Turbocharged, 425rwhp on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda recalling small number of Accord, CR-V models

This latest recall may not be a very big one, but it does strike us as an important one. Issued by Honda, the recall affects the 2014-15 Accord (specifically those equipped with the four-cylinder engine) and the 2015 CR-V, but only 137 of them. Those 137 vehicles, however, will need to have their short blocks replaced. What is a short block, you ask? Nope, it's not a chopped-down version of a big block: it's the engine block itself plus all its internal components, but short of any appendages that make it run. (That'd be a long block.) The problem, according to the manufacturer's statement below, stems from bolts – specifically the connecting rod bolt – that may have been improperly torqued during assembly. There's a system that's supposed to check that, but Honda reports that it "may not have identified improperly torqued bolts in a specific group of engines." Hence the recall. Owners of those few vehicles affected can expect to hear from the manufacturer to arrange bringing their vehicle into their local dealership to have the engine replaced, free of charge. Statement by American Honda Regarding Connecting Rod Bolt Recall: 2014-2015 Honda Accord 4-cylinder; 2015 Honda CR-V Mar 9, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif. - 137 model-year 2014-15 Accord 4-cylinder and 2015 CR-V vehicles affected in the U.S. - Engine short block will be replaced in affected vehicles, free of charge - No related crashes or injuries have been reported Honda will voluntarily recall 137 model-year 2014-2015 Accord 4-cylinder and 2015 CR-V vehicles in the United States to replace the engine short block, free of charge. During engine assembly, an automated system that verifies engine connecting rod bolt torque may not have identified improperly torqued bolts in a specific group of engines. An improperly torqued connecting rod bolt could come loose, leading to potential engine damage and stalling, which could contribute to a crash. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to this issue, which was discovered through a warranty claim review process. Honda is announcing this recall to encourage all owners of affected vehicles to take them to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Honda. Mailed notification to customers will begin in late-March. In addition, owners of these vehicles can determine if their vehicles require repair by going to www.recalls.honda.com or by calling (800) 999-1009, and selecting option 4.

Honda Urban SUV concept previews Fit-based crossover

We've been hearing a lot of rumblings this year about a new crossover based on the Honda Fit, and now we finally get to see what this B-segment CUV might look like. Called the Urban SUV Concept, Honda's new small crossover has made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, but we'll have to wait until 2014 to see the production version on sale in the US. Honda says the production version of this concept, whatever it will be called, will slot below the CR-V in terms of size and price.
In terms of this concept's styling, there is plenty of the new Honda Accord in its face, and it looks like a more rugged version of the Nissan Juke, as well as a more practical alternative to the Hyundai Veloster. With its short overhangs, the concept measures 169.3 inches in length, making it about eight inches longer than a Fit hatchback and nine inches shorter than the CR-V. Honda confirmed that its new crossover will debut a telematics system for Honda, and it will use one of Honda's new Earth Dreams engines; we previously reported that this engine would be a 1.5-liter I4 paired with a continuously variable transmission.
The next-generation Fit is expected to debut before this new crossover model, and both models will be built at Honda's Celaya, Mexico assembly plant, which is scheduled to open early next year. A new sedan is also expected to round out the lineup of Fit-based products. For more information about this new Urban SUV Concept, scroll down for Honda's official press release.

Honda fined $70 million for failing to report deaths, injuries

The federal agency charged with keeping US motorists safe announced Thursday it has fined Honda $70 million for failing to report death and injury data in a timely manner. Honda failed to report 1,729 incidents involving death or injury over an 11-year period, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials. Federal law requires automakers to report deaths, injuries and certain warranty claims. Officials said Thursday that information could have been used to spot trends in automotive defects and potentially save lives. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said it is possible the Department of Justice could conduct a criminal investigation into the failures, but it was not immediately known whether the Justice Department would pursue such charges. NHTSA officials still don't know much about the 1,729 incidents of death or injury that were missing from the Early Warning Reporting records, because in some cases, they still haven't been reported. Mark Rosekind, the agency's new administrator, said Honda is still in the process of sending investigators the missing information. "Our first task will be to review that, and determine actual deaths and injuries," he said. "That data is in the process of coming to us and being processed right now." The $70 million is the largest civil penalty levied against an automaker in history, officials said. It actually consists of two $35 million penalties, the maximum allowed by statute for a single TREAD Act violation. In this case, NHTSA broke the fine into separate violations, one for the missing deaths and injury information and one for the company's failure to report certain warranty-claim information. Honda reached an agreement with the federal government in late December, in which it accepted additional regulatory oversight and third-party audits that will ensure reporting is properly completed in the future. Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Government/Legal Honda transportation