2014 Honda Odyssey Lx on 2040-cars

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Autoblog Minute: VW finds CO2 'irregularities', Takata dropped by automakers, SEMA recap

Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle, US regulators hit Takata Corporation with a substantial fine, and we head to Las Vegas for a look at tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle. US regulators issue a significant fine to Takata Corporation. And we take a peek inside tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. The VW diesel emissions scandal, first brought to light in September, gets a new wrinkle, as an internal investigation by the German automaker revealed [00:00:30] irregularities in CO2 emissions that could affect approximately 800,000 vehicles. VW estimates the issue could pose a 2-billion euro economic risk. VW claims that most of the vehicles affected have diesel engines, but industry analysts say a 1.4-liter gas engine is also affected. VW says that fuel consumption figures were set too low during the CO2 certification process. During all of this, sales of some diesel-powered Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche models [00:01:00] have been halted. Takata Corporation is back in the news in connection with its deadly airbag scandal. Federal regulators fined Takata $70 million. If the parts supplier does not comply, the fine could balloon to $200 million. Takata was also dropped this week by its biggest customer, Honda. And now, Toyota and Mazda will be following Honda's lead in dropping Takata. We're also hearing that Mitsubishi and Subaru are considering a switch in air-bag inflator suppliers. SEMA 2015 [00:01:30] came and went. We saw offerings from Mopar, like the AWD Challenger concept. Honda unveiled a Ridgeline that it will race at the Baja 1000, which gives us a hint at what future production model could look like. The celebrity presence was also felt in Vegas as it always is. Kid Rock brought a Duramax Diesel Chevy Silverado, and Acura restored and presented Ludacris with his now famous 1993 Acura Legend. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to come back on Saturday for my full recap, [00:02:00] where I'll have some added insight into Hyundai's foray into the luxury sector. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive.

Honda recalls 6,800 Accord hybrids for switching to fail-safe mode

Honda is recalling 6,786 examples of the 2014-2015 Accord hybrid for an issue that can cause them to go into fail-safe mode. There are no reports of injuries or accidents, but the company has received 58 warranty claims about the problem as of Sept. 17, 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported. Due to an issue in the sedan's hybrid battery cell voltage sensor, the part can be affected by electrical noise from the hybrid battery inverter and motor circuits. When this happens, the vehicle enter a fail-safe EV mode, which shuts off the internal combustion engine and limits the speed to 40 miles per hour. According to Honda, the Accord hybrids have about two miles of driving range in this state, and afterwards they stall. As a fix, the automaker has a software update to keep the sensor from misinterpreting the electrical noise. RECALL Subject : Hybrid System may go into Fail Safe Mode Report Receipt Date: SEP 25, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V602000 Component(s): HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM Potential Number of Units Affected: 6,786 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) HONDA ACCORD HYBRID 2014-2015 Details Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) SUMMARY: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles manufactured August 29, 2013, to May 30, 2015. Electrical interference may cause the hybrid system to switch into fail-safe mode, disabling the gasoline engine, limiting the vehicle's speed to 40 miles per hour and functioning only on battery power. Once the battery is discharged, the vehicle will stall. CONSEQUENCE: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the hybrid system software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 6, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JT7. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. Statement by American Honda Regarding Cell Voltage Sensor Recall: 2014-2015 Accord Hybrid Oct 5, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. Honda will voluntarily recall 6,786 model-year 2014-2015 Accord Hybrid vehicles in the United States to update the hybrid system software related to the hybrid battery cell voltage sensor (CVS), free of charge.

Honda fixes Fit flaw, improves performance on key crash test [w/video]

The Fit's grade on the small-front overlap test improved from "marginal" to "acceptable."
Back in March, safety engineers at Honda were disappointed when the much-anticipated 2015 Fit received a substandard grade on an important crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.