Fiat Chrysler Pressured to Move on Takata Airbag Recall

Fiat Chrysler was told by U.S regulators to move up its vehicle recall of faulty airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a letter the company should start the recall on vehicles equipped with the faulty Takata Corp airbags by December 1, 2014.  Last June Chrysler decided to replace the airbag inflators on 371,000 vehicles equipped with the Takata airbags; however the company was planning to make the notice to consumers on December 19, 2014 that’s when the replacement parts would be available.

According to NHSTA’s deputy administrator David Friedman “the consequences of these inflator failures are serious”.  

The Takata’s faulty airbags are linked to many injuries and at least five deaths. 

At a U.S. Senate hearing on November 20, 2014 in which both Chrysler and Takata came under fire Hiroshi Shimizu apologized for the injuries and deaths related to the companies faulty airbags. After a two year period of making piecemeal repairs on close to 6 million cars left vehicle owners uncertain that their airbags were to still prone to malfunction.

Porsche/Studebaker

Did you know that the first four door Porsche Sedan was not the Panamera? Believe it or not it was actually a Studebaker.  In 1952 Porsche built the Type 542 a prototype sedan for Studebaker, but unfortunately for Studebaker it was deemed too weird for production.  

Mazda Introduces the CX-3

The CX-3 crossover is 4 inches taller than the five door compact car the Mazda 3 and 7 inches short from bumper to bumper. Mazda is planning to launch the CX-3 next spring and will be available in the United States with a 2.0 liter four cylinder Skyactive gasoline engine that puts out 155 hp and 150 pounds-feet of torque and a six speed transmission.

Ford’s New GT 350 Shelby Mustang

Ford is showing off its new six generation Mustang today before the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The redesigned GT350 sports a high-revving 5.2 liter V-8 engine, a flat plane crankshaft which will generate more than 500 hp. Ford stated that it is “the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Ford has ever built”.

Ford is aiming for the European market of performance cars and is set to go on sale next year with pricing to be released closer to the sale date.

Flame Throwing BMW

Interesting fact about BMW in order to fend off would-be thieves in South Africa BMW offers an accessory for about $700.00 you can have a flamethrower added to your new car. One would imagine it would also be a deterrent for tailgaters

Unlimited Mileage Warranty in Canada from Mazda Motor Corp

Good news for Canadian car buyers Mazda Motor Corp announced today that they will be offering an unlimited mileage warranty for vehicles purchased or leased in Canada starting with the 2015 model year.

Did You Know?

According to experts on average to start your car it only takes about ½ an ounce of gasoline. If you think about it a shot glass of alcohol from your local bar is somewhere around one ounce, so just a quick drink and your car is started and ready to go.

General Motors offering incentives to get recalled vehicles fixed

General Motors announce yesterday that they are giving gift card incentives to motivate owners of recalled vehicles for ignition switch failure into a dealership for repair. The gift cards are to one of seven retailers with a value of $25.00.  Retailers are Wal-Mart, Amazon, Bass Pro Shops, AMC, Red Robin and Starbucks. Owners of the defective vehicles will have to get their vehicles into a dealership and the ignition switch repair completed by December 1, 2014. 

No revival for Mazda’s RX sports car series

According to Masamichi Kogai, Mazda Motor Corporation’s CEO there are no plans to revive the discontinued RX sports car series. The cost conscious CEO wants to put limited resources into improving Skyactiv the technology that put the brand’s top selling vehicles above the competition.

 Date Set for General Motor’s First Safety-Defects Trial

January 11, 2016 is the date a federal judge in Manhattan has set for the first trial against General Motors for a multitude of safety issues including faulty ignition switches that could cause it to slip out of position, cutting power to air bags, steering and brakes. 

There are approximately 130 lawsuits against General Motors for personal injury and wrongful death and lost vehicle value as a result of vehicle recalls. As of yet it has not been determined what model of vehicle the trail will address.

Honda under investigation for failure to report defect related injury and death claims linked to Takata air bag failures

American Honda has been ordered by Federal auto safety regulators to under oath answer questions about how Honda reports defect-related injury and death claims to the government after the automaker was accused last month for not reporting at least two incidents linked to defective Takata airbags.

On Monday  Honda was issued a special order by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the special order is equivalent to a subpoena…to “ investigate the extent and scope” of Honda’s failures to report injuries or deaths linked to possible safety defects under the TREAD Act.

If Honda fails to comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s investigation the automaker faces fines up to $35 million.