Nissan And Suzuki Suspension Problem

Posted on by

Nissan and Suzuki are contacting owners of certain vehicles manufactured between June 19, 2012 to July 12, 2012, because they may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that do not meed the required design hardness specifications. The hub could wear prematurely and could break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. The vehicles affected by this recall include:

Toyota Driver Window Switch Problem

Posted on by

Toyota will be notifying approximately 2.5 million owners of certain 2007-2009 model vehicles of a problem with the power window switch in the drivers side door. According to Toyota, an incorrect window switch lubricant was used which could result in the switch components to wear unevenly. Drivers may notice the switch feeling “sticky”, and if they try to use a commercial lubricant to fix the problem, the switch could melt, possibly causing a fire. Dealerships will require about one hour to inspect the switch and apply a special fluorine grease. Owners wanting more information about the problem can call Toyota’s customer service center at 800-331-4331. The vehicles involved in this recall include:

  • 2007-2008 Yaris
  • 2007-2009 RAV4
  • 2007-2009 Tundra
  • 2007-2009 Camry
  • 2007-2009 Camry Hybrid
  • 2008-2009 Scion XD
  • 2008-2009 Scion XA
  • 2008-2009 Sequoia
  • 2008 Highlander
  • 2008 Highlander Hybrid
  • 2009 Corolla
  • 2009 Matrix

Honda CR-V Door Switch Fire Hazard

Posted on by

Honda will be contacting owners of certain 2002-2006 Honda CR-V crossover SUV’s because of a problem with the driver side power window switch. Honda said that moisture getting in to the drivers door could cause damage to the master power switch causing it to overheat and possibly ignite. There have not been any accidents or injuries related to the problem, but five inside door fires have already been reported. Honda is asking owners to park their vehicles outside until the problem is fixed, because a fire could start even when the ignition is off. Owners wanting more information may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Chevy Sonic Turn Signal Malfunction

Posted on by

General Motors (GM) is warning customer’s of certain 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles about a problem that could leave drivers unaware that their turn signals are not functioning. When a turn signal lamp fails to operate, the Body Control Module (BCM) is suppose to detect the condition and warn the driver of the problem. A programing error in the BCM system may fail to warn the driver and if the problem goes unfixed, other drivers will not know that the vehicle is turning. This could increase the risk of an accident. Owners wanting more information can contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Nissan Leaf Lemon Law Buyback

Posted on by

Two recent lemon law buybacks of Nissan Leaf vehicles in Arizona have Leaf owners in California questioning whether their vehicles can be repaired, replaced, or bought back under the California lemon law.

Approximately 400 Nissan leaf owners in Arizona are claiming that after only a year of driving in warmer than normal temperatures have contributed to a significant loss of driving range in their electric vehicles (EV). One owner said that after only 15 months, his vehicle lost almost 30% of battery capacity giving him a maximum of only 42 miles on a single charge.

In a statement released by David Reuter, Nissan’s vice president of corporate communications, the problems are limited to “a small handful” of Leaf owners, and the vehicles in question were impacted by extreme heat, high speeds, high mileage, and charging method and frequency. He added that there is no defect in the Leaf, but in the interest of customer satisfaction, Nissan bought the cars back. According to Reuter, there have been over 38,000 Leafs sold around the world and the majority customers are very satisfied owners.

GM Fuel Leak Problem

Posted on by

GM has announced that they will be recalling over 40,000 vehicles sold in warm weather states because these vehicles have plastic parts connected to the fuel pump which could crack and leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

GM says there have been no reports of fires or injuries related to the defect. The company began investigating the issue in 2011 after a dealer reported fuel leaks from some vehicles. Warranty data indicates that the problem is more common in vehicles registered in warm weather states. The vehicles affected by this problem include:

Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

GM Ford Alliance To Improve Fuel Economy

Posted on by

A manufacturing alliance between General Motors (GM) and Ford, expected to be unveiled next month, will have the two rival companies developing automatic transmissions designed to improve fuel economy. The alliance could save the companies billions of dollars as they work towards meeting demanding federal fuel economy regulations set for 2017.

GM and Ford have already successfully worked together building six speed automatic front wheel drive transmissions in 2002, introduced in 2006 in approximately thirty different models. Both companies are currently developing 8, 9, and 10 speed transmissions for front and rear wheel drive cars and light trucks and they hope that the agreement will not only speed up technological developments, but will allow them to reduce manufacturing costs.

Packing more gears into the compact transmission housings used in smaller vehicles is an increasingly tricky challenge, according to engineers. Automatic transmissions with more gear ratios and more sophisticated electronic controls are crucial to improving fuel economy but the limited space of compact and subcompact cars makes it difficult. The lack of space is one reason that subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic do not achieve higher fuel efficiency than the larger Ford Focus and Chevy Cruze. Longer vehicles also have lower aerodynamic drag, which helps overall efficiency.

Developing transmissions in house will not only allow GM and Ford to tailor the components to suit their needs, but will eliminate royalty costs for licenses and intellectual property rights charged by their current gearbox suppliers. The new transmissions are expected to reach the market by 2015.

Restrictions On Buy Here Pay Here Dealerships

Posted on by

Buy Here, Pay Here is a phrase for used car dealerships in which the company is both the seller and the loan holder . For years, they have operated under the radar, typically selling vehicles to consumers with bad credit at inflated interest rates, making repossessions common. Last fall, the Los Angeles Times ran a three part series on Buy Here, Pay Here dealerships which drew the attention of businesses and government officials.

In a step to protect consumers from these predatory vehicle loans, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law two bills regulating the practices of Buy Here Pay Here lots. The first bill will require these dealerships to provide warranties on every car they sell in California. The second will require dealers to post fair market values for their vehicles and give customers greater flexibility in making payments. A third bill which would have limited interest rates to 17% plus the federal funds rate, and provide buyers with a fifteen (15) day grace period before repossessing cars for a missed payment, was vetoed by Brown. Brown wrote in his veto message that he was not convinced the evidence merits dealers to be regulated by the Department of Corporations under the California Finance Lender’s Law. He added that if consumers still need more protection once those bills are implemented, he and his administration would work with the Legislature to find an appropriate solution.