Feds Clear Toyota On Throttle Issues; Steering Issue Remains?
Toyota—and Toyota owners—can breathe a little easier with a finding from the federal government released today.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said, in a preliminary finding, that it could find no evidence of a problem with electronic throttle controls or electronic failure in Toyota Motor Corp. (Toyota, Lexus, or Scion) vehicles, and suggested that driver error had been to blame in many of those cases.
NHTSA found that the brakes hadn't been applied in at least 35 of the 58 crashes that had been attributed to unintended acceleration.
More Toyota owners mistook the brake for the accelerator?
The finding is yet another argument in favor of Toyota's assertion—that there aren't any safety-critical flaws in its 'by-wire' throttle systems or in its engine controls, and that drivers simply pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.
However, last year Consumer Reports found that, through its own analysis of safety complaints, that Toyota vehicles had a disproportionately high number of unintended-acceleration reports. While the automaker held a 16-percent U.S. market share, 41 percent of all such complaints involved Toyotas.
The new announcement, largely exonerating Toyota from broader issues with its electronic throttles, shouldn't be confused with the automaker's two broad safety recalls from this past year—one relating to accelerators becoming stuck in floor mats, and the other relating to a potentially sticky pedal mechanism. Beyond those mechanical issues, the probe was looking into accusations that the automaker may have issues with interference issues with its electronic throttles, which have been used for most of a decade on most of its vehicles.
Toyota renews commitment to safety, quality
Curiously, the announcement comes just after a twitter chat and blog post from Toyota chief quality officer Steve St. Angelo, who explained that it's part of his job to maintain a direct line on quality to global president Akio Toyoda.
"We're listening closely to our customers and taking quick, decisive actions to enasure that their vehicles are safe," he said. St. Angelo pointed out that for the automaker, recalls are "an integral part of our commitment to standing by our products and being responsive to our customers."
Angelo says that Toyota already has two of many new field quality offices open at this point, with the remainder of them set to open over the next 12 months.
This year, Toyota has deployed so-called Swift Market Analysis Response Team (SMART) members to look at individual cases of unintended acceleration and other potential recall issues. And it's gotten back to basics with a re-emphasis of the Toyota Production System, allowing a worker to stop the production line for an issue.
"If we determine that there's even the slightest safety concern with our cars on the road, we're not hesitating to address it—sometimes on the basis of just a handful of complaints."
St. Angelo also cited Detroit News figures, projecting that the industry is on track to recall more than 20 million vehicles this year, with 300 recall campaigns announced just in the first six months of the year (among all automakers).
Steering recall looms?
However, Toyota's recall worries don't altogether end with today's announcement. In addition to a recent recall of more than 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. for steering issues, Toyota has been widely criticized in recent weeks for not issuing a formal recall for another ongoing steering issue, being investigated with a federal defect probe, that affects Toyota Corolla and Matrix models. The automaker has so far called the problem a "customer satisfaction issue," yet it is offering free repairs for the issue.
Beginning last month, Toyota began offering a fix for the issue, which affects 749,685 Toyota Corolla and Matrix models, but it hasn't considered it a safety concern. The fix includes a new control unit that provides an "alternative steering feel."
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Ford Looks To Build Crash-Avoidance Smarts, Vehicle-To-Vehicle
They're often the worst kinds of accidents: Two cars head into an intersection, with one of the drivers perhaps running a light or not noticing a stop sign. And the result, too often, is severe injuries or fatalities as one of the vehicles is smacked in the side by another vehicle.
In all, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the federal government, 40 percent of all U.S. vehicle accidents and 20 percent of all fatalities occur at intersections.
If one or both of the vehicles had a little more information about the oncoming danger, either of the drivers could have made a slight change and been unscathed.
Such is the goal of so-called vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) systems that have been in the works for many years. The latest, which Ford Motor Co. [NYSE:F] showed earlier this week, builds on knowledge gathered through its Smart Intersection project, which used wireless communication both between vehicles and intersection-monitoring infrastructure.
Through this project, called Automatic Braking Intersection Collision Avoidance System (ABICAS), drivers get a warning if they're about to run a red light, or if they're rapidly approaching another vehicle at an intersection. Using the vehicle's on-board collision avoidance systems—and harnessing radar and camera systems for a 360-degree view—the V2V system can actually make a judgment call on whether the vehicle will make it safely through or whether there's time to safely stop.
Part of the project is being conducted in Germany, where 400 vehicles are outfitted with ways to collect and log data on driving habits and congestion, construction zones, and driving routes.
Many other automakers are working on comparable systems. Volkswagen and Audi have their Car-2-Car communications system—closely aligned with what the EU is building through its Intelligent Car Initiative—that transmits on a short-range microwave band and shares a host of vehicle details, while Toyota and Honda are working on V2V systems that alert drivers about traffic signals or approaching vehicles.
General Motors, Mazda, Ford, Nissan, Volvo, and BMW are also working on similar systems, and the European Union, through its Intelligent Car Initiative, is building
According to GM officials, even having less than ten percent of the fleet equipped with V2V transponders—a number achieved by equipping all rental cars or commercial trucks—would produce safety benefits.
The next step, Ford says, is working with government, standards organizations, and other automakers to harmonize standards and develop the most-reliable and lowest-cost solutions. But a limited deployment of these traffic-aware systems probably isn't as many years off as you'd think.
[Ford]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Report: 2010 Mercedes S-Class, Audi, VW Are Tops In Desirability
For the fifth time in the last six years, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was named the most desirable model in the entire industry.
That's according to the annual Total Quality Index (TQI) report compiled by the market-research firm Strategic Vision. The 2010 Volkswagen Golf, GTI, and Tiguan are all at the top of their segments in this year's results, announced this week, as are the Audi A5, Q5, and Q7.
Other high-ranking vehicles in TQI include the Toyota 4Runner, though it was the only top-ranked vehicle from Toyota or Lexus this year. Meanwhile Honda had several top-performers, with the Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Civic Coupe all at the top of their respective segments.
Dr. Darrel Edwards, the founder and chairman of Strategic Vision, pointed out that Volkswagen in particular has found such a loyal following by providing the vehicle experience that customers love. "While VoA [Volkswagen of America] may lag on ranked measures of initial quality, the experience with the vehicles is creating a sound customer base," he said in a release accompanying the results.
Strategic Vision argues that love/desire (as measured by the TQI) and quality (as measured by other metrics) are independent factors. "Simply counting how many problems a vehicle has or design characteristics that buyers do not find completely satisfying or 'excellent,' is inadequate when determining why people spend tent of thousands of dollars on a new vehicle," said Edwards, in a release accompanying the results. "It over-simplifies customers' processes, characterizing them as simple, non-feeling drones."
In the study's bow to traditional metrics, looking at "Things Gone Wrong" per 100 vehicles, GM posted one of the most significant improvements, especially with the Buick brand.
TQI is relevant in pointing out how well the company is doing in delivering the products that customers want—and, in turn, succeeding in the market—the firm argues. It points out that Ford's sales successes over the past couple of years came as no surprise; the brand performed strongly in the TQI back in 2007, managed to regain traction in the U.S. market through high levels of workmanship, exterior styling, and performance. Through those qualities in its products, it built brand equity and strengthened its image of quality at a time when the domestic brands were getting lots of bad press.
Cars with a high TQI score also have stronger youth appeal, Strategic Vision assesses. The average TQI score for vehicles purchased by those 29 and younger were over ten points higher than for older age groups.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Feds: 55 Models For 2011 To Be Tested For Revamped 5-Star Ratings
For safety-conscious car shoppers, it's been more than a little daunting over the past couple of model years to tell the difference between the safest models on the market and those that are merely good.
Every automaker, it seems, has a five-star rating to boast about, and almost every vehicle, it seems, offers the claim of "class leading safety" in ads.
With the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) having tightened its requirements to be a Top Safety Pick for 2010, and now the federal government introducing a new side-pole test and tougher 5-star rating system for 2011, it will at last be much easier to tell the vehicles that offer exceptionally good occupant protection from those that don't.
In recent years, some have called the federal tests useless at first glance, as in some classes nearly all of the models have received top five-star results. Very few have received three stars or less over the past several model years.
With the recalibration, NHTSA says that three-star vehicles will again provide average or close to average injury protection compared to other vehicles of the same model year.
As before, side and rollover tests will be comparable across all types of vehicles, but because the vehicle's weight is a factor in the frontal test, it can only be compared in that category between vehicles that are plus or minus 250 pounds of each other.
The new ratings will include an overall score that combines the results of frontal crash tests, side tests, and rollover tests, and displayed in a new format on NHTSA's SaferCar.gov information portal. While the frontal tests haven't been significantly changed, a completely new side pole test has been introduced, to simulate a single-vehicle impact with a utility pole or tree (one of the deadliest types of accidents).
In addition, the agency will now also summarize pertinent "advanced technology information," which includes electronic stability control, forward collision warning systems, and lane departure warning systems.
"This new testing program significantly raises the safety bar for all vehicle manufacturers and will provide consumers with a great deal more safety information about the cars and trucks they want to buy," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a release.
Shoppers won't be able to compare scores given by the new system with those of the old one, so this year NHTSA plans to test more vehicles than usual—55 models in all.
Click to the next page to see the complete list of 2011 model-year vehicles to be tested.
Frugal Shopper: Want To Save Thousands? Skip The Nav System
If you're trying to pinch pennies with your next vehicle purchase and not sure about the extra cost of a factory-option in-car nav system, don't get it.
Especially if you don't intend to splurge and get a completely loaded vehicle, skipping a nav system makes sense. Cross off the requirement that your next vehicle needs a screen-based system, and you'll likely reduce what you pay for your next vehicle by more than just a few dollars a payment. We're talking thousands less.
The reasons? In short, 1) There are plenty of affordable options that are nearly as good; 2) Navigation systems dig deep in your pockets and won't add much value in the long run; 3) In-dash nav systems are quickly being replaced by smartphone-based systems and, as soon as five years from now, they could become embarrassing ever-present relics.
Affordable plug-and-play options abound
Browse through any big-box electronics store, discount store, or auto-supply store, and you'll find lots of aftermarket alternatives. Options range from inexpensive, very basic units costing less than $100, to affordable portable units from brands like Garmin, Magellan, or TomTom—some of which announce street names, automatically upgrade, and sell for as little as $100—all the way up to premium units that allow services like Google Search, live traffic and fuel-price data, and Bluetooth hands-free calling, much like an OEM system but at a fraction of the cost.
From my experience with a few of these aftermarket units, they're plug-and-play simple to use, and address input is often easier than with factory systems. Plus, it's your choice whether you want to use a simple suction-cup mount, secure dash mount, or console cradle—or whether you want to take it out only for summer road trips or finding your way to that promising weekend estate sale.
Have a smartphone already? Less than $5 could get you a nav system
To those who have been keeping tabs, like the reviewers over at CNET, the price of ALK Technologies' CoPilot navigation application for the iPhone has dropped from $35 down to just $4.99.
For less than the price, in most places, of a couple of gallons of regular, you could get turn-by-turn navigation features on your iPhone, including lifetime updates.
Read more
Lexus Recalls 138,000 Cars–Including LS 600h–For Engine Defect
Lexus has announced that it will recall about 138,000 of its luxury sedans in the U.S.—including the 2008 model year of its flagship Lexus LS 600h L hybrid—due to a potential engine defect.
In some 4.6- or 5.0-liter V-8 engines, along with some 3.5-liter engines, valve springs might be contaminated with foreign material, leading to—based on the automaker's description—severe and costly engine failure. In a Toyota Motor Sales description, the company says that "If a vehicle is affected, there is a remote possibility that abnormal engine noise or idling may occur. In extremely rare instances, the engine may stop while the vehicle is in operation."
Only a very small fraction (two-tenths of one percent) of vehicles—or about 276 vehicles—are affected, Lexus says, but it will inspect and diagnose all vehicles potentially affected and replace engine valve springs at no charge.
Vibration, rough idling, unusual engine sounds, or poor performance—all quite unusual from a Lexus, based on our experience with these phenomenally refined cars—are indicated as likely tip-offs that there's a problem. Otherwise owners are advised to continue driving their vehicles.
In the U.S., Lexus will be filing a Defect Information Report (DIR)—formally initiating the recall—with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the week of July 5.
The recall is part of a larger global recall of 270,000 cars that parent company Toyota Motor announced earlier in the week; and it's not the only engine-related recall for Toyota in recent months. In March, in addition to its accelerator-related recalls, the automaker announced a service issue pertaining to the V-6 engines on many popular models including the Toyota Camry, Avalon, and RAV4, as well as the Lexus ES 350 and RX 350, for an issue with degrading oil lines that could also lead to engine failure.
The fact that Toyota announced its recall on a Friday afternoon, before a major holiday weekend, wasn't lost on the press. Many in the media had anticipated such timing earlier in the week.
Only certain vehicles of the following models and model years are affected:
2007-2008 Lexus GS 350
2007-2008 Lexus GS 450h
2008 Lexus GS 460
2006-2008 Lexus IS 350
2007-2008 Lexus LS 460 L and LS 460
2008 Lexus LS 600h L
[Lexus]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Where Do Americans Spend The Least On Cars? You’ll Be Surprised
Where do people spend the least on their cars, gasoline, and getting around?
Surprisingly, among major cities, it's Detroit. Those in the Motor City know how to keep automotive costs down; Detroit residents spent a total of $2,124 on average in vehicle-related costs, including gas, topping even mass-transit-frequenting New Yorkers.
Locally, those in Scottsdale, Arizona spent the most on auto-related expenses ($6,682), while considering gasoline Austin topped the list ($10,128). Both Scottsdale and the state of Connecticut are known for having a rather high number of high-end import, classic and collector cars.
Those in Manhattan spent just $940 on gasoline and $1,542 on auto expenses annually.
But no matter where we are, we spend a very large chunk of what we make on cars and getting around. The social money-comparison site Bundle.com just released some very interesting findings that crunch the data locally as part of a series called "How America Spends."
The average U.S. household in 2009 spent $5,477 on combined auto expenses—that's $3,269 on maintenance and other expenses plus $2,208 on gasoline. According to Bundle, that's 14.5 percent of daily spending, and more than the average person spends on groceries or utilities, and well more than things like travel, hobbies, and even clothes.
Oklahoma residents spend the most on gas—indicating that commute distances are long, or vehicles aren't as fuel-efficient—while those in Connecticut spend the most on automotive maintenance.
Driving alone is pricey
Bundle finds a few answers, and it doesn't simply come down to what type of vehicles we drive, by region, or how far we commute. Hawaiians, it says, are second only to New Yorkers in having the lowest percentage of commuters who drive alone—a very effective method of reducing expenses.
Applying that observation on a national level, the more people drive to work alone, the more automotive-related spending. In Alabama, 83 percent commute alone in their vehicles, and residents of that state shed 16.3 percent of their household budget for auto expenses. As long as commute distances can be in California, 27 percent don't drive to work alone, and that's one of the main reasons why the state isn't among the top states in auto spending.
Frugal Shopper: Does It Make Sense To Buy A Used Rental Car?
If you're thinking about a late-model used car instead of a new one, the used cars on offer by major rental companies can be tempting. From a price standpoint, you're getting a nearly new vehicle that's been regularly checked over and maintained, for a bit less than a comparable used car would cost at the dealership.
But for a number of reasons, used rental cars aren't the great deals they used to be.
In the past, when few if any certified pre-owned (CPO) programs existed, it was your chance to get a late-model used car that had been properly maintained and, generally, taken good care of. Automakers were building as many vehicles as rental fleets could handle, and then some, and dumping them at a massive discount to renters. But recently, with automakers realizing that strategy isn't good business, and rental companies cutting costs, they're keeping vehicles in the fleet much longer and renting them out more frequently. Today it's not at all uncommon to see a rental car with 30,000 or even 40,000 miles, whereas a decade ago the vast majority of rentals had less than 15,000 miles.
"At this point, unless it's a really good deal, I wouldn't recommend it," says Charlie Vogelheim, executive editor of IntelliChoice. Vogelheim says that, anecdotally, when customers are in a vehicle that's not in as good condition, they're not going to treat it as well. And with many of today's rentals looking quite weary, it's a slippery slope.
Beware of title flags
Also of concern is the branded title flag that rental cars get in some states, which can knock thousands of dollars off the value if you plan to resell the vehicle within a year or two or make the vehicle tougher to sell over the long term. If you're going to keep a vehicle for a long time, rental cars are still a really good deal, according to Vogelheim, but you lose a lot of value right away.
Security Alert: Could Hackers Break Into Your Car–Virtually?
More expensive, more technologically advanced vehicles better all-around security, right? Well, maybe, but as new research to be unveiled this week looks poised to suggest, you might be opening yourself up to another type of break-in and presenting a challenge to hackers instead of mere street thieves.
Scientists have reported that they were able to hack into vehicles and control a number of functions including braking and other safety-critical features.
Though the kind of hacking might be more likely to be in the name of mischief than remote carjacking, it's certainly cause for worry—and a hint that your in-car settings might not be as guarded as those behind a firewall on your home PC.
As the New York Times reported this past week, the researchers are accusing the auto industry of not learning from the mistakes of the personal computing industry, and not adequately thinking about potential threats from hackers.
The results are to be presented with a paper—due to be presented this week at a security conference in Oakland, California—called "Experimental Security Analysis of a Modern Automobile," by a host of researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego.
Using various techniques, the researchers were able to break into vehicle networks and activate or change a range of features—in many cases, while the vehicle was in motion.
Prior to the presentation, it's not clear whether the report will refer to GM's OnStar system, which offers remote unlocking services, or if the weak link, typically, is key fobs, Bluetooth systems, or core vehicle systems, but we'll keep you posted.
With more vehicles incorporating remote start features, vehicle networks, and screen-based interfaces, and with smartphone interfaces on the way for a number of vehicles including the 2011 Nissan LEAF and 2011 Chevrolet Volt (the automaker has just today revealed that Google Maps location services will be included), it's at the very least time to get proactive and apply more of the same principles we've been using to guard our PCs to our vehicles as well.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Frugal Shopper: Trucks And SUVs Still Deeply Discounted
Just a few years ago, full-size trucks and body-on-frame sport-utility vehicles were the vehicles you weren't going to get a great deal on. These popular vehicles were among the most profitable vehicles for dealerships (and for automakers), and they didn't have to budge much at all on the price.
But with spiking gas prices, followed by the throes of the recession, larger trucks and SUVs have stumbled in the market ever since.
Even a couple of years after gas prices were climbing rapidly (on their way to top out at a national average $4.12 a gallon in July 2008), very few SUV and pickup models sell at a transaction price that's even close to the sticker price, or MSRP.
For instance, the pricing intelligence firm TrueCar—which provides market pricing here at TheCarConnection.com—said that the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee was the most discounted vehicle last month, with an average discount of about 18 percent off MSRP. That's a discount of more than $8,000 on a well optioned, $45k Grand Cherokee Limited. Even on 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Hemi, TrueCar lists a target "great" price of more than $6,000 below sticker price, including a $4,000 manufacturer's incentive. The 2010 Jeep Commander is selling at about the same discount. And it's certainly not just Jeep; the 2010 Expedition King Ranch is selling for an expected discount of more than $5,000 off sticker, and you can expect to save $3,000 or more on a new 2010 Nissan Armada Platinum.
Full-size pickups are still being sold at massive discounts. For February, TrueCar listed the Nissan Titan as the most discounted 2009 model, which the automaker was still then apparently still clearing from lots. On a fully loaded 2009 Titan Crew Cab in PRO-4X off-road guise, which stickers at nearly $46k, shoppers could count on more than $12,000 off the list price. The 2010 Ford F-150 SuperCrew XL is selling at nearly $5,000 below its $30,030 sticker price, on average, according to TrueCar, and the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab LS was selling at a discount of more than $1,500, before counting up to $3,000 in likely customer incentives.
Quite simply, it's a matter of supply and demand, says Jesse Toprak, the vice president for industry trends at TrueCar, and it's still a strong buyer's market for these vehicles.
Toprak said that overall, truck-based sport-utility vehicles are still overpriced relative to demand. "Basically, they're still selling for $5,000 to $8,000 less than manufacturers want to sell them for."
"We've seen major drops in production," Toprak said, but he noted that in many cases automakers still haven't accounted for especially sluggish demand for larger SUVs.
