Category Archives: customer satisfaction

Infotainment Defects Grow in Latest Auto Reliability Data

The 2013 Annual Auto Reliability rankings revealed today before the Automotive Press Association in Detroit shows that General Motors and the Chrysler Group have barely average reliability, while Ford Motor continues to do poorly. Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, quality | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Financial Protection Bureau Auto Loan Regulation Anti-Consumer Says NADA

A proposed regulation stipulating flat fees in auto lending will actually end up hurting consumers because franchised car dealers will not be able to cut rates, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, financial results | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

BMW Recalls 5-Series Cars for Defective Rear Lights

BMW said that it does not believe a safety defect exists but is recalling the cars anyway. While likely such language is lawyer dictated, the Bavarians have a precarious relationship with U.S. safety regulators. Previously BMW was fined by NHTSA for covering up safety defects. Continue reading

Posted in customer satisfaction, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

North Carolina Joins Electronic Title and Lien Parade

Legislation just signed in North Carolina directs the Division of Motor Vehicles (aka NC DMV) to start an electronic titling and lien program by July 2014. Within a year of implementation, banks, credit unions and other automotive lenders in the state will begin to replace their paper liens with an electronic exchange of data with the NC DMV. North Carolina would be the 20th state to do so. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Auto Insurance Websites Only Rated Fair for Policy Shopping

Auto insurance customers say that using insurance company websites to service an existing policy is generally easier than using them to shop for a policy, according to a new study. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, marketing, news analysis, quality, results | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Cadillac Matches New Car Warranty on Used Cars

In a move that reflects a growing industry trend of expanding warranty and maintenance plans, Cadillac today matched its new vehicle warranty on certified used cars. Continue reading

Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Subaru Recalls Forester for Pedal Interference

Subaru is recalling more than 10,000 2014 model Forester vehicles because the carpeted floor mats were not manufactured properly and can interfere with the gas, accelerator, brake or clutch pedals. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, news analysis, quality, recalls | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honda Recalls CR-V, Odyssey and Acura RDX Models

American Honda is recalling more than 204,000 model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey and 2013 Acura RDX vehicles because of a defective gearshift lever. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nissan Recalls Popular 2013 Models for Bad Passenger Airbags

Nissan is recalling numerous 2013 model Altima, Leaf, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles because the passenger side airbag is defective. Sensors within the so-called passenger Occupant Detection System may have been manufactured out of specification for several months. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag on some of Nissan’s most popular vehicles. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Customer Satisfaction Up at U.S. Dealer Service Departments

The CSI rankings are based on dealer service performance during the first three years of new-vehicle ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. After the warranty expires, dealerships traditionally have little chance of getting maintenance work as more than two thirds of customers then resort to independent repair shops and mass merchandiser tire, transmission, brake and muffler chains. Continue reading

Posted in aftermarket, auto news, customer satisfaction, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Renault-Nissan Open an Automotive Electronics Office

Buyers aged 35 and under who grew up with myriad consumer-electronic-devices are particularly vocal about the design failures of automotive electronics. This is a growing problem for the product development departments of automakers that are largely managed by older white males. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Motor Promotes Family Member Elena Ford to Vice President

Ford Motor Company said that Elena Ford is elected a vice president and leader of the company’s new Global Dealer and Consumer Experience organization starting this March. Ford is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford and the granddaughter of Henry Ford II. Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from New York University. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, people | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Vehicle Dependability at All-Time High as New Models Lead

Overall vehicle dependability continues to improve for three-year old models to an all-time high, and for the first time dependability of all-new or substantially redesigned models is greater than carryover models from automakers. This is good new for used car buyers since well maintained off-lease vehicles will likely be durable. This assertion also confounds the conventional wisdom that says avoid buying all new models when they first go on sale. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, quality | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad Airbags – Honda Recalls 748,000 Pilot, Odyssey Models

Honda is recalling 2009-2013 Pilot crossover models and 2011-2013 Odyssey minivans built in Alabama because rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing. The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver’s airbag during deployment,increasing the risk of injury. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, manufacturing, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Second Alabama Cop to Serve Time for I-65 Motorist Thefts

A second Alabama police officer has been sentenced to serve time because of his thefts from motorists on I-65. Former Fort Deposit police officer Carlos Tyson Bennett, 37, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $500 in restitution. Bennett stole money from motorists during traffic stops with another ex Fort Deposit cop, Jessie Alan Fuller, on Interstate 65 in 2009. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, fools 'n frauds, insurance, litigation, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment