‘Maintenance’ Archives
Consumer Reports: It’s Safe to Buy the 2010 Lexus GX 460
Back in April, Consumer Reports found a slight problem with the Lexus GX 460 SUV. It had a tendency to almost roll over in emergency maneuver tests. As you could imagine, it's generally not good to get into an accident while trying to avoid one. So CR put a "Do Not Buy" stamp of disapproval on the car until Lexus had a chance to make some [...]
If You Own a Lexus GX 460, Here’s Your Recall Information
The stability problems we mentioned yesterday are being addressed by Toyota. Today, the company announced that 9400 (or so) GX 460s are being recalled for electronic stability control problems. Here's the word on the GX 460 recall, directly from Toyota: Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced it will conduct a voluntary [...]
Toyota Engineers Recreate Handling Problems with 2010 Lexus GX 460
On Friday, April 16 Toyota engineers duplicated handling problems with the 2010 Lexus GX 460 (a variant of the Toyota Sequoia). Earlier last week the independent consumer watchdog Consumer Reports gave the Lexus a "do not buy" recommendation. Here's a snippet from CR's report: Consumer Reports has judged the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV a Don’t [...]
More Hybrid Car Owner Feedback: The Repair Log of a Hybrid with 137,000 Miles
Awhile back I wrote about a guy who purchased a 2003 Honda Civic hybrid, and his experience as an early adopter of new technology. They guy drove the thing into the ground within 5 years, putting 137,000 miles on the engine and drivetrain. He got his money's worth for the vehicle. What makes him special is that he wrote in detail about his [...]
Hybrid Car Owner Feedback: The 137,000-Mile 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid
Occasionally you'll hear people blather on about why buying a hybrid car isn't a smart move. They're in the office, on the train, at parties, and other places. Some don't want you to do it because they didn't have an opportunity to (but you won't actually hear them say this). Others don' t want you to take the dive because it would be an [...]
Toyota Recall Update: Video of How Toyota is Fixing the Floor Mat Problem
No real need for me to blather on. If you own a Prius on the recall list, you need to watch this video. And look for the info from Toyota in the mail.
Hybrid Car Braking Problems: Ford Issues Advisory on 2010 Fusion Hybrid Brakes
During a recent road test, the reviewers at Consumer Reports experienced the following problem with braking in a 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid: As one of our senior engineers slowed for a stop sign at the turnoff to our test facility in East Haddam, Connecticut, the brake pedal went unexpectedly further down than normal but the car barely slowed. [...]
2010 Toyota Prius Owner Alert: Have Your Dealer Fix Your Brakes
If you've purchased a 2010 Toyota Prius, take your car in for brake service. A problem with braking software results in a pause in the transition between regenerative and hydraulic braking in rough or slippery road situations. In layman's terms that means when driving on a bumpy road you put your foot on the brake, and it doesn't feel like it [...]
A Video Overview of the Problem With Toyota Acceleration
From our friends at Edmunds, complete with an explanation of what the problem is and models directly affected by the recall.
Do We Really Buy Cars Based on Gas Prices?
The friendly people at Good.is bring us a super-huge chart showing the correlation between gas prices and the kinds of cars we buy. Basically, we dump the most inefficient vehicles, and the difference is spread across other types. But it's the percentages that's what is interesting. Pardon some of the math errors, especially where it comes [...]
