Tag: seat

GM recalling pickups for missing child seat tether

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, GM

General Motors is recalling nearly 200,000 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon and Isuzu i280 and i370 pickups. The vehicles are apparently equipped with a top child restraint tether anchor that’s not accessible as required by federal law in the center seating position. This means parents could fail to secure their children properly, potentially causing injury in the event of a collision. GM says that it discourages using a child safety seat in the center due to the proximity of the airbags. The recall covers 2004-2011 Canyon and Colorado models and 2007-2008 Isuzu trucks.

GM says that its dealerships will service the vehicles under the recall free of charge.

At this point, the company is unaware of any injuries caused by the design defect. Click past the jump for the full press release.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM recalling pickups for missing child seat tether

GM recalling pickups for missing child seat tether originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM recalls 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala over faulty seat belts

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Chevrolet, GM

2009 Chevrolet Impala SS

General Motors has issued a recall for 392,409 2009 and 2010 Chevrolet Impalas. The issue at hand lies with front seatbelt anchors. A number of Impalas may have front belts that were not properly secured to the anchor pretensioner mounted nearest to the door. In a crash, this could cause the seatbelt anchor to separate and not act very much like a safety feature.

There have been no reported injuries to date and GM is ready to fix this free of charge at your nearest Chevy dealer. Both front anchors will be inspected and, if need be, replaced. Impala owners will be notified of this recall by mail, on or around October 25th, 2010. For more information, take a look at the press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM recalls 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala over faulty seat belts

GM recalls 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala over faulty seat belts originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Etc., Crossover, Ford, Design/Style

2012 Ford Grand C-Max; Disappearing middle seat

2012 Ford Grand C-Max: Disappearing middle seat – Click above to watch video after the jump

We recently spent some time with the 2012 Ford Grand C-Max and came away with mixed feelings about it. It’s an excellent compact minivan, but that’s a low-volume segment and we’re unsure of how well the Grand C-Max will sell here. One particular feature we do know people will be impressed by is the disappearing middle seat found in the second row.

Ford engineers designed the Grand C-Max so that the second-row middle seat folds out of sight into a compartment under the adjacent seat cushion. Doing so opens up a clear passageway to the third row seating. Also, both rear seating rows fold flat to accommodate sizable cargo loads. To see it all in action, check out the video after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Chris Paukert / AOL

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat

Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus still mulling LF-A Roadster, planning seven-seat CUV?

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Crossover, Lexus, Rumormill, Luxury

Lexus LF-A Roadster - red

Lexus LFA Roadster concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to a new report from AutoWeek, Lexus has a whole slew of tricks up its sleeves that it hopes will help right the ship and keep the automaker atop the luxury car sales sweepstakes, a position that’s currently in jeopardy due to a rising tide of threats from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Starting at the tippy-top of the lineup, it seems that Lexus may halt production of the show-stopping LFA coupe after just 500 units have been delivered. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones who can afford its outrageous sticker price, though, perhaps you shouldn’t fret too much – AW says a production version of the LFA Roadster concept is once again in the cards. According to the story, the 2008 Detroit Auto Show star will likely even be built in larger numbers than its hard-hatted predecessor, though it could take a year or so for it to show up.

Also on the potential possibilities list is a so-called Lexus VX, which would supposedly be a step up from the Japanese brand’s all-conquering RX crossover. The car-based VX would feature seven seats and offer more interior room and strive to offer better driving dynamics. Interestingly, the marque is also said to be studying a rival for BMW’s X6.

Of course, we know that the CT200h hybrid hatchback is right around the corner, but Lexus is also reportedly planning a bevy of updates across its entire model range to bring some freshness into its showrooms. Want to know more? Feel free to hit up the source link below for all the gossip.

Gallery: Lexus LF-A Roadster

[Source: AutoWeek]

Lexus still mulling LF-A Roadster, planning seven-seat CUV? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Event Alert

Recaro Booster Seat

Recaro ProSeries child safety seats – Click above for high-res image gallery

U.S. Transportation Secretary and friend of Autoblog, Ray LaHood, is sharing new research garnered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The results of the study show that many young children are still being placed in the wrong restraint or booster seat systems. It’s Child Passenger Safety week and it’s time for parents to make sure they know what type of system their kid requires. Also, it’s important to be certain their safety seats are inspected to insure they’re working properly.

NHTSA data shows that in 2009 the leading cause of death for young people (ages 3-14) was motor vehicle accidents. Child Passenger Safety week runs from September 19th through the 25th, during which NHTSA has set up safety seat inspection stations around the country. The service is free and safety technicians are on hand to answer any questions you might have. The safety week ends on the 25th (that’d be today) with National Seat Check Saturday, and it won’t take much time for you to stop by. For the nearest location, check out http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS.

There are more numbers to look at for all you stat fiends, in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Recaro ProSeries child safety seats

[Source: U.S. Department of Transportation]

Continue reading DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be

DOT: Booster seat use below where it should be originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Bear steals car for peanut butter sandwich, trashes interior, poops on seat

Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Toyota

Bear steals car
Click above to watch the video after the jump

Having food in your car is usually a bad idea, as leaving your lunch on the seat can make the whole interior stink, or, even worse, attract bears. One Colorado teen recently learned this lesson the hardest way possible, as a peanut butter sandwich left on his back seat attracted a black bear with the unusual skill of grand theft auto.

Police estimate that the bear was searching out a midnight snack and opened the door of this kid’s unlocked Toyota Corolla on his own and entered the vehicle. When the door somehow closed on its own, the bear went from Yogi looking for a pic-a-nick basket to something out of the Exorcist. At some point during the bear’s utter smackdown of the Corolla’s interior, the transmission made its way out of Park, sending the compact sedan and it’s assuredly un-licensed driven rolling down the driveway and into the woods. There’s no explanation of how the bear eventually exited the Corolla, but we do know he left behind a large steaming present on the driver seat.

Follow the jump to check out the carnage. The first clip is of a British news show that provides most of the details, including images of the bear inside the Corolla, and the second clip is a grand tour of the devastation from the Colorado teen himself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Bear steals car for peanut butter sandwich, trashes interior, poops on seat

Video: Bear steals car for peanut butter sandwich, trashes interior, poops on seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Three-seat Ferrari F1 car testing at Fiorano

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Specialty

Ferrari’s Marlboro Red Rush – Click above for high-res image gallery

Here’s a Ferrari unlike any you’ve ever seen, and that includes the amusement park rides. The Prancing Horse’s three-seater Formula 1 demonstrator, called the Marlboro Red Rush, was doing laps in the rain at Fiorano with either testing dummies or two tiny passengers. We’ve seen plenty of two-seater F1 cars, but this is the first we’ve heard of a factory-built three-seat joyrider and from the most unlikely source. We’d still like to know, though, how to get in? Oh, and “shotgun…”

UPDATE: Turns out this guy has been around for years and is a part of the Marlboro Red Racing School, and as one would expect of any Ferrari it sounds like a lot o’ fun… Hat tip to Jim

Gallery: Spy Shots: Ferrari 3-Seat F1 car

Spy Shots: Three-seat Ferrari F1 car testing at Fiorano originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota’s newest safety technology [w/video]

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Safety, Technology, Videos, Lexus, Toyota

Inside Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji tech center – Click above for high-res image gallery

Sitting in the shadow of Mount Fuji, Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji technical center is part proving grounds and part engineering center. But unlike most facilities, Higashi-Fuji includes an array of engineering and research offices employing over 3,000 employees, and an assortment of non-track test facilities.

The Higashi-Fuji campus opened back in 1966 and has grown to encompass nearly 2.7 millionsquare feet of facility floor space. We were given the rare opportunity to visit the facility where we witnessed one unique crash test, tried out one of the world’s most advanced driving simulators and sampled an assortment of new safety features, including a brake override system, enhanced pre-collision braking, pedestrian detection and updated ABS calibrations for the Prius. Make the jump for the full report.

Gallery: Inside Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji tech center

Continue reading Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota’s newest safety technology [w/video]

Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota’s newest safety technology [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Seat touring car flips into crowd at Brands Hatch over weekend

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Hatchback, SEAT, UK, Racing

That’s not gonna buff out – Click above to watch video after the jump

If you’ve ever found yourself as a spectator at a race track, it’s easy to lull yourself into believing that you’ll be as safe as can be just so long as you keep a crash barrier between your brittle bones and the lightspeed chunks of metal blasting by. Thing is, that’s not always the case. The interwebs are full of videos of cars gone airborne, leaping guard rails and tire walls by leaps and bounds to come crashing down in the middle of a passel of spectators. We can officially add the video after the jump to that list of horrors.

According to our English cousins, Portugese driver Francisco Carvalho had a bit of a mishap at this weekend’s World Touring Car Championship event at Brands Hatch. Carvalho was competing in the Seat Leon Euro Cup Race when he received a nudge from a fellow racer. Instead of losing a position, Carvalho’s car was sent veering off of the course and into a crash barrier before bouncing end-over-end and vaulting back over the wall. The crash sent a crowd of race marshals fleeing before the car came to a stop, but amazingly enough, no one was injured. Not even Carvalho. Hit the jump to see the devastation for yourself.

[Source: YouTube via Autoblog UK]

Continue reading Video: Seat touring car flips into crowd at Brands Hatch over weekend

Video: Seat touring car flips into crowd at Brands Hatch over weekend originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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