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.
“The subject vehicles are equipped with Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems that, among other things, control the windshield defroster function. Due to the programming of the HVAC control ECU software, under certain conditions, such as a specific failure mode of the electrical compressor, the HVAC system will enter a failsafe mode that suspends the heater operation of the system and affects defroster function. In some cases, when the vehicle is operated in certain low temperatures, the defrosting performance reduces and may not remove frost, ice, and/or fog from the windshield glass. This can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash in certain driving conditions,” Toyota said in the mandatory safety defect recall (49 CFR § 573) filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. Continue reading →
American Honda Advances the Circular Economy
Click for more.
American Honda (NYSE: HMC) said today that operations of its new Resource Circularity Center have begun. Located near the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio, the Honda Resource Circularity Center is consistent with Honda’s global goal to reduce its environmental impact by creating a circular economy business model that maximizes material value and extends the lifecycle of indirect goods.*
“Going beyond traditional manufacturing recycling programs that focus on direct materials such as scrap metal and plastics used to produce products, the Honda Resource Circularity Center focuses on recycling and repurposing indirect goods – tools, equipment and other items used in operations, including those that support vehicle production. These include everything from tools like torque wrenches and industrial robots to office chairs and vehicle service replacement parts such as aluminum wheels. Honda aims to recover value from such decommissioned items, helping divert waste from landfills and lower reliance on virgin raw materials,” Honda said. Continue reading →