Chrysler has announced a Dodge Ram recall comprising more than 240,000 vehicles. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Chrysler has announced a massive recall of Dodge Ram pickups because of a problem with the steering system at the left-front wheel. Chrysler is recalling nearly 243,000 of the full-size pickups in the United States, including all Ram pickup series from the 2008 model year to the present.

Tie rod defect affects Dodge pickups as old as 2003

Chrysler has announced a recall of Dodge Ram pickups, according to USA Today. The company is recalling nearly a quarter of a million Ram trucks because of a defect in the steering system. A defective joint in the tie rods, part of the steering system, in the left-front wheel assembly can break, causing the vehicle to lose the ability to steer in some situations. According to the Wall Street Journal, 242,780 Dodge Ram pickups are subject to the recall in the United States. Most of the affected models are from the 2008 model year on, but some vehicles made from 2003 to 2005 could also be affected. Any Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 or 3500 models made after Feb. 14, 2008, could be affected. Ram 2500 and 3500 heavy duty models from 2003 to present may have received the faulty tie rods if they were replaced. Owners should be contacted fairly soon by dealers.

Change in key design led to defect

In early 2008, Dodge switched to a different type of tie rod in the steering linkage assembly connecting to the front driver’s side wheel, in order to improve handling. However, according to Consumer Reports, the ball stud in the tie rod can break under conditions of sharp turning, usually at low speeds such as in a parking lot. Chrysler has reported only a few minor crashes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as a result of the defect and only one minor injury. In addition to the trucks being recalled in the U.S., there are about 35,000 trucks subject to the Dodge Ram Recall in Canada and a further 8,500 in Mexico and the rest of the world.

Affected Models

• 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab 4x4s if manufactured between February and August, 2008
• 2008 to 2011 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 4×4
• 2008 to 2011 Dodge Ram 3500 Cab Chassis 4×2
• 2003 to 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 and Dodge Ram 3500 trucks that have had service on steering systems

A similar recall, according to The Detroit News, was issued in December for 22,274 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500 trucks for the same defect. However, it wasn’t believed at the time that the defect was related. Owners should take their vehicles to their local Chrysler dealership. The vehicle will be inspected, and the faulty part will be replaced along with alignment service, free of charge.

Sources

USA Today

Wall Street Journal

Consumer Reports

Detroit News

Toyota has announced a recall of all Prius cars made between 1997 and 2003. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

A fault in the power steering system has led to a Toyota Prius recall that applies to every Prius made until 2003, including the first to roll off the assembly line. Nuts in the power steering system can come loose and cause the vehicle’s steering to become unstable.

First Prius ever made affected in recall

Toyota Motor Company, which has issued several recalls in the past two years, has announced a recall of the highly popular Toyota Prius hybrid because of a problem with the power steering system, according to MSNBC. The recall effects every Prius made from 1997 to 2003. In Japan, there are 48,000 affected vehicles from model years 1997 to 2003. Worldwide, the 2001 to 2003 model years are affected, as Toyota did not begin selling the Prius in any foreign markets until 2001. Outside Japan, there are 58,000 Prius units from the affected model years. Of those, about 52,000 are in the United States, about 1,800 in the United Kingdom and 800 in Germany. In total, 106,000 cars are being recalled.

Toyota will fix for free

The Prius recall has been announced over concerns with low-quality nuts in the power steering system, according to AutoWeek. The nuts that secure the pinion shaft to the steering gear box can become loose with wear, causing the steering to become compromised and left turns to become incredibly hard to execute. The loosening will occur, according to MotorTrend, as the wheel is turned to the full lock position rapidly numerous times, which is likely to happen over a car’s lifetime. The fix, which is to install better nuts that will not loosen over time, takes about four hours, and Toyota will complete it at no charge. There has been only one accident, according to USA Today, and it was minor. The first complaint of the problem was made in August of 2007, in Japan. One complaint in the U.S. and 28 in Japan have been made concerning the steering gear box issue.

Toyota plans return to full production

Toyota has announced that it expects to be returning to full production capacity soon. Toyota’s production facilities in Japan, along with other Japanese auto manufacturers, were severely affected as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan earlier this year. However, the car maker says that it is on track to recover from the March 11 disaster faster than expected. Toyota’s operations in Japan are expected to return to 90 percent pre-earthquake capacity nearly immediately. Global operations in Thailand, China and Europe are expected to be at 100 percent capacity this month. Toyota is jumping on this recall as early as possible. The car maker has been publicly rocked by the massive Toyota recalls in the last two years that resulted in more than 14 million cars being recalled.

Sources

MSNBC

AutoWeek

MotorTrend

USA Today

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investing a possible defect in Ford F-150 pickups from 1997 to 2001. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Problems with the fuel tank straps on 1997 to 2001 Ford F-150 trucks have prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate the matter. Straps that secure the tank to the body can rust, and the tank can end up being dragged under the vehicle and possibly setting fire to the fuel. No recall has been announced yet.

Trucks can catch fire with defect

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the midst of investigating a possibly recurring defect in Ford F-150 pickup trucks from the late 1990s and early 2000s. The defect is in the fuel tank straps, the metal bands that hold the fuel tank to the body, according to Reuters. The investigation has expanded to 2.7 million possibly affected vehicles, F-150 trucks of model years 1997 to 2001. The NHTSA initially began looking into the matter in September after receiving complaints, but since the NHTSA has learned of more accidents, it is expanding the investigation.

No recall for now

The fuel straps can rust and possibly break, leading to the fuel tank being dragged under the vehicle, according to the Los Angeles Times. As a result, sparks can ignite the fuel. The NHTSA has documented 306 complaints, of which 156 were directly to Ford and 175 were made to the NHTSA. The rest were complaints lodged with both Ford and the NHTSA. The investigation began after 32 complaints had been made by September of last year. Investigations by the NHTSA into a possible defect often lead to recalls. There have been 243 cases involving the fuel tank straps giving way and being dragged on the ground. Ninety-five of those cases involved fuel leaking. Only two instances have been recorded of a vehicle catching fire, and in one the vehicle was destroyed.

Air bags a worry as well

Ford is also dealing with a recall related to the airbags in the F-150 in trucks made between 2004 and 2006. There were 269 incidents of accidental airbag deployment, according to the Los Angeles Times, and nearly a third resulted in injuries. Ninety-eight people have been injured by airbags going off for no reason, some resulting in permanent vision damage, chipped teeth and various neck and back injuries. Ford initially believed the defect was only in F-150 trucks made in Norfolk, Va., but later expanded the recall to trucks made in Dearborn, Mich., and Kansas City, Mo. The Lincoln Mark LT is also affected. Ford has recalled nearly 1.2 million vehicles as a result of the airbag problem. The defect is caused by an improperly placed wire that can wear away the insulation and expose the copper, resulting in a short circuit and discharge of the air bags.

Sources

Los Angeles Times on fuel tank investigation

Los Angeles Times on airbag recall

Reuters

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is being taken to task for not having adequate testing criteria for car seats. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Parents nationwide are becoming concerned that the safety of their child’s car seat cannot be properly tested because of flaws in crash test dummy designs. The reason is that no crash test dummies are made to simulate obese children. A growing body of research suggests the safety provided by car seats may be deceptive.

Government traffic safety organization ignoring problem

Car seat makers, car safety organizations and concerned parents are taking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to task because of a flaw in the crash test dummies that it uses in its crash tests and provides to other organizations that perform crash tests. The NHTSA, according to the Washington Post, does not have a crash test dummy suitable for testing crash safety for obese children, a growing segment of the population. There are no test dummies that simulate children weighing more than 65 pounds, nor are there child-size dummies that can be used to determine criteria for side impact, rear impact or rollover crashes. The requirements for car seats or booster seats for children are only determined by front impacts.

Seats for larger children go unregulated

The NHTSA only tests things it has regulatory control over, so if a car seat claims to do something the NHTSA has no regulation over, the car seat does not get tested by the NHTSA. Car seats made for larger children claim to keep obese children safe, but no requirements exist for obese children, so the NHTSA does not test those claims at all. Parents feel compelled to buy the seats out of concern for their child’s safety, but they could be getting swindled by a surreptitious manufacturer. A dummy the size of a 10-year-old and a 78-pound child dummy, simulating an obese child, have both been in development for a decade with no progress at all. Car seat manufacturers have simply changed weight recommendations, according to the Daily Mail, from 65 pounds to 85 pounds to market to parents of obese children. Current test dummies also do not reflect the lesser skeletal developments in children compared to adults.

Getting the Freak on

Steven Levitt, one of the authors of the “Freakonomics” series of books, released a study showing car seats were no more effective in car crashes than a lap and shoulder belt at preventing fatalities in children 2 and older. The original article is still available through the New York Times, and the whole study is available on the Freakonomics website. Levitt used NHTSA data regarding car crashes and car seats, discovering first that NHTSA claims that child seats prevent trauma or death are only compared with no restraints at all. Lap and shoulder belts were found to prevent fatalities at the exact same rate as car seats in car crashes in which at least one person died.

Sources

The Washington Post

The Daily Mail

The New York Times

Freakonomics

The Toyota recall list includes 14 million vehicles over the past two years with sudden acceleration issues. Image: CC igotphotos/Flickr

Another Toyota recall related to sudden acceleration was issued Thursday. The latest Toyota recall affects 2.17 million vehicles that include six Toyota and Lexus models. Toyota, which has attracted federal investigations with its problems, has issued recalls for more than 14 million vehicles since autumn 2009 for sudden acceleration defects.

Toyota floor mats jamming gas pedals

Toyota, the world’s No. 1 automaker, says the company issued this recall is voluntary, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requested that Toyota add the 2.17 million additional vehicles. Last year Toyota recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles to replace floor mats that jammed against gas pedals. Gas pedal mechanisms on certain models also became stuck. The NHTSA conducted an investigation into Toyota’s sudden acceleration problem and determined that vehicle electronics were not the issue. More than half of the models under the latest Toyota recall involve gas pedals getting stuck in the floor mat. The move satisfied the NHTSA, which has closed its Toyota investigation.

Vehicles on the Toyota recall list

In addition to floor mat defects, Toyota also identified problems with the shape and functionality of interior panels and carpeting that may interfere with the gas pedal. The Toyota recall list issued Thursday includes the following vehicles:

Lexus GS: About 20,000 2006 and early 2007 Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive vehicles require the shape of the plastic pad embedded in the driver’s side floor carpet to be modified.
Lexus RX: About 372,000 2004 through 2006 and early 2007 Lexus RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400h vehicles require replacement of the driver’s side floor carpet cover and retention clips.
Toyota Highlander: About 397,000 2004 through 2006 Toyota Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles have floor mat/gas pedal issues.
Toyota 4Runner: About 603,000 2003 to 2009 4Runners — floor mats.
Lexus LX:17,000 2009 to 2011 Lexus LXs — floor mats.
Toyota RAV4: Some 761,00 2006 through 2010 RAV4 — floor-mats.

Toyota’s sudden acceleration nightmare

Toyota, which had established a reputation as the most reliable brand in the world, has seen that image sullied by an epidemic of sudden acceleration problems over the past two years. Toyota recalls have quelled the automaker’s momentum and given its rivals an opportunity to gain market share. While major automakers increased U.S. auto sales in 2010, Toyota’s U.S. auto sales declined, and the company ceded its No. 2 spot in U.S. auto sales to Ford. Toyota is also dealing with hundreds of personal injury, wrongful death and economic damage lawsuits related to sudden acceleration issues in models dating back to 2002.

Sources

Los Angeles Times

USA Today

MSNBC

The new crash test results are out from the NHTSA. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The latest batch of crash tests by the government has just been released. The new ratings put the total number of stars up to 5. In the first round of testing, there were only two five-star vehicles. The BMW 5 series and the Hyundai Sonata were the only cars that got five stars in the tests. The initial round of testing put 34 vehicles through crash testing, including a new sliding side impact collision test.

A new standard for crash tests

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed the crash test rating system. Instead of the usual one to four star scale, it is now one to five. The first round of testing, according to USA Today, has just concluded. The first round of tests were conducted on 34 vehicles. The second round will test 22 more. Along with the new rating system, more stringent criteria are being used. There is also a new test. The new test is for a side collision while skidding. The NHTSA also tested for electronic stability control and other crash avoidance systems. The NHTSA also urges people not to compare the earlier standards to the new standards.

BMW and Hyundai score top marks

There were only two five-star crash tested vehicles. The BMW 5 series and the Hyundai Sonata were the only cars to warrant a perfect five-star crash test. There were also only three cars that rated less than four. The Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid were the only two vehicles to get a three-star rating. Last year, the Camry got the highest scores. The Nissan Versa received the lowest score of two. Every other vehicle tested got four out of five stars.

Still more to go

This only the initial round of tests. There are more than 22 cars that still have to go through crash testing from the NHTSA. The entire list is available from the government at Safercar.gov for those interested in checking out the ratings before they buy.

Sources

USA Today

Safercar.gov

The Cadillac Escalade is not only the most often stolen vehicle, but the most expensive to have stolen. Image: Flickr/rogerbarker

The Highway Loss Data Institute, a part of the National Institute for Highway Safety, has released its 2010 theft numbers. By comparing the number of insured vehicles on the road to the number of theft claims, HLDI creates the most-stolen list. This year, the Cadillac Escalade topped the list, and pickups are becoming more frequent targets. The number of theft claims have declined, though the amount paid out has been rising.

10. Chevrolet Corvette Z06

With a huge engine, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is stolen .17 percent of the time with the help of anti-theft devices. With the highest average loss per theft, though, the $41,229 loss has insurance companies skittish about this vehicle.

9. Nissan Pathfinder Armada

If you own a Nissan Pathfinder Armada, you have about a .45 percent chance of having it stolen. However, that insurance claim is more likely to be very costly — $12,458.

8. GMC Yukon

This large SUV is has a claim frequency of about 5.7 claims per 1,000 insured vehicles. Average payment per claim is just a few cents less than $9,499.

7. Hummer H2 4WD

In addition to being the most likely to be ticketed vehicle, the Hummer H2 is more likely to be stolen. With average losses of $10,324 and a .62 percent chance of being stolen, the Hummer H2 can be dangerous to own.

6. Dodge Charger HEMI

The only family car on the most often stolen list, the Dodge Charger HEMI is stolen 7.1 times out of every 1,000 vehicles.

5. Infiniti G37

The Dodge Charger HEMI and Infiniti G37 both share a .71 percent chance of being stolen, but average payouts for the Infiniti G37 are just about $200 more.

4. Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

This very large SUV only has a claim frequency of .74 percent, but the average losses are almost $1,000 more than the Silverado 1500 — at $7,571.

3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab

Pickup trucks are a rising concern when it comes to stolen vehicles. Very often, the average loss is higher because trucks have expensive tools. About .8 percent of Silverados are stolen.

2. Ford F-250 Crew

Almost one out of every 100 Ford F-250 pickups are stolen, with a claim frequency of .97 percent.

1. Cadillac Escalade

Topping out the list of stolen vehicles and most stolen SUVs is the Cadillac Escalade. With 1.08 percent of these vehicles stolen and a average loss per claim of $11,934, the Escalade is an expensive vehicle for insurance companies to take on.

Are you a victim of anchoring? If you've purchased a car, the answer is more than likely, "Yes, indeed." (Photo Credit: CC BY/emilio labrador/Flickr)

When people make decisions, they generally adjust their outlook based upon a set perception, or anchor. Once a person has established an anchor to compare related circumstances against, that anchor tends to remain set in the individual’s mind. This process of bias is called anchoring, and the retail sales industry uses it to great advantage when dealing with consumers. While there is no single tactic to resist the mind’s natural inclination toward anchoring, it pays to know how auto dealers use it to make high prices seem palatable. Knowing may help consumers to step back and look at prices with greater clarity.

Anchoring at the auto lot: A demonstration

A prospective auto buyer who has never heard of anchoring – call her Marcy – walks onto a used car lot. Her old Toyota is holding up, but Marcy wants something new and more environmentally friendly. A sharp hybrid catches her eye. She checks it out from front to back, sits in it and wonders if she may have found her dream car. But when she looks at the sticker price, the shock sets in. The used hybrid costs $24,998; she simply can’t afford it.

However, a smiling used car salesman makes his way over. He asks her if she likes the car, and while Marcy does, she exclaims dejectedly that it’s out of her price range. She loves how she feels when she sits in the hybrid, but can’t get around that ugly price. What the salesman says next catches Marcy pleasantly by surprise.

‘Don’t worry about that. It’s on sale right now for $14,000!’

That’s all that Marcy needs. Without further thought, she hits the finance office, applies for an auto loan and is eventually behind the wheel of her beloved new hybrid. Unfortunately, she has fallen prey to one of the oldest retail con jobs in the book, writes You Are Not So Smart. Marcy didn’t know exactly what the hybrid was worth before falling in love; the car salesman used anchoring to reel her into the sales office. The markdown he offered seemed tremendous to Marcy, but the sad reality is that the actual value of the car was $9,997. The markup is what was tremendous. Marcy needed an anchor to help her make her purchase decision, and the salesman obliged. It just wasn’t the best anchor for Marcy; it was designed to save the car dealer’s budget, not hers.

Haggle, don’t buy the vapor

Typically, the price we’re willing to pay for an item has very little to do with the elements that would actually contribute toward the specific value of a purchase. Focusing on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price – or in the above scenario, the used car dealer’s apparent markdown – creates an unrealistic expectation of cost. It anchors the mind to an inflated price that is far above what the dealer paid for it, let alone its true worth.

When you allow a dealer to play psychological games with you, you’re buying into a notion as solid as vapor. Haggling pulls you away from the concept of anchoring and can make less experienced auto dealers squirm. You have the ability to control your decisions, rather than relying upon anchors. Come prepared with information regarding the car you intend to purchase, but always try to haggle for a lower price. More experienced car dealers will always expect it.

Car Deal Expert helps you shop for the best auto loan rates

Sources:

Wikipedia

You Are Not So Smart

The Hummer H2/H3 tops the list for most ticketed vehicles. Image: Flickr/Anatoli Axelrod

Getting a ticket is never fun. For most members of the driving public, though, it’s a part of life. On average, .23 tickets are issued for every 100,000 vehicle miles driven in the United States. Certain vehicles tend to drive that average up — though whether it is because of the drivers or the vehicle is impossible to say. Based on an average of tickets issued in 2007 and 2008, these are the 10 vehicles ticketed most often in the United States:

10 – Toyota Matrix

Drivers in a Toyota Matrix, on average, received 2.64 times more tickets than most drivers. At a rate of .6 tickets per 100,000 miles driven, this vehicle is just the first of many Toyota cars to make the list.

9 – Audi A4

The Audi A4 has a reputation for speed and luxury at a relatively low price, making it attractive to young buyers with a habit of driving a bit more dangerously.

8 – Subaru Outback

All-weather capability and hauling capacity combined apparently is the perfect recipe for a ticket. Easier to spot and on the roads much more often, Subaru Outbacks tend to get about .62 tickets per 100,000 miles traveled.

7 – Scion xA

Concentrated in urban environments, where tickets tend to be more common, the Scion xA tends to clock in at about .63 tickets per 100,000 miles.

6 – Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

The first muscle car on the list, drivers of this 500-horsepower beast get 2.76 times more tickets than average.

5 – Toyota Camry Solara

A two-door coupe with a sunroof, the Solara tends to be popular with a wide range of people. These drivers, though, also tend to get tickets at a rate of about 2.95 times more than average.

4 – Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG

This Mercedes has a huge jump in tickets. With 3.97 times more tickets than average, this high-horse-power vehicle tends to catch the attention of officers.

3 – Scion xB

Higher off the ground and boxy, this Scion xB gets an average of almost one ticket per 100,000 miles – more than four times the average of most.

2 – Scion tC

The most classic-looking Scion gets about 4.6 times the number of tickets than most. 1.05 tickets per 100,000 miles driven makes this Toyota vehicle the most ticket-prone that the car maker sells.

1 – Hummer H2/H3

Though the combined category of Hummer H2 and H3 may send the numbers a bit higher, the simple fact is that these conspicuous vehicles’ drivers get more tickets than any other. It could be design, it could be personality, or it could be attention — but long story short, if you drive a Hummer, you are more likely to be talking with a cop.

The least-ticketed vehicle in the study? The Jaguar XJ Sedan.

Source

MSN Money Central

Buying a new car is exciting. Car salespeople know this and use emotional appeal to their advantage. (Photo: ThinkStock)

Car salespeople who offer a no-pressure, honest sales face to the public will still engage in a number of psychological tricks and triggers to get you to buy that new car. Typically it’s perfectly legal. Thus, consumers should know car salespeople tricks of the trade before going shopping at a lot.

Car salespeople are trying to make a living

Recessionary times require extra sales ingenuity from car salespeople. Here are some of the most common tricks car salespeople will use to make the sale. Thanks to All About Auto Zone for the heads up; Car Deal Expert will fill in the blanks.

1. Using emotional appeal

Buying a new car is exciting. Even if it’s used, it’s new to you. Car salespeople will attempt to tap into the emotional highs of expectation to guide you into a purchase. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, you’ll want to keep your logical brain ready in reserve to analyze whether a deal is as good as the salesperson is trying to make you feel.

2. Let’s be friends

While many car salespeople don’t begin their day with the stated goal of ruining a poor consumer’s life, it can sure end up that way. Just remember that it isn’t you and the salesperson against the big bad dealer; the salesperson needs to profit from the transaction, as they are earning commission. Your car salesperson could be friendly by nature, but you can’t let your guard down and assume they are truly a friend. Be logical and expect some psychological gamesmanship. The car salesperson wants you to relax and drop your guard.

3. Know your trade-in value

Knowing the Blue Book value of any vehicle you may be offering up as a trade-in is essential. Otherwise, you won’t know just how much the dealer is trying to undersell you. Fair trade-in value can be determined via Blue Book, Edmunds Used Car Prices or a host of other sources. Look it upon online or get a copy at the bookstore before you go to the lot.

4. High trade-in and high selling price

Your best friend the car salesperson may impress you with an inordinately high dollar amount for your trade-in. Of course, there can be a trade off. You may face a barrage of hard-sell options, a higher selling price or even higher interest rate (why not use Car Deal Expert instead?)

5. Offer expires today

This is rarely true. If a car salesperson insists that their offer is only good today, or even for the next hour, it’s typically bogus. Be on your guard.

6. The salesperson is overly emphatic over your ability to afford payments

Walking you through the numbers to show you what monthly payments would look like is one thing. However, going to great lengths to assure you that you can afford the monthly payment they’ve devised could be a warning sign. You need to know what you can afford; nobody else can make that decision for you. If they’re playing amateur psychologist and using every method under the sun to console and convince you, then they’re probably trying to hard sell you.

Avoid the dealer finance hassle – use Car Deal Expert for your auto loans

Sources:

All About Auto Zone

Who is that masked car salesman?