Having Trouble Correctly Installing Car Seats? AAA Says You’re In The Majority
Any parent who has struggled to figure out the correct installation of child car seats knows that it’s no simple task. In fact, a new survey from AAA finds that three-quarters of Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians observed that parents misuse the LATCH system more than half of the time.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), which was introduced more than a decade ago (it has been required in nearly all passenger vehicles and car seats since 2002), was intended to simplify car seat installation for parents. But it hasn’t worked out that way.
According to Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, AAA manager of Traffic Safety Advocacy, “It isn’t as simple as we’d hoped it would be. It still requires that you read your vehicle’s owner’s manual and also car seat manufacturer’s instructions.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that 75 percent of parents who have experience installing car seats using LATCH and seat belts prefer the LATCH system. But preference doesn’t guarantee a proper installation. A recent survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that only 13 percent of parent volunteers were able to correctly install a car seat using LATCH.
Huebner-Davidson noted that you can still get “a really nice installation” using LATCH, but parents have to make sure they’re using it correctly. “LATCH has its own set of misuses just as installing a car seat with a seat belt does.”
The AAA survey and observations during field car seat checks finds that one of the biggest problems is that parents are putting the car seat in the center seating position when their vehicle doesn’t allow them to use LATCH in that seat.
Only seven of 98 of the top-selling 2010-2011 MY vehicles have LATCH that allow use of it in the center seating position. Two that do: the 2011 Toyota Sequoia SUV (LATCH in the second-row center position) and the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan (LATCH in the third-row center position). Additionally, in the 2012 Ford Explorer, to cite another example, if the car seat manufacturer’s installation instructions allow use of innermost outboard anchors and the car seat is a certain width, parents can install the car seat using LATCH anchors.
Top 3 Misuses of LATCH
- Putting the car seat in the center position of the back seat when the vehicle doesn’t allow it.
- Doubling up the systems – trying to install the car seat using the LATCH anchors and also the seat belt, thinking that it’s safer using both systems, when actually it isn’t. “The car seats are not tested that way and we absolutely can’t recommend it,” said Huebner-Davidson. “It could stress the seat. It could put more crash forces on the child. We don’t know exactly what it would do.”
- Using incorrect belt path – Here, parents install a convertible seat (a seat that goes rear-facing for infants and toddlers or forward-facing for older children) using the LATCH system, and they forget to use the correct belt path. “We’ll see a car seat that’s rear-facing and the LATCH that’s threaded through the wrong way. It’s using the belt path that’s intended for forward-facing, or vice-versa, when the car seat is forward-facing and they’re using the wrong belt path, one that’s intended for rear-facing,” said Huebner-Davidson.
“Car seat installation with LATCH is still complicated. We have just as much possibility for misuse as we do with seat belt systems.”
Are manufacturers changing?
Huebner-Davidson indicated that hope may be on the horizon. But first, federal standards will have to change and then vehicle manufacturers will need to work to implement the new standards.
“The issue is with the spacing of the anchors in the back seat and the seats themselves are reinforced differently,” said Huebner-Davidson. “We should start to see increased amounts of vehicles with additional LATCH seating positions. The government only requires that vehicle manufacturers place two seating locations in the back seat that can use LATCH. That’s why we see the two outboard seating positions. The government also requires top tethers all the way across the back in three locations.
“Vehicle manufactures will have to reinforce the seats differently, look at how they can offset some of the anchors to be able to have enough space in that center seating position – because a lot of times that center seat is a bit more narrow than what we need for a car seat.”
Recommendations for parents
In the meantime, Huebner-Davidson offers the following advice for parents.
- ”The biggest thing for parents is to understand that it’s not as easy as click-click, you’re done. I recommend they be very careful. Read the vehicle owner’s manual and the car seat instructions.
- “We also have car seat technicians across U.S. that can help them look at the instructions, where the best place is to place the car seat in the vehicle, and show them how to safely do it. The techs will walk parents through it, show them how to use both systems (LATCH or seat belt), ask them about who else they transport in their cars, to make sure that everything is as perfect as possible.”
The car seat check is free at AAA locations and takes an average of 15 minutes per seat. Some vehicles have two or three car seats. It can take up to 45 minutes if it’s a really difficult situation or the parents have a lot of questions.
Parents can go to seatcheck.org or NHTSA.gov to find fitting stations. There are also law enforcement offices that do car seat checks, SAFEKIDS, hospitals, fire rescue. A few places do charge for appointments, but there’s usually a note if they do charge for it.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
No, Seriously: When Will Gas Prices Drop?
A month ago, Americans paid an average of $3.69 for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline. Today, we're paying $3.84.
What gives? Isn't this the time of year when gas prices are supposed to drop -- when companies stop manufacturing expensive summer-blend fuel and transition to more affordable winter blend?
Ordinarily, yes, but this year, we've hit a couple of speed bumps.
The biggest of those bumps was Hurricane Isaac. On the Saffir-Simpson scale, Isaac was a fairly minor storm, far less powerful than monster hurricanes like Katrina or -- for those of a certain age -- Camille.
However, Isaac did its best to disrupt oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, which made analysts worry.
And that's where the problem lies, because ultimately, analysts' fears and enthusiasm hold far more sway over oil and gas prices than they should. After all, the Gulf of Mexico isn't the only place where oil is extracted, and Southern states like Louisiana and Mississippi aren't the only places where it's refined. But when analysts see a giant, swirling, meteorological mass in the Gulf, they often panic, and the rest of us pay for it at the pump.
It didn't help that Isaac hit just before Labor Day weekend. Shutting down oil rigs and refineries during a major travel holiday caused fuel prices to climb further than they might've if Issac had struck a week later.
The good news is that many of the Gulf's rigs and refineries are up and running again, which should calm analysts' nerves and bring gas prices down. The first to see relief will be those who live closest to the refineries in the Deep South. Folks in the far West, northern Midwest, and New England, will have to wait a bit longer.
But we're not entirely out of the woods yet. The earliest on-sale date for winter-blend gasoline is this Saturday, September 15, but temperatures have been remarkably high this summer, breaking all-time records in many places. (FWIW, Wisconsin got the worst of it, followed by Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and Minnesota.) Though some areas have seen the mercury dip in recent days, high temps may linger in other parts of the U.S., which could delay the roll-out of winter blend.
We can also blame Isaac for that delay: fuel companies produced a lot of summer-blend gasoline, and Isaac disrupted their ability to distribute it. Until it's used up, most companies won't make the switch to winter-blend gasoline. (Unlike summer-blend, which has to be on sale everywhere by June 1, it doesn't appear that winter-blend has a mandatory on-sale date.)
Have gas prices begun to slip in your neck of the woods yet? Drop us a line, or leave a note in the comments below.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Back To School: The Car Connection Picks Eight For Your Teen
While you may be out new-car shopping for yourself this coming weekend, it's just as likely you'll be looking for something to give to your teen driver. It's a fact of modern life for many families: to get to all the day's duties--everything between work and school--sometimes, you need a second, or even a third, set of wheels.
Buying a car for your son or daughter to drive to and from high school takes some thought. You might pick something sporty for yourself--but you want something different for your kids. It has to be safe. It has to be great on gas, and easy on repairs. It has to be affordable in price and for insurance--and it needs some basic features that protect the passengers and resale value at the same time.
We've scanned the list of new 2013 cars and set a base price target of around $18,000, and mandated some standard features, including power features, an automatic transmission, air conditioning, Bluetooth, and a decent base sound system with a USB port. From all those choices, these new cars make the best case for teen drivers:
- Base price: about $19,000
- Standard safety features: 10 airbags, OnStar, tire pressure monitor, daytime running lights
- NHTSA safety ratings: five stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 38 mpg (with six-speed automatic transmission)
- Standout features: Available Chevrolet MyLink mobile-app connectivity
The Cruze is a smart pick for anyone wanting safety, comfort and practicality in a compact sedan, but it is missing the fun-to-drive edge of some other compact models in the market.
- Base price: about $16,000
- Standard safety features: 10 airbags, OnStar
- NHTSA safety ratings: five stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 35 mpg (Sonic LS manual or automatic)
- Standout features: Chevrolet MyLink system and mobile-app connectivity
With a quiet, smooth ride, well-weighted steering and comfortable seats, the Sonic subcompact offers a lot of safety and refinement in a sporty-looking and sporty-driving package.
- Base price: about $18,000
- Standard safety features: 10 airbags, hill-start assist
- NHTSA safety ratings: not yet available
- Best highway gas mileage: 34 mpg
- Standout features: available Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen with AM/FM/CD/MP3 and available Sirius XM satellite radio; 14 interior combinations, 12 exterior colors, six wheel choices, and the ability to add over 150 Mopar accessories
The new Dart is instantly distinctive on the road with its attitude and rakish design, and is one of the roomiest in the market. With all the personalization available, there probably won’t be two identical Darts in your neighborhood – sure to appeal to style-conscious young drivers.
- Base price: about $18,000
- Standard safety features: Seven airbags
- NHTSA safety ratings: four stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 39 mpg
- Standout features: AM/FM/CD/MP3 six-speaker audio system, voice-activated SYNC, available power moonroof, remote start, numerous accessories for customization
The Fiesta is a fun-to-drive small car with sharp styling (especially the five-door hatchback), with well-coordinated colors and textures inside.
- Base price: around $18,0000
- Standard safety features: Six airbags, torque vectoring control system
- NHTSA safety ratings: not yet rated for overall, frontal or side, but four stars in rollover testing
- Best highway gas mileage: 38 mpg
- Standout features: available SYNC with MyFord Touch, MyKey technology, active park assist, eight unique wheel styles, available graphic package
The Focus is stylish, tech-focused and fun to drive. It also feels more upmarket compared to some other compact models.
2013 Hyundai Accent GLS Premium
- Base price: around $16,000
- Standard safety features: Six airbags
- NHTSA safety ratings: four stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 40 mpg
- Standout features: 172-watt AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers, with Premium package, includes Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls, fog lights, cruise control, rear disc brakes and 16-inch wheels
The Accent offers good gas mileage (40 mpg highway across the board), loads of features and a roomy and comfortable interior – even if it’s no longer the least expensive car you can buy.
2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS Preferred
- Base price: about $18,000
- Standard safety features: 6 airbags, daytime running lights, and anti-theft system integrated with remote keyless entry, panic alert and trunk open
- NHTSA safety ratings: five stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 40 mpg (with either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission)
- Standout features: standard iPod/USB and auxiliary input jacks, XM Satellite radio; GLS Preferred package adds Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, fog lights, 16-inch wheels, heated front seats and more
The Elantra is one of the best compact cars available today for a number of reasons, including its stunning design and details, great gas mileage, an interior that rivals that of mid-size cars, and a complete list of features on the base sedan that make it a tremendous value.
- Base price: about $17,000
- Standard safety features: Six airbags, tire pressure monitor
- NHTSA safety ratings: four stars overall
- Best highway gas mileage: 35 mpg (manual or automatic transmission)
- Standout features: more than 60 add-on accessories for a more custom look and feel to this teen driver’s Soul
With its crisp design, nimble driving feel, roomy interior and lots of features for the money, style doesn’t preclude value in the Soul.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
August 2012 Car And Truck Sales: The Best (And Worst) Selling Vehicles
If you’d just emerged from a a decade-long slumber and stumbled upon August new car sales numbers for the U.S. market, you’d probably think we were in a time of prosperity instead of plagued by ongoing economic malaise.
After all, the domestic big three automakers posted double-digit sales growth for the month, while numbers from Toyota, Volkswagen and Kia were also impressive. Is this a sign of things to come, or can it be explained by inventory sell-downs prior to the launch of new models?
This much is clear: there are few surprises with this month’s list of winners and losers. Once again, America’s best selling vehicle was the Ford F-Series pickup, amassing sales of 58,201 units, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado, with 38,295 trucks sold.
That shuffles the redesigned Toyota Camry down to third place, with 36,720 units sold. Next up was another perennial favorite sedan, the Honda Accord, which found a home with some 34,848 buyers last month.
The first crossover to make the list is the Ford Escape, which sold 28,188 copies, followed by a newcomer to the best seller list. The Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan sold 25,975 units, trailed by the Nissan Altima, which racked up 25,889 sales.
Ram trucks came in eighth position, selling 25,215 examples, followed by the Honda Civic at 24,897 sales. Finally, the aging-but-still-popular Toyota Corolla / Matrix found 24,311 buyers last month, rounding out the top 10.
On the flip side, the slowest-selling vehicle last month (from manufacturers who break out unit sales, anyway) was the Lexus LFA. August’s sales of two units represented a 33-percent decline from July sales, although we doubt anyone at Lexus is losing sleep over that.
Porsche’s Cayman was next, amassing just 14 sales as buyers eagerly await the revised version. Third on the list was the oddly un-marketed Mitsubishi i, which attracted just 37 electric car shoppers last month.
Acura’s RL flagship was next, selling a scant 41 units, followed by Audi’s range-topping R8 sports car with sales of 46 copies. Another luxury repeat offender was the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class coupe, which found only 64 garages to park in last month.
Sales of Acura’s controversial ZDX have slowed to the point where it makes the list, coming in eighth place with sales of 93 units, trailed by the Jaguar XK, with 110 units placed. Finally, the tenth-worst selling car in August was the Nissan GT-R, which moved just 138 units.
Overall, we think the takeaway is this: Americans will continue to buy trucks, regardless of what gas prices do (in the short term, anyway). Likewise, Americans generally favor Japanese sedans as family cars, while sales of high-end luxury and sports cars remain slow in the current economy.
We don’t expect significant changes to the lists between now and year-end, but we’ll be back next month to give you the detailed breakout.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Ride-Sharing Apps Take Off
From urban dwellers to long-distance commuters, more and more Americans are opting to leave the driving to others – and taking advantage of the growing number of ride-sharing apps available today.
The potential audience is huge. Census survey data shows the percentage of people car-pooling has remained around 10 percent for several years. Some 5 percent of commuters use public transportation and a whopping 76 percent drive alone. But convincing people to give up a car and share a ride with a stranger? With the number of ride-sharing apps popping up recently, it could just be that the time is right.
While some are limited to certain cities or geographic areas, other startups have intentions of going national, while yet still more are already doing business nationwide. The basic principle is the same: passengers looking for a ride use the app to post their request and the app searches for drivers in the vicinity willing to provide rides. Security concerns about riding with a stranger are handled by thorough prescreening. Cost of the ride varies, with some fares a voluntary donation at a recommended amount. User ratings help keep things on an even keel. A low rating of a passenger may mean drivers will refuse that person’s ride request in the future.
Here's a round-up of a few of the larger ride-sharing operations currently available.
SideCar
San Francisco-based SideCar launched its on-demand ride-sharing app at the end of June, available for iPhone and Android devices across the U.S. SideCar vets drivers with a background check, proof of valid insurance, proof of driver’s license and proof of registration. Rides are also tracked using GPS. As for passengers, they need to register with a valid credit card.
Zimride
Passengers in need of a local or long-distance ride can hook up with Zimride, now serving San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Tahoe and Las Vegas. The app uses Facebook to enable real connections: setting up a profile, booking a ride or posting a ride. What’s it cost? Recent postings on the site included $40 per passenger from Los Angeles to San Francisco, $35 per person from Santa Barbara to Berkeley, and $40 per person from Oakland to Los Angeles.
Lyft
From Zimride, Lyft is an on-demand ride-sharing app competitive with SideCar. Lyft screens drivers, runs criminal background checks, and conducts a phone interview followed by an in-person interview with prospective drivers. Lyft rider fares are voluntary, based on a community average. Like SideCar, Lyft has a rating system for drivers and passengers. Drivers and passengers authenticate using Facebook. Currently, Lyft is only available in San Francisco using iPhone.
Avego
Using the Avego iPhone app, drivers can offer their unused seats to other people in real-time. The app combines GPS-enabled real-time ride-matching with fully automated payment transaction management, safety features, real-time passenger information, and commute reporting. At the end of the journey, Avego automatically charges the rider a fair and predetermined price for the trip, based on a per-mile default rate. Users (driver and passenger) rate each other using 1 to 5 stars. If either rates the other with 1 star, they will never again be matched together. See our previous coverage of the Avego ride-sharing app or check out the video below for more details.
Weeels
As previously reported, Weeels is limited to taxi-takers in the New York City area only, and the app isn’t as user-friendly as some others. Still, if you can put up with the hassle of creating a personal profile and don’t mind fiddling with inputting addresses for pickup when time is of the essence – and you’re in New York City – Weeels is yet another potentially workable ride-sharing solution.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Stay Awake At The Wheel This Labor Day With These 10 Tips
Getting in that last-minute travel with the family this Labor Day holiday weekend may be a high priority on your list, but trying to cram in too many miles in too short a time could well be a recipe for disaster.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleepiness slows driver reaction time, impairs vision, and causes lapses in judgment and delays in processing information. Research studies show that being awake for more than 20 hours results in impairment equal to blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent, which is the legal limit in all states. In addition, 20+ hours awake means it’s possible for the driver to fall into a three to four-second microsleep – without even realizing it.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that driver fatigue causes 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in an estimated 1,550 deaths. A survey last November by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 96 percent of Americans say drowsy driving is unacceptable behavior, but one-third admit they do it anyway.
Along with other safe driving tips like making sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up, watching your speed and being a defensive driver, here are 10 tips to help keep you awake at the wheel this Labor Day weekend
(1) Get a good night’s sleep first. Preparation for a Labor Day weekend driving trip should include getting a full night’s rest the night prior to heading out on the road. That may be tough to do, with last-minute work deadlines, packing and other family responsibilities, but if you’re going to be driving with the family in tow, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe by making sure you’ve had enough sleep. How much sleep do you need? Experts recommend 7 to 9 hours.
(2) Don’t drive when you’d normally be asleep. Whether you’re trying to avoid traffic congestion by driving at night or you’ve got a long road ahead and want to drive straight through, avoid driving at times when you’d normally be asleep. Also see these tips for safe driving at night, if you absolutely must drive during the night hours.
(3) Don’t consume a heavy meal before setting out. Not only will you run the risk of indigestion by eating a heavy meal and then beginning your long drive, but you may also have a tendency to nod off. Keep mealtime light before driving to help stay awake and alert.
(4) Take your time. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to get to your destination as fast as possible. After all, this may be the last family road trip until Thanksgiving or Christmas and you want to maximize your time away. But don’t do it at the expense of safety. Driving non-stop and through the night is never recommended.
(5) Stop for breaks often. Keeping alert and awake means that you need to pull over to a safe location, get out of the vehicle and take a break. Stopping to refuel is one time to do this logically, as well as making quick stops to grab a snack, take a walk, check out a destination en route, even to go shopping. Use a quick break to change drivers as well. The recommended time between breaks is every two hours or 100 miles.
(6) Keep your co-pilot by your side. It’s often called the buddy system, and for good reason. When you travel long distances by car, don’t drive alone. Having someone next to you in the vehicle (preferably a driver) can help keep you awake and alert by talking with you, monitoring for any signs of fatigue, and switching off driving with you when necessary.
(7) Avoid taking medications and alcohol. Many medications list drowsiness as a side-effect and come with the caution to not use them before driving. Combine medications and alcohol and the effect increases. If you regularly take medications that cause drowsiness, forego taking them until you arrive at your destination – or have someone else drive. And never consume alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
(8) Caffeine helps – for a while. While drinking coffee won’t keep you awake if your body is ready to shut down, having a couple of cups of caffeine will provide temporary alertness for several hours. That could be sufficient to allow you to get to your intended destination safely.
(9) Take a nap if you’re tired. When you start to exhibit signs of sleepiness such as repeated yawning, trouble keeping your head up, missing turns, traffic signs and exits, difficulty focusing, repeated blinking, inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven, swerving, tailgating and/or hitting rumble strips, it’s time to pull off the road. Find a safe place and take a 15-20 minute nap. Just be sure you’re careful about excessive drowsiness when you wake up. Here’s where those two cups of coffee might help you regain alertness.
(10) Break up the trip to include an extra overnight or two. If you’re driving solo, or don’t have a switch-off driver, and have a long distance to travel, it may be advisable to add an extra overnight both ways to ensure you’re not driving when you’re too sleepy to do so safely.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Selling Your Ride? Used Cars To Remain Valuable Through 2014
If you have plans to sell your current ride anytime soon, we have good news and great news.
The good news is that your used car isn't depreciating very much, and it's not likely to do so for the next couple of years. That prediction comes from the National Automobile Dealers Association, which says that used cars are likely to retain a good portion of their value through at least 2014.
As an example, NADA gives the example of a used car worth $12,000. Over 2012, that vehicle is likely to depreciate by about 15.7%, or $1,884. In 2014, that same $12,000 used vehicle would likely slip $1,992 in value, which isn't much more.
What's more: NADA's depreciation figures are just averages. Certain types of cars -- namely, hybrids and smaller fuel-efficient models -- may hold their value far better.
The great news? This means that you should have many more options when it comes to replacing your ride. As we mentioned earlier this month, low depreciation rates mean that the price difference between new cars and used cars can be pretty slim -- especially when dealer incentives are taken into consideration. So, for example, instead of trading in your used car for another used model, you might be able to score a brand-new car for about the same price.
Why are cars retaining their values
As we've discussed several times before, today's used car values are high for a number of reasons. Chief among them:
1. Car sales bottomed out during the Great Recession. Fewer cars were made during that time, and fewer were bought, too. That has put a dent in the availability of used models, and as we all remember from Economics 101, when supply is reduced and demand stays constant, prices edge higher.
2. Although the economy is still shaky, the recession is over, and car sales are on the rise. However, NADA points out that automakers aren't overproducing vehicles like they did before the crash. That limits the inventory of new cars, which boosts new-car values and also trickles over to keep used cars from depreciating too much.
3. Consumers are holding onto their vehicles for longer than ever. That's not just because of economic concerns, it's also because cars are made better than they once were. Ultimately, that decreases the availability of used cars, causing their value to rise.
Are you looking to trade in your current vehicle soon? Will you replace it with a new or used model? Let us know your plans in the comments below.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
GM To Dems & GOP: No More Cars For Your Conventions
Since 1980, General Motors has provided cars to both Republicans and Democrats for their national conventions -- and it's done so free of charge. But according to a report in Detroit News, that policy has come to a screeching halt.
Typically, GM has supplied the conventions with several hundred complimentary vehicles. (Last time the groups met, in 2008, the total was about 400 cars per event.) Those vehicles are used to shuttle attendees around their respective convention cities, easing organizers' transportation worries.
And in fact, it's been smart for GM to offer those rides -- especially in 2008. After all, that was a rough year for automakers, and by late summer and fall, they'd begun making trips to D.C. to ask for government support.
But now, in 2012, things are different. GM (and its cross-town rival, Chrysler) received controversial bailout funds from the Bush and Obama administrations, and GM in particular has been dogged with the label "Government Motors" for nearly four years. Although GM hasn't explained the decision to end its longstanding car program for political conventions, we suspect that part of the rationale is to move the company away from the political arena.
Providing vehicles to the GOP, for example, might look like over-compensation, sucking up to some of GM's harshest critics. Doing the same for the Democratic convention could fuel assertions that the company is still deeply tied to the Obama administration. Nixing the program altogether gives GM a veneer of non-partisanship.
No rallies, either
That reasoning might also explain why GM and Chrysler have both prohibited presidential campaign events at their facilities. According to AutoNews, both automakers decided early this year not to host political events on-site. Though the presidential and vice presidential candidates have toured company plants, they've been asked to hold rallies elsewhere. Vice president Joe Biden, for example, spoke at a United Auto Workers hall last May, rather than from the floor of a GM factory.
Our take
All in all, it's a smart move for GM and Chrysler to stay out of the political fray. We've seen several recent examples of how polarizing companies can become when they announce support for one party platform or the other. GM and Chrysler have been working hard to dodge political bullets over the past four years -- particularly those fired by Republicans. By stepping away from each party, they take the long, high road back toward political neutrality.
That said, the automakers' employees remain free to take part in political campaigns on their own, and when they do, they seem far more likely to support Democrats than Republicans. Detroit News reports that GM employees have contributed $7,600 to Mitt Romney and about three times as much -- $21,905 -- to President Obama.
We'd be curious to hear your take on all this. Are GM and Chrysler still political hot potatoes? Will these maneuvers keep them above the fray? Drop us a line, or leave a note in the comments below.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2013 Infiniti JX35: Recall Alert
Nissan is conducting a voluntary safety recall of certain 2013 Infiniti JX35 luxury crossovers over a fuel system problem that could cause inaccurate fuel gauge readings.
A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site lists the number of potentially affected vehicles at 7,842. Affected vehicles were built between the start of production, February 15, 2012, through June 22, 2012.
Documentation from Nissan (PDF) filed with the NHTSA indicates that other Nissan and JX35 vehicles built after the recall dates are not affected because the installation procedure related to the component in this recall is unique to the 2013 Infiniti JX35 in this production range. The automaker further said that the assembly issue at the supplier has since been corrected.
The problem stems from an assembly error where the fuel transfer tube may have been improperly routed inside the fuel tank. As a result of misrouting, the fuel level float may be prevented from dropping as fuel is used, causing the dashboard fuel gauge to display inaccurate readings.
The vehicle may unexpectedly run out of gas and stall, even though the fuel gauge may read that the tank is full. This increases the risk of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners of affected 2013 Infiniti JX35 crossovers to take their vehicles to a Nissan dealer. The fuel transfer tube will be inspected for proper routing and rerouted, if necessary. A new O-ring will be installed after inspection. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The Nissan safety recall is expected to begin September 4, 2012.
In the meantime, owners of vehicles involved in the campaign with any questions or concerns may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Alternatively, owners of vehicles involved in the campaign may also contact NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to http://www.safercar.gov. Reference the NHTSA campaign ID No. 12V398000.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Ford Taurus, Explorer, Lincoln MKS Get Five-Star Crash Ratings
The 2013 Ford Taurus large family sedan, Ford Explorer crossover and Lincoln MKS large luxury sedan have each earned a five-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
The rigorous NCAP testing combines a vehicle’s performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.
Built on the same platform and at the same Chicago Assembly Plant, the 2013 Ford Taurus, Explorer and Lincoln MKS also share powertrains and some safety equipment that Ford says helped the vehicles achieve the five-star top safety pick rating.
These include redesigned airbags and restraint system enhancements, including safety belt anchor pretensioners and locking safety belt tongues. In addition, the 2013 Ford Explorer crossover boasts the first passenger-side knee airbag in a Ford vehicle.
Other standard or available safety features include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert, SOS post-crash alert system, forward collision warning with brake support, curve control and Safety Canopy system. The Explorer has available inflatable safety belts for the second row. The Taurus and MKS have standard AdvanceTrac ESC (electronic stability control), while the Explorer has standard AdvanceTrac with RSC (roll stability control).
At present, these are the first 2013 Ford and Lincoln vehicles to earn NHTSA five-star status.
For more information, see The Car Connection full review of the 2013 Ford Taurus,
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
