Category Archives: customer satisfaction

Auto Industry Reputation Shows Big Gains as Airlines, oh, Crash

The latest Harris Poll that measures how the public perceives twenty-two of the nation’s largest industries shows huge shifts during the last two years. The biggest changes since 2009, when the survey was last conducted, are a huge improvement in the auto industry reputation as measured by the number of people who think that the auto industry is doing a good job of serving consumers, while there is also a “very large increase” in those who think the airline industry is doing a bad job. Continue reading

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Hyundai Recall Active on Veracruz and Santa Fe SUV Airbags

The recall appears to have been prompted by a request for an explanation about a high number of warranty claims by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Continue reading

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Toyota Yaris Now $14,875! Tundra and Sienna also Increase

The strong Japanese Yen is making itself felt on this side of the Pacific Ocean as Japanese automakers continue to raise prices. Japanese automakers are facing an unprecedented change in their competitiveness – they no longer have a price advantage over the Detroit Three or Korean automakers. In fact, companies that are heavily dependent on Japanese production of components and vehicles have a price disadvantage amounting to thousands of dollars per vehicle.
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Bye Bye American Dream – One in Four Could Not Pay for a Major Auto Repair in Latest AAA Economic Survey

One in four American drivers could not pay for a car repair of $2000 if faced with one today, according to the results of a survey released today by AAA. The survey also said one in eight would be unable to pay for a repair bill of $1000 – easily reached with overly complex vehicles on the road. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls 80,000 Highlander Hybrid and RX 400h Vehicles

Toyota Motor Sales, USA (TMS) today said that it will recall about 45,500 Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus RX 400h vehicles sold in the U.S in what appears to be the first recalls for its hybrid drive system.

In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Japanese company said that the so called Intelligent Power Module (IPM) located inside the Hybrid System Inverter contains a control board with defective transistors. Transistors on the control boards in some of 2006-2007 model year Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h SUVs were inadequately soldered and could be damaged from heat caused by a large current flow during high-load driving. Continue reading

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Quality Drops Drastically as Automakers Introduce New Models

After a four year run of improving quality, the trend has reversed itself as the initial quality of 2011 new vehicle launches has declined considerably in the latest study. Overall initial quality improved to an average of 107 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2011 from 109 PP100 in 2010. However, launch models – vehicles that are all-new or have had major redesigns – saw ratings drop by 10% to an average of 122 PP100 in 2011 from 111 PP100 in 2010. Continue reading

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With BMW EV Due, Study Says Range Anxiety Not an Issue

One of the observations about the 80 to 100 mile range – that it’s acceptable – challenges conventional wisdom. This will be tested further when the all-electric BMW Active E becomes available in some U.S. markets beginning in late 2011. A two-year lease will be $499 a month with a $2,250 down payment. A series production BMW I3 follows in 2013. Continue reading

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Nissan Recalls Pathfinder, Infiniti QX4 for Rust, Steering Failure

Nissan Pathfinders from model years 1996-2004, and Infiniti QX4 SUVs from 1997-2003 are affected by regional recalls for vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the following 20 states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Critics of regional recalls for safety defects maintain that they do not address the entire population of defective vehicles. Automakers like them since it cuts the expense by limiting the inspection to fewer vehicles. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls Rav4 and Highlander SUVs for Bad Airbags

Toyota has been aware of the problem since October of 2007, and changed the software in new vehicles in 2008, and yet did not recall the defective vehicles. Previous such coverups resulted in record fines imposed on Toyota by NHTSA in 2010 for failure to act promptly on a safety defect. Continue reading

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Honda Ranks First for Automaker Website Satisfaction

Honda’s website ranks the highest among new vehicle shoppers, according to an automaker website evaluation study just released. Honda had the highest with a score of 836 on a 1,000-point scale, and performs particularly well in information/content, navigation and speed measures, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Continue reading

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Toyota Tops in Quality in Germany Says TÜV

Germany’s leading technical inspection association, TÜV, says the Toyota Prius ranks in first place for quality for vehicles aged two to three years. TÜV reports only 2.2% of the Prius hybrids inspected showed signs of a defect.

Toyota’s Auris was a close second in the same category at just 2.3% compared with an average of 5.5%. Furthermore, vehicles across Toyota’s product line performed well in the annual report – including the Avensis, Corolla Verso, RAV4 and Yaris models. Continue reading

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Honda Passport SUVs Recalled for Wheels Falling Off

Honda will recall 35,984 Passport SUVs sold in the United States from model years 1998-2002 to inspect the rear suspension lower trailing links. The forward mounting bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link may suffer excessive corrosion leading to a failure of the suspension, increasing the risk of a crash.

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Redesigned Models Offer Automakers the Best Chance to Increase Buyer Consideration

A redesigned new model is an automaker’s best opportunity to change the perceptions of the past, according to a new study released today that analyzes the reasons auto buyers fail to consider – or avoid – particular models when shopping for a new vehicle. Continue reading

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Kia Recalling Alabama Built Sorento SUVs for Bad Brakes

Kia is recalling all 2011 Sorento models built at a Kia plant in Alabama because defective rear brake calipers can leak and diminish braking performance. Drivers of the affected 2011 Sorento models should see a brake warning light come on and feel a soft pedal if the Sorento’s brakes are leaking. Continue reading

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