Archive for January, 2010
Pause-and-Play Radio Included in More GM Vehicles
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
First introduced in 2008, pause-and-play radio will be available in even more upcoming GM vehicles, including the Buick Regal and Chevrolet Cruze.
Pause-and-play radio is a feature that allows passengers to pause a live song or program over AM, FM or satellite signals, record as much as 20 minutes of it to an embedded hard drive and play it later. (The Cadillac CTS system allows up to 60 minutes of recording.) All it takes is a push of a button — think of it as the DVR of car radio.
The best part of the feature is that the car doesn’t even need to be on for it to work. If you stop at a gas station to fill up, you can pause the current program and return to it when you’re done.
The feature currently is available in the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Cadillac SRX and Cadillac CTS.
GM Brings Pause and Play Radio to More Vehicles (Gearlog)
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Truck of War! Ford to GM: No Thanks
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
GM on Tuesday jumped in with both feet to formally challenge Ford to a fun tug-of-war contest between both companies’ 2011 heavy-duty pickups. Now, we’ve got a response from Ford via Twitter.
One of our Twitter friends, @KyleRohde, asked @Ford and @FordTrucks, “So are you guys going to accept GM’s challenge with PickupTruck.com??”
The reply was, “We typically don’t respond to challenges. We let the vehicles speak for themselves,” with a link to this page: http://bit.ly/dbFZXj.
It was fun while it lasted, and we’d like to thank GM and Ford for their consideration of “Truck of War”
By the way, you can follow GM’s trucks on Twitter at @Chevrolet and @ThisIsGMC. And we’re on Twitter using the handle @PickupTrucks.
Psst. Hey, GM. Maybe Chrysler wants to play?
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2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid Not Recalled, Still On Sale
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
The Toyota Camry Hybrid is not included in the current recall of 2.3 million Toyotas, including the gasoline-powered Camry. That means Toyota dealers are allowed to sell the 2010 Camry Hybrid on lots right now. However, the Camry Hybrid is part of an earlier recall of 3.8 million Toyota vehicles over floormats that can become trapped under the accelerator.
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Toyota Was Required to Stop Sale of Models, Feds Say
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Toyota was legally required to stop selling the eight models it recalled last week, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
On Tuesday, Toyota told its dealers to stop selling the models in question. The vehicles were recalled because of the inadvertent acceleration issues that have arisen over the past year.
David Strickland, the new NHTSA administrator, told the Detroit News, “Toyota was complying with the law. They consulted with the agency. We informed them of the obligations, and they complied.”
Toyota has yet to come up with a fix for the accelerator problem, and it could be weeks or months before a solution is implemented. You can find a list of the models and details of the recall here.
U.S.: Toyota Was Legally Required to Stop Selling Models (Detroit News)
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2009-10 Pontiac Vibe Recalled Along with Toyotas
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Last week, we posted a story about GM recalling its 2009 model year Pontiac Vibe as part of Toyota’s 2.3 million vehicle recall involving accelerator pedals that can become stuck. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for Vibes from both the 2009 and 2010 model years.
Mechanically, the Vibe is the same as a Toyota Matrix, which was also recalled. Vibe owners should be on the lookout for the same signs of accelerated wear of the pedal as Toyota owners, which is described as “it might feel a little balky or stiff or rough when you depress it. The pedal may be slow to return to its original position after you let up on it. It won’t spring back like it used to.”
There is no fix at this time. GM will notify owners of the recall and eventually of the fix. In the meantime, concerned owners can call GM at 800-620-7668 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.
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Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Audi S5
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Audi goes old school with the S5 convertible and its soft-top, but Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays assures readers that bucking the trend of hardtops in no way detracts from the fun of driving an S5. Yet with a price tag heftier than its BMW, Infiniti and Lexus competitors, Audi has made a bet that you’re going to really like the convertible’s performance and overlook the extra cash you’d spend. Check out Mays’ full review to find out if this is a worthwhile trade-off.
2010 Audi S5 Review
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Review: 2011 Fiat 500 1.2 (European-Spec)
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Retro cars sell on looks. Take the Chrysler PT Cruiser as an example – automotive perfection it wasn’t, and yet it sold like iPods on a Black Friday. Others, like the Mini Cooper, proved that retro cars can look like the past and drive like the present. But worth driving or not, almost every [...]
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Mini E Electric Cars Struggle in the Cold
Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by admin.
In a potentially serious hiccup for the viability of widespread electric-vehicle adoption, consumers who have leased the Mini E battery-powered car have found that cold weather presents serious issues for the battery’s charge.
Cold weather performance hasn’t mattered too much in warmer states, but in the Northeast, Mini E drivers discovered that extreme cold can drain the battery more quickly. This leads to extreme range anxiety, since being stranded in below-freezing temperatures does not rank high on most car buyers’ lists of preferred features.
Mini says its electric car has a range of 100 to 120 miles, but New Jersey and New York drivers have reported running out of power far short of that — a problem that has led to some calls for tow trucks. Others report that in the cold, the car’s power begins to fade when it hits 70 mph.
We’re a bit stunned that common sense — and Mini itself — did not warn the Mini E drivers that batteries don’t play well with extreme cold temps. Everything from cell phones to laptops to, yes, conventional cars run less efficiently in subfreezing weather. Current Toyota Prius owners in cold climates report similar drops in mileage. The problem with the Mini E is that you can’t just pull over and hit a gas station when the meter dips too low.
Other automakers are trying to tackle the problem by introducing thermal management systems that can heat or cool a battery pack even when the car is not being charged. Coda Automotive, which will introduce an electric sedan in California later this year, has developed a management system for this purpose. However, electric vehicles and hybrids overall will still run less efficiently in these conditions. How much so will only be figured out over time.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside for Mini Es (Wheels)
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Toyota to Stop Selling, Building Recalled Models
Posted on 26. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Late today, Toyota announced it will stop selling the eight models included in its recent 2.3 million vehicle recall over a sticking accelerator pedal. A Toyota spokesman said, “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”
The company says it will also stop production of the same vehicles starting Feb. 1. The delay is likely due to the complications of leaving vehicles unfinished on the line for an extended period of time.
This is dramatic action, amid public outcry, because it includes two of the company’s and the country’s best-selling models, the Toyota Camry and Corolla. Although we were surprised there wasn’t more media attention given to the issue, which is being blamed for a number of deaths, compared to other significant recalls from large automakers.
The affected vehicles are listed below, and if you’re a current owner you can find more information about the recall here.
- 2007-10 Camry
- 2009-10 RAV4
- 2009-10 Corolla
- 2009-10 Matrix
- 2005-10 Avalon
- 2010 Highlander
- 2007-10 Tundra
- 2008-10 Sequoia
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Toyota Temporarily Suspending Tundra Production and Sales
Posted on 26. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Toyota said late today that it's temporarily suspending production and sales of 2007-10 Tundra pickups involved in a recall to fix sticking accelerator pedals, announced earlier this week.
“Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company,” said Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter. “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”
Toyota says the sticky accelerator condition is rare, but it 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.
The sticking accelerator pedal recall is separate from the on-going recall of 2007-10 Toyota Tundra and 2005-10 Toyota Tacoma pickups to reduce the risk of pedal entrapment by incorrect or out of place accessory floor mats.
The Toyota Tacoma is not included in the sticking accelerator pedal recall.
[Source: Toyota]
