, Germany, with vehicles expected to start arriving at dealerships in Q2 2010. North American production will begin at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant beginning in Q1 2011.
About Buick
Buick is in the midst of a transformation that started with the Enclave luxury crossover and continues with the completely redesigned LaCrosse luxury sedan and Regal sport sedan. Buick is emerging as a modern, premium brand with vehicles characterized by sculpted designs, personal technologies, luxurious interiors and responsive performance. Future new sedans and crossovers are planned and will continue to expand Buick's portfolio both in North America and China. More information can be found at www.buick.com
Monday, February 15, 2010
Alexandria Attorney files suit against Toyota on Behalf of Dealers and Auction Companies
Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Auto Dealers and Auction Companies by Neblett, Beard & Arsenault and Davis, Bethune & Jones
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Auto dealers and auction companies are bearing the financial brunt of Toyota’s recent recalls and Stop Sales Order and deserve to be compensated for the extra costs they are incurring, according to a class action lawsuit (2:10-cv-04025-NKL ) filed in Missouri federal court on Friday.
“Class actions allow small businesses to come together and take on a corporate Goliath like Toyota”
The lawsuit, filed by Shawn Foster of Davis, Bethune and Jones in Kansas City, Missouri and J.R. Whaley of Neblett Beard and Arsenault in Louisiana, details the financial pain that holding excess and unsellable inventory causes automotive dealers generally. The lawsuit then specifies the financial strain that the recent recalls and Stop Sales Order have caused the automotive sales industry.
The lawsuit also claims that Toyota knew over a year before the recent Stop Sales Order that its gas pedals were defective. The lawsuit claims that Toyota hid that information from the automotive sales industry and instead blamed bulky floor mats for the sudden acceleration problems plaguing the auto maker. That delay, according to the lawsuit, caused automotive dealers and auction companies to buy vehicles they cannot now sell and forces those businesses to carry costs to hold this currently unsellable inventory.
“Most used car dealerships are small businesses that really cannot afford to hold excess inventory, particularly in these tough economic times. This lawsuit seeks some reimbursement for the costs these dealers are incurring because of Toyota’s actions,” said Shawn Foster. The lawsuit seeks class action status on behalf of all automotive dealers and auction companies but specifically excludes licensed Toyota dealers. “Class actions allow small businesses to come together and take on a corporate Goliath like Toyota,” J. R. Whaley explained. “Class actions are oftentimes the most affordable way to prosecute claims like this.”
The lawsuit is pending in the federal court in Jefferson City, Missouri and is entitled Jerry Baker Auto Sales, LLC v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. et al. The docket number is 2:10-cv-04025-NKL.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Auto dealers and auction companies are bearing the financial brunt of Toyota’s recent recalls and Stop Sales Order and deserve to be compensated for the extra costs they are incurring, according to a class action lawsuit (2:10-cv-04025-NKL ) filed in Missouri federal court on Friday.
“Class actions allow small businesses to come together and take on a corporate Goliath like Toyota”
The lawsuit, filed by Shawn Foster of Davis, Bethune and Jones in Kansas City, Missouri and J.R. Whaley of Neblett Beard and Arsenault in Louisiana, details the financial pain that holding excess and unsellable inventory causes automotive dealers generally. The lawsuit then specifies the financial strain that the recent recalls and Stop Sales Order have caused the automotive sales industry.
The lawsuit also claims that Toyota knew over a year before the recent Stop Sales Order that its gas pedals were defective. The lawsuit claims that Toyota hid that information from the automotive sales industry and instead blamed bulky floor mats for the sudden acceleration problems plaguing the auto maker. That delay, according to the lawsuit, caused automotive dealers and auction companies to buy vehicles they cannot now sell and forces those businesses to carry costs to hold this currently unsellable inventory.
“Most used car dealerships are small businesses that really cannot afford to hold excess inventory, particularly in these tough economic times. This lawsuit seeks some reimbursement for the costs these dealers are incurring because of Toyota’s actions,” said Shawn Foster. The lawsuit seeks class action status on behalf of all automotive dealers and auction companies but specifically excludes licensed Toyota dealers. “Class actions allow small businesses to come together and take on a corporate Goliath like Toyota,” J. R. Whaley explained. “Class actions are oftentimes the most affordable way to prosecute claims like this.”
The lawsuit is pending in the federal court in Jefferson City, Missouri and is entitled Jerry Baker Auto Sales, LLC v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. et al. The docket number is 2:10-cv-04025-NKL.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Honda Recall cars - Article From Automotive News
AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, RECALL NOTICES WILL BE PRINTED ON THIS BLOG. FOR INFORMATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR RECALL OR TO DETERMINE IF YOUR VEHICLE IS AFFECTED, CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER.
BELOW IS AN ARTICLE FROM AUTOMOTIVE NEWS ABOUT A HONDA RECALL.
Automotive News
January 29, 2010 - 6:01 am EST
UPDATED: 1/29/10 4:45 p.m. ET
TOKYO (Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co. recalled 646,000 of its Fit/Jazz and City automobiles globally over a faulty window switch after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year.
The recall includes 141,084 vehicles in the United States and covers the models sold in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, but not Japan, a spokeswoman said. The Fit is Honda's best-selling model in Japan. The U.S. recall covers Fits from model years 2007 and 2008, Honda spokeswoman Christina Ra said.
Earlier this week, Toyota Motor Corp. announced it would extend to Europe and China a recall of millions of vehicles due to faulty accelerator pedals and floor mats. Honda said the recall was to fix a defective master switch, which could cause water to enter the power window switch and in some cases cause a fire.
There were three reported cases of fires due to the defect, two in the United States and one in South Africa, the spokeswoman said. A spokesman for Honda in Britain said the company had recalled all 2002-2008 year model Jazz units in South Africa and will recall 172,000 units in Britain after a fire broke out in one last year, killing a toddler. Honda said on its Web site it would "inspect and modify driver door power-window switches that may, in some cases, short circuit as a result of water intrusion".
"There has been a recall to do with a window switch and 172,000 cars will be affected by the recall in the UK," a Honda UK spokesman told Reuters today. "The recall will start towards the end of February. Now we will start talking to customers and dealers as to how we set up that recall." Honda UK said that water was entering the drivers' window of its Jazz model and reaching a master power switch, potentially causing the switch to over heat and "potentially cause fire".
"At the recall a waterproof skirt will be fitted to the window to avoid any damage," the spokesman added.
Honda's Jazz was its best-selling brand in South Africa in December, selling 352 units during the month.
BELOW IS AN ARTICLE FROM AUTOMOTIVE NEWS ABOUT A HONDA RECALL.
Automotive News
January 29, 2010 - 6:01 am EST
UPDATED: 1/29/10 4:45 p.m. ET
TOKYO (Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co. recalled 646,000 of its Fit/Jazz and City automobiles globally over a faulty window switch after a child died when fire broke out in a car last year.
The recall includes 141,084 vehicles in the United States and covers the models sold in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, but not Japan, a spokeswoman said. The Fit is Honda's best-selling model in Japan. The U.S. recall covers Fits from model years 2007 and 2008, Honda spokeswoman Christina Ra said.
Earlier this week, Toyota Motor Corp. announced it would extend to Europe and China a recall of millions of vehicles due to faulty accelerator pedals and floor mats. Honda said the recall was to fix a defective master switch, which could cause water to enter the power window switch and in some cases cause a fire.
There were three reported cases of fires due to the defect, two in the United States and one in South Africa, the spokeswoman said. A spokesman for Honda in Britain said the company had recalled all 2002-2008 year model Jazz units in South Africa and will recall 172,000 units in Britain after a fire broke out in one last year, killing a toddler. Honda said on its Web site it would "inspect and modify driver door power-window switches that may, in some cases, short circuit as a result of water intrusion".
"There has been a recall to do with a window switch and 172,000 cars will be affected by the recall in the UK," a Honda UK spokesman told Reuters today. "The recall will start towards the end of February. Now we will start talking to customers and dealers as to how we set up that recall." Honda UK said that water was entering the drivers' window of its Jazz model and reaching a master power switch, potentially causing the switch to over heat and "potentially cause fire".
"At the recall a waterproof skirt will be fitted to the window to avoid any damage," the spokesman added.
Honda's Jazz was its best-selling brand in South Africa in December, selling 352 units during the month.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Toyota Troubles
Toyota suspends sales of 8 models in recall -
FROM: AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
Kathy Jackson
Automotive News
January 26, 2010 - 6:27 pm EST
LOS ANGELES – Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. is suspending the sales of the eight vehicles that it recalled last week for sticking accelerator pedals.
Toyota last week recalled 2.3 million vehicles, citing a problem caused by a pedal mechanism. Pedals jammed by floormats were the focus in the 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles that Toyota recalled last fall for unintended acceleration.
“Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company,” Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter said in a statement. “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized.”
Production will be halted for the week of Feb. 1 at plants that make the eight models involved in the recall. Two are in Indiana, with one each in Texas, Kentucky and Canada.
The affected vehicles are the 2009-10 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix; 2005-10 Avalon; 2007-10 Camry; 2010 Highlander, 2007-10 Tundra and 2008-10 Sequoia.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Monday, January 25, 2010
PLan For Success in 2010
By: Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr.
I had the pleasure recently of listening to Rapides Parish Sheriff Chuck Wagner give a speech to a group of sales professionals about his first two years in office. He emphasized his business background and how his training in business planning helped him transition into his leadership role at the Sheriff’s department. When Sheriff Wagner was elected, the sheriff’s office did not have a written business plan. One of his first tasks was to assess the department’s needs and then write a business plan to address those needs. He used his professional sales experience to set measurable goals for his department. He then measured his successes and failures throughout the year according to the benchmarks that he set. Finally, at the end of the year, he reviewed the plan for the past year and proposed a new one for the coming year.
Every business, regardless of whether it is a governmental agency, private enterprise or non-profit organization, needs to follow the fundamental rule that Sheriff Wagner adopted. Make a plan. Follow the plan. Measure the success and failure according to the plan, and modify the plan as needed.
Make a plan:
Write your plan down. An unwritten plan is no plan at all.
When I was practicing law, I was measured by the number of billable hours that I billed to clients each month and for the year. In the car business, we measure monthly vehicle sales, repair orders written for service and parts sales. Regardless of what is being measured, the fundamentals are the same. You must know what measurements are critical to your success and how you plan to achieve the goals. The only way to do this is to write it down as a constant reminder.
By now, your 2010 business plan should already be in place. If not, it is not too late to start. Begin by looking at the past year, examining the past and current economic environment and setting realistic goals for success based on those observations. While the goal should be achievable, it should not be easy. Objectives should be set for short and long measurement. Start first with weekly and monthly benchmarks. Compare these at the end of each month to determine if you are on track for yearly goals. If not, then modify the plan as needed to reach new and achievable goals.
Follow the Plan:
Your plan is a long-term projection measured in short-term segments. While it can be modified, the fundamentals should be followed throughout the year. Think of your strategic plan like a roadmap. While you may use different roads to get to a final destination, the result is always the same – you arrive at the destination. When analyzing your plan throughout the year, it is ok to modify the way you get to the final result but the original outcome should remain the same. The final outcome should only be changed when it is clear that the original forecast is impossible to achieve. When that becomes necessary, amend the plan by re-forecasting for the remainder of the year. Do the same thing you did in the beginning of the year by setting realistic estimates you can achieve by the end of the year.
Measure success, failure and modify:
A business plan means nothing if the results are not measured. Again, like a roadmap, you cannot know where you are going without knowing where you are during the journey. Every day, week, and month, all measurements need to be reviewed to determine if the plan is on target. In many cases the plan may need to be modified because the goals are either too easy or unrealistic. If success comes too easily, then the original goals were not challenging enough and they need to be strengthened. If your numbers fall short, then the original expectation may not have been based on realistic economic conditions and should be scaled back.
Forecast for success and write a plan to meet your goals. Do this and 2010 will be a successful and profitable year.
I had the pleasure recently of listening to Rapides Parish Sheriff Chuck Wagner give a speech to a group of sales professionals about his first two years in office. He emphasized his business background and how his training in business planning helped him transition into his leadership role at the Sheriff’s department. When Sheriff Wagner was elected, the sheriff’s office did not have a written business plan. One of his first tasks was to assess the department’s needs and then write a business plan to address those needs. He used his professional sales experience to set measurable goals for his department. He then measured his successes and failures throughout the year according to the benchmarks that he set. Finally, at the end of the year, he reviewed the plan for the past year and proposed a new one for the coming year.
Every business, regardless of whether it is a governmental agency, private enterprise or non-profit organization, needs to follow the fundamental rule that Sheriff Wagner adopted. Make a plan. Follow the plan. Measure the success and failure according to the plan, and modify the plan as needed.
Make a plan:
Write your plan down. An unwritten plan is no plan at all.
When I was practicing law, I was measured by the number of billable hours that I billed to clients each month and for the year. In the car business, we measure monthly vehicle sales, repair orders written for service and parts sales. Regardless of what is being measured, the fundamentals are the same. You must know what measurements are critical to your success and how you plan to achieve the goals. The only way to do this is to write it down as a constant reminder.
By now, your 2010 business plan should already be in place. If not, it is not too late to start. Begin by looking at the past year, examining the past and current economic environment and setting realistic goals for success based on those observations. While the goal should be achievable, it should not be easy. Objectives should be set for short and long measurement. Start first with weekly and monthly benchmarks. Compare these at the end of each month to determine if you are on track for yearly goals. If not, then modify the plan as needed to reach new and achievable goals.
Follow the Plan:
Your plan is a long-term projection measured in short-term segments. While it can be modified, the fundamentals should be followed throughout the year. Think of your strategic plan like a roadmap. While you may use different roads to get to a final destination, the result is always the same – you arrive at the destination. When analyzing your plan throughout the year, it is ok to modify the way you get to the final result but the original outcome should remain the same. The final outcome should only be changed when it is clear that the original forecast is impossible to achieve. When that becomes necessary, amend the plan by re-forecasting for the remainder of the year. Do the same thing you did in the beginning of the year by setting realistic estimates you can achieve by the end of the year.
Measure success, failure and modify:
A business plan means nothing if the results are not measured. Again, like a roadmap, you cannot know where you are going without knowing where you are during the journey. Every day, week, and month, all measurements need to be reviewed to determine if the plan is on target. In many cases the plan may need to be modified because the goals are either too easy or unrealistic. If success comes too easily, then the original goals were not challenging enough and they need to be strengthened. If your numbers fall short, then the original expectation may not have been based on realistic economic conditions and should be scaled back.
Forecast for success and write a plan to meet your goals. Do this and 2010 will be a successful and profitable year.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Proper Alignment
By: Tim Nortier
Service Manager, Walker Automotive
As part of our continuous efforts to improve our service, Walker Automotive has recently invested in a significant upgrade to our alignment equipment. This new HUNTER WinAlignment equipment and software exceeds the requirements of all major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mitsubishi and General Motors vehicles. Further, as an authorized dealer for Mercedes-Benz and BMW, only Walker Automotive has access to the customized software required for proper wheel alignment of all BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Out of alignment conditions occur when vehicle suspension and steering systems are not operating at their desired angles. On an older vehicle this condition is most often caused by wear of suspension components (shocks, struts, springs, ball joints, etc.) Out of alignment can also be the result of impact with a pothole or curb, or a change in vehicle ride height (lowered or raised) on any vehicle, regardless of age.
Reduced Tire Wear:
Incorrect alignment settings will usually result in more rapid tire wear. Alignment should be checked whenever new tires or suspension components are installed, anytime unusual tire wear patterns appear and after the vehicle has encountered a major road hazard or curb impact. Over the years, a properly aligned vehicle can add thousands of miles to tire life.
Think of it this way - Research indicates the average vehicle is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A vehicle with toe alignment just 0.34 degrees (or just 0.17 inches) out of specification has dragged its tires sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year!
Better Gas Mileage:
Gas mileage increases as rolling resistance decreases. Proper alignment sets all four wheels parallel to the road surface, which, along with proper tire inflation, reduces rolling resistance.
Improved Handling:
Does your vehicle pull to one side? Does the steering wheel vibrate? Do you constantly have to move the steering wheel to keep your vehicle traveling straight ahead? Many handling problems can be corrected by an alignment. With all the system components aligned correctly, road shock is more evenly distributed for a smoother ride.
Safer Driving:
A suspension system inspection is part of our alignment procedure. This allows us to spot worn parts before they cause costly problems. Remember, maintenance is always less expensive than repair.
How often should I have my vehicle aligned?
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation as noted in your owner’s manual, but as a general rule, have your vehicle’s tires rotated at least every 10,000 miles and alignment checked at least once per year.
Service Manager, Walker Automotive
As part of our continuous efforts to improve our service, Walker Automotive has recently invested in a significant upgrade to our alignment equipment. This new HUNTER WinAlignment equipment and software exceeds the requirements of all major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mitsubishi and General Motors vehicles. Further, as an authorized dealer for Mercedes-Benz and BMW, only Walker Automotive has access to the customized software required for proper wheel alignment of all BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Out of alignment conditions occur when vehicle suspension and steering systems are not operating at their desired angles. On an older vehicle this condition is most often caused by wear of suspension components (shocks, struts, springs, ball joints, etc.) Out of alignment can also be the result of impact with a pothole or curb, or a change in vehicle ride height (lowered or raised) on any vehicle, regardless of age.
Reduced Tire Wear:
Incorrect alignment settings will usually result in more rapid tire wear. Alignment should be checked whenever new tires or suspension components are installed, anytime unusual tire wear patterns appear and after the vehicle has encountered a major road hazard or curb impact. Over the years, a properly aligned vehicle can add thousands of miles to tire life.
Think of it this way - Research indicates the average vehicle is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A vehicle with toe alignment just 0.34 degrees (or just 0.17 inches) out of specification has dragged its tires sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year!
Better Gas Mileage:
Gas mileage increases as rolling resistance decreases. Proper alignment sets all four wheels parallel to the road surface, which, along with proper tire inflation, reduces rolling resistance.
Improved Handling:
Does your vehicle pull to one side? Does the steering wheel vibrate? Do you constantly have to move the steering wheel to keep your vehicle traveling straight ahead? Many handling problems can be corrected by an alignment. With all the system components aligned correctly, road shock is more evenly distributed for a smoother ride.
Safer Driving:
A suspension system inspection is part of our alignment procedure. This allows us to spot worn parts before they cause costly problems. Remember, maintenance is always less expensive than repair.
How often should I have my vehicle aligned?
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation as noted in your owner’s manual, but as a general rule, have your vehicle’s tires rotated at least every 10,000 miles and alignment checked at least once per year.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Walker Supports Susan G. Komen For The Cure in Alexandria
By: Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr.
Walker Automotive is excited to be a part of the newest expansion chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization. The Northeast-Central Louisiana Chapter of Susan G. Komen For The Cure® announced recently its expansion into the Central Louisiana community. The affiliate expansion will add the parishes of Vernon, Rapides, Grant, Avoyelles, LaSalle, Catahoula, and Concordia parishes. The expansion was officially announced at a celebration on January 5, 2010, at the River Oaks Arts Center in Downtown Alexandria.
More than twenty-five years ago, Susan G. Komen for the Cure started the breast cancer movement. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the global leader in the fight against breast cancer through the funding of innovative research and community-based health programs. Collectively, the local Komen affiliates are dedicated to ending breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find cures.
As part of the local expansion, Alexandria will host Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® event September 18, 2010. The race series helps raise money for local communities to put back into finding a cure and helping breast cancer patients locally. This year, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital is proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the race.
Around the world local races raise money for local communities’ initiatives to help fight and cure breast cancer. Participants can run or walk the 5K route or even Sleep In for the Cure®. There is also a special race and activities for kids 12 and under.
Up to 75 percent of the money raised by the Alexandria Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure stays in the Central Louisiana area to fund screening, treatment and education programs. The remaining dollars support the national Komen initiatives. For more information or to volunteer, contact Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr. at 318-445-6421.
Walker Automotive is excited to be a part of the newest expansion chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization. The Northeast-Central Louisiana Chapter of Susan G. Komen For The Cure® announced recently its expansion into the Central Louisiana community. The affiliate expansion will add the parishes of Vernon, Rapides, Grant, Avoyelles, LaSalle, Catahoula, and Concordia parishes. The expansion was officially announced at a celebration on January 5, 2010, at the River Oaks Arts Center in Downtown Alexandria.
More than twenty-five years ago, Susan G. Komen for the Cure started the breast cancer movement. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the global leader in the fight against breast cancer through the funding of innovative research and community-based health programs. Collectively, the local Komen affiliates are dedicated to ending breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find cures.
As part of the local expansion, Alexandria will host Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® event September 18, 2010. The race series helps raise money for local communities to put back into finding a cure and helping breast cancer patients locally. This year, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital is proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the race.
Around the world local races raise money for local communities’ initiatives to help fight and cure breast cancer. Participants can run or walk the 5K route or even Sleep In for the Cure®. There is also a special race and activities for kids 12 and under.
Up to 75 percent of the money raised by the Alexandria Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure stays in the Central Louisiana area to fund screening, treatment and education programs. The remaining dollars support the national Komen initiatives. For more information or to volunteer, contact Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr. at 318-445-6421.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
WHERE ARE YOU POSITIONED IN THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA
A recent newspaper article stated that more than 28 million people in the U.S. use a Blackberry device. An additional 78 million are using an Iphone or Itouch to make calls and wirelessly connect to the internet. Add to that all of the other mobile internet devices in use around the country, and pretty soon it’s easy to realize that the general public is only satisfied by receiving instant, up-to-date and relevant information. Mobile users are accessing the internet with these devices to instantly find your company, research your products and comment on the level of service received at your business. All of this is done instantly and with the simple push of a button. Once the message is sent, it cannot be retrieved and it exists in cyberspace without input unless you intercept it and control the message.
As we end 2009 and move forward into 2010, the most important thing a business can do is examine its position on the web and in social media. Social media and instant communications are now revolutionizing the way Americans comment on their experience with a company. Customers now post comments by instant message, on Facebook, blogs, Linkedin and a host of other sites. As a business owner or manager, you must be aware of what is being said about you and your company by your customers.
Businesses need to be aware of communication trends and how they potentially affect your business. Smart phones have maps showing your address, real pictures of your location, access to blogs and social media. The result is that customers utilize these tools to instantly communicate with their friends and colleagues about the level of service received at your business. The message and responses are instant as is the potential impact on your business. These sites provide a voice to millions to speak honestly and openly on all matters of customer experience. The scary thing is that customers may be having a positive or negative conversation with hundreds of friends via social networking while still shopping at your business. Even more problematic is if you do not even know that the conversation is occurring.
The trick for the business owner is to be a part of the conversation. Whether it is positive or negative, businesses need to engage and try to control the messages that are out on the internet by monitoring what is being said on these sites. If the message is negative, control the potential outcome by offering a solution or response. If the message is positive, pass it on and use it as testimonial advertising. Use social media tools and websites to get your own personal message out about your business, community activities and your products.
Businesses need to have a blog, a Facebook account, and a presence on other social networking sites. Content must be fresh and relevant. This means adding content constantly. Information that is hours, weeks or months old is irrelevant to today’s consumer. If the information is stale, customers turn away and find current information elsewhere. Businesses must monitor what the customers are saying on these sites and respond to both compliments and criticism. The worst thing to do is not be a part of the conversation. If you have a blog, add information to it at a regular interval and use it to respond to compliments or criticisms.
Customers want current and relevant information from the internet. Give them what they want and your business will be successful in the coming year.
As we end 2009 and move forward into 2010, the most important thing a business can do is examine its position on the web and in social media. Social media and instant communications are now revolutionizing the way Americans comment on their experience with a company. Customers now post comments by instant message, on Facebook, blogs, Linkedin and a host of other sites. As a business owner or manager, you must be aware of what is being said about you and your company by your customers.
Businesses need to be aware of communication trends and how they potentially affect your business. Smart phones have maps showing your address, real pictures of your location, access to blogs and social media. The result is that customers utilize these tools to instantly communicate with their friends and colleagues about the level of service received at your business. The message and responses are instant as is the potential impact on your business. These sites provide a voice to millions to speak honestly and openly on all matters of customer experience. The scary thing is that customers may be having a positive or negative conversation with hundreds of friends via social networking while still shopping at your business. Even more problematic is if you do not even know that the conversation is occurring.
The trick for the business owner is to be a part of the conversation. Whether it is positive or negative, businesses need to engage and try to control the messages that are out on the internet by monitoring what is being said on these sites. If the message is negative, control the potential outcome by offering a solution or response. If the message is positive, pass it on and use it as testimonial advertising. Use social media tools and websites to get your own personal message out about your business, community activities and your products.
Businesses need to have a blog, a Facebook account, and a presence on other social networking sites. Content must be fresh and relevant. This means adding content constantly. Information that is hours, weeks or months old is irrelevant to today’s consumer. If the information is stale, customers turn away and find current information elsewhere. Businesses must monitor what the customers are saying on these sites and respond to both compliments and criticism. The worst thing to do is not be a part of the conversation. If you have a blog, add information to it at a regular interval and use it to respond to compliments or criticisms.
Customers want current and relevant information from the internet. Give them what they want and your business will be successful in the coming year.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Walker Automotive Receives 80-Year Award from General Motors
Walker Automotive is pleased to announce that on December 15, 2009 it will celebrate its 80th anniversary as a General Motors partner. The dealership was started in 1919 and ten years later Walker began selling Oldsmobile vehicles. The Oldsmobile franchise was awarded in 1929 and the official name of the company was changed to Walker Oldsmobile Company, Inc. Since then, Walker has sold GM brands including Oldsmobile, GMC, Pontiac, Saturn and Buick.
Steve Kuhl, Zone Manager for General Motors will personally present a recognition plaque to W. Foster Walker III, President of Walker Oldsmobile Company, Inc. The recognition ceremony will be at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 1616 MacArthur Dr. Alexandria.
“In the 80 years since 1929, we have had several GM franchises and have enjoyed a prosperous relationship with GM,” Walker said. “GM has made many changes over the years and, in the last year, has reinvented itself with fewer, stronger and more properly located dealers. We are excited to receive the 80 year recognition and look forward to continuing our partnership with GM for many years to come.”
On June 1 of this year Walker was selected as a General Motors “Key Dealer” for its Buick and GMC brands. GM’s selection of Walker Automotive as a Key Dealer shows the confidence that GM has in Walker being part of the new GM.
Throughout the years, Walker Automotive has endured many changes in the automotive business. This year represents Walker’s 90th year in the car business and its 80th year associated with General Motors.
“We consider all of our employees and customers a part of “Team Walker” and believe that our commitment to honesty, integrity, quality, and excellence help us to maintain lasting relationships with customers over multiple generations. Many of the families we sold to 80 years ago have new generations of family members buying from us today. That is due in large part to the quality of brands that we sell including the long partnership we have enjoyed with General Motors, and our commitment to great customer service” said Mr. Walker.
Walker was founded in 1919 as Alexandria Auto Company, Inc. by Foster Walker Sr. After returning from World War I, Foster Walker Sr. began selling Durant, Reo and Star automobiles from a gas station in Downtown Alexandria. That business eventually became Walker Oldsmobile Company and is now run by Foster Walker III. Ninety years after its inception the dealership has expanded from its meager origins to three locations, 8 manufacturers, three service departments and a collision center. Over the last 9 decades, Walker has won numerous national and factory awards for all aspects of its business and offers new and pre-owned vehicles ranging from quality entry level models to German luxury vehicles.
Steve Kuhl, Zone Manager for General Motors will personally present a recognition plaque to W. Foster Walker III, President of Walker Oldsmobile Company, Inc. The recognition ceremony will be at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 1616 MacArthur Dr. Alexandria.
“In the 80 years since 1929, we have had several GM franchises and have enjoyed a prosperous relationship with GM,” Walker said. “GM has made many changes over the years and, in the last year, has reinvented itself with fewer, stronger and more properly located dealers. We are excited to receive the 80 year recognition and look forward to continuing our partnership with GM for many years to come.”
On June 1 of this year Walker was selected as a General Motors “Key Dealer” for its Buick and GMC brands. GM’s selection of Walker Automotive as a Key Dealer shows the confidence that GM has in Walker being part of the new GM.
Throughout the years, Walker Automotive has endured many changes in the automotive business. This year represents Walker’s 90th year in the car business and its 80th year associated with General Motors.
“We consider all of our employees and customers a part of “Team Walker” and believe that our commitment to honesty, integrity, quality, and excellence help us to maintain lasting relationships with customers over multiple generations. Many of the families we sold to 80 years ago have new generations of family members buying from us today. That is due in large part to the quality of brands that we sell including the long partnership we have enjoyed with General Motors, and our commitment to great customer service” said Mr. Walker.
Walker was founded in 1919 as Alexandria Auto Company, Inc. by Foster Walker Sr. After returning from World War I, Foster Walker Sr. began selling Durant, Reo and Star automobiles from a gas station in Downtown Alexandria. That business eventually became Walker Oldsmobile Company and is now run by Foster Walker III. Ninety years after its inception the dealership has expanded from its meager origins to three locations, 8 manufacturers, three service departments and a collision center. Over the last 9 decades, Walker has won numerous national and factory awards for all aspects of its business and offers new and pre-owned vehicles ranging from quality entry level models to German luxury vehicles.
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