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Category Archives: engineering
First Look – 2013 Range Rover SUV
Land Rover has released the first photos of what it says is an all-new 2013 Range Rover. The fourth generation version drops its steel body for an all-aluminum monocoque design that is somewhat lighter. The upshot is total vehicle weight savings of about 700 pounds on what will remain about a 5,000 pound (or more) SUV in its two V8-powered U.S. versions. Currently the $80,000-$100,000 sport ute is rated by the EPA a 12 mpg city, 18 highway and 14 mpg combined, which is at the lower end of the class and requires a 28-gallon tank of premium fuel to provide a decent range. Continue reading
GM Invests in NanoSteel, Claims New Class of Light Weight Materials
General Motors has invested an undisclosed amount in The NanoSteel Company because it claims the firm is a leader in light weight steel materials design. Through the development of patented alloys, NanoSteel has created a new class of steel that in theory allows automotive engineers and designers to reduce weight with thinner, higher strength gauges while maintaining the structural integrity needed for safety. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, energy, engineering, fuel economy or emissions
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, cafe, GM, Ken Zino
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More than 640,000 Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute SUVs Recalled for Unintended Acceleration after NHTSA Opens Defect Probe
Ford and Mazda are recalling Escape and Tribute SUVs from the 2001 up to the 2008 model year because a cruise control cable can stick and cause unintended acceleration. Since repair parts are not available, dealers will disconnect the cruise control as an interim measure for the safety defect.
The recall was forced when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration two weeks ago opened an unintended acceleration investigation on 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVs after receiving 99 reports of unintended acceleration from owners. At least one fatality and nine injures are alleged in multiple accidents. Sixty-eight stuck throttle reports are from Ford Escape owners; thirty-one reports are from owners of Mazda Tributes. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, ford recalls, Ken Zino, mazda recalls, nhtsa, recalls, unintended acceleration
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Ford of Europe Names Gunnar Herrmann V.P. of Quality
Ford of Europe has named Gunnar Herrmann, vice president of quality. Herrmann, 52, will be responsible for all aspects of quality at Ford of Europe, effective 1 September. Herrmann, a no nonsense, but affable engineer, also joins Ford of Europe’s management board and Ford of Germany’s supervisory board. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, manufacturing, people
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, c-car, c-max, focus, ford Europe, ford quality, Ken Zino
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GKN Purchase of Getrag Complete – $3.9 B Business Results
GKN has produced 250,000 drive systems for electric vehicles, but the current forecast for the EV business shows it growing much slower than early boosters such as President Obama hoped. Obama predicted there would be a million EVs on the roads by 2015, something that clearly is impossible. Sales of the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt totaled 10,000 ytd. The Fiat 500 EV produced in Mexico will be GKN’s first eDrive application in the Americas starting late this year. Total program volume is planned at 5,478 Fiat EVs. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, engineering
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Kia Recalls Rio for Defective Airbag Sensor
Kia Motors is recalling more than 72,000 Rio subcompact cars because the passenger side occupant sensor can fail with the possibility that a child could be hurt if the airbag deploys. Model year 2006-2008 cars are affected by the safety defect although no injuries have been reported. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Ken Zino, kia recalls, nhtsa, recalls, rio recalls
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GM, Toyota Computer Problems Cause Latest Safety Recalls
The ongoing computerization of vehicle systems has caused safety recalls at GM and Toyota. In the latest round of software malfunctions, brand new 2013 model Chevrolet Malibu cars can blow up the roof rail airbag for no reason or prevent the air bags from going off in a severe accident. Toyota’s Lexus luxury division is recalling its 2013 model GS performance sedans because a sensor can cause the steering wheel to be wildly out of place to where the front wheels are actually pointed. Continue reading
Posted in engineering, news analysis, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, electronic recalls, gm recalls, Ken Zino, lexus recall, nhtsa, recalls, toyota recalls
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NHTSA Jeep Fire Probe Prompts Wrangler Recall
A preliminary national Highway Traffic Safety Administration evaluation of Jeep Wrangler fires opened in March has resulted in the recall of 70,000 2010 Wrangler trucks that were sold with automatic transmissions. The skid plate directly under the catalytic converter traps debris, which the hot converter then ignites. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, jeep recalls, Ken Zino, nhtsa, recalls, wrangler fires
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Mercedes Predictive Cruise Control Uses GPS to Save Fuel
As the first GPS-based cruise control system, what the German truck making giant calls Predictive Powertrain Control intervenes to control speed, braking, and can now also regulate the transmission where it perform a single or double downshift of gears ahead of time when fitting. Continue reading
NHTSA Opens Inquiry on Hyundai Elantra Airbags for Head Cuts
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrating has opened a preliminary defect evaluation on 2012 Hyundai Elantra side curtain airbags because of a driver’s complaint of cuts to his ear or face. On opening the investigation, NHTSA said it appears that the metal component caused a laceration to the driver’s ear/face. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Hyundai Elantra airbags, Ken Zino, nhtsa, nhtsa p.e.
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Honda Develops the First Traffic Jam Preventer?
Honda Motor Company today announced a computer program that prompts a driver to change behavior if it has the potential to cause traffic jams. Honda knows what traffic engineers know and commuters endure – the acceleration and deceleration behavior of one vehicle influences the traffic pattern of trailing vehicles and can trigger the traffic jams. (Nothing about road hogging SUV driver’s whose super-sized vehicles prevent trailing car drivers from judging and responding to traffic ahead since all the driver of the car behind can see is the SUV driver talking or texting on his cell phone until he jams on his brakes.) Continue reading
Posted in auto news, concept, engineering, transportation
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SAE 2012 World Congress Opens in Detroit Tomorrow
Engineers who are developing the next generation of vehicle technologies, will make sober assessments of where they actually are in increasing fuel economy, decreasing emissions and combating global warming, as opposed to the sometimes farcical claims in gushing press releases from politicians and automaker p.r. departments. Continue reading
Honda Recalls 554,000 CR-V and Pilot SUVs for Bad Headlights
This headlight recall apparently mirrors an earlier Honda headlight recall on 143,083 model year 2007 and 2008 Fit vehicles because of a bad headlight switch, which caused the low-beams to fail and possibly start a fire. Continue reading
Corrosion Recall Covers More than 265,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs
The suspension failure investigation was upgraded by NHTSA to a more serious engineering analysis covering 2004 and 2005 models last September. It appears from publicly available documents that Chrysler resisted the recall, doing so only after a meeting with safety regulators in February. The recall to replace all the suspension arms is expected to begin in April. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, jeep recalls, Ken Zino, liberty recalls, nhtsa, recalls
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