Automotive News

Recall madness: Nissan, GM, Ford, millions of fixes for all

The auto industry is on pace for another banner year, for all the wrong reasons — recalls. After dubious yearly records of 50.99 recalls in 2014 and 51.22 million recalls in 2015, recent recalls by Nissan, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, among other automakers, are rapidly boosting this year’s totals. Nissan recently announced the biggest of the latest recalls worldwide. It’s recalling 3.53 million vehicles equipped with passenger-side airbags may not work properly because vehicle sensors may malfunction. The recall includes the 2013-2017 Nissan Altima, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, Sentra, Rogue, NV200, NV Taxi, Infiniti JX35/QX60, and Q50. It also includes the 2013-2017 Chevrolet City Express built for General Motors by Nissan. Nearly 3.2 million of the recalled vehicles are in

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Win a free Ford Mustang, Ford Raptor in sweepstakes

AmericanMuscle.com, a premier aftermarket supplier, has announced a sweepstakes to celebrate 10 years of providing parts to Ford Mustang and For F-150 owners. It’s giving away $100,000 in prizes, including a 2017 Ford Raptor, a 2015 (850-plus  horsepower) S550 Mustang GT fand a stocked custom race trailer. An 850+ HP Mustang built by the AmericanMuscle crew is impressive with $30,000 in custom modifications: a Whipple Supercharger, full MMD styling package, all wrapped in an eye popping Tangerine Orange paint job, an ode to a factory color only ever used on 829 Mustangs. The yet-to-be-released 2017 Ford Raptor is an attention grabber. The second generation of one of the boldest trucks ever and rumored the have 450-plus horsepower, the 2017 F-150

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Pirelli announces new plant in Mexico, production soars

Mexico has gone to tires — and that’s good news for both the economy of the country and the expanding needs of Pirelli. The Italian manufacturer is well positioned in Mexico already. It manufactured an estimated 3 million tires in Silao, in the state of Guanajuato in 2015, according to the tire maker’s press release. But Pirelli is now set to build another car tire place in Mexico. The new facility will cost an estimated $200 million and will have the capability of manufacturing 2.5 million tires a year by 2019. The new plant, also located in Silao, will push Pirelli’s investment in the two plants to more than $600 million. The new plant, according to the tire maker, will

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VW, EPA reach deal but emissions scandal looms

After months of offers, counter offers and legal maneuvering, Volkswagen has reached an agreement with U.S. authorities to offer nearly 500,000 owners of 2.0-liter diesel VW and Audi vehicles in the United States viable options to address the the company’s admitted wrongdoing to mask excess emissions. The agreed upon deal includes offering affected Volkswagen owners several options — a buyback, lease cancellation and — pending additional government testing and approval — the option to have their vehicles modified. The deal will also include “substantial compensation” for the affected owners, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said in a report in the Wall Street Journal. VW also establishes fund The article further details VW has also agreed to establish a fund to

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2017 Kia Sportage: New SUV design stuns, shines

After years of acceptance as an unheralded compact sport utility vehicle against the monoliths in the segment, the 2017 Kia Sportage has emerged as a worthy competitor. It’s been boldly redesigned inside and outside for the debut of its fourth generation. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In addition to a new exterior design Kia says was inspired by modern fighter jets (Doesn’t Saab say the same thing?), the 2017 Kia Sportage is offered in new trims. My test vehicle was SX Turbo model with front-wheel drive. Like the base model LX and EX modeles, the SX model has a long list of standard features: Bluetooth hands-free phone and streaming audio, while the EX model brings leather upholstery, Apple CarPlay and

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Tesla Model 3 unveiling, reservations streamed live

The Tesla Model 3, the first “green car” that will make a substantial impact on the automotive industry’s interest in a cleaner environment, will be available to reserve live at 7:30 p.m. PT on March 31. The live streaming of the unveiling will begin at 8:30 p.m. The reservation process and debut of the vehicle, anticipated for months, will be available HERE. Tesla suggests trying to log-in at least 15 before the debut time. A reservation can be made online for $1,000. It can be refunded in the event of cancellation — or applied instead to the purchase of a Model S or Model X instead. With its announcement, Tesla said it will give existing customers priority, but different geographic

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New $35,000 Tesla Model 3 reservations begin March 31

Reservations for the Tesla Model 3, the car that could change the automobile industry, will begin March 31 with a lot of fanfare and bravado from Elon Musk, the carmaker’s CEO. The reason it could alter the automobile industry is that the high performance and extraordinarily safe electric car will now be affordable to the middle class. The current and previous Tesla models don’t need re-introductions. But while Musk has already achieved a lot with his current vehicles, the introduction of the Model 3 will rectify Tesla’s major downfall. The electric sports car is the safest car ever tested by Consumer Reports and its performance numbers are superior. Tesla Model 3: $35,000 Plus Incentives But the car’s current base price

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How the Move Over Law protects towing drivers

Roadside accidents are tragic. In a brief moment, individuals may be permanently injured or killed. Rules of safe driving are designed to help prevent accidents, but they still happen. Too often, accidents occur because of drivers’ unfamiliarity with safety laws. Many drivers, for example, are not familiar with the Move Over Law. But by following the Move Over Law, drivers can protect emergency response personnel, towing drivers and stranded motorists from injury or death while they’re on the side of the road. The Move Over Law The Move Over Law is a law about drivers’ safety. In more than 40 U.S. states, including California, drivers are required to “move over” when emergency vehicles are present and displaying flashing emergency lights.

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What else is new? Elio again delays futuristic car debut

Elio Motors has announced another delay. If you’re among the 50,000 people who reserved one of the three-wheel, futuristic-looking machines touted to cost $6,800 and get 84 mph, it won’t arrive until an undisclosed date in 2017. The latest setback seemed eminent since the company’s recent announcement of what appeared to be an appeasement. Elio said it was going to sell 100 of its pre-production models. The press release announcing the sale didn’t include to whom the vehicles would be sold. But the company subsequently said it would sell the vehicle to “fleet customers.” Still, the real model, called the P5, is still in limbo, with the delay announcement added to a growing of setbacks for the start-up and its

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The Benefits of Professional HID Headlight Installation

One of the biggest purchases many people will make in their lifetime is a new car, and making sure it stays properly maintained should be a top priority. At some point, every car owner will have have their vehicle repaired. And while car owners think they can save money by repairing their own vehicle, it’s often not the case. Most car owners do not know how to install an hid kit, which is why hiring a professional is best. Here are the reasons why hiring a professional for this type of job is important. Experience is a Factor One of the biggest benefits of letting a professional mechanic handle your headlight installation is that they have the experience needed to

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Cash flow, proper budget keys to business success

Running a successful company requires that you always keep your cash flow in mind. You need to avoid overspending your budget so that you have plenty of money on hand to pay your bills, buy inventory, and take care of other financial necessities. Pricing Your Shipments and Staying on Budget As important as it is to stay on budget, you still need to find a way to ship your product to your customers. You can protect your cash flow and budget accordingly by going online to get a quote today for shipping costs, transportation expenses, and more. Filling Out the Online Form Rather than calling someone from the company or writing in to get more information, you can fill out

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Matt LeBlanc replacing Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear

Matt LeBlanc, a long-time car enthusiast and former star of the television sitcom Friends, will be the new Top Gear co-host beginning May 8. He will replace former controversial co-host Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC program. LeBlanc will the first non-British co-host of the program. He has hosted a special version of the program called Top Gear: The Races. The show’s executives said LeBlanc will help the program attractnew audiences of car enthusiasts. Top Gear has not been televised since March 2015 when Clarkson was fired after being accused of having an altercation with one of the producers, Oisin Tymon. Co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond quit when Clarkson’s contract was not renewed. Currently, all three are doing a new car

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Five Cheap and Pricey 2016 Cars Worth Buying Now

Not too many decades ago, all new cars were released to the public in late summer or early fall. That’s no longer how it works. More domestic and international manufacturers are offering more higher-quality cars amid ever-increasing competition. Carmakers look for opportune times throughout the year for lineup introductions at auto shows around the world — and maybe to catch the competition off-guard. As such, many manufacturers, Honda to Volkswagen and Hyundai to Subaru, introduced 2016 models months ago and have already begun to promote 2017 and even 2018 models. Other carmakers haven’t introduced certain models of their 2016 lineups. Not All 2016 Car Models Released One month into new year plenty of worthy 2016 model year cars have emerged.

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Private Property Towing — Know Your Rights

Knowing your rights as a driver is key to avoiding disaster, like someone towing your car. Cars may be towed under various circumstances. One of the more common reasons a vehicle is towed is drivers parking on private property without permission, or using a lot without paying the required fee. Such behavior is unacceptable, and owners must take certain precautions to ensure drivers are fully aware of the rules. Private Property and Parking in California According to the California Vehicle Code, an owner of private property has the right to arrange for an illegally parked vehicle to be relocated to the closest public garage available. However, these rules apply: • A warning sign MUST measure AT LEAST 17 inches by

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Honda recalls 1.7 million vehicles in Takata airbag mess

Honda has ordered a massive recall and stop-sale notice to its U.S. dealerships. The reason: An estimated 1.7 million of the manufacturer’s vehicles, including the Honda Fit and Honda Ridgeline models years from 2007 to 2015, could have exploding Takata airbag inflators. According to the manufacturer, dealers have been warned they could face “legal exposure” for unrepaired vehicles if the order is violated. Honda Dealers Responsible The recall and stop-sale order covers the 2007-11 CR-V crossover, 2011-15 CR-Z coupe, 2009-13 Fit, 2013-14 Fit EV, 2010-14 Insight hybrid and the 2007-14 Ridgeline. The manufacturer’s actions were first reported by the website Automotive News. Honda reported driver-side airbag inflators in these vehicles may experience “over-pressurization” due to exposure to high temperatures and

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Christopher Walken Sells Kia in Super Bowl with socks

Leave it to actor Christopher Walken to use socks as hand puppets, his unique timing and his equally unique voice characteristics, and a clever take on his last name to sell Kia automobiles during Super Bowl 50. The 60-second advertisement “Walken Closet” will debut during the fourth quarter. It features the Academy Award winner employing a colorfully, stylish sock and a dull pair of beige socks. Walken demonstrates how the next generation Optima stands out as a midsize sedan among others that look and drive the same — like beige socks. Kia’s multi-platform campaign will spotlights the 2016 Kia Optima is a series of commercials and other marketing campaigns. It’s an alternative “for those searching for more in a vehicle

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