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Honda airbags are being stolen

The latest hot target for car thieves might just be the airbag mounted inside your steering wheel. And late-model Honda and Acura vehicles are a particularly hot target right now, for reasons not well understood. USA Today reports that criminals across the country are stealing airbags out of relatively new Honda models for apparent resale online or to black market repair shops. It's a trend that has caught the attention of law enforcement agencies in cities like Miami, New York City and Washington D.C. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that around 50,000 airbags are stolen each year. In Miami-Dade County, thieves stole 875 airbags in 2017, up from just 13 in 2013, according to police records obtained by USA Today. In the Virginia suburbs outside Washington D.C., thieves recently smashed the windows of 10 Hondas at an apartment complex to steal the airbags. Second Lt. Jonathan Bryant told the local Fox affiliate that stolen Honda airbags often end up in chop shops and can command between $300 and $500 each. A quick search of eBay listings for Honda steering wheel airbags turns up results being sold for as high as $700, though most are listing for hundreds less than that. New replacement versions purchased from dealerships approach $1,000. Many dishonest repair shops install the stolen airbags as new and charge the owner or their insurer full price for the replacement, a version of insurance fraud. Last year, police in Coral Springs, Fla. published an alert on the neighborhood social networking site Nextdoor urging residents who own a Honda or Acura to park in a garage or well-lit area, "or if you have another vehicle, pull it as close to your driver's side door as possible," they wrote. "We have seen an increase in airbag thefts, primarily in Acura and Honda models," the posting added. "The suspect(s) often disarm the alarm by cutting the battery, punch the driver side door lock or smash the window. It is believed these criminals take approx. 5-10 minutes to steal the airbag." One theory for the apparent rise in airbag thefts is that a spate of airbag recalls in recent years — including the ongoing recall of nearly 50 million potentially explosive Takata airbag inflators that left suppliers scrambling to make new parts — may have boosted demand for replacements. Most of the vehicles involved are late-model Honda Civics and Accords, but it's not clear exactly why Honda is being targeted.

Ford tumbles to second worst in Consumer Reports reliability survey, list dominated by Japanese [w/video]

It's no secret that MyFord Touch has had its share of problems since being introduced, but the most recent reliability survey from Consumer Reports shows just how much this infotainment system has affected Ford. Just two years ago, the automaker was in the top 10 for the institute's reliability rankings, but since then, it has tumbled to the second-lowest rung just above dead-last Jaguar. In addition to MyFord Touch, CR also attributes a handful of new products that have had issues right out of the gate.
Compiled from 1.2 million subscriber surveys, this year's auto reliability survey heavily favors Japanese automakers, with eight of the 10 spots hailing from Japan. Toyota brands grabbed the top three spots (Scion, Toyota and Lexus - in that order) with Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura filling the next four spots. The only non-Asian automaker cracking the top 10 was Audi at number eight.
Audi climbed a total of 18 spots from last year, and Cadillac and GMC round out this year's top gainers breaking into the top 15. Helping Cadillac's upward movement, the CTS Coupe was named the most reliable domestic car. Lincoln, Volvo and Chrysler join Ford on this year's biggest loser list.

2024 Acura ZDX EV previewed ahead of Monterey unveiling

Announced in August 2022, the Acura ZDX will make its debut a year later during Monterey Car Week. Our spies have spotted the Japanese brand's first series-produced electric car testing with almost no camouflage, but a new preview image gives us a better look at the crossover. The photo confirms that the ZDX will fall in line with Acura's current design language. Its front end is characterized by sharp headlights with LED accents and a trim panel shaped like the grille fitted to gasoline-powered models such as the Integra. One interesting detail is that the lower part of the trim panel is illuminated. Beyond the front end, the aforementioned spy shots confirm that the crossover's silhouette is far more conventional than the original ZDX's, which surfed the crossover-coupe wave with a polarizing design and a fastback-like roof line. If you're experiencing deja-vu, it's likely because the ZDX looks like a heavily toned-down version of 2022's Precision EV concept. It's reasonable to assume that the interior will be made far more realistic as well, though Acura hasn't revealed it yet. All we know at this stage is that the ZDX will be available with a new infotainment system with Google apps integration and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. We'll need to be patient to find out what the ZDX's specifications sheet looks like. Acura simply confirmed it will offer two variants at launch: the standard ZDX, and a performance-oriented model called Type S. The latter will stand out as the quickest and most powerful crossover in the brand's history. Both versions will use the Ultium electric technology developed by General Motors and found under the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer, among other EVs. General Motors will also build the ZDX through an agreement signed with Honda in April 2022. The 2024 Acura ZDX will break cover on August 17. Sales will start in early 2024. Honda's related Prologue EV shouldn't be far behind. Green Acura Crossover Electric Luxury Pebble Beach