Recently, whenever Toyota has a quality issue Automotive News likes to suggest that this might severely damage their reputation. The latest case: Toyota is recalling 3.6 million cars because the floormats might slide forward and snag the accelerator. Cases of “unintended acceleration” have caused some accidents and even a few deaths, so they can be very serious. If the recall… More →
Category: Car Safety
Car Safety
About the left lane
I drove 700 miles yesterday, and for the most part the trip was uneventful. But while driving around DC it became painfully obvious that most drivers in that part of the country (and probably most other parts as well) either don’t know or don’t care how to properly use the highways. I’m speaking specifically about the common practice of sliding… More →
Unrestful headrests
An increasing amount of attention is being focused on whiplash protection, and as a result manufacturers have been designing headrests that offer better protection when the car is rear-ended. This is a good thing, right? Well, not entirely. In some cases a safer headrest can be very uncomfortable. To make the headrest safer, the manufacturer positions it further forward, sometimes… More →
The end of aftermarket leather?
Manufacturers often only offer leather in a model with a bunch of other features, such as a sunroof. Or vehicles with leather are in short supply. Or leather simply isn’t offered in a model. The usual solution: aftermarket leather. But Automotive News reports today that GM has had to buy back 800 cars because they were re-sold with aftermarket leather.… More →
Getting to Chicago: winter tires are not a guarantee
I got to Chicago in time for the welcoming event hosted by Bridgestone. Which was better than many people could say, as the weather was preventing many planes from landing. I’m smart enough to know that flying into Chicago in the winter doesn’t make sense if you live less than 300 miles away. As it was, the roads were awful,… More →
Trouble driving on snow and ice?
I’ve received emails asking which all-wheel-drive vehicle to get, as the current car has trouble on snow and ice. On many forums, you’ll find similar questions. Well, the solution to dicey snow and ice driving isn’t usually a new car. Just new tires.