2002 Nissan Altima Base Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.

Recharge Wrap-up: Uber drops rates in NYC, Renault Zoes for Rungis, Nissan Leaf is recycled

Uber is really taking it to cabbies in New York City. The car-hailing smartphone app has temporarily cut rates to its lowest-cost UberX service by 20 percent, now making it much more competitive - even cheaper in many cases - to request a ride from the app than to hail a NYC taxi. Also, tip is included in Uber's rate, while yellow cab fares do not include tip. However, Uber's rates vary depending on certain variables such as traffic and demand. Uber has been the target of protests by cabbies in other cities, but the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission seems confident about the competition for the time being. Read more at CNN Money. Formula E is officially partnering with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, an environmental charity organization focused on climate change, clean energy, biodiversity and water management. Formula E will host fundraising activities during its events to benefit the foundation, as well as its other charity partner, One Drop. The Prince of Monaco, besides his passion for environmental issues, is also an automotive enthusiast with a massive car collection, so the all-electric race series seems like a perfect fit for his organization. Read more at Formula E's website. Semmaris has purchased a fleet of seven Renault Zoe electric cars for its Rungis International Market outside of Paris. The fleet is part of an effort to reduce the market's carbon footprint, as well as as part of an awareness campaign for clean technology. Rungis Market is a destination for some 25,000 customers, many of whom run businesses (especially restaurants) and travel to Rungis for supplies, the sort of trip for which electric vehicles make a lot of sense. The market will also install charging stations, and create an electric carsharing service for use on its campus. Read more about the program in the press release below. The Nissan Leaf has reduced CO2 emissions by 151,000 tons, but its green cred also extends to recycling. About 25 percent of the Nissan Leaf - or about 827 pounds of the car - is made from recycled materials. Those materials include metals such as copper, steel and aluminum, as well as plastics and fabrics. The body uses recycled metals, the seat fabric uses recycled PET from plastic bottles, sound insulation comes from recycled clothing and the center console is made from recycled electronics. Even some of the recycled materials get recycled.

Least reliable cars and trucks of 2022

Related: Most reliable cars and trucks of 2022   Every year, Consumer Reports ranks new cars based on their predicted reliability. We often see Toyota, Lexus, and a few other automakers near the top. But on the other side of the coin, the list of least reliable vehicles sometimes contains surprises.   The organization surveys its members to determine the vehicles that exhibited the most problems over the prior year. Owners are asked about creaks and rattles, the durability of parts and trim, and mechanical issues. Consumer Reports assigns a weight to each problem and then uses them to create a score, with 100 being the best. Some familiar names appear on the list of least reliable vehicles (in order with the lowest predicted reliability score at the top), but there are a few eyebrow-raising models, followed by CR's score: Ford F-150 Hybrid: 4 Hyundai Kona Electric: 5 Lincoln Aviator: 8 Nissan Sentra: 9 Ford Explorer: 16 Chevrolet Bolt: 17 Chevrolet Silverado 1500/GMC Sierra 1500: 19 Jeep Gladiator: 21 Mercedes-Benz GLE: 23 Jeep Wrangler: 24 Consumer Reports noted that sedans are the most reliable vehicle category and found that trucks are far lower on the list. That said, the survey showed that trucks from American brands tended to have better reliability scores, so it’s surprising to see GMÂ’s big two and the Ford F-150 on the list. Part of their problematic ownership experience could be due to the fact that all three trucks have received recent updates, and the Ford was completely redesigned for 2022. New tech, fresh drivetrain components, and other improvements can upset the balance of reliability and make newer models look less dependable than their older counterparts. Related video: Green Chevrolet Ford GMC Hyundai Jeep Lincoln Mercedes-Benz Nissan Car Buying Truck Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Hybrid Sedan Consumer Reports reliability