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Honda recalling 143K Civic, Fit models for CVT

Honda is recalling 143,676 examples of the 2014-2015 Civic and 2015 Fit for a problem with the way that its software controls the CVT. Currently, the system uses high hydraulic pressure in the transmission at times, which can put stress on the drive pulley shaft. Also, some of those parts "may have been produced at the low end of the hardness specification" during manufacturing, the automaker reports. When the two factors are combined over time, the high pressure could cause the shaft to break. If this happens, it would result in losing drive to the front wheels or in them locking up. According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as a PDF), Honda received the first report of a shaft breaking in July 2014 in the US, and there was a wheel lockup in Canada in January 2015. As of September 3, there were 23 warranty claims about this issue but no reported injuries. The fix will be an update to the CVT's software, and the recall will begin October 16, according to NHTSA. Honda is urging owners to get their vehicles repaired as soon as they receive the notification. Related Video: Statement by American Honda Regarding CVT Drive Pulley Shaft Recall: 2014-2015 Civic and 2015 Honda Fit Oct 1, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Honda will voluntarily recall approximately 143,000 model-year 2014-2015 Civic and 2015 Fit vehicles in the United States to update the software that manages the continuously variable transmission (CVT), free of charge. Affected vehicles have CVT control software that is written to use high hydraulic pressure during certain CVT operation modes, which as a result may subject the drive pulley shaft to high stress. In addition, during manufacturing of the drive pulley shaft, some parts may have been produced at the low end of the hardness specification. If shafts with lower hardness are repeatedly subjected to the specific high hydraulic pressure modes, it may result in the shaft breaking during operation. If the drive pulley shaft breaks, the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to this issue, which was discovered through the warranty claim process in the United States. Honda is announcing this recall to encourage each owner of an affected vehicle to take it to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Honda.

Top 10 small cars with the longest total driving range

Editor's Note: Since this article was originally posted in the spring of 2015, much has changed in the automotive landscape, especially among those shopping for small car economy. With thanks to Volkswagen for their blatant cheating – and subsequent cover-up – on diesel emissions, the largest player in the diesel passenger car segment isn't playing – they're paying; billions are going for both car buybacks and federally-imposed penalties. And for a few VW execs there exists the very real possibility of jail. With the absence of a big player and the abrupt entrance – via Chevy's new Bolt – of an affordable EV with 200+ miles of range, we've limited the diesel listings to Jaguar's new XE. And for those wanting an updated look at efficiency and range, Autoblog has it – or the EPA has it. Long before electric vehicles were part of the mainstream conversation, car lovers and skinflints alike would boast about the total range of their vehicles. There's something about getting farther down the road on one tank of gas that inflames the competitive spirit, almost as much as horsepower output or top speed. Of course, the vehicles with the very best range on today's market are almost all big trucks and SUVs; virtually all have the ability to carry massive reserves of fuel. Top up a standard Chevy Suburban and you can expect to travel almost 700 miles (you'll need to stop before the Suburban stops...), while a diesel-fed Jeep Grand Cherokee manages almost as many. But what about vehicles that are smaller? The EPA has, essentially, three classifications for 'small' vehicles: Minicompact, Subcompact and Compact. All three are measured based on interior volume, meaning that some cars with rather large exterior dimensions and engines slot in next to traditional small cars. But even though impressive GT coupes from Porsche, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz may have much larger gas tanks to feed their powerful engines, that capacity is offset by higher rates of consumption... in most cases. We used the EPA's Fuel Economy Guide for model year 2017 cars as a start, calculating the official highway miles per gallon rating with each vehicle's tank capacity. The resulting numbers aren't necessarily real world, but they do offer a spectrum for total theoretical range. The eventual top ten surprised me on a few occasions, and comprised quite a varied list of vehicles. 10.

IIHS says these are the safest cars of 2013

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed its annual list of Top Safety Picks, an award that highlights automobiles it says offer "superior crash protection." A new and still more significant award, the Top Safety Pick+ honor, is given to those vehicles that earn good ratings for occupant protection in four out of five areas of measure. And while some 117 vehicles were given the TSP seal of approval for 2013, just 13 passed muster for TSP+.
To be fair, IIHS only evaluated 29 vehicles with its new testing procedures for TSP+ (we'd expect that the number of qualified cars will rise substantially for 2014). Luxury and Near Luxury midsize cars were the first groups evaluated, followed by midsizers in the Moderately Priced Cars category - unsurprisingly, it's only midsize cars that you'll find among the class this year.
Only two luxury sedans made the list of 13 for 2013: the Acura TL and Volvo S60. The other 11 cars on the list included entries from domestic, Japanese and German car makers: Dodge Avenger, Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord (sedan and coupe), Kia Optima (but not its close kin, the Hyundai Sonata, strangely), Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Outback, Suzuki Kizashi and the Volkswagen Passat all made the grade.