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Honda safety campaign hunting for faulty Takata airbags in junkyards

Honda has been working for months to recall about 5.5 million vehicles to replace their faulty Takata airbag inflators. With many of these models dating back over a decade, some of them aren't on the road anymore; instead they're sitting in salvage yards across the country as a possible source for inexpensive, recycled parts. There's a serious risk for injuries and fatalities if these bad components end up in cars still on the road, and the automaker is on the hunt to track the dangerous parts down. According to Automotive News, Honda thinks there could be over 24,000 recalled Takata airbags in the company's vehicles in junkyards in the US. The automaker has been working with an outside business to find them and issued notices to salvage lots around the country about an offer to buy the parts back. So far, it has tracked down around 3,900 inflators. Bizarrely, Honda is facing pushback on this safety campaign from the Automotive Recyclers Association. "The buyback program appears to be offering recyclers a price for airbags materially lower than the fair parts value," organization CEO Michael Wilson said to Automotive News. Although, under federal law it's illegal to sell faulty components to people. The trade group also has a pending lawsuit against the automaker for alleged lost value in buying vehicles with Takata inflators. In addition to getting the word out to auto recyclers, Honda had a nationwide advertising campaign for people to get their cars fixed. However, the company and Takata are facing many lawsuits for injuries and deaths related to the faulty inflators.

Trucks, SUVs — and Camry — shine in mixed U.S. January vehicle sales

DETROIT — Automakers posted mixed U.S. new vehicle sales data for January, with American consumers continuing to abandon passenger cars for the larger pickup trucks, SUVs and crossover models that manufacturers also love because they are far more profitable. Total industry auto sales for the month rose 1 percent versus January 2016. According to Autodata Corp, which tracks industry sales, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of U.S. car and light truck sales in January fell to 17.12 million units from 17.44 million a year earlier. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a January SAAR of 17.2 million units. U.S. auto industry sales fell 2 percent in 2017 to 17.23 million vehicles after hitting a record high in 2016 and are expected to drop further in 2018 despite a solid economy. Interest rates are rising and around 4 million late-model used cars will return to dealer lots this year to compete with more expensive new ones. Automakers have used consumer discounts to boost sales, a growing concern for observers who say this undermines resale values and profits. Discounts declined in January, but remained above 10 percent of manufacturers' recommended prices. ""I think the industry has accepted that (sales) volumes will fall somewhat in 2018 ... and I don't think the industry is going to go over the cliff with insane incentives," Mike Jackson, chief executive officer of AutoNation Inc, told Reuters after his company, the largest U.S. auto retail chain, posted a higher quarterly net profit. Mark Wakefield, head of the North American automotive practice for consultancy AlixPartners, had a gloomier perspective. The industry's less-than-stellar sales performance for January showed "we are now past the peak," he said. "Automakers are now selling the deal instead of the vehicle," he said. "That's a tough spot to be in because that treadmill is hard to get off once you're on it." General Motors January sales rose 1.3 percent, driven by a 16 percent rise in fleet sales. Sales to consumers fell 2.4 percent. GM posted strong gains for models such as the Silverado pickup truck and Equinox crossover model, while its passenger cars continued to struggle. Ford The Blue Oval posted a 6.6 percent sales decline for January, with retail sales down 4.3 percent. Sales of Ford's F-Series pickup trucks - America's best-selling vehicle brand for decades — rose 1.6 percent. Passenger cars were down more than 23 percent.

One lucky customer got the first HondaJet for Christmas

The wait is finally over – for one fortunate customer, at least. After an extensive gestation period, the Honda Aircraft Company has delivered the first HondaJet to its eagerly awaiting new owner. And with it, the Japanese industrial giant has stepped into yet another territory of motorized transportation. Though Honda first started experimenting with aircraft as far back as the 1980s, the development of the HondaJet as we now know it dates back to the late 1990s when designer Michimasa Fujino – now chief executive of the Honda Aircraft Company – first penned its form. The company has been working on getting it into the air and into customer hands ever since, with that process culminating now on no less fitting a day than just this past Christmas Eve. Following the type certification received from the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month, the handover of the first customer aircraft took place at the company's headquarters at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, NC. That's where Honda will be producing all its aircraft, performing service and maintenance, and training its customer pilots, which has already begun on its on-site, full-motion flight simulator. A network of dealers handles sales across North America, South America, and Europe. The company did not disclose the identity of the first customer, but suffice it to say it was not Jenson Button – even though he is, once again, driving a Honda-powered F1 car. The HondaJet HA-420 is classified as a very light business jet, measuring 42 feet and 7 inches long with a 39'9" wingspan. Power comes from a pair of turbofan engines produced by Honda and General Electric, each good for over 2,000 pounds of thrust and together are capable of propelling the aircraft to a cruising speed of 435 miles per hour or a top speed of 483 mph. That makes the HA-420 far and away the fastest vehicle Honda makes across numerous modes of transportation. In addition to cars, trucks, and jets, the company produces motorcycles, ATVs, marine engines, and lawnmowers, making it one of the most diverse manufacturers in the industry. Related Video: Honda Aircraft Company Begins HondaJet Deliveries Dec 23, 2015 - GREENSBORO, N.C. Honda Aircraft Company today announced it has begun deliveries of the HondaJet, the world's most advanced light jet. The company delivered the first aircraft today at its world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina.