Vehicles affected by service bulletin:
The problem: Because of incomplete bonding of the front-door trim strip, water can get between the trim strip and door. Corrosion can then set in the area of the guide holes, which hold the trim strip in place.
Corrective action: Dealers will inspect corrosion damage and fix it if the total repair cost is 80 percent or less of the cost of complete door replacement. If repair cost is more than 80 percent of door replacement cost, the door will be replaced.
Warranty info: This repair will be covered under the limited rust/corrosion perforation warranty, which is good for 12 years/unlimited mileage.
What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's eligible for repairs under this service bulletin. You can call Volkswagen directly at 800-822-8987 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 5714-06.
Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.
Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.
Check for recalls here on Cars.com.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 2,600 model-year 2014-15 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive plug-in hatchbacks manufactured between Nov. 21, 2013, and May 26, 2015
The Problem: A communication error within the electric drive system may shut down the electric powertrain unit, temporarily immobilizing the vehicle and resulting in a loss of propulsion power; a vehicle stall in traffic increases the risk of a crash.
The Fix: Dealers will update the electric drive system software for free.
What Owners Should Do: Mercedes-Benz will begin notifying owners in December. Owners can call the automaker at 800-367-6372, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Extreme performance sedans like the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V are often so focused on performing on a track that they make a commute or quick drive to the grocery store a lesson in discomfort. Not the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 86,000 model-year 2002-05 Mini Cooper and Cooper S cars, and model-year 2005 Cooper and Cooper S convertibles
The Problem: Temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance will require extra steering effort at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, and replace the components and wiring as necessary for free.
What Owners Should Do: Mini will begin notifying owners on Dec. 1. Owners can call the automaker at 866-825-1525, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 1,900 model-year 2016 Ford Mustang vehicles built at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant from Sept. 26 through Oct. 1, 2015
The Problem: Ford is reporting that some seat belt and child safety restraint parts could have been damaged during shipment from the supplier. If damaged, the parts do not conform to federal safety standards, increasing the risk of an injury in a crash. The automaker said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the recall.
The Fix: Dealers will replace front and rear seat belt assemblies, rear seat buckle assemblies and components of the Latch child safety restraint system for free.
What Owners Should Do: Ford has not yet released an owner notification schedule. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 for more information.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 111,000 model-year 2009-10 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX SUVs manufactured between Sept. 11, 2008, and July 1, 2010, at the automaker's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, and currently registered or originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin
The Problem: Corrosion under the reinforcement brackets where the fuel tank is mounted to the vehicle could result in a fuel odor, fuel leak or a check engine light, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and either repair or replace it for free.
What Owners Should Do: Ford did not immediately announce an owner-notification schedule. Owners can call the automaker at 866-436-7332, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, the number of partygoers and trick-or-treaters roaming the streets by foot and by car is sure to soar. It's a time that should be nothing but fun, but according to these scary facts, Halloween can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Related: More Safety News
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration lists Halloween as consistently one of the top three nights for pedestrian injuries and fatalities. For kids, the statistics are even deadlier. Kids are twice as likely to be killed by a car while walking on Halloween than any other night of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Deaths related to drunken drivers are also up: More than 115 people were killed by drunken drivers on Halloween night between 2009 and 2013, NHTSA reports.
No, we here at Cars.com are not going as Debbie Downers this year for Halloween. We love Halloween, but we want it to be safe for everyone, so use the following tips to keep you and yours safe this spooktacular night. You can thank us in candy later.
Once everyone is home safely, allow the kids a few pieces of candy before bed (after you've checked to be sure it's safe, of course) and then carry on with binge-watching old horror films while binge-eating some of the wee ones' candy. They won't even notice.
Vehicles affected by service bulletin:
The problem: Timing chains on N63 engines have been found to stretch and wear out prematurely, resulting in premature valvetrain wear and reduced engine performance.
Corrective action: BMW has come up with a test procedure to determine timing chain wear. Dealers will perform this test in conjunction with the N63 Customer Care Package, which is designed to ensure proper long-term engine operation. After this test has been performed, dealers will replace the chain as necessary, along with all accompanying hardware, including the chain tensioner and hardware as well as the chain sprocket. The oil and oil filter will be changed, and techs will reprogram the vehicle's onboard computer to alert drivers of shorter oil-change intervals.
Warranty info: This repair is covered under the new car limited warranty or, if applicable, the certified pre-owned warranty. If an extended warranty is in place and the factory warranty has expired, the repair might be covered under that warranty.
What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's eligible for repairs under this service bulletin. You can call BMW directly at 800-831-1117 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 111614.
Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.
Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.
Check for recalls here on Cars.com.
When it arrives in dealerships on Nov. 11, the refreshed-for-2016 Nissan Altima sedan will start at $23,325, including an $825 destination charge; that's a $200 increase from the previous version and a bit more than the base price of Altima's main rival, the Honda Accord. The 2016 Accord starts at $22,925, including a destination fee.
Related: 2016 Nissan Altima: First Look
The automaker's best-selling car received a Maxima-like makeover for the 2016 model year, as well updated interior styling and features. Exterior design changes include a lower, more muscular front end; a new V-shaped grille; sculpted hood and fenders; and optional LED "boomerang" headlights and daytime running lights. Inside is a new center stack and cupholder design, available 5- and 7-inch multimedia screens, Nissan's Zero Gravity seats and soft-touch finishes on door panels. Upgraded tech features include Apple's Siri Eyes Free and NissanConnectSM with Mobile Apps, standard on all models above the base 2.5 trim.
The new SR trim adds 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, smoked headlights, paddle shifters, a rear spoiler, trim-specific suspension tuning and sporty interior accents. The SR trim is available on both 2.5 and 3.5 Altima models.
Under the hood in 2.5 models is a 182-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and in 3.5 models, there's a 270-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the four-cylinder is 27/39/31 mpg city/highway/combined, a 1 mpg improvement over the previous version's highway figure thanks in part to new aerodynamics. The V-6 gets 22/32/26 mpg, identical to the previous model's rating.
The 2016 Altima pricing structure is as follows:
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 75,000 model-year 2015 Jeep Cherokee SUVs
The Problem: The air-conditioning lines may have been installed in close proximity to their engines' exhaust manifolds; under certain operating conditions this could increase the risk of a fire. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said it launched an investigation after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received two customer complaints about smoke and fire.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect the air-conditioning lines and replace them, as necessary, for free. Owners who observe air-conditioning loss or any other concern, such as a dashboard warning light, should contact their dealers, the automaker said.
What Owners Should Do: FCA did not immediately announce an owner-notification schedule. Owners can call the automaker at 800-853-1403 for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Vehicles Affected: The Detroit News is reporting that General Motors is recalling approximately 1.4 million vehicles worldwide. Affected cars include the 1997-2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina, 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue and 1997-2004 Buick Regal.
The Problem: During hard braking, drops of engine oil could drip onto the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire. This is an expansion of previous recalls and the vehicles involved are being recalled again. According to the Detroit News, GM said that this recall is not related to any crashes or fatalities but 19 related injuries have been reported along with over 1,300 vehicle fires.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts for free.
What Owners Should Do: GM has not yet released an owner notification schedule, but in prior related recalls, the automaker directed owners of affected cars to park outside to decrease the risk of a fire in the garage. Owners can call GM at 866-636-2273 for more information.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
When it was introduced, the current-generation Volkswagen Passat sedan won Cars.com's top award, the Best of 2012. The midsize-priced, full-size sedan aged well, and the 2015 even took third place against nine competitors -- most of which had been redesigned more recently -- in our $27,000 Midsize Sedan Challenge. We liked many aspects but thought others needed improvement. So how did Volkswagen's product planners handle the 2016 Passat refresh? They left well enough alone and improved what was necessary. Mostly, at least.
Related: Research the 2016 Volkswagen Passat
When the 2016 Passat hits dealerships in November, it'll start at $23,260 including destination, roughly the same as the base 2015 with an automatic transmission, but with added features. (The manual gearbox is discontinued for 2016.) We can't ignore the fact that timing isn't great for Volkswagen to be launching an updated Passat. Cars are underperforming relative to SUVs and pickup trucks (in a market that's growing overall), and the larger the car class, the lower the apparent interest.
Then there's that whole diesel emissions cheating scandal, which included TDI versions of the 2012-2015 Passat. For now we'll say the TDI version of the 2016 Passat is on hold because VW withdrew its 2016 diesel models from consideration for EPA certification pending legitimately clean operation. No word on timing for that model's release.
So for now the Passat comes with a turbo four-cylinder or six-cylinder gasoline engine, each with a dedicated six-speed automatic transmission and both with front-wheel drive.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Cars.com photo by Joe Wiesenfelder
The car's trim levels have changed and now include the 1.8T four-cylinder in S, SE, SE with Technology, SEL and SEL Premium versions. A new 1.8T R-Line slots between the S and SE in price. The six-cylinder comes only as the V6 SEL Premium. I drove three versions at a national introduction in and around Stowe, Vt.
VW wisely didn't mess with the gasoline powertrains or the ride and handling, so I'll hold the regular driving impressions for my upcoming full 2016 Passat review and refer you to my 2015 review's How It Drives section, which still applies to the 2016 model.
One change of note is a mileage improvement for the four-cylinder; it gets a 2 mpg boost in its EPA-estimated highway rating and a 1 mpg combined bump, resulting in a 25/38/29 mpg city/highway/combined rating. VW says it results from underbody aerodynamic changes, an air conditioning compressor that can be decoupled from the engine and an alternator change that cuts wasteful drag by 85 percent. These steps shouldn't alter the driving experience, and didn't seem to. The six-cylinder's rating is unchanged at 20/28/23 mpg but it now accepts regular rather than premium gas, itself an improvement.
One common complaint was the car's modest, boring styling, and VW has taken steps to address that with an updated nose and tail for 2016. The front fenders are more shapely and the hood is creased and domed. The VW badge no longer creeps up into a cutout in the hood; a thick header piece separates the leading edge of the hood from the headlights, badge and a grille with four horizontal bars (in place of three). The headlight clusters are slimmer and the front bumper is more intricately sculpted. Creases are sharper and all the chrome from higher 2015 trim levels now appears across the 2016 lineup, including the doors and window surrounds. LED headlights are available on all trims.
The rear enjoys a similar treatment, including a reworked trunk lid, taillights and bumper. Overall the Passat's styling changes are an improvement, but it will probably go widely unrecognized as a new car. The version most likely to be noticed is the R-Line, which is the most ... exaggerated, with more pronounced rocker panels, black accents on the front and rear bumpers, and 19-inch wheels.
Along with the outside, the interior gets a more liberal sprinkling of chrome and a "redesigned" dashboard that's little more than the addition of a textured chrome trim strip across its expanse, separating upper from lower. The steering wheel is updated with piano-black spokes and chrome - small steps that do make a better overall impression.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Cars.com photo by Joe Wiesenfelder
In the past we criticized the low-resolution, monochrome display between the gauges, and VW has remedied that too ... on one version. The SEL Premium shrinks the pixel size down to 21st century levels and adds color but uses it too sparingly. Other trim levels have the old, "Space Invaders"-era display. Bad move.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Cars.com photo by Joe Wiesenfelder
The SE with Technology adds a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror.
Two of my main complaints about previous model-year Passats have not been remedied: The driver's seat needs a tilt adjustment for the bottom cushion and the steering wheel doesn't tilt down low enough. These characteristics bothered me just as much now as they have in the past. The Passat is so roomy these tweaks would put it over the top. The backseat is huge and high enough off the floor that your knees aren't raised as they are in so many other cars. Heated rear seats are now included starting with the SE with Technology.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Manufacturer image
The Passat was way behind in connectivity and entertainment technology, and here VW really stepped it up with the release of in-dash MIB II, the next-generation Modulare Infotainment Baukasten (that's German for modular infotainment platform). There's now a device-agnostic USB port, replacing the Apple-only connector. The color touch-screens have faster processors for quicker response, starting with a 5-inch screen in the S and a 6.3-inch in the SE and higher.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Manufacturer image
For those who opt for the onboard navigation option, which comes in the SE with Technology and higher trim levels, you can now input a destination via a Google-style field: Rather than go back and forth between city, street and address fields, you just type in the whole address for locations within 100 miles. The system also learns frequent destinations and can auto-complete entries - a touch of smartphone functionality.
The 6.3-inch touch-screen now recognizes when your hand gets close to it and presents more onscreen buttons (similar to the Cadillac User Experience screen). What this does is allow the map to make full use of the screen when you're not poking at it. Granted, 6.3 inches isn't huge, but once you take into account the cluttered displays some cars' larger screens have, the size comparison is much closer.
The car now allows two phones to be connected via Bluetooth at the same time in case you carry a personal and a work phone, for example. The hands-free system will work for an incoming call from either device.
2016 Volkswagen Passat; Manufacturer image
Most important for 2016, the Passat offers Apple CarPlay, Google's Android Auto and a third, European-centric system called MirrorLink that currently works with a limited number of phone models from Samsung, Sony, HTC and Fujitsu. CarPlay and Auto performed very well for me, and unlike some cars in which these features work only with in-dash systems that already include optional navigation (Hyundai Sonata), the Passat SE without its own navigation system supports the smartphone interfaces, so you get onscreen navigation by connecting your phone without essentially paying for nav twice. Though the base Passat S also has a touch-screen, its 5-inch size doesn't meet the minimum size and resolution standards for CarPlay, so it and the other interfaces aren't offered on this trim level.
With CarPlay and Auto, it's easy to see how automakers could dump embedded navigation altogether, though smartphone-app-based mapping doesn't do so great when you don't have a cellular signal, as I was reminded near the Canadian border. In metropolitan areas, that's never been a problem.
Volkswagen says it modified the 2016 Passat's front-end structure to improve performance in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test. The 2015 model was already rated acceptable (from a possible good, acceptable, marginal or poor) in this test, good enough for Top Safety Pick status. The new collision warning option, if it tests well, would earn the Passat the highest designation, Top Safety Pick Plus.
When I first read of the Passat's standard Post-Collision Braking System, I thought I was being had, but it turns out the system does indeed lock the brakes after a collision because initial crashes are often followed by secondary ones, which is what the feature attempts to prevent or lessen. A significant sensor reading, not only a full airbag deployment, will activate the braking.
Fortunately, the 2016 Passat offers precollision braking, too (standard SE models and up), in the form of forward collision warning with automated braking. Unlike most vehicles, the Passat SE with Technology and higher trims will also brake when in Reverse if the driver doesn't heed the warning from the rear cross-traffic alert system. The Technology trim level also adds blind spot monitoring.
A backup camera is standard on all Passats.
Only if you step up to the SEL Premium will you get lane departure warning and prevention. I found the system's steering action nice and subtle, and you can choose to get a vibration warning through the steering wheel rather than automatic steering. This trim also adds an enhanced blind spot warning, Active Blind Spot Monitor, that will resist if you signal and attempt to steer into an adjacent car, rather than just issuing a warning. (I wasn't able to test this aspect due to a preponderance of two-lane roads.)
Sadly, the aggressiveness of the various safety systems isn't as adjustable as it is on some cars - apart from the forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control, which allow you to select the following distance. The cruise works only down to 12 mph before driver intervention is demanded, unfortunately.
If any of these aids annoy you, deactivating them requires many steps using steering-wheel buttons and the display between the gauges. Hard buttons on the dashboard would be much better.
Look for more details in our upcoming full review.
We totally get it: Knibb High football rules! And you want to show your school spirit by taking your ride to get scrubbed and squeegeed at the cheerleading squad's carwash fundraiser. However, hand-washing cars wastes an awful lot of water, and all due respect to those hardworking cheerleaders, you're trying your best to be conservative ... B-E-conservative!
Related: Why Do I Need to Check the Drain Holes in My Doors?
For those who want both a clean car and a clear conscience, it's important to understand that washing your car, generally speaking, uses a hell of a lot more water than a commercial carwash. It may seem counterintuitive that those big, highly mechanized facilities, with their high-pressure streams, would actually save more water than you can in your driveway with a bucket and a hose, but they do.
According to the International Carwash Association, the average commercial carwash uses about 45 gallons of water per car — the same amount used to do a load of laundry at home. Meanwhile, commercial facilities designated under the carwash association's WaterSavers program use no more than 40 gallons per car. The association estimates that using your garden hose at home blows through an estimated 100 gallons per wash.
Beyond limiting the amount of water you use — vitally important in places like drought-stricken California — there's also pollution to consider. Eco-friendly commercial carwashes employ mechanisms for treating and recirculating the water they use, as opposed to residential washing, where the water ends up in the storm drains.
"Water entering storm drains, unlike water that enters sanitary sewers, does not undergo treatment before it is discharged," ICA states on its website. "So, when cars are washed on streets, parking lots and driveways, that dirty water eventually winds up in rivers, streams and lakes."
Multiply that by potentially millions of vehicles among the hundreds of millions in the U.S. and you can see how things start to get gross fast. According to a 2007-08 study by the Public Works Department in Federal Way, Wash., annual water pollutants produced by residential car-washing in the community of less than 100,000 people included 70 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel; 120 gallons of motor oil; 450 pounds of phosphorous, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia; and 2,200 pounds of surfactants, a compound in detergent.
In Los Angeles, where water conservation is paramount, one new company is bridging the gap between the hand-wash and the commercial carwash with its Apple iPhone-app-based service. For $29 to $39, Squeegy will send a person to your car (within its designated service area), and wash it using a drought-friendly, pollutant- and runoff-free method that uses only a few ounces of water; you needn't even be present, and crews have all materials and equipment needed to do the job.
"Squeegy uses a high-quality wash and wax solution that is sprayed onto the vehicle," the company states on its website. "The solution lubricates the surface and encapsulates the dirt. We then use a high-quality microfiber cloths to lift the dirt off the vehicle leaving only a beautiful shine."
But perhaps you don't trust commercial carwashers to touch your baby. Or maybe you delight in donning some cutoff jean shorts and Wayfarers, and heading out to the driveway to scrub your car shiny to the sound of your portable radio. (Just me?) We put together some suggested best practices courtesy of Arizona Department of Water Resources to help get this dirty job done — but with maximum eco-friendliness.
Vehicles affected by service bulletin:
The problem: Owners of these vehicles report a rubbing or squeaking noise emanating from the steering column when turning the steering wheel slowly. The noise intensifies as the vehicle is driven, especially in hot weather. This comes from the sealing sleeve/steering column opening in the firewall. Insufficient lubrication of the intermediate steering shaft in the area of the steering sleeve opening is the cause of this noise.
Corrective action: Technicians will spray a special lubricant on the intermediate steering shaft while adjusting it, making sure a tight fit is maintained. If the noise persists after performing this operation, techs will replace the intermediate steering shaft.
Warranty info: This repair is covered under the new car limited warranty or, if applicable, the certified pre-owned warranty. If an extended warranty is in place and the factory warranty has expired, the repair might be covered under that warranty.
What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's eligible for repairs under this service bulletin. You can call Audi directly at 800-822-2834 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 481566.
Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.
Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.
Check for recalls here on Cars.com.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 1,000 model-year 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS luxury sedans equipped with a V-8 engine, manufactured between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013
The Problem: The battery positive cable for the alternator and starter motor may not have its insulating cap installed properly at the starter motor, and the cable may not be adequately secured in the engine bay. This could result in the cable shorting to ground, causing the wiring harness to overheat and resulting in a fire and engine stalling. This could increase the risk of a crash.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect vehicles to verify that the starter motor cable has a properly installed protective cap and that the cable is adequately secured. If not, the starter motor cable assembly will be replaced for free.
What Owners Should Do: Maserati will begin notifying owners on Nov. 11. Owners can call the automaker at 201-816-2600, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov, for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
With each passing year, the world inches closer to the inevitable day when automated cars chauffeur us to our destinations. But before that day arrives, a host of safety and regulatory concerns need to be addressed, such as licensing.
Related: Google Cites Human Error in Driverless-Car Collision
The University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute this week released a report exploring whether a system akin to existing graduated driver licensing would logically apply to driverless cars. The answer is no ... and yes.
The bottom line, according to researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle, is that self-driving vehicles, unlike humans, won't benefit from gradual immersion into the complex realm of open-road driving. A novice motorist will gain applicable experience from, say, exposure to nighttime or harsh-weather driving, whereas autonomous cars will simply follow their programming.
"A self-driving vehicle either has the hardware and software to deal with a particular situation, or it does not," researchers stated. "If it does not, experience in other situations will not be of benefit."
Still, many concerns remain, including variations among manufacturers' computer hardware and software; vehicles' ability to perform in severe weather; distinguishing between visual patterns, such as downed power lines or a flooded roadway; and general performance under normal conditions. There are still many kinks to work out when it comes to what situations driverless cars can handle.
Following traffic laws presents some peculiar challenges. Programming an autonomous vehicle to obey the law is, on its face, rather simple: Load the car's computer with all traffic laws in all 50 states and let the car's GPS position determine which set of laws it needs to follow based on location. But what happens when cars follow traffic laws too strictly, in contrast to humans? The report cites an incident in which a Google car entered a roundabout and — likely due to aggressive driving by surrounding cars — determined the safest action was to continue circling.
"The fact that human drivers are relatively lax about many relevant laws and regulations creates a real quandary: Should manufacturers be allowed to program a vehicle to willfully break applicable laws?" researchers said.
Likewise, the vehicle could encounter a situation in which a lesser-of-two-evils decision must be made, for example, the split-second choice whether to crash into a bicyclist or a baby stroller. "It would be desirable if the resolutions of such ethical dilemmas were consistent with societal norms, as is hopefully the case with human drivers," researchers stated.
In addressing the initial limitations of driverless cars, the report concluded that some form of graduated licensing could be beneficial. A car could be tested and licensed for use only under conditions and circumstances for which it was deemed suited. Then, as manufacturers make improvements — like enabling the car to pass a snow-driving evaluation it previously was unsuited for — a full license could be issued for unrestricted driving.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 47,000 model-year 2016 Nissan Maxima sedans manufactured between March 19 and June 2, 2015, and model-year 2013-16 Altima sedans equipped with a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine manufactured between March 30, 2012, and Aug. 18, 2015. This latest action is an expansion of a previous recall of model-year 2016 Nissan Maxima sedans for the same problem; the approximately 5,500 cars from that original recall are included in the total for this one.
The Problem: Due to an improperly installed O-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, during a crash, fuel may leak from the area where the fuel-sending unit attaches to the fuel tank, increasing the risk of a fire.
The Fix: Dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel-sending unit for free.
What Owners Should Do: Nissan did not immediately announce an owner-notification schedule. Owners can call the automaker at 800-647-7261, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Scan the parking lot of any sports arena on game day and you're sure to see a flock of pickup trucks and SUVs hosting a big party of tailgaters. In theory, the Honda Fit seems like a good match for game day pre-activities with its extremely versatile cargo area that at one point swallowed an entire wedding shower's worth of home goods. Cars.com's long-term Honda Fit test car does many things well (fuel economy, value, safety), but can it tailgate with the best of them?
Related: Top 10 Features for Tailgating
Instead of a football game, I loaded up our Honda Fit with tailgating gear and hit a local dragstrip for a big race. The Fit furnished the entire tailgate for six people and surprised everyone with how much gear it accommodated. It easily swallowed a 12-by-12-foot pop-up tent, massive 75-quart wheeled cooler, a classic charcoal grill, a few grocery bags of supplies, a bag of charcoal and folding chairs.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
The Fit's low cargo floor made it a natural spot for staging condiments and chips, and when the tent was full you could sit on the cargo area's edge and have the liftgate supply shade from the sun. A truck's taller bed would have been more convenient for staging food to grill than the Fit's low cargo area, however. Also, the liftgate seemed to interfere with the radio broadcast of the race; it sounded distorted with the tailgate all the way up, but the FM signal would clear up when the liftgate was lowered slightly. It was odd.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
The race offered a live online video stream with commentary and multiple camera angles, so I streamed the broadcast to the Fit's high-quality 7-inch display using an iPhone and the Fit's HDMI mirroring capabilities. The streaming video worked flawlessly, and the car's stereo was loud enough for everyone to hear with the liftgate open and volume cranked. You could easily do the same for a pregame show while tailgating at any other national sports event, though you really have to opt for the 7-inch screen to view it.
The day was a success, but the Fit came up short in a few ways. There isn't a power outlet (AC or DC) in the cargo area; that would have been an issue if we went full fan-boy and brought a TV. The Fit has two 12-volt power outlets, but they're up front in the center console. Secondly, when loaded with all of the gear I had room for just one front passenger, but I think someone could have fit in the split-folding backseat with a smarter cargo arrangement.
Tailgating is more fun with more people, and a big truck can carry both people and supplies. Still, I got a big kick out of watching the tiny Fit hold its own against the giant pickup trucks and motorhomes in terms of gear they're able to stash.
Honda Fit; Cars.com photo by Joe Bruzek
Vehicles affected by service bulletin:
The problem: Deposits may develop on the oil control rings, which can lead to increased oil consumption when several things happen simultaneously and on a regular basis: The engine is operated when cold, hard acceleration occurs with a cold engine and the fuel used has an unusually high concentration of particles.
Corrective action: Dealers will replace all the engine's pistons and piston rings in affected vehicles.
Warranty info: Acura has extended warranty coverage on pistons and piston rings in these vehicles to eight years/125,000 miles, whichever comes first. Repairs are being done under this warranty extension.
What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's eligible for repairs. You can call Acura directly at 800-382-2238 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 13-006.
Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.
Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.
Check for recalls here on Cars.com.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 2,600 model-year 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic coupes, AMG S63 4Matic coupes and AMG S65 cars, all manufactured between Jan. 27, 2014, and April 2, 2015
The Problem: The left-side front seat belts may have been installed on the right side and the right-side belts may have been installed on the left. If the installation angle is incorrect, seat belt locking behavior could be affected and it may not properly restrain the occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of an injury. In addition, the child seat restraint function for the passenger seat would not be available.
The Fix: Dealers will inspect the installation of the seat belts and correct the problem as necessary for free.
What Owners Should Do: Mercedes will begin notifying owners this month. Owners can call the automaker at 800-367-6372 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov, for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
The stunning 2015 BMW i8 is both a plug-in hybrid and an exotic sports car. Considering how polar that combination is, the i8 is effective, but not exemplary, in either role.
Find out more info in my review.
No offense tobacco users, but the last time cigarettes looked cool was when John Travolta and Uma Thurman chain-smoked over cheeseburgers, steaks and $5 milkshakes in "Pulp Fiction". According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of U.S. adults who smoke declined from nearly 25 percent in 1997 to just over 15 percent in 2015. Meanwhile, in the past two decades more than half of U.S. states have enacted indoor smoking bans. It seems like one of the only places smokers have left to freely enjoy their vice is in the sanctity of their own car — though that, too, has been gradually going up in smoke.
Related: New Laws Ban Smoking With Kids in Car
As business-news publication Quartz previously reported, by the time Hyundai announced in late-2013 that it would eliminate what used to be known as the cigarette lighter in its cars and replace it with a USB charging port, the movement away from accommodating smoking motorists had already been gaining steam for nearly 20 years. Chrysler helped spark the trend in 1994 with the introduction of its first cars in half a century without ashtrays, Quartz noted. Since then, that little push-in lighter that uses the car's circular 12-volt jack to heat up coil springs has all but disappeared, while the jack itself has been appropriated to plug in portable electronic devices such as radar detectors and cellphone chargers.
With smoker-friendly implements like in-console lighters and ashtrays seemingly disappearing into thin air, we at Cars.com got to wondering how many vehicles offered smoking accessories as standard or optional features. Turns out — if you're willing to buck up the extra cash — a lot. If you want a car with a lighter and ashtray for the front, and in many cases even the rear, you can find it on nearly 700 model-year 2015 vehicles from nearly two-dozen automakers, according to a Cars.com inventory search. If all you need is an ashtray, whether it be factory-installed or a dealer add-on, you can still get one on more than 4,000 models from nearly three-dozen automakers.
The more luxurious among the optional smoker's packages are naturally from luxury automakers and cater to cigar smokers. Bentley has one of the more alluring-sounding ones, if you like having a stogie in one hand while steering with the other. Bentley calls the smoker's package available on current Continental models the Freedom of Choice option.
"While certainly not for everyone, for those who choose to smoke in their Bentley, it's only fitting that our designers have created a most stylish means of doing so," the automaker said in a statement. "The Smoker's Pack comprises of an anti-slip mat, cigar lighter and ashcan, beautifully embossed with the Bentley 'B.' "
But like a Bentley or the habit of smoking itself, the smoker's package ain't exactly cheap. On the 2015 Continental GT, a front ashtray with a cigar lighter is $340, and $415 for ashtrays and cigar lighters in both the front and rear. The 2015 Aston Martin V8 Vantage's Smoker's Pack, which also includes an ashtray and cigar lighter, will set you back $570, while the similar 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia's Smoker's Kit runs $578. Available as a no-charge option, however, on the 2015 Porsche Cayenne is a Smoker's Package with front and rear cigarette lighters and ashtrays.
But don't worry: You need not have money to burn to enjoy the luxury of smoking while driving. While the aforementioned cars all cost between $60,000 and $250,000, you can also get a factory-installed Smoker's Package for $85 on a 2015 Ford Fiesta.
Despite continued availability of these smoking accessories, environmental health and safety laws, and cultural shifts continue to clamp down on smokers, and increasingly they're creeping into the cabin of their cars. Many states already have laws that prohibit smoking in a car where a minor is present, and others are likely to follow. But hey, if the existence of smokers' car accessories is someday crushed out entirely, you'll still be able to plug your e-cigarette into that USB port where your lighter used to be.
Gas prices have dropped 13 days in a row as the national average for regular unleaded fell to the lowest it's been since February. The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report on Thursday showed that the national average for regular gas was $2.22 a gallon, down 7 cents from a week ago, while the average price of regular was less than $2 a gallon in seven states.
Related: More Fuel-Efficiency News
Prices started to climb in late-September after several refineries slowed or halted gas production to perform routine seasonal or emergency maintenance, temporarily reducing the supply of gas and pushing up pump prices. Much of that maintenance has been completed, and the supply of gas is back to normal levels in most regions. GasBuddy.com said nearly 25 percent of stations nationally are selling gas for less than $2, and predicted that cheaper gas should become more widespread.
"That number will likely grow in the months ahead as refiners continue to finish maintenance and resume producing gasoline at a time when demand is low, contributing downward pressure to gasoline prices," GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said in a statement.
Despite recent market gyrations, U.S. oil prices still hovered around $46 a barrel on Thursday, about $31 cheaper than a year ago. Oil accounts for more than half the price of gas, and the current low prices are a major reason motorists are paying less at the pump compared with October 2014.
The national average for regular gas is 87 cents cheaper than it was a year ago, according to AAA, and at $2.72 premium gas is 76 cents cheaper; diesel fuel is $1.12 cheaper at $2.51 a gallon. Diesel prices may not continue to fall, however, because some of the heavier oil used to make diesel is diverted to heating oil during the cold months, reducing the available supply.
South Carolina has the cheapest gas, at a statewide average of $1.92 a gallon. Alabama and Mississippi average $1.95 and New Jersey, $1.96. Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas also are at less than $2. Prices edged up about a penny in Hawaii the past week to $2.90. At the same time regular fell 4 cents a gallon in California to $2.86, making Hawaii the most expensive state for gas. Nevada, at $2.79, and Alaska, at $2.58, are the only other states that average more than $2.50. Prices have been falling quickly in Alaska, dropping 13 cents the past week and 55 cents the past month.
As refineries in the nation's midsection completed maintenance and resumed normal production, pump prices fell by double digits the past week in several states, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Oklahoma. The biggest declines were in Ohio, where the average for regular fell 19 cents to $2.21, and in Indiana, where the average dropped 20 cents to $2.21.
Vehicles affected by service bulletin:
The problem: Affected vehicles have a six-speed manual transmission that may be hard to shift into 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears. In addition, the shifter may sometimes jump out of 3rd gear over bumps in the road. Faulty clutch hub assemblies and a possibly bad 3rd gear are being blamed.
Corrective action: Dealers will remove and disassemble the transmission to replace 3rd gear and the affected clutch hub assemblies, as needed.
Warranty info: This repair will be done under Mazda's powertrain warranty.
What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's involved in this service bulletin. You can call Mazda directly at 800-222-5500 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 0500814.
Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.
Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.
Check for recalls here on Cars.com.
Faulty Takata airbags created major headlines more than two years ago, yet federal officials say less than a quarter of those airbags have been repaired. In a public meeting this morning, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed that as of Oct. 9, just 22.5 percent of the 23.4 million Takata airbags under recall in more than 19 million older U.S. cars have been fixed. The completion rate is 29.5 percent in areas of high absolute humidity like Florida and the Gulf Coast, where officials believe there is increased risk of airbag malfunctions and automakers have prioritized their recall efforts.
Related: Is Your Car Part of the Takata Airbag Recall?
The crisis involves faulty airbag inflators from supplier Takata Corp., which can inflate with too much pressure and send metal shrapnel into vehicle occupants. It affects cars from 10 U.S. automakers plus two commercial-vehicle manufacturers, and NHTSA has linked the problem to 98 injuries and seven U.S. deaths. (Investigators have linked an eighth death internationally.)
The agency still targets a 100 percent replacement rate nationwide, but it's unclear how long that will take. NHTSA is looking at whether it needs to accelerate the recalls — and how to do that, given replacement inflators "simply won't be available within the next month, or even the next six months," acting enforcement administrator Frank Borris said.
Jennifer Timian, who heads NHTSA's recall management division, said the recalls are "making progress, and the overall completion rates are constantly improving," but added that the "remedy completion rates are simply not good enough."
Amid manufacturing complexities, the production of replacement parts has been slow.
"Because the system is vehicle-specific, you just can't take a part designed for car A and put it into car B," said Stephen Ridella, NHTSA's vehicle crashworthiness director. "You can design an inflator from company X to go into a Takata airbag unit, but it has to be specifically designed for that specific unit. Development needs to be done, and that takes time."
Ridella laid out a number of options to speed the process, including further coordination with Takata and other airbag suppliers to get more replacement parts into the pipeline and authorizing independent mechanics — not just dealerships — to make the repairs.
NHTSA chief Mark Rosekind said the agency will have a decision on if and how it plans to accelerate the process by Thanksgiving.
Takata has contracted with at least three other airbag manufacturers — Autoliv, Daicel and ZF-TRW — to help build replacement inflators, NHTSA officials said. Combined, the three other manufacturers supplied 70 percent of the inflators inside Takata's "inflator kits" — a new inflator plus all associated mounting hardware — it shipped this month.
Some of those kits have the exact same inflator as the faulty one, however.
The situation is "not ideal," Ridella said, but officials want to reset the clock on long-term humidity exposure while Takata finds a longer-term solution because "currently there is no alternative available for these vehicles."
That means certain consumers will have to get a replacement twice. It's a situation that's "a recipe for confusion," Rosekind conceded, but officials insisted that consumers should get it done anyway.
"This temporary replacement is safer than the older part in their vehicle because it is new, and it has not been exposed to the environmental factors that are believed to be related to the ruptures," Timian said. Consumers should "not skip the interim remedy, thinking that you'll just wait for the final remedy. Similarly, do not get the interim remedy and decide that you don't want to bother with going back for the second time for the final remedy. These are both bad ideas. The interim remedy is much safer than the original inflator part, but it will still eventually have the chance of rupture. The final remedy, once available, will be safe."
It's unclear how many of these interim inflators are part of the larger pool.
NHTSA has "not determined how many remedies will be interim because we haven't concluded which Takata inflators, if any, will meet our requirement of a safe inflator for the life of the vehicle," spokesman Gordon Trowbridge told us.
Until recently, frontal airbags comprised all of the inflators in question. But two recent Takata incidents raised the possibility that side-impact airbags, not just frontal ones, could also be at risk. One incident prompted GM's Oct. 18 recall of 395 U.S. cars and SUVs because of faulty inflators in the side-torso airbags embedded in the front seats. GM said it's not aware of any real-world incidents, and the recall stems from just one inflator in a larger batch that failed a test.
Still, the recall follows a June 7 airbag deployment on a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV that reportedly caused a Takata side curtain airbag to rupture.
A Volkswagen spokesman told Cars.com he has "not heard anything further" about the Tiguan investigation, but NHTSA grouped it today with the GM incident.
The agency notes that the newest airbags under investigation are "SSI-20" devices. It has ordered dozens of automakers and airbag-inflator manufacturers to inform NHTSA of "any credible report of an inflator rupture," said Scott Yon, chief of the vehicle integrity division in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. "Based on these events, the SSI-20 inflator is now part of the Takata investigation, and NHTSA will continue to keep a close eye on this matter to ensure that all SSI-20 inflators that could have this problem are taken out of vehicles."
Trowbridge said he didn't have a total number of SSI-20 inflators in circulation.
Takata would not comment specifically on the Volkswagen or GM situations, both of which NHTSA tied to SSI-20 inflators. The company issued a statement to Cars.com that it's still investigating what happened in both side-impact airbag deployments.
"While we are still investigating the cause of this malfunction, we believe it is unrelated to the previous recalls, which the extensive data suggests were a result of aging and long-term exposure to heat and high humidity," Takata said. "We are cooperating closely with NHTSA and the vehicle manufacturers."
Rosekind noted that some automakers have made free loaner vehicles available to any consumers awaiting replacement parts who don't want to drive their cars.
Cars.com asked every automaker involved in the Takata recall if it offers free loaner vehicles to owners waiting to get their vehicles repaired. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota all said they do. GM said it does in areas of high absolute humidity. Ford said it does not. BMW, Mazda and Mitsubishi did not immediately respond.
NHTSA appears to favor them: "It would be appropriate for manufacturers to consider doing [loaner vehicles] during this time," Rosekind said.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 1.2 million Mazda cars and minivans, including model-year 1990-96 323 hatchbacks and Protege sedans; model-year 1989-98 MPV minivans; 1993-98 626 sedans; 1993-95 929 sedans; and 1992-93 MX-3 hatchbacks
The Problem: Due to an excessive amount of grease at the contact points inside the ignition switch during production, as a result of time and use the grease may carbonize and accumulate between the contact points, reducing the electrical insulation performance inside the switch. As a result, continuous use may lead to contact points of the thermal base of the switch to become conductive, which may overheat the switch; if this occurs, the switch may smoke and possibly cause a fire. Mazda noted that once the vehicle is running, the problem does not directly affect drivability, operation or safety features, and that no related accidents or injuries have been reported.
The Fix: Dealers will make the necessary repairs for free.
What Owners Should Do: Mazda will begin notifying owns in December. Owners can call the automaker at 800-222-5500 for more info.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
Gas prices have fallen nearly 40 percent since summer 2014 highs and currently average $2.23 for a gallon of regular unleaded nationally, according to AAA. Low gas prices are helping drivers keep more money in their pockets, but values for electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel-efficient gas-powered cars have dramatically fallen at the same time.
Related: As Refineries Resume Output, Gas Prices Resume Slide
Seller-set asking prices for the Nissan Leaf electric car have taken the biggest hit, falling 33.7 percent ($6,186) from July 1, 2014, to Oct. 19, 2015. The Leaf's price decline is more than four times greater than the 7.4 percent decrease for all 2011 to 2013 used cars over the same time period.
The rest of the cars in the top five are all designed to travel further on less gas or, in the case of the Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car, let owners avoid the gas station for long stretches. Asking prices for the Toyota Prius Plug-in fell 28.1 percent ($7,020), Ford C-Max Hybrid prices dipped 26.5 percent ($5,917) and prices for the Volt and Ford Fusion Hybrid were both down 25.3 percent. Prices for small, fuel-efficient gas-powered cars also fell, with the Mazda2 and Chevrolet Aveo, Spark and Sonic all seeing prices decrease by 23 percent or more.
Meanwhile, prices for SUVs and trucks outperformed the overall used-car market. Jeep Wrangler prices were down 3.2 percent ($846) to $25,662 and Toyota Tacoma prices were off 3.7 percent ($1,004) to $26,033 on average. Just one model — the now-discontinued Toyota FJ Cruiser SUV — recorded a price increase; it was up 2.4 percent ($720) to $31,013.
Cars.com chart
Editor's note: The chart details used cars from the 2011 to 2013 model years with the greatest declines in seller-set prices. To be eligible for the list, a model must have at least 250 cars in Cars.com's search listings.
Source: Cars.com used-car listings, 2011 to 2013 model years
