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- FuelFest – 2027 Toyota GR86 Sports Car Debuts
- Wheels Off? GM Front Wheel Bolt Recall on 24-in Wheels
- Airbag Failures – American Honda Recalls ~99,000 Vehicles
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Category Archives: customer satisfaction
Lexus ES to Debut AT&T 5G Network Connectivity in 2026 ES
Lexus (NYSE: TM, 7203 T) said today it debuting the first integration of AT&T 5G Network Connectivity in the Lexus lineup. The enhanced version of the Lexus Interface multimedia system will make its debut in the 2026 ES before rolling out to future models in the Lexus lineup.
“We are excited for guests to experience something truly special,” said Brian Inouye, chief engineer, Connected Experiences Division. “We’ve made bold updates to Lexus Interface that deliver both function and performance, with every detail meticulously designed to delight, inform and entertain.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, marketing, mobility company, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles, vehicle personalization
Tagged AT&T 5G Network, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Brian Inouye, Digital Key, Drive Recorder clips, EV Charge Management, EV Routing, Ken Zino, Lexus Voice Assistant, siriusxm, Spotify, Toyota Connected, vehicle personalization, X @KenAutoinformed
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American Honda Partnered Accessories Launches with Thule
American Honda Motor Company (NYSE: HMC) today announced Honda Partnered Accessories, an adjunct to Honda Genuine Accessories available at 1000 independent U.S. Honda dealerships.*
“Honda Partnered Accessories, a new accessory line designed to enhance the vehicle purchase and ownership experience through Honda dealers by integrating popular products from trusted third‑party brands directly into the vehicle purchase process. This initiative adds a scalable accessory ecosystem alongside Honda Genuine Accessories, created to grow and adapt as customer needs and vehicle trends evolve,” American Honda said in a release. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction, marketing, mobility company, news analysis, people, shows and events
Tagged American Honda Motor Co., auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carriers for transporting cycling water and winter sports equipment, Honda Partnered Accessories, Ken Zino, roof boxes, roof racks, rooftop tents, Thule global sports and outdoor company, X @KenAutoinformed
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Death Risk – Honda Motor Recalls Off-Road Motorcycles
American Honda is recalling model-year 2025-2026 Honda off-road motorcycles, according to the U.S.* Consumer Product Safety Commission. Motorcycle model numbers CRF250R/RX/RWE or CRF450R/RX/RWE have a risk of serious injury or death due to a crash hazard. The motorcycles were sold at Honda Powersports dealers nationwide from June 2024 through March 2026 for $8900 – $13,200.
The handlebar’s clamp can unexpectedly cause the handlebar to rotate. Consumers should stop using the recalled off-road motorcycles immediately and contact an authorized Honda Powersports dealer to schedule an appointment for a free inspection and if necessary, a replacement of the handlebar’s clamp at the dealer’s location. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news, public health, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged American Honda Motorcycle Recalls, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, CRF250R/RX/RWE recall, CRF450R/RX/RWE recall, Ken Zino, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, X @KenAutoinformed
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Ford Motor Recalls for Brakes, Wheel Loss, Rollaways, Fires
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~150,000 vehicles for a variety of safety defects involving brake failures wheels coming off, fires and rollaways. The largest recall involves model year 2024-2026 Ranger pickup trucks. The sun visor or headliner wiring from a supplier (Versigent) can cause a fire inside the cab.
“A short in the power takeout for the right or left sun visor assembly may create heat or spark, resulting in fire in the A-pillar area. When a damaged wire creates a short to ground, heat or spark at this short may also cause smoke, burn, melt or fire. A driver may experience flickering or inoperative sun visor mirror lights and overhead console lights prior to a smoking, melting or fire event,” Ford said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ford Bronco Recall 26S26, Ford Motor recalls, Ford Recall 26S27 RV brake and wheel loss, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nhtsa, NHTSA 26V236, NHTSA 26V236 or 26V-236, NHTSA 26V238, NHTSA 26V238 or 26V-238, NHTSA recalls 26V235, NHTSA recalls 26V235 or 26V-235, X @KenAutoinformed
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Airbag Malware – Honda Recalls ~440,000 Odyssey Vans
“The SRS ECU deployment threshold margin calibration was too sensitive to under-body impacts, which could cause the side curtain or side airbags to deploy unexpectedly when subjected to strong impacts caused by potholes, speed bumps, or debris on the road, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. As of 2 April 2026, there have been 25 reports of injury and no reports of death related to this issue from 24 January 2017 until today. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Honda Odyssey airbag recalls, honda recalls, Honda SRS ECU airbag recall, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, X @KenAutoinformed
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Trumped – Used Car Prices Spike after Hitting 12-Month Low
“With rising prices, flexibility is important,” said Sri Melkote, Chief Analytics Officer at CARFAX. “Shoppers should consider different makes, models, years, trims, or even nearby markets to find the best deals that fit their budget. This type of swing in prices suggests a volatile market, so tracking prices right now is crucial. Once you’re ready, a vehicle history report can help you avoid costly surprises and ensure real value.” Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction, economy, electric vehicles, financial results, marketing, news analysis, opinions, transportation, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carfax, Iran War, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Sri Melkote, Straits of Hormuz, used car prices, X @KenAutoinformed
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IONNA Partners with Circle K on EV Charging
“We are honored that Circle K has recognized IONNA as a leader in the industry and entrusted us to serve their customers with the same care and commitment to excellence that they show now,” said Aaron Wolff, COO of IONNA. “Circle K’s scale, customer focus, and quality of location make them an ideal partner as we rapidly expand high-power charging where drivers already want to stop.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, marketing, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events, transportation
Tagged Aaron Wolff, auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Circle K, Håkon Stiksrud, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Rechargeries @ Circle K, X @KenAutoinformed
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AAA – Pump Gasoline Prices Still Soaring
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline went up 8 cents since last week to $4.16, according to the latest data published by AAA. The last time the national average reached that price was in early August of 2022.*
“Crude oil prices remain high, even as they’ve fluctuated in recent days following the announcement of a 2-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. The price for a barrel of crude dropped below $100 but then rose again, highlighting the volatility of oil markets and fluidity of geopolitical events,” AAA said in a release. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, economy, energy, news, news analysis, opinions, people, prices, shows and events, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, eia, Energy Information Administration, gasoline and all prices, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Straights of Hormuz, Trump’s Iranian War Costs, X @KenAutoinformed
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CARFAX Report Now Predicts a Vehicle’s Future
“This marks an important milestone for CARFAX and for the people who rely on our data every day,” said Paul Nadjarian, Chief Product Officer at CARFAX. “With over 151,000 data sources and more than 35 billion records, we’re introducing a powerful new insight into a vehicle’s lifecycle. Much like a crystal ball, our future Reliability will help shoppers understand the road ahead, including what repairs to anticipate and what they may cost, and soon, insights into how long that car will last – empowering consumers to buy with confidence and help them plan ahead.” Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction, marketing, news analysis, prices, quality, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, CARFAX Vehicle History Report, CARFAX Vehicle History Report CARFAX Vehicle History Report, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Paul Nadjarian, X @KenAutoinformed
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Volkswagen Recalls 2025 Jetta and Taos Vehicles for IP failures
“When the ignition is switched on, the instrument cluster may read incorrect or corrupt Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) data required for proper system initialization. If invalid data is detected, the software discards the data and applies default configuration values. However, the instrument cluster and the immobilizer system are not designed to operate using these default values, which can result in the instrument cluster failing to function as intended. Software revisions introduced over time significantly increased NVM access and data traffic within the instrument cluster, thereby increasing the likelihood of NVM-related errors,” Volkswagen said in the required safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety, software recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 101, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, NHTSA Recall 26V185 or 26V-185, Non-Volatile Memory recalls, Volkswagen Jetta and Taos warning light recall 90Z5, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mercedes-Benz USA 2026 Model-Year Air Bag Recall
“The passenger air bag fabric may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.,” Mercedes said in the required safety defect filing made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Joyson Safety Systems airbag recalls, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Mercedes-Benz USA Recalls, NHTSA Mercedes Benz Airbag Recall ID 26V199 or 26V-199, X @KenAutoinformed
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Lucid Gravity SUV 2025-26 Model-Year Recall for Seat Belts
“During testing for an unrelated issue, Lucid observed that the 2nd row lap belt anchor bracket did not hold under load for the FMVSS-required time or did not reach the required load. Lucid determined that the outboard lap belt anchor bracket weld was shorter than specified and not in the correct location due to an alteration in the manufacturing process made by the seat manufacturer, Camaco, without notice to or approval by Lucid,” Lucid said in the mandatory safety defect filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, Lucid USA Gravity SUV seat belt recall SR-26-04-00, NHTSA Lucid Recall 26V192 or 26V-192, X @KenAutoinformed
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Park Outside! Nissan Leaf Battery Fire Recall
Nissan North America is recalling 51 2026 model-year LEAF vehicles. The high voltage battery may have internal damage that can cause a short circuit within the lithium ion battery module.
“Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and should not charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the battery modules or the battery, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed 17April 2026,” Nissan said in the mandatory Safety Defect filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, manufacturing, news analysis, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, AutoInformed news, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation battery recall, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino of AutoInformed, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com writing as AutoCrat, NHTSA Nissan Leaf recall 26V188 or 26V-188, Nissan Leaf battery fire recall R25F1, X @KenAutoinformed
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Michigan Science Center Workers Vote to Join UAW
“The victory at MI-SCI proves that when workers stand together, workers win,” said UAW Region 1 Director LaShawn English. “The employees at MI-SCI organized because they wanted their voices heard, their work respected, and a real seat at the table. Their courage and unity made this moment possible. Every worker deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to help shape their workplace. UAW Region 1 proudly stands with the workers at MI-SCI as they begin this new chapter. They believed in each other, stayed united, and they won.”
“The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) has been informed that eligible hourly employees have voted in favor of union representation through the United Auto Workers (UAW). We respect the outcome of this process and our employees’ right to make this decision. As we move into the next phase, our focus remains on working together, as one team, in support of our mission to ‘put YOU at the center of science.’ We are committed to continuing to deliver immersive, engaging, and impactful STEM experiences for the communities we serve in Detroit and across Michigan,” MI-SCI told AutoInformed. Continue reading →