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Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury

When it rains, it pours. Toyota has announced a pair of separate but voluntary North America recalls covering approximately 235,000 vehicles built between 2006 and 2011. The larger of the two recalls targets Toyota’s hybridized crossovers, the Lexus RX400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. 133,000 units, including 2006-2010 Highlander and 2006-2008 RX crossovers are covered in the campaign. The other recall affects 102,000 IS350 sedans, IS350C convertibles and GS350 sedans built between 2006 and 2011.

With the CUVs, the faults in the parallel circuits of the transistors can cause heat damage in the inverter assembly, triggering an abundance of warning lamps and sending the vehicle into limp mode. The Lexus sedans are being recalled due to loose bolts on the variable valve timing controller. Detected by unusual underhood sounds on startup, the issue can cause the engine to stop while driving. The inverter issue is also triggering similar recalls in Japan and Europe.

At the moment, it’s unclear if any of these issues have caused any crashes or injuries. Toyota says it plans to notify owners of the recall via snail mail. Additional information for owners can be found on the recall sites for Toyota and Lexus or by calling Toyota’s customer service line, at 1-800-331-4331. Scroll down for the complete recall notice from Toyota.

Continue reading Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury

Continue reading Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues

Toyota and Lexus recalling 235,000 hybrid CUVs and sedans over separate issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Venezuela issues its first-ever driver’s license suspension

Venezuela might be seen as something of a hooner’s paradise. Gas is ~~free~~ 12 cents per gallon, drivers’ rights reign supreme, and traffic law enforcement is practically nonexistent. Maybe that’s all changing, though. This week, Venezuela’s national police chief, Luis Fernandez, held a press conference to announce the first-ever suspension of driving privileges for one of its citizens.

41-year-old Ramon Parra was found to be operating his bus in excess of posted limits. It also had too many passengers. Oh, and one of the rear wheels was in the aisle with the passengers instead of on its axle, where one normally might expect to find it. As for Parra, it’ll be a year before he gets to climb behind the wheel again.

Venezuela issues its first-ever driver’s license suspension originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 May 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Honda

2011 Honda Odyssey minivan

2011 Honda Odyssey – Click above for high-res image gallery

The past couple weeks haven’t been kind to the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Two weeks ago, Honda issued a recall for 33,000 minivans for faulty windshield wipers, and now a second recall has been issued for faulty front driver and passenger windows that can come off track, rendering the window inoperative. This new recall covers 2,800 vehicles, which at least shows that Honda caught this problem before it became too widespread.

Honda filed the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, adding that a supplier used a faulty primer fluid when making the glass. If the glass isn’t replaced, NHTSA says on its website that “the window may shatter into the passenger cabin causing a risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.”

To remedy this problem, dealers will replace the affected window glass free of charge. The recall will be officially announced on or before April 15. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey: Review

2011 Honda Odyssey

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan

Report: Honda issues second recall for 2011 Odyssey minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA issues new child seat guidelines

Filed under: Safety

NHTSA child car seat guidlines

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new guidelines today to help parents decide on a safety seat for their child and the best use of that seat. According to the new guidelines, kids should stay in rear-facing child seats until they’re two years old, or have reached the height and weight limits advised by the seat’s manufacturer.

Whether kids are kept in a rear- or forward-facing seat, NHTSA says it is important children always ride in the back. If the back seat is unavailable, passenger air bags should be turned off when car seats are in front of them.

After kids reach two, NHTSA recommends leaving them in a child or booster seat appropriate for their weight and height until they properly fit in an adult seatbelt. Further, NHTSA recommends keeping kids in the back seat at all times until they hit those magical teen years.

Click past the break for the full press release from NHTSA.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Image: visualthinker – CC 2.0]

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NHTSA issues new child seat guidelines originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baltimore issues over 2,000 red light camera tickets with dead officer’s signature

Filed under: Government/Legal

Getting pulled over and ticketed by law enforcement makes for a bad day, and we’re quite certain the feeling is amplified when the citation comes in the mail days after the infraction occurs. There’s no surprise, then, that most drivers can’t stand traffic cams, and in many cases, the ticketed fight the infractions tooth and nail. In the city of Baltimore, MD, there are 2,000 ticketed motorists who may have a solid case.

WBAL-TV 11 reports that a police officer who tragically died in a car accident ‘signed’ those 2,000 tickets months after he passed away. That’s a big problem, because each red light camera citation is supposed to be reviewed by an officer of the law before getting sent out. City officials claim that the residents received the wrong notice, and that the tickets were in fact properly reviewed before being issued. We’re guessing that those ticketed won’t buy that explanation and the courts in Baltimore will be quite busy for the next few months. Head over to WBAL TV to view the report.

[Source: WBAL TV]

Baltimore issues over 2,000 red light camera tickets with dead officer’s signature originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Windstar recalled again, this time for suspension issues

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Ford

windstar corrosion recall

Back in August, Ford recalled 462,750 Windstar minivans in Salt-belt states for rear axle corrosion problems, with another 117,000 units recalled in Canada. Then Utah’s 29,900 Windstar owners were added to the list in November. In 2009, Ford also recalled 1.7 million Windstars for faulty cruise control deactivation switches.

So is the much maligned Windstar finally over its recall addiction? Hardly. The Detroit News reports that Ford is issuing another recall for 425,000 1999-2003 Windstars in 22 cold-weather states. The recall focuses this time on the front suspension’s lower control arm, rear attaching brackets and body mount attachments, all of which can potentially corrode to the point of becoming a safety hazard. DetNews says that one possible cause of the corrosion problem is condensation from air conditioning lines that drip on the subframe on the right-front side of the vehicle.

Ford actually informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it was issuing the recall, adding that the company was replacing the parts even though it didn’t feel the repairs were necessary. Ford likely issued the recall in response to NHTSA intensifying its investigation of the minivan to an engineering analysis back in December.

Ford will reportedly begin repairing the recalled minivans as early as March, and some loaner vehicles may be offered while repairs are made.

[Source: Detroit News]

Ford Windstar recalled again, this time for suspension issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA issues first-ever fuel efficiency and emissions standard proposal for heavy-duty vehicles

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Work, Specialty, Diesel

semi truck

As expected, the EPA has released its first-ever proposal for greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles. The proposal, and that’s all it is at this point, would create three new categories for heavy trucks: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational vehicles. The rules will cover on-road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight at or above 8,500 pounds, unless these vehicles are already covered under CAFE. All of these proposals would start with the 2014 model year and make some big improvements relatively soon. The EPA is working with the DOT and NHTSA on the joint standards, which will have two types of metrics.

For pick-ups and vans, the metric will be gram per mile (and gallon per 100-miles) based on payload.
For vocational vehicles and combination tractors, the standards are gram per ton-mile (and gallon per 1,000 ton-mile).

Each of the three categories has different targets.

Combination tractors (commonly known as semi trucks) would get new engine and vehicle standards and, according to the EPA, “achieve up to a 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption by 2018 model year,” compared to a 2010 baseline.
Heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans would fall under emissions rules that are similar to the rules that govern light-duty trucks and passenger cars. There would be separate gasoline and diesel standards that would, “achieve up to a 10 percent reduction for gasoline vehicles and 15 percent reduction for diesel vehicles by 2018 model year (12 and 17 percent respectively if accounting for air conditioning leakage).”
For vocational vehicles, the proposed standards would reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 10 percent by 2018 model year.

(This post continues after the jump.)

Continue reading EPA issues first-ever fuel efficiency and emissions standard proposal for heavy-duty vehicles

EPA issues first-ever fuel efficiency and emissions standard proposal for heavy-duty vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford issues TSB for 2011 Mustang over clutch problems

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Safety, Ford

2011 Ford Mustang GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has issued a dealer Technical Service Bulletin for a clutch issue on 2011 Mustangs built before April 25, 2010.

Affected models with less than 10,00 miles might experience a clutch pedal stayout condition, where the clutch will remain on the floor even after it’s released during high RPM shifts, something that sounds like both an annoyance and a potential safety issue. According to the TSB, the repair takes less than an hour.

It is not clear if the clutch issue will eventually precipitate a recall, but there have been no rumblings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to suggest that it will. Have a look at the details after the jump or speak to you’re dealer if you’re not sure if your pony car is covered.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Premium

2011 Ford Mustang GT Premium

Continue reading Ford issues TSB for 2011 Mustang over clutch problems

Ford issues TSB for 2011 Mustang over clutch problems originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Say It Ain’t So: Bentley issues recall over retractable hood ornament rust

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Arnage Flying B Hood ornament

Bentley Flying B – Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the brutal truths of the mechanical world is that rust fears no machine. Even the priciest of metal is susceptible to the ill effects of iron-oxide, and it looks like Bentley has found that out firsthand. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has just issued a recall for Arnage, Azure and Brooklands models manufactured between 2007 and 2009. The problem? The retractable ‘Flying B’ on the hood may corrode to the point that it doesn’t retract in the event of a crash. NHTSA says that this could be dangerous for pedestrians for obvious reasons.

Still, if you have to go, it could be worse than getting kabobbed on a Bentley, right?

A total of 596 units are affected by the recall (the retractable Flying B is an optional accessory) and Bentley says that it will replace the faulty mechanism free of charge. The work is set to commence on or around September 27, and owners can call Bentley directly for more information. Hit the jump for a look at the press release.

Gallery: Bentley Arnage Final Series

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Say It Ain’t So: Bentley issues recall over retractable hood ornament rust originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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