Monthly Archives: March 2025

Trump Tariffs – His Next Economic Catastrophe

Shoot from the lip President Trump, aka Calamity Donald, today imposed tariffs of 25% across North America disrupting the North American auto market that has thrived on 30 years of free trade. Any new tariffs in place for any significant length of time will be disruptive. The tariffs at 25% are significantly higher than the profits made by the automakers and their suppliers. It is widely – if not universally – held by economists that this is an economic disaster. Continue reading

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Counterfeit Airbag Threat Still Growing

“While this issue is in the news once again, sadly it is not new. For nearly a decade, Honda has been involved in efforts to stop the sale and trafficking of counterfeit airbags, including helping establish an industry-wide coalition of automakers known as the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council or “A2C2.” In the effort to keep these life-threatening parts from entering the supply chain, our coalition has provided expert testimony in court, accompanied Department of Homeland Security officers on counterfeit raids, and trained law enforcement officers who play a critical role in identifying and taking down illicit counterfeit operations.

“Undoubtedly, these actions save lives, but the best solution is to stop these fake airbags from reaching the market in the first place. To do that, we need to give law enforcement the tools and authority they need to act. That’s why Honda has been at the forefront of a national effort to expand the narrow authority law enforcement currently has, primarily under federal trademark law. I’m proud to say we’ve made significant progress: 38 states have adopted our model legislation prohibiting the trafficking of fake airbags. However, with consumers in 12 more states still unprotected, and the fact that vehicles frequently cross state lines, we still have work to do. Continue reading

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Holy St Pete! Vivid IndyCar 2025 Season Opener

“What an amazing job by everybody,” Palou said. Palou is known for his racing smarts and the ability to adjust to conditions to earn points. “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win. I told you yesterday we had a really, really fast car. Our strategy changed a lot during that first yellow, but I’m so glad we got that No. 10 in Victory Lane. It’s been 138 days since Nashville (2024 season finale), and I’ve been dreaming about this every single night,” said Palou, a charming and thoughtful Spaniard. Continue reading

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Subaru of America to Sponsor 2025 Overland Expos

“We are all-in on off-road adventure, and excited to join the thousands of Subaru owners making their way to Overland Expo, a destination event for outdoor enthusiasts. With our unique onsite experiences, Subaru is ready to amplify our customers’ stories and show our appreciation for their dedication to our brand,” said Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America.

The Subaru exhibit will have workshops, live Subie & You Podcast recording sessions, limited-edition giveaways, exclusive Subaru gear, and the newest accessories from outdoor brands such as REI and Thule. Continue reading

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Who’s Driving? Ford Recalls Mustang Recall

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling a previous recall covering 2022-2023 Ford Mustang vehicles. The secondary steering torque sensor may not be calibrated properly, which can cause the steering wheel to turn side to side against the driver’s intentions. Continue reading

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Kia Recalls Seltos and Soul Models for Fires

“Due to a quality deviation by the piston oil ring supplier, Dongsuh Federal-Mogul, the piston ring may, over time, damage the surface of the cylinder wall. This may lead to increased oil consumption which will eventually result in abnormal noise from the engine and/or illumination of the oil pressure warning light. If the vehicle is continually operated in this condition, engine damage and/or seizure can occur, resulting in loss of motive power. In limited cases, a fire may occur from engine oil leaking onto a hot exhaust component due to a hole in the engine block,” Kia said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is apparently still operating with hard-working people in spite of the Trump Administration. Continue reading

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IP Software Failure – Hyundai Recalls Genesis Models

“An inoperative or degraded IP cluster image could mask essential gauges, such as the speedometer, fuel gauge, and certain on-screen notifications associated with motive powertrain, increasing the risk of a crash,” Hyundai told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the mandatory safety defect recall filing, which is apparently still operating with hard-working people in spite of the Trump Administration. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz USA Recalls ~20,000 Cars for Bad Brakes

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling more than 20,000 model year  2021-2022 S 500, Maybach S 580 4MATIC, 2021-2023 S 580 4MATIC, 2022 S 680 4MATIC, and 2023 S 580e 4MATIC vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

“Due to climatic factors and the resulting material behavior, affected brake hoses might not meet durability specifications. Before the issue occurs, the driver will not receive a warning due to the nature of the failure mechanism. When the issue occurs, the driver might notice a red brake fluid warning message in the instrument cluster,” Mercedes-Benz said in the required safety defect recall document to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading

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Software Bugs – VW Recalling Golf GTI Models

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling more than 8000 model year 2022-2024 Golf GTI vehicles. A software error may delay or deactivate the rearview camera image, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as designed.

The recall population was determined by reviewing factory vehicle build and vehicle maintenance records to identify vehicles that are equipped with the entry infotainment system software versions 1766 or 1767. Vehicles not included in this recall were built with, or updated to, entry infotainment system software version 1805,” VW told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the mandatory safety defect recall filing, which is apparently still operating with hard-working government employees in spite of the Trump Administration. Continue reading

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