News archive

May 2010

NASA, GM developing next-generation robots for use in automotive, aerospace

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(February 4, 2010) NASA and General Motors are working together to accelerate development of the next generation of robots and related technologies for use in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Ford leads industry in January sales gain; troubled Toyota slips 16 percent

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(February 3, 2010) Ford Motor Co. boosted U.S. sales nearly 25 percent in January as analysts forecast industry-wide gains over a deeply depressed month a year ago.

Ford sold 116,277 light vehicles last month, up from 93,044 units in January 2009. Subaru, the only brand with U.S. sales gains in each of the past two years, kicked off 2010 with a 28 percent jump.

Things can get worse — Toyota facing 2010 Prius brake problems

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(February 3, 2010) Toyota , already grappling with recalls totaling 8.1 million vehicles on five continents, has been ordered by Japan's Ministry of Transportation to investigate a rash of consumer complaints about braking problems in its popular third-generation Prius hybrid vehicle.

The Japanese carmaker has received several complaints about braking in the Prius in both Japan and North America since the end of last year, Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said, according to the Automotive News.

January Ford sales up 128 percent in China

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(February 3, 2010) Changan Ford Sales Company today reported January sales of 30,759 Ford brand passenger vehicles in China, a 128 percent increase compared to the same period last year, marking its twelfth consecutive month of year-on-year growth.

Volkswagen sets lofty sales goal — to be number one

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(February 3, 2010) Perhaps Volkswagen should do some in-depth research on Toyota.

Volkswagen, the world's third-biggest carmaker, aims to boost group vehicle sales by nearly 60 percent and improve profit margins by 2018 in its drive to unseat Toyota as the world's top carmaker. The targets approved by the German group's management board Tuesday underscore VW's ambitions to seize the industry lead before the decade is out.

Toyota says its engineers have developed solution to pedal sticking problem

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(February 2, 2010) TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota Motor Sales announced on Feb. 1 that it will begin fixing accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles this week.  Toyota’s engineers have developed and rigorously tested a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a manner that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick in rare instances.  In addition, Toyota has developed an effective solution for vehicles in production.
 

Toyota talks to customers about sticking pedal issues

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(February 1, 2010) Toyota today talked to customers via a video about the stick pedal issues. The following is a transcript of the comments by Jim Lentz, President and COO of Toyota Motor Sales in the United States.

Hi, I’m Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales USA.  I want to let you know that we have developed a comprehensive plan to fix the sticking pedal situation in recalled Toyota vehicles.
 

Toyota answers questions about sticking accelerator pedal recall

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(January 31, 2010) Toyota answers questions about the sticking accelerator pedal recall.
  
1. Is my car safe to drive until a fix is issued?
The condition is rare and generally does not occur suddenly. It seems to occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn and, in certain conditions, the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position.
 

Honda to recall popular Fit hatchbacks due to potential fire hazard

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(January 30, 2010) Honda will recall more than 600,000 of its subcompact Fit hatchbacks — including 140,000 in the United States — due to a potential fire hazard, the maker announced today.

The problem is the result of a defect master power window switch that could leak and, in some cases, cause a fire.  So far, the automaker acknowledges, it has received three reports of fires caused by the defect, including two in the U.S. and another in South Africa.

General Motors says Pontiac Vibe safe to drive

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(January 30, 2010) Amid the media attention over the Toyota recalls for possible unintended acceleration that include the Pontiac Vibe, many customers are wondering whether it is safe to drive their 2009 and 2010 models of the Vibe.

Based on GM’s experience, the Vibe is safe to drive.

Prior to the Toyota accelerator pedal recall of Jan. 21 and the inclusion of the Vibe in the October 2009 recall for floor mat entrapment, GM had not received any relevant customer complaints in the 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe.  Nor were there any complaints found in a search of U.S. and Canadian databases.