NASA to study Toyota sudden unintended acceleration

NASA to study Toyota sudden unintended acceleration

Tax payers money at good work again!

Who do you call when automobiles are rocketing (intentional pun) out of control? As it turns out, the answer is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aka NASA.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has enlisted the help of NASA to solve the unintended acceleration conundrum that's led to the recall of nearly 10 million Toyota vehicles. A statement by the DoT says it is calling on NASA's expertise in "electronics, hardware, software, hazard analysis and complex problem solving" to help solve a problem for which many credentialed experts have no acceptable answer. In short, NASA will be looking for any defects that could lead to an investigation, and its study should be completed by late summer.

The National Academy of Sciences will also conduct a second, more broad investigation that will tackle unwanted acceleration and electronic vehicle controls. The study will last up to 15 months, and the total bill for the two studies will cost American tax payers a relatively reasonable (if there are results) $3 million dollars.

The announcement of the two independent federal investigations comes one month after Congress demanded answers from Toyota and the DoT that would put Americans at ease. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood apparently senses the urgency to get this daunting problem resolved, adding "for the safety of the American driving public, we must do everything possible to understand what is happening." So to infinity and beyond we go.

Source: [ Los Angeles Times  , Autoblog.com ]

Mazda teams with Toyota Not Ford?

Mazda teams with Toyota Not Ford?

 

 

TOKYO -- Mazda Motor Corp. today took another step toward independent product development, agreeing to lease hybrid drivetrain technology from fellow Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. instead of longtime U.S. partner Ford Motor Co.

The deal gives Mazda access to the electric powertrain system used in the third-generation Toyota Prius, which was launched last year and is the world's most popular hybrid vehicle.

Mazda Executive Vice President Masaharu Yamaki said the electric-gasoline powertrain will debut in 2013 in a Mazda-brand hybrid for the Japanese market. Mazda didn't announce plans for overseas versions, but a spokesman said selling the car in North America is a possibility.

The agreement helps Mazda meet its goal of improving fleet fuel economy 30 percent by 2015 compared with 2008 levels. Mazda already has rolled out plans for a more efficient gasoline engine, called the Sky G, and measures such as weight reduction and idle stop technology.

But limited by a relatively small r&d budget, Mazda has trailed rivals in hybrid offerings.

For Toyota, the deal also pushes its hybrid technology closer to becoming a global standard. Leasing it to other companies is not only a cash stream for the world's biggest auto company, it's also a potent way to guarantee volume for its suppliers, which drives down cost.

Subaru also has been developing its own hybrid drivetrain based on technology from Toyota Motor, which owns a 16.5 percent stake in Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries. Toyota also supplies the hybrid system used in the Nissan Altima hybrid sedan.

Teaming with Toyota signals another Mazda break from Ford, which reduced its stake in the Japanese automaker to 13 percent, from 33 percent in 2008.

Separate Ways

Since then, Ford and Mazda have embarked on largely separate powertrain strategies.

While Ford is chasing greater fuel economy with its turbocharged EcoBoost engines, Mazda is developing its own line of Sky engines, which rely mostly on direct fuel injection.

Mazda currently uses Ford technology in its hybrid Tribute SUV. But Yamaki said that turning to Toyota and domestic suppliers is the quickest way to bring a hybrid to market in Japan.

Yamaki said the deal won't undermine cooperation with Ford.

“This strategic relationship will not change,” Yamaki said at a press conference. “Obtaining the major hybrid components from domestic suppliers is the surest and quickest way for Mazda to efficiently develop and manufacture a hybrid vehicle in Japan.”

Mazda starts producing the Sky G engine next year and plans to mate it with Toyota's hybrid technology for the car due in 2013. Mazda didn't give other details. But the agreement covers the motor, inverter and nickel-metal hydride battery currently used in the Prius.

The four-cylinder, direct-injection Sky-G gasoline engine will range between 1.3 and 2.0 liters and deliver 15 percent better fuel economy than current engines in the same class. Its diesel partner, the Sky-D, will get a 20 percent increase over today's offerings.

The Ford-Mazda partnership is often cited as an example of a successful international alliance of automakers. Ford first took an equity stake in Mazda in 1979 and brought it under its control in 1996 as the Hiroshima-based carmaker struggled to survive. But by late 2008, the tables were turned, and a cash-strapped Ford sold the bulk of its stake to raise capital.

 

Source: [ Automotive News ]

Volvo under Chinese rule, a new life

Volvo under Chinese rule, a new life

 

 

China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. agreed to buy Volvo cars from Ford Motor Co. on Sunday for $1.8 billion, a landmark agreement designed to vault the Chinese company onto the global automotive stage.

Geely's acquisition of the Swedish brand is the latest example of how China's economic rise is reshaping large swaths of global business, Its huge market and increasingly powerful companies are playing a growing role around the world in industries ranging from cars to natural resources to telecommunications equipment.

The Volvo deal—which comes after China surpassed the U.S. last year as the biggest auto market—puts a Chinese company for the first time in charge of a major global car brand.

"I think Volvo is a tiger," said Geely Chairman Li Shufu, who confirmed that Geely will build Volvos in China. "To liberate the tiger, we need to think on how to uncover the value in Volvo."

The sale marks the latest milestone for Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally, who has pushed the Dearborn, Mich., company to shed noncore brands in an effort to return Ford to sustainable profitability.

Under the transaction, Ford will receive $1.6 billion in cash and a $200 million note from Geely. Ford, however, will still be obligated to cover some existing Volvo pension plans and debt as well as supply parts to Volvo for years to come.

"We think it's a fair price for a good business," said Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said during a press conference at Volvo's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ford must use about half its sale proceeds to pay down the $23.5 billion debt the company took on in 2006.

1927 Volvo—Latin for 'I roll'—rolls its first car off an assembly line in Gothenburg, Sweden.

1959 Volvo becomes the first car company to make three-point safety belts standard.

1960 Volvo unveils its first sports car, the P1800

1973 The U.S. becomes Volvo's largest market, ahead of Sweden.

1974 Volvo comes out with a new generation, including the Volvo 240 with six boxy variants.

1980 The first turbocharged Volvo, the 240 Turbo, is shown.

1999 Ford acquires all of Volvo Car Corp. shares for $6.4 billion from AB Volvo.

2002 Volvo introduces its first sport-utility vehicle, the XC90.

January 2008 Geely Chairman Li Shufu expresses formal interest in acquiring Volvo during a meeting with then-Ford Chief Financial Officer Don Leclair after Ford moves to sell noncore brands.

December 2008 Longtime Ford board member John Thornton meets with Mr. Li. Mr. Thornton reports back that the bid should be taken seriously. Later that month, Ford announces it is considering Volvo for sale.

October 2009 Ford chooses Geely as the preferred Volvo bidder.

December 2009 Ford says it has settled all substantive commercial terms for a Volvo sale to Geely. Geely says it has strong Chinese government support for the purchase.

March 28, 2010 Ford announces a deal to sell Volvo to Geely for $1.8 billion.

 

SOURCE: [ Wall Street Journal ]

2011 Ford Mustang has more horses but better mpg

2011 Ford Mustang has more horses but better mpg

MALIBU, Calif. — At home cruising on fabled Pacific Coast Highway, the 2011 Ford Mustang carries on its tradition of being Detroit's fun, powerful and original pony car.

But under the skin, it's a whole new beast. The new Mustang, in showrooms in about a month, is billed as the first mass-market car to deliver more than 300 horsepower with highway gas mileage better than 30 miles a gallon. The base 3.7-liter V-6 has more horsepower than a Lexus ES (305 vs. 272) yet better highway fuel economy than a 2010 Volkswagen New Beetle (19 city, 31 highway vs. Beetle's 20 city, 29 highway).

Now the question is whether Ford can leverage its engineering achievement to tap sporty-car buyers who would have normally gone to Japanese and German brands in search of fuel economy.

Ford executives think they've got a shot. And the pitch is being boiled down in a way that Ford hopes will resonate with younger drivers, not just its traditional Mustang customer base of hardcore enthusiasts and nostalgic Boomers.

"It's fast, it's fun and it's affordable," says Amy Marentic, Ford's group marketing manager for cars and crossover vehicles. Mustang still looks cool, even if younger buyers care more about function than form.

For now, Ford clearly is taking aim at Chevrolet's hot-selling Camaro, which handily outsold Mustang last month in the quest for leadership in the rear-wheel-drive U.S. sports car segment.

Mustang hopes to fight back by besting Camaro in horsepower, where its new V-6 leads the Chevy by a single pony; in fuel economy, where Mustang has a 2 mpg highway edge; and in price. The new Mustang starts at $22,995, $535 less than Camaro.

For traditional muscle car fans, the Mustang GT has a new 5-liter V-8 — yes, reviving its 5.0 tradition but with high-tech fuel efficiency. It spits out 412 horsepower, yet still gets a respectable 26 miles a gallon on the highway.

No turbochargers boost output on the new engines. "Our customers want naturally aspirated engines," says Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer.

Even though the V-8 is priced $7,500 more than the base model, Ford expects sales to split fairly evenly between the two engine choices.

On a long drive, the six-cylinder is quick, smooth and provides all the power that most drivers would want. The V-8 is for thrill seekers wanting bursts of wheel-chirping acceleration. Both can be had with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

For all its power, the V-6 drives a lot like late-1960s Mustangs, when the 289-cubic-inch V-8 engine ruled the lineup.

"The mind-set that you need a V-8 to get good performance is a little bit of a fallacy," says Michael Robinet, vice president of consultants CSM Worldwide. The fuel economy and other features are compelling enough "that younger people might look at it as their vehicle."

Ford expects only 16% of V-6 buyers to take a manual transmission. On the V-8, it's 60%, Marentic says. The manual's sixth gear is essentially overdrive, lowering engine revs to boost freeway fuel economy.

Other fuel-saving features include dual exhausts, low-rolling-resistance tires with the V-6, aerodynamic front-end modifications and fine-tuning of the engine computers to coax out every extra mpg.

The extra power, meanwhile, provides a satisfying driving experience, say those who have driven the new Mustang. "I was impressed," says Charlie Vogelheim of IntelliChoice, who drove one last week. "We jumped out into traffic, and it was just very confident."

Source: [ USAToday.com ]

Chrysler will reinstate 50 already closed dealerships

 

Chrysler will reinstate 50 already closed dealerships

WASHINGTON -- Chrysler Group, reversing an earlier stance, said today it will offer to reinstate 50 closed dealerships within the next few days.

Letters of intent will be sent to 50 of the estimated 400 rejected dealerships that have applied to get their franchises back through arbitration, Chrysler said in a statement.

They “are in locations that offer customer service benefits and will have limited adverse impact on the dealers within our current network,” Chrysler said.

No letters of intent have been sent yet, Chrysler said. Each of the dealerships that stand to be reinstated would house all four Chrysler brands under one roof.

In the statement, Chrysler also revealed that it already has awarded contracts and or sales or service agreements to 36 other closed dealerships since July based on individual circumstances.

The company also said it is entering settlement talks with an unspecified number of shuttered showrooms.

The disclosures show Chrysler has reinstated or is trying to reinstate 86 dealerships, or 11 percent of the 789 dealerships that were closed in June as part of its bankruptcy.

The company signaled as recently as two weeks ago that it had no plans to reinstate any of the 400 or so dealerships that have given notice of their intent to seek arbitration.

GM's status

Earlier this month, General Motors Co. said it plans to reinstate 661 of its 1,160 rejected dealerships that have filed for arbitration.

GM has mailed nearly all of its letters of intent, which list requirements that dealers are expected to meet -- including facility size, location, capital and floorplan financing.

GM is giving dealers 10 days to sign and mail them, and then 60 days to provide documentation.

Under a new federal law, arbitrations must be completed by June 14, though they can be extended a month at an arbitrator's discretion.

Source: [ Automotive News ]

Attorney General subpoenas Toyota on acceleration cases

Attorney General subpoenas Toyota on acceleration cases

 

DETROIT (Reuters) -- Michigan's attorney general on Wednesday subpoenaed Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. arm for information on recent safety recalls regarding unintended acceleration.

"Michigan drivers concerned about the safety deserve answers from Toyota," said the attorney general, Mike Cox, in a statement issued by his office.

The subpoena was filed under Michigan's consumer protection act.

Toyota is cooperating with Michigan officials in answering the subpoena, Cox' office said.

In addition to information on the possible causes of unintended acceleration, the subpoena asks for information Toyota has or will turn over to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It also seeks information regarding an accident that killed a 77-year-old Flint, Mich., woman, Guadalupe Alberto, in April 2008 while she was driving a Toyota Camry. Her family has filed suit against Toyota, claiming that she was a victim of a defective car.

Cox said his office is not taking a position on that private lawsuit.

Toyota has recalled 8.5 million vehicles worldwide since last fall in relation to floormats or sticky accelerator pedals that may cause unintended acceleration.

The Michigan subpoena seeks information regarding an accident that killed a 77-year-old Flint, Michigan., woman, Guadalupe Alberto, in April 2008 while she was driving a Toyota Camry.

Ram brand starts heavy-duty marketing in U.S. with Sam Elliott.

Ram brand starts heavy-duty marketing in U.S. with Sam Elliott.

 

DETROIT -- The Ram truck brand is launching its first full-scale advertising and marketing campaign for the 2010 Ram Heavy Duty pickup.

The new campaign is part of Chrysler Group's strategy to separate Ram from the Dodge brand.

The campaign will emphasize the American virtues of the Ram HD and its can-do capabilities. The ads feature prominently the HD's designation as the Motor Trend magazine Truck of the Year.

The campaign was created by The Richards Group, a Dallas advertising agency.

Television commercials will feature the deep voice of character actor Sam Elliott, who has been in a number of cowboy movies and Gettysburg.

Said Fred Diaz, CEO of the Ram brand: “The reasoning behind the separation between the Ram and Dodge brands is starting to resonate. There's a distinct separation between what Dodge means and what Ram means.”

Regional events

The Ram marketing campaign will combine ads that feature the truck's image along with the information about product attributes that dealers like, said Olivier Francois, Chrysler's head of marketing.

The Ram also will be appearing at more than 30 regional events this spring and summer as part of a campaign to connect with customers.

Diaz, who is also Chrysler Group's lead sales executive, said the company was committed to backing the truck with plenty of marketing muscle.

“Ram accounts for nearly a third of our shipments” and 30 percent of revenues, he said. “It is a mainstay of this corporation, and we will not back down.”

Diaz declined to say how much Chrysler will spend on the Ram campaign, but he said the company will focus more marketing resources on advertising for all vehicles. Chrysler is trying to shed its reputation as an incentive-driven, bargain-basement carmaker.

“Our focus is to spend a lot more on advertising than on incentives,” Diaz said. “We'll spend the lion's share on media and advertising and a minimum on incentives.”

Sam Elliott with his deep voice will be featured in the Ram television commercials

2011 Bentley Continental GT gets new frontend

2011 Bentley Continental GT gets new frontend

 

AutoBlogs intrepid spy shooters caught the 2011 Bentley Continental GT unwrapped for an all-too-brief moment, and managed to snap off a handful of shots before a VAG security team snatched their camera away and deleted all the images... save one.

However, this singular shot proves Bentley is taking considerable pains to update the aging GT with some new sheetmetal, a noticeably revised fascia and a sloping roofline that terminates into a more sculpted hatch.

From what we can see, the front end garners the majority of the changes, with a new set of LED headlamps inspired by the all-new Mulsanne. The hood looks slightly longer and the fascia combines an upright grille with a pair of sweptback fenders and more sculpted intakes.

The prominent swage line that runs the length of the GT appears slightly toned-down, particularly above the front wheel arches, and the mirrors look more aerodynamic than those fitted to its predecessor.

The overall appearance comes off as more planted and suitably swoopy, and unless our eyes (or the angle) are deceiving us, it looks like the 2011 GT's wheelbase is a shade longer than the current model. We should know all the facts when the 2011 Continental GT debuts later this year, likely at the Paris Motor Show this fall.

Source: [AutoBlog ]

Toyota Plummets with Public Opinion on Quality

Toyota plummets with Public opinion on quality

 

Yet another survey points to bad news for Toyota:  A pollster says findings show Toyota has crushed its quality reputation.

In two short years, Americans having a positive perception of Toyota's commitment to building quality cars has plummeted to 21.8% from over 80%, according to the findings of the latest survey by Britt Beemer at the BeemerReport.com

Only 31.8% of Americans believe Toyota can rebuild its quality image, the verdict is still out about their ability to recover.  Some 22.1% are undecided whether they can rebuild the quality image and 18% don't think Toyota will be able to do it.

"While their reputation is on the line, Toyota's problems don't stop there because buyers are now wary of the Toyota brand," says Beemer.  "Toyota has some real selling to do just to convince current Toyota car owners to buy another one."

But will current Toyota owners save the day?

Maybe, the survey finds. The survey revealed that consumers who have purchased Toyotas in the past are evenly divided about whether they will buy another one in the future or not. Of these potential buyers, 52.6% will no longer consider buying a Toyota car in the future.

American car manufacturers may ultimately be the benefactors of Toyota's quality issues, according to Beemer.  Due to Toyota's quality issues, 69.1% of car buyers are more likely to purchase an American made automobile.  That number is up from 38% two years ago.

The survey comes from 1,000 telephone interviews conducted Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 12, 13 and 14, 2010, at ARG headquarters in Charleston, SC.  The error factor is plus or minus 3.8%.

Source: [ USAToday.com]

Rolls-Royce giving potential buyers free weekend at resort

Rolls-Royce giving potential buyers free weekend at resort

 

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Any car buyer who has slogged across dealers' lots, past the balloons and free hot dogs, only to face high-pressure salespeople, would hardly believe this scene:

Seven couples spending an all-expenses-paid weekend at a sun-drenched resort overlooking the Pacific in order to get a low-key introduction to a car. Not just any car, mind you. It's the new baby Rolls-Royce, the Ghost. But calling this a baby is a little like calling the Queen Mary a dinghy.

The 6,482-pound Ghost is 17 inches shorter than Rolls' other model, the Phantom, but still a full-size car by any measure. It's powered by a 12-cylinder engine that delivers 563 horsepower. The cabin is decked out in acres of leather and varnished wood, and the car is filled with high-tech appointments.

Price? A stunning $245,000 for the base model.

"We wanted to offer a Rolls-Royce that is easy to use on a daily basis," said Paul Ferraiolo, president of Rolls-Royce North America. The Phantom, which starts at $380,000, is more of a weekend or special-occasion car, he said.

The stakes are high. Even though Rolls-Royce was pleased to sell 336 cars in the U.S. last year, the Ghost faces a new rival: the Bentley Mulsanne, which will retail for about $285,000. Rolls-Royce and Bentley, the venerable British brands, were split more than a decade ago. BMW now owns Rolls — and provides its engines. Volkswagen owns Bentley.

It wasn't clear whether the guests — who were wined, dined and given an overview of the Ghost before taking a tour of Orange County — bought the idea of the Ghost as an everyday car. Most everyday cars, for instance, don't get the Ghost's 13 miles per gallon in the city, 20 mpg highway.

"There is no such thing as a non-ostentatious Rolls-Royce," declared Andy Linsky, a real estate broker from Palm Springs, Calif. His pride is a 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III that he drives about 200 miles a year.

What's so special about a Rolls-Royce? "That incredible fragrance from the leather when you open the door," he says. "I love the Old World heritage and attention to detail."

Ferraiolo says Linsky is typical of Rolls-Royce owners. He describes them as generally wealthy people — star athletes, executives, entertainers — who want to sample the finer things in life but aren't necessarily tycoons.

Rolls-Royce — which measures its annual new car sales in the hundreds, not hundreds of thousands — is intent on personal attention. Guests spending the weekend at the Pelican Hill resort here didn't have to endure the auto equivalent of a time-share presentation.

Mostly, they got a chance to try out features, such as the car's parking system, which allows the driver to judge progress making it into a parking space using cameras mounted all around the car. Or to get them to hear how silent the cabin remains at 70 miles per hour, even with an engine bigger than the one in most muscle cars. "There's no sales pitch at all," Ferraiolo says. At least, not a high-pressure one.

Source: [USA TODAY]

First Ferrari 458 Italia auctioned for Haiti relief

Ferrari 458 Italia auctioned for Haiti relief

 

Last week the Ferrari 458 Italia made its debut on North American soil at a party hosted by the Italian automaker in Southern California. The guest list was limited to celebrities and Ferrari's top clients, all of whom got their first peek at Ferrari's F430 replacement.

As part of the event, the very first 458 Italia designated for the U.S. was auctioned off for charity to the highest bidder with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit Haiti through the CMBB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) and the William J. Clinton Foundation. The guests were in a particularly giving mood, and a top bid of $530,000 took the car home. In addition to the 458 Italia, Ferndando Alonso's F1 racing suit and two Scuderia Ferrari team member trips to the Canadian Grand Prix in June raised an additional $72,000.

There's still no word on when the common folk will get to see the 458 Italia here in the United States. Ferrari will not be among the exhibitors at the New York Auto Show, but we fully expect Ferrari to bring the cars to Monterey during the Pebble Beach weekend. Until then you'll just have to settle for the high-res gallery below.

Source:[ Ferrari and Autoblog.com ]

 

 

  

 

How to Jump Start a Car Battery

How to Jump Start a Car Battery

 

 

The first thing you want to remember when jump-starting a car is that a slight possibility of explosion does exist. This is because hydrogen gas--which forms as a battery discharges and loses its fluid--is flammable, and a spark from the battery cables could, theoretically, set it off. We emphasize slight because the gas would have to be fairly dense around the battery for this to happen. This is unlikely unless the battery has been sitting for a long time and little or no air circulation has occurred in the area, but it is possible.

That said, I should add that in the last 15 years I have performed at least 50 "jumps" on various automobiles (you see, I used to own a lot of Chrysler muscle cars) and have never had a problem. One of the keys to avoiding the big bang is to hook up your jumper cables in the proper order. Follow along and we'll show you how.

 

1. Park the booster vehicle close to the one that needs to be jumped, but not so close that the vehicles are touching in any way. You'll want to use a good set of jumper cables with thick wire and clean clamps. As you are hooking up the jumper cables, make sure they don't dangle into either engine compartment where they could get caught on moving parts (belts, fan, etc.). Turn off the ignition of both vehicles, set the parking brakes, and make sure that they are in either "Park" or "Neutral" depending on whether the vehicles have an automatic or manual transmission. Also, turn off all accessories like lights, radio and, if the vehicles are in a safe area, the hazard flashers.
   
   
   
   


2. Begin the process by clamping one of the positive jumper cable ends (red) to the positive battery terminal (labeled with a "+" on the battery) of the dead vehicle. Be sure the connection is strong with the clamp securely "biting" onto the battery terminal.
   
   
   
   


3. Connect the other end of the positive cable (red) to the positive battery terminal on the booster vehicle (again, confirm that a "+" is next to the battery terminal). If the terminals are corroded on either vehicle, you may have to scrape them with an abrasive such as steel wool to achieve a solid connection.
   
   
   
   


4. Connect the negative cable end (black) to the negative battery terminal on the booster car (marked with a "-"). Finally, attach the other end of the negative cable to an unpainted metal surface on the engine of the dead car. Find an unpainted bolt or bracket that is as far from the dead battery as possible. This will provide a solid ground while further reducing the possibility of igniting any hydrogen gas.
   
   


5. Make a final check to confirm that the jumper cables are not near any moving engine parts, and start the booster car. Let it idle for several minutes, depending on the state of the dead battery. If the dead battery is new and was drained by the lights being left on an extended period of time, it will probably start immediately. If it is an old battery or it has sat for a long time (more than a month) it will probably take awhile to charge it sufficently.
   
   
   
   


6. Start the dead vehicle and let the two vehicles idle for a few minutes. If the dead vehicle refuses to start, don't keep trying or you might damage the starter. If there is the possibility of additional problems, like a lack of fuel, don't continue trying to start the dead vehicle until the other problem(s) are solved.
   
   
   
   


7. Once the dead vehicle is started and running smoothly, disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were connected. As you disconnect them, be careful not to let the dangling cables fall into the engine compartments or touch each other.
   
   
   
   


8. Drive the revived car to somewhere safe and secure before shutting off the engine. Depending on the battery's condition, it might need to be jumped the next time it is started. To properly charge the battery, attach it to a certified battery charger and leave it connected for at least 12 hours. You can also take it to an automotive repair shop for complete charging. Driving the car for an extended period can also charge the battery, but this should be done only if the other two options aren't available. A vehicle's alternator is primarily designed to maintain a battery, not charge it from a complete drain.

 

SOURCE: [Edmunds.com ]

Auto industry worried about health care bill

Auto industry worried about health care bill

 

WASHINGTON -- The auto industry, which was largely noncommittal during the yearlong debate about changes to the national health care system, remains uncertain about the effects of the new health care legislation on the industry.

General Motors Co., American Honda Motor Co. and the National Automobile Dealers Association are reviewing the new health care bill that passed the House last night to determine what it means to automakers, suppliers and dealers.

"Throughout ongoing policy talks, GM will continue to work constructively to ensure its long-standing priorities of improved health care quality and cost containment are included in the bill's implementation," GM spokesman Greg Martin said today.

Honda's chief Washington lobbyist, Edward B. Cohen, said he is awaiting Senate action. "There are a couple of issues that we are not sure how they will look after the Senate acts on the House bill," he said today.

Said Ed Tonkin, this year's chairman of NADA: "Nobody knows exactly what's in the bill that was voted on. I know it's going to be expensive."

NADA has been monitoring the legislation through coalitions in which it is involved, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tonkin said.

The House last night voted 219-212 to overhaul the U.S. health care system.

The bill, due to go to the Senate for a vote as early as this week, would extend coverage to an additional 32 million people by 2019. It also seeks to contain spiraling health care costs and prohibit insurers from suddenly dropping coverage for people who become ill and denying coverage to children with medical problems.

The legislation would cost the government $938 billion over 10 years, but those costs would be more than offset by savings in Medicare and by new taxes and fees, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees would receive tax credits to help them buy insurance for their workers. Starting in 2014, large employers could face federal fines for failing to provide coverage.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents 11 domestic and foreign automakers, hasn't been following the health care debate, a spokesman said.

 

Source: [ Automotive News ]