Honda, Chrysler and Toyota Issue Recalls

Honda is recalling more than 35,000 model year 2006-2007 U.S. Civic hybrids sold in the U.S. to fix a problem with the electrical system that could cause the headlights to turn off or the engine to stall. The company said the voltage converter that relays power from the motor assist system to the vehicle's electrical components could fail.

Honda has received seven reports of stalling engines and 82 warranty claims connected to the problem. Dealers will replace the voltage converter at no charge. Owners can call Honda at (800) 999-1009 and select option four.

Toyota is also recalling about 22,000 trucks and SUVs to fix faulty tire pressure monitoring systems on some versions of the 2008-2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra. Toyota said the systems that monitor the vehicles' tire pressure did not comply with federal safety standards that require a warning light to illuminate on the dashboard at the minimum activation pressure and the systems need to be re-calibrated.

Owners will be notified of the recall at a future date and dealers will fix the tire pressure monitoring system. Owners can call Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Chrysler's recall of about 20,000 Jeep Wranglers centers on steering issues. Chrysler Group LLC said its Jeep recall covers Wranglers from the 2010-2011 model years over potential loose fasteners to the front and rear axles. The issue could cause poor steering and handling or cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

The Wranglers were built from mid-July 2010 through mid-September 2010. The recall is expected to begin in mid-March and dealers will tighten the fasteners. Owners can call Chrysler at (800) 853-1403.

Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet — Segment First Crossover Ragtop

I was invited to participate in a media drive of the all new 2011 Nissan Murano Cabriolet which took place this past weekend (March 4 & 5, 2011) in Del Mar, California.

Myself and Tom Orlando of Bullz-eye.com shared the wheel of the “segment first” ragtop, for a cruise around town, and then a spin to Nissan's Design America facility in San Diego. 

Look for a review in the upcoming, April issue of the Business Journal, which will have a special focus section on all things automotive, but in the meantime, check out the photos below.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe offers performance, luxury, and razor-sharp style

By Lary Coppola

When I first saw the Cadillac CTS Coupe concept car at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, I thought it was absolutely breathtaking, and hoped financially troubled GM would actually build it. The brainchild of former GM product guru Bob Lutz had such a strong response everywhere it appeared, in an undeniably bold move for GM — just as the original CTS was — it decided to build the CTS Coupe to go head-to-head with the new crop of luxury coupes from German and Japanese automakers. Those include the Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe, Audi A5, Lexus IS 350 C, BMW 335i coupe, and Infiniti G37 coupe.

The radically edgy coupe is Cadillac’s first since the Eldorado, which ceased production in 2002. The CTS debuted in 2003 as a sharp-edged four-door sedan built on a new rear-wheel-drive platform — a departure for GM as radical the razor-edged design was in the heyday of jelly bean-shaped vehicles. Cadillac had been primarily front-wheel-drive for many years, utilizing a basic design pioneered by the Oldsmobile Toronado in the early 1970s.

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All new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers silky new V6 and lots more

By Lary Coppola

Everything about the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is new and improved — including the lowered price. There’s a powerful new DOHC V6, new suspension, more interior room, reclining rear seats, an optional Panoramic sunroof that extends over both rows of seats, and a front seat that folds flat to carry long things like 2x4’s, skis, and kayaks.

The design of the new Grand Cherokee actually began in Germany four years ago, when Chrysler was still Daimler-Chrysler, and some components are actually shared with the Mercedes ML SUV.

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Free iPhone App helps drivers beat the traffic

INRIX, a leading provider of traffic information and driver services, announced the immediate ability for consumers to save time and reduce frustration driving throughout Europe with the launch of a free app, INRIX Traffic!, for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Available for immediate download from the Apple App Store, INRIX Traffic! is a community-powered traffic app that uniquely helps drivers reduce the amount of time they waste stuck in traffic through a better understanding of current AND future traffic conditions. Initially available in local languages in France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg with more countries to be added later this year, INRIX Traffic! covers more than 300,000 km of motorways, city streets and secondary roads in 100 cities.

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2011 Ford Super Duty: Just what you expect — big and brawny

By Lary Coppola

Every time I see a Ford Super Duty pickup, Tim Allen’s infamous manly grunt comes immediately to mind. Whether for work or play, in all of its trim levels, this is serious machinery.

While the 2011 Super Duty is not exactly totally new, having undergone a major upgrade three years ago, the big news is the availability of a new, 6.7-liter, turbocharged Power Stroke® V-8 diesel engine, which was designed, engineered and built by Ford. It delivers best-in-class horsepower and torque at 390 and 735 ft.-lb. (at 1,600 rpm) respectively — 40 horses and 85 lb.-ft. more than the previous diesel.

There’s also an all-new 6.2-liter V-8 gas powerplant that also delivers a best-in-class 385 horses, and 405 ft.-lb. of torque – 85 more horses and 40 ft.-lb. more torque than the current 5.4-liter V-8 gas engine — combined with class-leading fuel economy and E85 compatibility.

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Nissan's funky New Juke... A little off center, but hey, it’s fun and capable

By Lary Coppola
Toyota may have started it with its odd-looking Scion XB, but if I didn’t know better, I’d swear Nissan was trying to corner the market on funk. First the boxy Cube, with its wrap-around picture window, and now the all-new 2011 Nissan Juke, which defines funk in a totally new way.


The Juke, which Nissan calls a “Sport Cross” is the smallest crossover on the market, and delivers fun and utility in an economical package. It should be hitting showrooms right about now.

While substantially smaller than Nissan’s compact Rogue crossover, it comes in eight model configurations: The Juke S, SV, and SL, with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive (AWD) available on all models. The transmission choices are a manual 6-speed or continuously variable automatic (CVT).
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