National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have come out with their long awaited national greenhouse gas emissions standards. These standard are expected to significantly increase the fuel economy of all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the United States.

Starting with 2012 models, automakers are required to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately five percent every year until the established fuel economy standards are met. NHTSA and EPA expect automobile manufacturers will meet these standards by more widespread adoption of conventional technologies that are already in commercial use, such as more efficient engines, transmissions, tires, aerodynamics, and materials, as well as improvements in air conditioning systems.

The new program is expected to:

  • Reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 960 million metric tons over the lifetime of the vehicles regulated, equivalent to taking 50 million cars and light trucks off the road in 2030.
  • Conserves about 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles regulated.
  • Enables the average car buyer of a 2016 model year vehicle to enjoy a net savings of $3,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle, as upfront technology costs are offset by lower fuel costs.

Although the standards can be met with conventional technologies, EPA and NHTSA also expect that some manufacturers may choose to pursue more advanced fuel-saving technologies like clean diesel engines, hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles.

Last Corolla From Nummi Assembly Line

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After 25 years, California’s last automobile plant will be closing it’s doors. Toyota announced the closure last year shortly after General Motors Co. pulled out of the facility which was a joint venture between the two companies. The plant made Toyota Tacoma trucks and Corolla sedans. The last Tacoma rolled off the assembly lines last week, and the production of the Corolla ended Thursday. Over four thousand jobs will be lost due to this closure.

Improved Crash Testing

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Under the governments new Car Assessment Program automobile crash tests will be receiving lower grades even though auto manufactures have improved crash protection on their vehicles. This is due to the addition of a side impact test and safer injury criteria for the existing front and side impact tests. The system is being revised to deal with “grade inflation”. So many vehicles now receive five star ratings that the safety conscious consumer has little help in choosing the vehicle that will protect them best.

The scoring system takes effect in 2011 with the new models and is sure to cause confusion amongst dealers and consumers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will conduct an extensive public education campaign to educate everyone on the changes. “The newly overhauled five-star rating system significantly raises the bar on safety,” Ron Medford, acting deputy director of NHTSA, said.

Unintended Acceleration Problems Studied

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NASA and the National Academy of Sciences will be conducting studies into the problem of unintended acceleration which lead to the massive recall of Toyota vehicles earlier this year. Regulators have linked 52 deaths to accelerator problems in Toyota vehicles. The two studies are estimated to have a price tag of about three million dollars and could take over a year to complete. Both studies will be peer reviewed by scientific experts.

NASA’s electronics scientists will be working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a study of electronic interference. NASA’s knowledge of electronics, computer hardware and software and hazard analysis will be an asset in giving a comprehensive review into the problem.

In a separate study, the National Academy of Sciences will be studying unwanted acceleration and electronic vehicle controls used by all automobile manufactures. The National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council will review industry and government efforts to identify possible sources of unintended acceleration, including electronic vehicle controls, human error, mechanical failure and interference with accelerator systems.

Mazda Teams Up With Toyota On Hybrid

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Mazda’s long time relationship with Ford is weakening as Mazda looks to Toyota for hybrid drive train technology. In the past Mazda has used Ford’s hybrid system in its sport-utility vehicle, the Tribute, but because Mazda plans to make their new hybrid car in Japan, they decided to lease the technology from Toyota instead. Masaharu Yamaki, Mazda’s executive vice-president, said the group had chosen Toyota’s technology over Ford’s because, “We need to procure components quickly and reliably from domestic suppliers.” The agreement which the two companies had been negotiating since last spring, will include hybrid components such as control systems, inverters and the regenerative braking mechanism.

Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s executive vice-president, said the Mazda deal would help lower production costs for Toyota’s own hybrid cars by expanding the market for shared components. As a result, “We hope that the cost of parts will fall and new innovations will emerge.”

Problems With Jeep Liberty Window Regulators

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If you ask a Jeep Liberty owner if they ever had to replace a window regulator on their SUV you may be surprised that almost every owner will say yes. Some say the regulator has been changed many times. Chrysler knows about the problem, but it is suspected they do not want to issue a recall as it would be very expensive.

The problem is a plastic window bracket that rides inside of a metal track in the door. As you use the window, the part of the plastic bracket that rides inside the metal guide rail tends to wear away until it becomes too thin to support the weight of the window. The plastic piece brakes and down comes the glass. The problem is not only limited to well worn windows as complaints also come from people who say they rarely use the window.

When the vehicle is still under warranty, the problem is more of an inconvenience, though there have been complaints of interior damage due to rain. When warranty is up, however, the fix can be very expensive. Some Liberty owners say that when they complained about the problem to dealerships, it was recommended to replace the entire window regulator, guide rail, bracket and motor at the expense of the consumer.

CLICK HERE to view the technical service bulletin, NHTSA #620952, related to this problem.

If you have experienced repeated repairs on your Jeep Liberty you may be able to get help under the California Lemon Laws. For a Free CA Lemon Law consultation fill and submit the consultation form above or call the California Lemon Law Firm of Delsack and Associates at 888-Ex-Lemon. They have been helping consumers since 1987. Call and speak with an attorney now.

Honda Toyota Price Wars

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In the recent shadow of Toyota’s unintended acceleration, Toyota has offered price and loan incentives to get customers back in the doors and buying automobiles. Honda, in an attempt to not fall behind, is offering its biggest deals ever, starting a price war which could leave other automobile manufacturers behind. The irony of this price war is that it is being started by Japanese automakers which historically don’t use these types of tactics. American automakers have been cautious about entering the price wars since they do not have a lot of cash to offer incentives.” said Aaron Bragman, auto industry analyst at IHS Global Insight.

These incentives may end up hurting Toyota in the near future. The company has seen sales soar as bargain hunters and loyal customers stream into showrooms to take advantage of the deals. Once that traffic runs out, Toyota will find it even harder to sell to people who are not loyal or who are skeptical of the brand.

Tatas Nano Breaks Into Flames

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In Mumbai, India, Satish Sawant, a software engineer, was driving him and his family home from the car dealership in his band new Nano automobile. Shortly after leaving the dealership they began to smell smoke coming from the engine compartment in the back of the car. Satish and his family safely exited the car as it became engulfed in flames.

This is not the first time there have been complaints about the Nano. Last fall there were three Nano’s where customers complained about their car starting to smoke. Tata Motors attributed the problem to a faulty electrical switch and said it had changed suppliers and done additional tests to rule out a recall or redesign. A Tata Motors spokesman assured that the incidents are not related.

Tata Motors, which also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, have bragged about their Nano vehicle as one of the world’s cheapest cars. The company hoped it would be part of a safety revolution as it would get people off of dangerous motorbikes and into an affordable car.

Tata Motors plans to start selling versions of the Nano in Europe in 2011 followed by an introduction into America. Some say the Nano’s smoke and fire problems are a result of the poor quality control issues at India’s number three car maker, which must be addressed before Tata can successfully take its brand global.