Category Archives: results

Bad Defrosters – Toyota Motor Recalls Lexus and Subaru SUVs

Posted on 15 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling ~94,000 2023-2025 model-year bZ4X, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra SUVs. During certain Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system problems (HVAC), such as electrical compressor failure, the defroster and defogger system may become inoperative because of a software problem in the Denso supplied ECU software. Apparently, Transport Canada originally identified the safety hazard. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor Recalls 1.5M Vehicles for Bad Rear-View Cameras

Posted on 15 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is model-year  2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. The latest of seemingly endless recalls were made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is an expansion of a previous recall involving a Magna produced part. Continue reading →

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Ford Motor to Demolish Glass House, Build New WHQ

Posted on 15 September 2025 by Ken Zino

In a letter sent to Ford employees this morning Bill Ford, executive chair, and Jim Farley, president and CEO, said Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) will demolish its World Headquarters, aka Glass House, and replace it on the newly named Henry Ford II World Center, formerly the Product Development Center or Campus. It is scheduled to open this November. It will be dedicated as Ford World Headquarters. Ford did not name the architect.

“This is more than just a new building; it’s a catalyst for innovation and a physical symbol of our Ford+ transformation. To win in this new era, we must work more closely together than ever before,” Bill Ford and Jim Farley said. “This is more than just a new building; it’s a catalyst for innovation and a physical symbol of our Ford+ transformation. To win in this new era, we must work more closely together than ever before.” Continue reading →

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Mercedes-AMG Hybrid Wagon Priced – Bring Money

Posted on 12 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz USA said today that 2026 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid* arrives at U.S. dealerships in early fall 2025, starting from $93,3502. That excludes a $1150 destination and delivery charge as well as options. AutoInformed speculates that Trump Tariff chaos had something to do with the price. Green would be an appropriate color under the circumstances. No U.S. photos or the rear interior area of the wagon were provided. Continue reading →

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New Porsche 911 Turbo S Most Powerful 911 Ever

Posted on 12 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Porsche (P911.DE) showed the new 911 Turbo S series at the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich. The twin-turbo powertrain with so-called T-Hybrid technology makes the new 911 Turbo S the most powerful production 911 thus far. The sports car, available as a coupé and cabriolet, claims more intelligent aerodynamics, an optimized chassis and more exclusive equipment. Prices, inevitably high, are thus far are unknown. They will be influenced negatively by the ongoing Trump Tariff economic chaos.

“The 911 Turbo S is the most complete and versatile form of driving a Porsche 911. Whether in daily use, on long autobahn journeys or on the racetrack – we have made the new 911 Turbo S even more comfortable, more individual and significantly faster than its predecessor,” said Frank Moser, Vice President of the 911 and 718 model line. Continue reading →

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Trump Economics – Growth Slowing, Unemployment Rising

Posted on 11 September 2025 by Ken Zino

John C. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer Federal Reserve Bank of New York spoke at the Economic Club of New York on 4 September 2025. The views expressed are his own. However, AutoInformed notes that, regrettably, the data when … Continue reading →

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Trump Tariffs Hit N.A. Automakers $1.389B

Posted on 11 September 2025 by Ken Zino

“Tariffs hit North American automakers hard in July,” said Patrick L. Anderson, Principal & CEO of Anderson Economic Group. “The automakers made extensive use of temporary allowances that effectively allowed an exemption for the majority of both parts and vehicles through June. That changed in July for assembled vehicles, and we can expect that these costs will become embedded into the prices consumers are paying in the very near future.” Continue reading →

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Nissan Testing Cooperative Congestion Management

Posted on 10 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Nissan said today that a trial with UC Berkeley and Contra Costa Transportation Authority showed how connected vehicles can help reduce congestion. Nissan’s Cooperative Congestion Management (CCM) trial resulted in 85% fewer hard-braking events and 70% less time stopped in traffic during 600 miles of testing. It’s the latest example of how connected vehicles can yield safety benefits, although there are still huge, unanswered questions about privacy rights and the lack of regulations with the impending monitoring by State and the Federal government entities. Continue reading →

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IIHS Safety Award to Use Risky Driver Behavior Tech

Posted on 9 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Vehicle technology that can detect certain types of risky driver behavior will soon be added to the requirements for a safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Institute’s president, David Harkey, announced today during a roundtable on impaired driving organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

“As part of our 30×30 vision to cut U.S. road deaths 30% by 2030, we are committed to addressing the risky – and often illegal – behavior that underlies most fatalities today,” Harkey said. “One way we plan to do that is to leverage our ratings and award programs to encourage automakers to adopt this new class of safety technology, just as we got them to improve vehicle structures, airbags and collision avoidance systems.” Continue reading →

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Chinese Junk Watch – Makita Grease Guns, Hoses

Posted on 9 September 2025 by Ken Zino

The Consumer Products Safety Commission https://www.saferproducts.gov/SaferProducts.gov says that there is s recall for ~63,000 Chinese-made Makita Professional Cordless Grease Guns with model numbers XPG01S1, XPG01SR1 and XPG01Z, and Makita Grease Gun Hoses with model numbers 191A79-9, 191A80-4, 191W59-7 and 191W58-9.

“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Makita Cordless Grease Guns and Makita Grease Gun Hoses and contact Makita for a free replacement hose,” CPSC said. Continue reading →

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Togg Türkiye Debuts Two Models at IAA Mobility

Posted on 8 September 2025 by Ken Zino

Mobility brand Togg said today that it is celebrating its market entry in Germany at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, alongside the world premiere of its production-ready T10F fastback sedan. With the all-electric SUV T10X and the T10F, Togg is introducing two models to the German market, both of which achieved the top rating of five stars in the independent Euro NCAP safety assessment.

“With the T10X and T10F, we are entering the European market with confidence. Achieving five stars from Euro NCAP underlines that safety has been a top priority for us from the very beginning” said CEO Gürcan Karakaş. Starting September 29, 2025, both models will be available for online orders exclusively via Trumore, the in-house service and ordering platform of Togg. More than 70,000 users in Türkiye are already driving the flagship T10X. Continue reading →

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BMW North America Recalls X5 PHEVs, X5 and X7 SUVs

Posted on 8 September 2025 by Ken Zino

“If the windshield was not sealed according to specifications, then it could be possible for water to ingress at the right-hand A-pillar. If water traveled down the A-pillar, it could contact a power distribution box and an electronic control unit. Moisture exposure of the electrical components can lead to functional failures, such as headlights or door closing functions. In rare cases, this could lead to a short-circuit and, in an extreme case, could cause a thermal event [defect speak for FIRE – AutoCrat], even when the ignition is off, which could increase the risk of injury,” BMW told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in mandatory safety defect recall documents (49 CFR § 573) released today by the agency. Continue reading →

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Numerous Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Plymouth Recalls

Posted on 8 September 2025 by Ken Zino

FCA US ( part of Stellantis now) is recalling ~93,000 vehicles for various defects, including air bags, vehicle rollaways, incorrect cross car beams, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle software errors, according mandatory safety defect recall filings made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The largest recall by far covers model year 2022-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. A software error within the hybrid control processor may result in a loss of drive power. Continue reading →

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New Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Car Debuts

Posted on 4 September 2025 by Ken Zino

“The comprehensive further development of the Mercedes-AMG GT2, unveiled at the end of 2022, combines the fundamental characteristics of the base GT2 with technology and design inspired by the current Mercedes-AMG F1 W16 E PERFORMANCE. An outstanding power-to-weight ratio and numerous new aerodynamic components, such as active louvers above the front wheels, a Push2Pass function and the integrated Drag Reduction System (DRS), make the GT2 Edition W16 the most powerful Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing car of all time,” Mercedes said. Continue reading →

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Ford Performance Rebranded as Ford Racing

Posted on 4 September 2025 by Ken Zino

“This is not a marketing exercise. This is a promise. It signals a new, more focused mission to tear down the wall between our race teams and the engineering of the vehicles you drive every day on and off road. Under one global Ford Racing banner, our engineers and designers will develop our performance road cars right alongside our race cars. The technology that survives the Baja 1000 will be in the DNA of the next F-150 Raptor. The aerodynamic lessons we learn at Daytona and Le Mans will be sculpted into the body of the next Mustang,” said Will Ford.

The move comes during a period of intense change at the upper levels of Motorsport in Formula 1, endurance racing or the World Endurance Championship, and various international and national forms of sports car racing where Ford Motor in the past has had considerable success. This could be a rite pf passage for Will moving him out of the protective family environment into bare-knuckled competitive realms. Continue reading →

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