Bycicle Friendly Long Beach California

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Chevy Volt DanceStreet by street, people are starting to see some big changes in Long Beach California. This started last summer when green paint, also known as “sharrows” (shared lane marking) appeared on the roads of the city’s busiest streets. These lines were put there as a reminder for motorist to share the roads with cyclists. According to a December report by the city, the number of cyclists on 2nd Street increased by 29% while the number of bikes on the narrow sidewalks decreased by 22%. The amount of incidents on the streets has also decreased.

The success of the “sharrows” has prompted the city to undertake other bicycle oriented enhancements such as adding more “sharrows” on streets where bikes tend to congregate and adding “bicycle boxes” that give cyclist a safe place in front of cars to wait for signal changes. The city is also working with businesses to provide incentives such as 20% lunch discounts to prompt cyclist to ride their bikes more.

The program has also sparked interest from other cities. This week, the city is hosting delegate transit planners from Los Angeles, Glendale and other nearby cities who would like to draw inspiration from the Long Beach bike plan. City manager Patrick West (who rides a road bike around town on the weekends) jokes that the rise in recent bike thefts is a good thing, because it means that there are more people out riding bikes.

Toyota Gas Pedal Recall Continued

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On Thursday, Toyota Motor Sales (TSM) U.S.A., announced it would recall almost 2.3 million vehicles due to sticking accelerator pedals. This announcement is separate from the earlier recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to fix a design flaw that could cause the gas pedal to become trapped under the floor mat. Approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both separate recall actions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been looking into two recent incidents in Texas and New Jersey, and was considering starting an investigation. Four people died on Dec. 26 near Dallas when a Toyota Avalon sped off a road and into a pond. Police found the floor mats in the Avalon’s trunk.

“In recent months, Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats,” said TMS Group Vice President Irv Miller. “Our investigation indicates that there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. The condition is rare, but can occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn and, in certain conditions, the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position. Consistent with our commitment to the safety of our cars and our customers, we have initiated this voluntary recall action.”

Toyota’s accelerator pedal recall includes the following Toyota Division vehicles:

• 2009-2010 RAV4,
• 2009-2010 Corolla,
• 2009-2010 Matrix,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• 2007-2010 Camry,
• 2010 Highlander,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by this recall action. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser and select Camry models, including all Camry hybrids. Toyota will continue to investigate incidents of unwanted acceleration and take appropriate measures to address any trends that are identified. Toyota owners who have questions or concerns should contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Cash For Clunkers Good Business For The Repo Man

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Cash for Clunkers seemed like a good idea at the time. The influx of new car buyers gave the auto companies a glimmer of hope for the upcoming 2010 auto sales year and a chance to get rid of their stagnate stock. Unfortunately, it also gave people who could not afford a new car the chance to buy a new car. One week into the program all the funding had been spent which prompted Congress to authorize an extra two billion dollars on top of the original one billion.

Consumers who purchased a vehicle under the government’s Cash For Clunkers program are now struggling to make the loan payments, with some cars getting repossessed. Those who used the clunkers program had a repo rate over double those who didn’t use the government incentives. Almost 1 in 5 clunkers program participants who took part in a survey this month said they regret buying a new vehicle under the program. Faced with a new monthly payments many of the clunkers program users admit they didn’t think past the new car smell.

Brake Failure Recall For Chrysler

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During a routine quality inspection, automaker Chrysler, noticed that some vehicles had an improperly formed brake booster push rod retaining clip or no clip at all. Even though there have been no accidents or consumer complaints related to the problem, Chrysler feels there is potential for the push rod to separate from the brake pedal assembly resulting in loss of brakes. As a result, they will be recalling 2010 models of the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty and 2009 and 2010 models of the Dodge Ram pickup. Owners will be notified this month if their vehicles are affected, and Chrysler will replace the faulty or missing clips free of charge.

Honda Ridgeline Recalled For Electrical Fire Under Dash

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After six reported fires under the dash board of the 2006-2007 Honda Ridgeline and an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was determined that there was no defect with the H.V.A.C. fan motor connector.

Honda decided to investigate the problem by themselves, based on consumer complaints, and found that if the electrical harness was kicked by accident, it could short circuit and start a fire. Honda concluded that a short circuit would probably “self-extinguish,” but that a fire was possible, and it decided to recall.

The recall will affect 2006-2007 Ridgeline vehicles manufactured between January 17, 2005 and June 7, 2006. If you own one of these, your local Honda dealer will inspect the wiring, replace it if necessary, and fit a protective cover for the wiring, free of charge.

Auto Industry Aids Haiti Victims

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Even with all the turmoil and uncertainty in today’s auto industry, auto makers and a large financial institution banded together in an effort to send funds to the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

GM gave $100,000 and provided direct online access to the red cross so its employees could make personal contributions as well. “As one of the world’s largest car companies, doing our part to contribute aid to Haiti is not about business but our obligation to our fellow man,” explained GM chairman and chief executive officer Ed Whitacre. “There is remarkable compassion among GM employees, and I know that same spirit will make a difference in helping the Haiti relief effort.”

Toyota Motor North America Inc. is donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross, Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders. “Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders have been working in Haiti for a long time”, says Michael Rouse, vice president of philanthropy and community affairs at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

In addition, Toyota North America, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America will match employee contributions and provide four-wheel-drive Tundras and Tacomas to the Red Cross.

Nissan donated $30,000 in cash to the Red Cross and plans to provide more than $100,000 for the Haitian earthquake relief effort. The automaker will match the first $25,000 in employee donations, for a combined contribution of up to $50,000. They will also give $52,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to construct 13 houses in Haiti as rebuilding programs get under way.

Ford’s Ford Fund & Community Services said it will match all individual employee contributions up to $50,000, which will be donated to the American Red Cross. It also is working with Behrmann Motors, a Ford dealership in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to identify critical needs on the ground.

Eaton, an engine parts supplier, pledged $100,000 to the Red Cross fund. Eaton also will match employees’ donations to the United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund that supports long-term recovery efforts such as financial and health-related challenges.

Bank of America executives donated $1 million with half of that sum going to the American Red Cross. The remaining $500,000 will go toward the long-term recovery efforts to restore basic medical services and fund the rebuilding of homes, schools and other structures critical to the affected communities. Bank of America also plans to match donations made by its employees.

California The First To See The Volt

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General Motors Co. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz announced that when their Chevrolet Volt rolls off the assembly line, California will be the firsts market to see them in the show rooms. GM will provide 100 Volts and 500 charging stations for California utility companies in early 2011 for road testing. California was chosen as the first “test site”, because of it’s tax credit offerings, and infrastructure to accommodate electric cars.

The volt will be designed to comply with all overseas regulations in the hope of making it an international car. “This is uncharted territory for us,” Lutz said, but we expect to sell between 100,000 to 150,000 plug-in hybrids each year.

Ford Shines At The Detroit Auto Show

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Based on the Detroit Auto Show, the automobile industry may be undergoing a huge transformation. There are dozens of hybrid vehicles and countless pure battery-powered cars. The market for energy alternative cars remains weak, but if strict emissions standards are imposed, demands could soar.

Ford Motor Company had a very strong showing, winning North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year Awards. The car award went to the Ford Fusion Hybrid and in the truck category, Ford’s Transit Connect van. This is the sixth win in the truck category for Ford, the most of any automaker.

The awards recognize the vehicles that are “benchmarks” in their category based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. Vehicles must be new or “substantially changed” to be considered.

Some other memorable displays are: General Motors with their new Chevy Volt, Mercedes B Class pure hydrogen fuel cell car, Audis A8 which won the eyes on design and Chrysler’s Gem which has sold more than 40,000 since 1999 and reportedly owns about 70 percent of the electric vehicle market.