This is what loving cars, and family, is all about...

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American Suzuki files for bankruptcy protection

From the Associated Press

American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it will cease selling automobiles in the U.S. as part of a plan to restructure its business.

American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it will cease selling automobiles in the U.S. as part of a plan to restructure its business.

The company, based in Brea, Calif., is the sole distributor of Suzuki Motor Co. vehicles in the continental U.S.

In documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Central District of California, the company estimated that its debts and liabilities range from at least $100 million to as much as $500 million.

It also said it has between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors.

American Suzuki Motor said it has enough cash to operate during the restructuring and intends to honor all car warranties and buyback agreements. It will work with its car dealerships to help them transition into parts-and-service operations. In some cases, the dealerships will be shuttered, it said.

Once it exits bankruptcy protection, American Suzuki Motor said it will focus on selling Suzuki motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines.

It said that it is exiting the car business because of slow sales, unfavorable foreign exchange rates and high costs due to U.S. regulatory requirements.

It sold 2,023 vehicles in October, which was up 5 percent from the same month last year. Its Grand Vitara sport utility vehicle posted a 64 percent jump in sales last month, although American Suzuki did not say how many of them were sold. In May, the last month it provided a breakdown of its sales, it moved 474 Grand Vitaras, while its biggest seller was its SX4 small crossover, of which 1,101 were sold.

The bankruptcy and reorganization are unrelated to its parent Japan-based Suzuki Motor Corp., which intends to buy the American subsidiary’s remaining businesses and automotive service operation.

The reorganized company will retain the American Suzuki Motor name, the company said.

Flash Drive — 2012 Mini Countryman a capable, fun ride

By Bruce Caldwell

Model Tested: 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

Engine: 1-6-liter turbocharged dohc I-4, 181 hp, 177 lb/ft

Transmission: 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive

EPA Ratings: 25-mpg city
31-mpg highway

Base Price: $27,050

As Tested: $35,500

Performance:

A sports car that can go off-roading

Strong, responsive engine

Excellent 6-speed transmission, smooth clutch

Welcome hill hold clutch function

Comfort:

Stretch out front seat room

Extra thick, contoured steering wheel

Largest ever Mini Cooper rear seat

Decent highway ride

Utility:

It’s the largest Mini ever, so it carries more than other Minis

Four doors and a hatch optimize accessibility

Folding rear seats and flat cargo floor

Wide hatch opening

Decent cargo capacity

WOW Factors:

High fun-to-drive factor

Uniqueness of a Mini Cooper S

Tons of high-tech features; it’s like an iPad on wheels

Very light interior thanks to panoramic sunroof

Gets lots of positive attention

Fun, fun, fun

Whines:

Extensive option list can run up price

Oversize central speedo is more funky than functional

Too small interior storage bins

Electronic features not very intuitive

Small center armrest interferes with odd E-brake

Too small sun visors

Bottom Line:

The Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 is unique and quirky. Its many odd features can be annoying, but its incredible fun factor quickly overrides them. The Mini Countryman ALL4 functionality is fine, but having on and off road fun is the key reason to buy one.

More Recalls — Honda (Again) and Dodge

Honda has announced it is recalling CR-V crossovers from the 2002 to 2006 model years because an electrical switch in the driver's side door could melt and cause a fire. The problem involves around 268,000 vehicles. Honda said rain or other liquids could enter through a driver's open window and damage the master power switch on the door. If that happens, the switch could overheat and melt, causing a fire. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said owners should park their CR-Vs from those model years outside until the recall is performed to avoid any property damage from a fire. A fire could start even when the ignition is off and the CR-V is parked. Honda agreed that concerned owners should park their CR-Vs away from structures that could burn. But spokesman Ed Miller emphasized that a switch is unlikely to catch fire unless someone spilled liquid on it or let a large amount of rain into the vehicle through the driver's side window.

Honda said owners have reported four fires but no injuries or crashes associated with the issue. The company will begin contacting owners next month and will repair the vehicles for free. Honda will install a cover plate inside the switch to prevent any liquid from coming in, Miller said.

It was the third major recall in a week for the Japanese automaker, which usually sits near the top in J.D. Power and Associates' annual rankings of vehicle quality. Earlier the company said it was recalling 820,000 Civic compact and Pilot SUVs from the 2002 through 2004 model years because the headlights can fail. CR-Vs were also recalled earlier this spring for that same issue.

Honda is also recalling 600,000 Accord midsize cars because a faulty power steering house can leak and cause a fire. That recall affects Accords with V6 engines from the 2003 to 2007 model years.

The NHTSA also announced that it's investigating complaints that Honda Odyssey minivans and Pilot SUVs can roll away after drivers remove the ignition key. That investigation involves vehicles from the 2003 and 2004 model years.

Also he government announced a recall of 44,300 Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota pickup trucks from the 2009 and 2010 model years. The trucks have a nut that could loosen on the rear axle, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles. The government and Chrysler Group LLC said there have been 15 reports of rear axle failure and three minor injuries related to the issue.

Driverless Cars Coming To California?

Gov. Jerry Brown rode to Google headquarters in a self-driving Toyota Prius before signing legislation recently that will pave the way for driverless cars in California. The bill by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla will establish safety and performance regulations to test and operate autonomous vehicles on state roads and highways.

"Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality — the self-driving car," Brown said. "Anyone who gets inside a car and finds out the car is driving will be a little skittish, but they'll get over it."

Google Inc. has been developing autonomous car technology and lobbying for the regulations. The company's fleet of a dozen computer-controlled vehicles has logged more than 300,000 miles of self-driving without an accident, according to Google.

"I think the self-driving car can really dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone," Google co-founder Sergey Brin said. Autonomous cars can make roads safer, free commuters from the drudgery of driving, reduce congestion and provide transport to people who can't drive themselves, such as the blind, disabled, elderly and intoxicated, he added. "I expect that self-driving cars will be far safer than human-driven cars."

Brin predicted that autonomous vehicles will be commercially available within a decade. He said Google has no plans to produce its own cars, but instead plans to partner with the automobile industry to develop autonomous vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers expressed concern that California is moving too quickly to embrace self-driving cars and needs to first sort out liability issues. "Unfortunately this legislation lacks any provision protecting an automaker whose car is converted to an autonomous operation vehicle without the consent or even knowledge of that auto manufacturer," the trade group said in a statement. 

Autonomous cars use computers, sensors and other technology to operate independently, but a human driver can override the autopilot function and take control of the vehicle at any time. With smartphone-wielding drivers more distracted than ever, backers say robotic vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce collisions and traffic fatalities, noting that nearly all car accidents are a result of human error.

The legislation requires the California Department of Motor Vehicles to draft regulations for autonomous vehicles by Jan. 1, 2015. Currently, state law doesn't mention self-driving cars because the technology is so new. The regulations would allow vehicles to operate autonomously, but a licensed driver would still need to sit behind the wheel to serve as a backup operator in case of emergency.

The legislation also is aimed at keeping California at the forefront of the autonomous car industry since Stanford University and Silicon Valley companies have been working on the technology for years. In February, Nevada became the first U.S. state to approve regulations spelling out requirements for companies to test driverless cars on that state's roads.

Automakers such as Ford, Volvo, Audi, and BMW have been working on autonomous car technology for years. In recent years, automakers also have introduced precursors — autonomous functions such as self-parking, lane departure warnings and adaptive cruise-control — which allow vehicles to automatically accelerate and decelerate with the flow of traffic.

GM recalling more than 40,000 cars for potential fuel leaks

General Motors has announced it is recalling more than 40,000 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 sedans from the 2007 through 2009 model years, and the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent SUVs and Saturn Ion sedans from the 2007 model year. The recall only impacts cars sold in warm weather states because a plastic part may crack and cause a fuel leak.

The recall affects vehicles sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada or Texas. Owners in Arkansas and Oklahoma also are included in the recall of the 2009 Cobalt and G5. The vehicles have plastic parts connected to the fuel pump which could crack. If the crack gets large enough, fuel could leak out of the vehicle and cause a fire.

GM says there have been no reports of fires or injuries related to the defect. The company began investigating the issue in 2011 after a dealer reported fuel leaking from some vehicles.

GM says its warranty data indicates that the problem is far more common in warm-weather states. It will repair the vehicles for free in those states. Owners will be notified of the recall by mail. But the company also plans to send letters to owners in other states offering a free repair within a limited time period if the parts are cracked. That offer is valid for 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date the vehicle was sold, GM spokesman Alan Adler said.

Honda recalling 600,000 Accords for faulty hoses

Honda has announced it will recall 600,000 Accords in the U.S. and Canada to fix a faulty power steering hose that can leak fluid and possibly cause a fire.

The recall affects Accords with V-6 engines from the 2003 through 2007 model years. Honda has a report of one fire but no injuries or crashes.

The five-passenger Accord is consistently among the top-selling vehicles in the United States, mainly because of its reputation for reliability and fuel economy. For years it has been the nation's second-best-selling car, beaten only by the Toyota Camry.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting on its website that the Accord's power steering hose can deteriorate with prolonged exposure to engine heat, which can cause it to crack and leak, possibly causing a fire or loss of power-assisted steering. 

Honda will replace the hoses for free, but it won't have the parts available until early next year. Any owner who suspects a leak should take their car to a dealer for inspection, Honda spokesman Ed Miller stated. The company that makes the Accord's power-steering hoses had to ramp up manufacturing to make them since the affected cars are more than five model years old and the hoses were out of production, he added. "We're going to start making them and getting them out there as soon as we can."

The Accords are being added to a May recall of 53,000 Acura TL midsize luxury cars in the U.S. from the 2007 and 2008 model years. Acura is Honda's luxury brand.

The replacement hoses for the Accords are different from the hoses in the original Acura recall.