Category Archives: results

Ford Fires: 200k Expeditions and Navigators Recalled

No cause of the Expedition and Navigator fires has been identified to date. Ford “believes they originate in the blower motor, which is located on the passenger side interior behind the glovebox.” Ford was alerted by NHTSA of the potential fire problem during October of 2020 because of consumer complaints to the Federal safety Agency. Mailing of owner notification letters is expected to begin September 12, 2022 and is expected to be completed by September 16, 2022. The supplier of the defective part is the ironically named Detroit Thermal Systems of Romulus Michigan. Continue reading

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New 2022 Jeep Gladiators Recalled for Rollaways

An improperly crimped parking wheel could become loose and move towards the rear of the transmission housing and potentially compromise the engagement with the parking pawl. Compromised engagement of the parking wheel to the parking pawl could result in a loss of park position which may result in inadvertent vehicle movement, which could cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. Continue reading

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Air Travel Consumer Complaints Up 2.7X Pre-Pandemic levels

DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules. Judging by DOT’s own data, clearly its so-called rules from its Office of Aviation Consumer Protection are ineffective to laughable in AutoInformed’s view. However if you are in the automobile business, it’s an incentive to use vehicles for your transportation needs. Free marketing from the Airline industry and the US Government. Continue reading

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Pro Consumer Milestones: California Mandates 100% Zero Emissions Vehicles by 2035. More States Certain to Follow

The CARB regulation codifies the light-duty vehicle goals set out in Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20. Transportation is responsible for ~50% of greenhouse gas emissions (when accounting for fuel production emissions) and 80% of air pollutants in California. States that now follow California’s vehicle rules are expected to adopt these regulations through their rulemakings. These states constitute ~40% of the nation’s new car sales.* Continue reading

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US Retail New Vehicle Sales to Decline in July. Prices Up

Higher prices along with a rising interest rates are leading to monthly loan payments reaching new all-time highs. After breaking $700 for the first time ever in July, the average monthly finance payment in August is forecast to hit a record $716, up $78 from August 2021. That translates to a 12.2% increase in monthly payments from a year ago, which is above the 11.5% increase in transaction prices. Continue reading

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CJPT expels Hino over Emission Data Certification Fraud

In a move that appears to be an attempt to isolate Hino’s owner Toyota from the ongoing legal and other liabilities in the matter that started in 2003, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation “suggested that the misconduct committed by Hino is incompatible with CJPT’s * aspirations and goals and that the continued inclusion of Hino in activities will not gain the understanding of its customers and the public,” the Toyota statement said. Continue reading

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Fires! Park 2020-22 Hyundai Palisades, Kia Tellurides Outside

Hyundai Motor America and Kia America are telling owners of some Model Year 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles park their cars outside and away from homes and other structures until their vehicles have been repaired, due to new recalls for the risk of fire. More than 280,000 SUVs are potentially involved. Continue reading

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GM Recalls 500,000 2021-22 SUVs for Bad Seat Belts

“The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left- or right-side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed,” was the defect cited in a mandatory NHTSA filing made public today. GM had reports of the problem going back to October of 2020. Workers at GM supplier ZF Occupant Safety Systems manufacturing plant in Mexico may have not properly followed processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation. Continue reading

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Toyota: More Today Trouble Over Hino Motors Emission Fraud

The additional “facts following were found in the emission performance deterioration endurance tests conducted by Hino on all of the company’s vehicle engine models subject to the 2016 emission regulations in Japan.” Thus the embarrassing anti-environmental aspects of the  cheating are still expanding. Continue reading

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Covid Recovery: GM Stock Dividend Returns

GM suspended its quarterly dividend in April of 2020 in response to uncertainty caused by the global coronavirus pandemic. While some uncertainty still exists, AutoInformed thinks that the ongoing successes of the Biden Administration’s public health and employment policies – particularly the passage of the Stop Inflation Recovery Act of 2022 – are reasons for optimism. Continue reading

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First Look – 2023 Dodge Hornet and Hornet R/T PHEV

There are three versions of the Dodge brand’s new entry in the compact utility vehicles (CUV) segment. The line consists of Hornet R/T; the Hornet GT, claimed to be the quickest, most powerful CUV under $30,000; and the Hornet GT GLH Concept, which uses optional Direct Connection performance parts upgrades. Continue reading

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Success Threatens EVs as Public Charging Lacks Juice

“Public charging continues to provide challenges to overall EV adoption and current EV owners alike,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power. “Not only is the availability of public charging still an obstacle, but EV owners continue to be faced with charging station equipment that is inoperable. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program promises to provide funds to states for building out their EV public charging infrastructure.” Continue reading

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Ford Recalls 2022 Maverick Pickups for Bad Airbags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered the problem in June of 2022 during a FMVSS 226 compliance audit on a 2022 model year Maverick. The displacement results for the front lower primary target were 111.9 mm, which exceeds the federal regulation of 100 mm. Side curtain air bags that may not meet the displacement requirements of FMVSS 226 S4.2.1 Ejection increase the risk of injury in a crash. No warning of the existence of potential deadly problem occurs before an accident. Continue reading

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NHTSA: Bad Brakes on 1.7M Fords, Lincolns?

These vehicles were not part of the 11 August 2020, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) safety recall 20V-469 on Model Year (MY) 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles that addressed front brake hoses (jounce hoses) rupturing prematurely. The cause was due to consistent localized failures of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue during suspension and steering movement. The recall replaced both front brake jounce hoses with a new revised braid material and bled the brake system. Continue reading

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First Look – All Electric Mercedes EQS SUV

First Look: All Electric Mercedes EQS SUV Continue reading

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