Nissan joins overheating Garmin sat-nav recall

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Technology, Nissan

2010 Nissan Versa Hatchback

2010 Nissan Versa Hatchback – Click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan is recalling a number of models due to overheating Garmin navigation units. Cars, trucks and SUVs equipped with Nuvi 750, 760 and 765 GPS devices are at risk for a vehicle fire due to overheating batteries in the devices. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects Nissan’s Altima, Frontier, Pathfinder, Rogue, Sentra, Versa and Xterra models sold with the Garmin devices between 2008 and 2010. NHTSA does not say exactly how many vehicles will be effected by the defective batteries.

Garmin technicians will make the necessary repairs to the GPS units by replacing the battery with a new, less-toasty unit and adding an additional spacer between the battery and the rest of the device. The repair won’t cost owners anything other than a little time and a trip to the local dealership. Nissan will notify owners directly about the recall, which is scheduled to begin sometime during this month. Suzuki is facing a similar recall, as well – these Garmin navigation units are fitted in the SX4, Grand Vitara and Equator.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Nissan Versa Hatchback

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

[Source: NHTSA]

Nissan joins overheating Garmin sat-nav recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?

Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities

Brace yourself, race fans. Things are about to get a little weird. Ford has decided to meld the seemingly unmeldable worlds of NASCAR and rally to help promote the 2011 Fiesta. Ken Block, Richard Petty and AJ Allmendinger have joined forces as an unholy trifecta of motorsports action, unified by their common love of the number 43. We don’t need to tell you that Petty famously campaigned old four-three in the heyday of NASCAR, netting 200 Sprint Cup wins and a total of seven championships in the process. Meanwhile, Block has established himself as one of America’s flashiest rally drivers, while Allmendinger has inherited Petty’s 43 throne in the current NASCAR series.

The three unlikely amigos will be campaigning for the Blue Oval’s new ’43 Fiestas’ sweepstakes, where entrants will have the opportunity to lay their hands on a bevy of prizes. A total of 43 first-place prize winners will walk away with a 40-inch LED-LCD HD flat-screen television, while another 43 grand-prize winners will receive airfare, lodging and tickets for two to the Ford 300 Nationwide series and the Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If that wasn’t swank enough, one of the 43 grand-prize winners will drive home in a 2011 Fiesta.

But wait, there’s more. Should Allmendinger happen to take the checkered at the end of the race, all 43 grand-prize winners will win their very own Fiesta. Head over to the 43 Fiestas site to enter for you chance to win. You can also hop the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Ford via 43Fiestas.com]

Continue reading Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?

Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fifth Gear joins David Coulthard on the Isle of Man with Benz’s SLS AMG

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, UK, Luxury

Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell tries to outdo David Coulthard in the SLS AMG – Click above to watch video after the jump

David Coulthard was called to the Isle of Man to pilot an SLS AMG for a scene in a 3-D film. To ensure that DC could strut the coupe’s stuff, some of the island’s roads were closed to the public. That meant a place with no speed limits also had no traffic. And that meant Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell felt the need to join DC and take the wheel himself. His goal: beat David’s top speed of 160 miles per hour. The sound of him making the effort alone is worth following the jump for the video.

Gallery: Alubeam 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Mexico

[Source: Fifth Gear]

Continue reading Video: Fifth Gear joins David Coulthard on the Isle of Man with Benz’s SLS AMG

Video: Fifth Gear joins David Coulthard on the Isle of Man with Benz’s SLS AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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