Overstated fuel economy ratings by Hyundai and Kia

Hyundai and Kia officials apologize and admit overstated mileage placing the blame on inaccurate internal testing procedures for the mistakes. Both companies agreed to pay close to $400 million to settle consumer lawsuits for overstated fuel economy ratings on approximately 900,000 cars sold in the U.S. market. After disclosing in November of 2012 that the companies had sold approximately 300,000 Kia and 600,000 Hyundai with overstated fuel economy the companies received dozens of class-action lawsuits. The proposed settlements are subject to court review which is slated for early 2014.

A Couple of First in the Automobile Industry

In 1896 the first car was sold in the United States.

In 1957 the Toyota Crow was the first Japanese car imported to the United States. 

Cadillac CTS named 2014 Motor Trend Car of the year.

 A Car for All Seasons

The World’s oldest car

The world’s oldest surviving car was sold at auction in 2011 for $4,600,000.00. The car was originally built for the Count De Dion in France in 1884.

Ford's next generation Mustang

Ford’s next generation Mustang will appear on the television show Good Morning America for its world premiere next Thursday Dec 6. It’s a take on the 1964 introduction to the original Mustang in which Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca presented the car on the opening weekend the New York World’s Fair. On Dec 6 the next generation Mustang will be revealed simultaneously in 5 time zones, while saying “Good Morning” in New York, “Good Afternoon” in Spain and “Good Evening” in China.

Interesting piece of information

Did you know that the city with the most Rolls Royce’s per capita is Hong Kong?

Are Electric Cars Getting Better?

Unfortunately electric cars haven’t been met with the enthusiasm the manufactures had hoped for. Early adopters loved them however they seemed to have fizzled out. The limited driving distance between charging and the high cost of the vehicles could be to blame. But little by little EVs (electric vehicles) are getting better. The driving distances between charges are moving up. Kia has a new all-electric Kia Soul which is slated to go on sale late 2014.

Vulcanized rubber was invented in 1844 by Charles Goodyear and was later used for the first tires.

If you are looking for the cheapest new car sold in America look to the 2014 Nissan Versa selling for just under $13,000.00. This is the base line model no frills or upgrades. If you want a conventional four-speed automatic it will add about a $1,000.00 to the sales price. But if your look for a bare bones commuter car this may be the car for you.

Toyota’s ending the FJ Cruiser SUV

Making good on its promise Toyota is pulling the plug after an eight year run on the distinctive FJ Cruiser. In its last model year 2014 the FJ Cruiser will be offered as a special edition. In addition Toyota will sell a Trail Teams Ultimate Edition FJ Cruiser 2014 model year.

Ford to recall 2.618 Focus Electric Cars

Due to potential loss of power to the wheels while driving Ford is recalling 2,618 of the Focus Electric cars model years 2012-2014 and nearly all of the cars were sold in the United States.  In a statement from a spokeswoman from Ford, Ford claims that there was one crash with no injuries related to the issue.  Software anomalies related to the power control module and a long with a "Stop Safely Now" warning in the instrument cluster. Should this warning appear the car's steering and braking systems will still operate normally. According to Ford dealers will reprogram the powertrain control model.

 The first asphalt roads built for cyclist?

Most motorist assume the asphalt road was built for the automobile, but the truth is the first flat asphalt roads were not built for the automobile as commonly believed they were built for cyclist. More than 100 years ago cyclist campaigned for flat roads. The flat hard road surfaces still in use today are relatively new. The asphalt road surfaces were not put into wide-ranging use until the 1930’s.

Mercedes-Benz incorporates a navigation system with Google Glass

Mercedes- Benz has developed a system that integrates a navigation system with Google Glass. Google Glass uses a pair of glasses that in one of lenses is a voice activated interface. The idea behind the system is to merge digital living with the driving experience. The overall concept is to allow the driver to access the same information that is stored on his/her Smartphone form their car. An example of the system is that it can direct a driver to his/her car and transfer destination address into the navigation system.  Mercedes-Benz stated they will offer the system when Google makes the glass commercially available.

Recall on Toyota Sedans

Toyota is recalling approximately 803,000 sedans in the United States. The reason for the recall is potential problems with air conditioning condensers, water leaking from the condenser can leak onto the airbag control module which could lead to the airbag to deploy and inflate at the wrong time. In addition the power steering could be affected by a leaky condenser. Models included in the recall are the Camry, Avalon and Venza sedans model years 2012 and 2013.

Dual Fuel Impala

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson announced GM will offer a version of the Chevrolet Impala sedan that will have the ability to switch between natural gas and gasoline. Due to a boom in U.S. drilling natural gas has become a more viable fuel for cars. Akerson stated “there will be nothing like it on the road”.

The dual fuel Impala will have two fuel tanks one for compressed natural gas and one for gasoline. The dual fuel Impala is set for sale next summer as a 2015 model.

Disc Brakes

Disc brakes were patented in 1901 by Frederick William Lanchester a British inventor.

General Motors adds enhanced features to the 2014 Malibu

In an effort to improve the overall profile of General Motors 2014 Malibu, GM has added text-to -voice technology  which reads text messages over the car's audio system. To achieve greater fuel economy the 2014 Malibu has standard stop-start and variable intake valve and transmission enhancement. According to Chevrolet Global Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney the midsize sedan segment is one of the most competitive in the industry. "The new enhanced features makes the  2014 Malibu a smarter choice, putting it at the heart of the strongest Chevrolet passenger lineup in our history."

The next big trend for automakers may be self-driving systems. 

In two years Toyota Motor Corporation is planning to introduce systems enabling cars to communicate with each other to avoid car crashes. Using radio waves to collect the data from other vehicles the system enables the car to maintain a safe distances thus avoiding collision. Another system showed the use of radar, control software and cameras that helps a vehicle stay in a lane on its own.

Other automakers to follow; General Motors’ autonomous vehicles by 2020 and the Nissan Leaf with an advanced driver assist.

Toyota is recalling 615,000 Sienna minivans in the US. The reason for the recall is that the transmission may able to be taken out of Park without depressing the brake pedal which leads to an increased risk of the vehicle rolling away on its own. The effected model years are 2004-2005 and 2007-2009. Toyota stated that the recall is voluntary.

In 1935 Oklahoma City was the site of the first coin-operated parking meter.

The chairman of Toyota Takeshi Uchiyamada announced today that Toyota will begin selling a fuel cell electric sedan in the United States in 2015. The fuel cell sedan will have a sticker price around $50,000.

Similar to battery electric vehicles except instead of storing electricity in a battery, the fuel cell vehicle produces its own juice from hydrogen with a chemical reaction. These vehicles have no emissions the only waste produced is water.

Nissan announced Apple iTunes Radio will be making its introduction into the automotive market with the companies 2014 Leaf EV, Versa Note and Rogue. 

Did you know that the record for the fastest R&R (removal and replacement) of a car engine is just 42 seconds? It was on November 21, 1985 and the car was a Ford Escort.

BMW Recall

Beginning in October BMW AG is going to be recalling 134,000 vehicles in the United States the recall is for some M5, 550i, 535i, 528i series model years 2008 - 2010 due to a condition that could lead to intermittent or even permanent loss of one or more rear lamp functions, over time, increase resistance at the tail light electrical contact points could cause damage to the ground terminal and the housing of the connector (turn-signal, reverse, tail, brake). Notification to owners will be made by BMW and dealers will replace free of charge, the rear lamp bulb carriers.

Did you know that the most recycled product in the world is the Automobile? 

The maker of charging stations for electric vehicles Ecotality, Inc has filed for bankruptcy protection and is planning to auction off its assets next month. This is the same company that four years ago won a $99.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The company is based in San Francisco and is among an increasing number of U.S. alternative energy companies are struggling or have failed to survive due to consumer reluctance of the high cost and restricted mile range that comes with electric vehicles.

Scrapping, Cars vs. Small Trucks, in the 1970’s the number of cars scrapped was almost twice as much as small trucks, since then cars have been made much more durable and by the late 1990’s the numbers were just about equal.

Have you wondered where some of the phrases we use today came from? For instance the phrase “it’s a doozy” has its origin with the Dusenberg Automobiles regarded by the world as the most luxurious automobiles of the 1920’s.

Did you know that the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT-500 that was used in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds is one of the most famous cars in the world ever?

Volvo recalls 2014 vehicles for electrical system problems

The affected 2014 models are the XC70, XC60, S80 and S60 vehicles with the keyless ignition, when the engine is started one of the main computers can basically go crazy with error messages for the main alarm system, the windshield wipers may turn on for no reason, headlights malfunction, turn signals, cruise control, and high beams stop working, the battery drains, and the headlights stay on low beams constantly. Volvo states that some owners have experienced all or some of the problems at once. In the U.S a total of 7,767 cars are affected and the remainder in Canada. 

The Third Brake Light

Psychologist John Voevodsky invented the third brake light in 1974, a brake light that is typically mounted at the bottom the rear window. When the brakes are activated a triangle red light will warn drivers following to slow down.

The world’s first car manufacture was set up January1, 1885 by Emile Levassor and Rene Panhard. The first car they built used a Daimler engine and was manufactured in 1890.

The first commercially available automobile was the Benz Motor wagon.

An investigation has been opened by the NHTSA into two of Nissan Motor Co. 2013 models. U.S. safety regulators are looking into the Nissan Pathfinder and the Infiniti JX35 after consumer complaints regarding the transmission cooler line connection failing. As a result of the cooler line connection failure consumers reported a loss of power from the transmission. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations website an investigation could lead to a recall which would affect an estimated 110,000 vehicles.

2014 Chevrolet Impala scores its highest score from Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports gave the 2014 Chevrolet Impala its highest ever score. The Impala earned Consumer Reports third highest score 95 points out of 100 and the number one spot among all sedans.  The only car to score higher than the Impala among gasoline powered cars is the BMW 135i coupe the Lexus LS 460L and Audi A6 received lower scores than the Impala.

2014 Honda Odyssey receives IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the 2014 Honda Odyssey the top rating on its stringent new crash test. With the Odyssey’s good rating on the small overlap crash test, the Odyssey now becomes the only minivan to win Top Safety Pick honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Last year the IIHS shook up the industry when it began ranking vehicles on their ability to withstand a crash that happens with the left front corner of the vehicle hits an object like an oncoming car, pole or a tree.

Rather than making the changes in the next redesign a few years from now Honda made the changes in the 2014 model year. The rating has paid off for a major investment by the automaker.

Of all of the automakers Honda now leads with six models receiving the Top Safety Pick approval. 

GM offering wireless smartphone charging in some 2014 vehicles

Next year General Motors will begin offering wireless charging for smartphones in some of their vehicles. Some of the 2014 model year GM vehicles will have a Powermat surface installed in the vehicle. Instead of plugging in cables to charge a smartphone you will be able to place the smartphone onto the Powermat surface and charge your phone. The phone must be capable of recharging with built into the phone technology, or use a phone case designed for this purpose.

Did you know that the first electric car heater was invented in 1890 by Canadian Thomas Ahearn?

Chevrolet and GMC Trucks Receive 5 Star Ratings

The first large pickup trucks to receive an overall rating of five stars since the implementation of a tougher rating system by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) for the model year 2011 are the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 along with the top of the line Silverado High Country and Sierra Denali. The pickup trucks received five star ratings on frontal and side crash test and four stars for the rollover test. The overall rating is a combination of test.

Did you know the first crash tummy was the Sierra Sam created in 1949?

A ruling today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires U.S. automakers to install an online recall search tool to their websites that will allow consumers to find out if a recall has been made on their vehicle.  Automakers have to comply by 8/14/2014.

A recall for Nissan's 2014 Versa Note

Nissan is recalling over 11,000 of its 2014 Versa Notes for rear seats that were bolted with improperly manufactured bolts. The bolts holding the body side sills and rear seat may be brittle, loose or missing which could cause the rear seat to detach in a crash. These cars were built in Mexico for North American markets.

Did you know that the first driveshaft was invented in 1898 by Louis Renault?

Ford is going offer an optional equipment package for the 2014 model year F-150  3.7 liter  V-6 engine that will allow the truck to run on liquid propane gas or compressed natural gas.  This is a factory installed prep package includes pistons, rings, hardened valves and valve seats designed to run on either regular gasoline or natural gas using separate fuel systems. The cost will be $315.00 and will be available this fall.

Yearly the average American Commuter spends about 38 hours stuck in traffic. It's even worse for commuters in big cities like D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco, where the average commuter spends more than 60 hours stuck in traffic annually.

GM offering buyer incentives for its Chevrolet Volt

Three years ago the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt were introduce with high expectations only to consistently miss sales targets. Earlier this year Nissan experienced success with lowering the price of its Leaf battery-electric.  Offering up to $5,000 in incentives to potential buyers for the Volt General Motors is the latest  manufacture to cut the price of its electric vehicle in an attempt to boost low demand for electric cars.  Most notably the Tesla Model S has met its manufactures sales expectations, there are only a handful of battery-based vehicles have come close to meeting their manufactures sales expectations. Whether GM will experience the same success as Nissan by offer the incentives remains to be seen as GM has already reduced the price of the Volt plug-in hybrid.

Did you know that the Ford Crown Victoria was the very last car to have the ability to play cassette tapes?  The 2011 model year had an optional cassette player.

U.S regulators examine Mercedes C- class sedan for brake lights and rear turn signals.

A probed into an estimated 218,000 Mercedes C-class sedans by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for failure of brake lights and rear turn signals for model years 2008 and 2009.  According to the NHTSA consumer complaints site the failure to be in the lamp connector, many indicating melted or burnt electrical components and in multiple instances consumers reported smelling smoke and the appearance of burn marks in the trunks of the cars, one report of small flames coming from the rear lamp connector.

If regulators determine that this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed by the manufacture a recall could ensue.

License Plates

The first state to require car license plates by law was New York on April 25, 1901. The very first license plates were not called license plates they were called number plates and were issued  in France in 1893.

September 1, 2014 event data recorders (EDR's) may be mandatory in all new light passenger vehicles sold in the U.S.. The EDR's serve as black boxes for cars.  EDR'S are already present in the majority of new car models, an estimated 96% of model year 2013 passenger and light-duty vehicles are equipped with EDR's according to the NHTSA.

 Some of the information recorded include:

• ·         Whether the occupant's seat belt was fastened
• ·         information about the state of the engine throttle
• ·         air bag deployment timing and air bag readiness before the crash
• ·         crash forces at the moment of impact
• ·         vehicle speed
• ·         whether the brake was activated in the moments before the crash

Sales top the Ten Million mark in total units sold in the U.S. for the Toyota Camry

Toyota announced its best selling Camry model has surpassed the 10 million mark in cumulative sales volume in America.  The Camry has also been America's top selling sedan for the past eleven years.

Toyota began assembling most Camry models in its Georgetown, Kentucky plant in 1988. Toyota estimates that here  today there are approximately 6.4 million Camry's on the road. Recognized as the country's most "American made" car by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. 

Do you know who invented the world's first car?

 Karl Benz invented the first modern automobile in 1886.

Seat Belts/Safety Belts

Did you know that Edward J. Claghorn of New York was issued the first U.S. patent for automobile seats

belts?  The patent was issued on February 10, 1885 in New York.

Backup camera rule for all new cars sold in the U.S. moved back to 2015

As regulators consider giving incentives in their safety ratings for vehicles with backup cameras. The rule that would require all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to have back up cameras has been delayed until 2015. Originally the compliance deadline for the rule was for the 2014 model year.

 Automakers say that it makes sense to install backup cameras in larger vehicles  the rule would apply to all new vehicles sold in the U.S.. Automakers are concerned with the cost involved in complying with the rule. 

Before issuing a mandate more analysis of the rule's cost is needed. The agency is saying the cost would be $2.7 billion or as much as $18 million per life saved. The deadline has been delayed previously three times by the agency.

The NHTSA says that close to 300 deaths occur each year related to back-over accidents involving primarily children and the elderly could be prevented by the use of backup cameras.

Chrysler agrees to recall 2.7 million Jeeps in the final hours before the deadline.

Last week Chrysler stated that it would not comply with the recall demand, claiming that the vehicles do not have a high risk of catching fire from rear end collisions. In the final hours before the deadline Chrysler had a change of heart giving in to governments request for the recall.  If the car manufacture had not decided to comply with the recall the company would have faced the prospect of high profile public hearings.  Chrysler will not necessarily have to repair all 2.7 million Jeeps, instead of installing a steel plate of over the plastic gas tank, as requested by the Center of Auto Safety and other public interest group,  the company will simply install a factory trailer hitch to provide some protection in the event of a slow speed, rear end collision.  1999-2004 Grand Jeep Cherokees will be recalled for inspection. If the vehicles have an after- market hitch, they will replace it, however if they do not have a trailer hitch Chrysler will not install one.

Chrysler stated that it would do work on about 1.6 million of the remaining vehicles, these include 2002-2007 Jeep Libertys and 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokees.  Chrysler will only replace after-market, non-Chrysler trailer hitches, if the vehicles has a factory-installed trailer hitch no work will be done.

CAR RADIO

Paul Galvin an American invented the first car radio in 1929. The first car radios were not offered by car makers  consumers had to purchase them separately.  Paul Galvin was the head of Galvin Manufacturing Company, combining the idea of motion and radio he came up with the name "Motorola" for the companies new products.

Strobe Brake Lights

In Europe Mercedes-Benz sells cars that are equipped with brake lights that flash rapidly in response to hard braking conditions. The idea is to warn drivers traveling behind of a sudden stop from the car in front.  This feature is not available in the U.S. because government regulators say brake lights are only allowed to do one thing and that is to glow more brightly than the taillights. Flashing lights are off limits. In a trial program Mercedes-Benz did receive approval to install the strobe brake lights in a few cars, but that's all. Hopefully after the trial program is over the U.S. will see the benefit of the strobe brake lights and allow the feature in cars in the  U.S..

Chrysler recalling 14,800 Dodge Darts

Yesterday Chrysler announced it is recalling approximately 14,800 Dodge Darts due to the possibility of the vehicles engines stalling at cold temperatures. The affected vehicles were manufactured between March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013. The vehicles affected are equipped with a 1.4 liter MultiAir turbo engine and dual dry clutch transmission. These vehicles in temperatures of  29 degrees Fahrenheit or lower may experience engine stalling, when driving this could increase the risk of a crash. Chrysler says they will notify owners of the affected vehicles. Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. 

Fun Fact

The first electric turn signal was introduced in 1938 by Buick.

Honda Odyssey minivans under investigation for complaints of a flaw in the air bag system

2003-2004 Honda Odyssey minivans are being investigated by the U.S.  Auto Safety Regulators for claims that the air bags can deploy without the invent of a crash. This Thursday 6/13/13 the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration  will start a preliminary evaluation of the Honda Odyssey the investigation will effect an estimated 320,000 minivans.  Six owners of the Odyssey minivan have filed complaints to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration stating that their air bags deployed during the course of ordinary driving conditions. No crashes were reported, however there were injuries reported due to air bags having been deployed. 

Toyota Corolla gets a make over

Thursday 6/6/2013 Toyota revealed the new redesigned Corolla at an event held in Santa Monica CA. First introduced in the United States in 1968 the Corolla is now the best-selling compact car in America. The new Corolla will go on sale in the fall of 2013. The new Corolla features sharper lines and to allow for more rear seat comfort Toyota has added four more inches to the new Corolla. Toyota predicts the new and more fuel efficient Corolla will get 40 miles per gallon on the highway making the Corolla competitive with newer non-hybrid compact cars. The new Corolla features a CVT (continuously variable transmission) rather than having four speeds as in today's Corolla the new Corolla's CVT can change gear ratios in a smooth continuous manor as the car speeds up or slows down. CVT's can be more fuel efficient than ordinary stepped transmissions. The new transmission will be available in most of the new Corollas sold in the United States. A six-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic will also be available. The Corolla S model will feature a performance tuned sport mode and with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters or using the gear selector drivers will have the ability to manually shift gears.

Toyota's recall Lexus and Prius hybrid cars

Today Toyota announced the global recall of 242,000 Lexus and Prius hybrid cars manufactured in 2009 between March and October for problems with the brakes. There is a flaw in the braking system that allows nitrogen gas to leak into the brake fluid, reducing the effectiveness of the brakes. Customers complaints are that they have to step more heavily on the brake pedal than they are used to. There are no reports of  injuries or accidents.  Japan has the majority of the recalled cars 117,000, followed by North America, 30,000 in Europe and smaller numbers in other markets.

Summertime is almost here

Did you know that 1940 Packard was the first car with an actual refrigeration system?

Ford recalls three of its 2013 models

Beginning today Ford is recalling 23 of the 2013 Ford Fusions for a steering problem. According to Ford,  the steering gears may have been built without an internal retaining clip, which could cause impaired steering and loss of steering control, possibly increasing the risk of an accident. Reportedly there are Twenty of the vehicles in the U.S. two vehicles are in Mexico and one vehicle  is in Canada. Of the twenty vehicles in the U.S. five have already been repaired. For the affected Fusions, Ford dealers will replace the steering gear.

Today Ford is also recalling two other 2013 models; the Ford Explorer for possible leaks in the fuel tanks and the Lincoln MKZ with engine block heaters for possible risk of electrical shock and corrosion.

The Chevrolet Malibu is getting an overhaul, the 2014 Malibu is going to be more fuel efficient and offer a roomier interior as part of an early overhaul to try and reverse its sales slide in the mid-sized market. The 2014 Malibu will also have an engine shut-off system for stop and start traffic, this should boost fuel economy 5% in city driving. The Malibu will have a revised front end with a bolder grille similar to the new Impala.

On  5/29/13 2carpros launched its new automotive repair shop. Since 1998 the 2carpros.com team has answered over 800,000 automotive repair questions. The Yorba Linda 2carpros team creates articles and videos of " how to do" car repair procedures. Now you can have your car repairs completed by the Yorba Linda 2carpros team and possibly have your car featured in one of the "how to do" videos. For more information call 714-402-3940 or contact Mike at mike@2carpros.com.

Memorial Day May 27

This Monday May 27 is Memorial Day, formally known as Decoration Day originated after the Civil War to unite us in common humanity for a moment. By the 20th century Memorial Day was extended to honor all Americans who died while serving in the Armed Forces.  So before you turn on the BBQ's and heat up the pools, please take a moment to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend our freedoms.  Happy Memorial Day from 2carpros.com enjoy spending the day with your family and Friends.

Volkswagen plans to refit more than a quarter million 2009-12 diesel cars

According to an article in Automotive News, beginning May 28,2013 Volkswagen  will begin to notify its North American customers of plans to refit more than a quarter million 2009-12 diesel cars to prevent customers from mistakenly pumping gasoline into the fuel tanks.

 This will cover 209,500 cars in the United States and 51,600 cars in Canada. The affected models are the TDI version of the 2009-12 Jetta, 2009-12 Jetta Sport Wagen (called the Golf Wagen in Canada) and  the 2010-12 Golf.

Due to the increase in popularity of diesel engine passenger cars manufactures have seen an increase in the number of cases of diesels cars mistakenly fueled with gasoline. This fuel system  contamination can lead to costly repairs that are not covered under warranty.

Volkswagen redesigned its fuel fillers with the 2013 models to only accept diesel nozzles. Volkswagen will pay authorized dealers to add a misfueling guard and fuel filler neck cap to the affected 2009-12 models.  Diesel nozzles are larger than gasoline nozzles. However, with one of the new TDI fuel fillers, if a driver attempts to insert a gasoline nozzle instead of a diesel nozzle, the fuel tank gate will remain closed.

Preventative summertime maintenance

The weather is beginning to heat up and summer is almost here. Have you given any thought to the coolant in your car? When was the last time you had the coolant change? Do you know when your coolant should be changed?  The coolant in your car should be change every 24,000 miles or every two years whichever comes first.