The car rental agency will sell a third of its U.S. electric fleet and reinvest in gas powered cars due to a downward spiral of EV sales. Hertz Global Holdings Inc. plans to sell a third of its U.S. electric vehicle fleet and reinvest in gas-powered cars due to weak demand for the battery-powered options. The sales […]
Tesla’s stainless-steel Cybertruck is not rusting, company engineer says after complaints
Some Cybertruck owners say orange-tinted specks on their bare-steel pickups look like rust. Tesla engineer Wes Morrill said its surface contamination that can be cleaned off easily. Tesla Cybertruck owners have sounded an alarm over orange-colored specks that have appeared on the truck’s bare stainless-steel exterior after being exposed to the rain. And some fear that […]
THE GREEN CARS PRODUCED ARE NOT SO GREEN AFTER ALL!
EV vehicle sales have increased, but the tire industry needs to address a serious pollution issue. As a car’s only point of contact with the road, tires do more work than they get credit for. Tires need to grip the road firmly enough for cars to accelerate, turn and brake without skidding, but they also […]
How Toby Keith Helped Ford Stay Afloat During the 2008 Financial Crisis
The late country music singer Toby Keith agreed to continue his partnership with Ford for a fraction of the pay when it needed to cut costs. Here’s a story that just came to light that should make all of you country music fans delighted as well as anyone who appreciates an outstanding individual. During the Great […]
HONDA HR-V REAR WINDOWS ARE SHATTERING IN COLD WEATHER
<REPORTS SAY THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED Hundreds of Honda HR-V owners have reported that their rear windows shattered suddenly, a problem that Consumer Reports says warrants a recall due to the safety risk posed to drivers from “spontaneous shattering of glass.” The issue impacts 2023 HR-V models, with Consumer Reports noting that the publication […]
EVOLVING AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICS INTO THE WORLD OF EVs
NOW’S THE TIME FOR STANDARDIZED DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS TO MORPH INTO THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE AGE! Back in the day of the invention of the transistor, you had to be Alan Turing who was the person who broke the German’s Enigma code system during World War 2 to be able to perform automotive diagnostics when car makers […]
WHEN DOES A VEHICLE REPAIR BECOME ABSURD
Is it possible for a burned-out taillight bulb replacement to get into the four digit figure category? Owners of 2015 and later Ford F150 trucks that were purchased with high trim options, beware what awaits you sooner than you think. In the name of anonymity protection, we will refer to our victim as Harry. Harry […]
HYUNDAI WILL SELL VEHICLES ON AMAZON IN 2024
Hyundai will begin sales of its full portfolio of vehicles via the Amazon shopping platform. Hyundai said it will begin sales of its full portfolio of vehicles via the Amazon shopping platform in January 2024, enabling consumers to complete the full car-shopping and buying experience within a familiar digital environment. Hyundai said it will begin sales of its full portfolio of […]
THE 2024 DODGE CHARGER EV ADDS MUSCLE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
AN ELECTRIC CAR WITH AN EXHAUST SYSTEM…DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT! Yes, there is an exhaust system in the new 2024 Dodge Charger EV. How is that possible you ask, the short answer is science and technology. In the previous article I wrote about the demise of the Chrysler 300, which is soon to be […]
CHRYLSLER 300…A 68 YEAR LEGACY
A LOOK BACK AT THE LEGENDARY CHYRSLER 300 LETTER CARS The Chrysler 300 has been one of America’s favorite cars since it’s release in 1955. It has been a main stay vehicle throughout its illustrious history which makes this writer sad to say that the 2023 model year will be the last internal combustion engine […]
Ford Lightning Lawsuit
Ford was hoping its F-150 Lightning would be the next hot item on the EV Truck scene. In new footage obtained by CNBC through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) shows a close-up look at the February fire that burned through several F-150 Lightnings at a holding lot in Michigan, in an alarming wake-up call on Ford’s quality control and the […]
THE RIGHT TO RERPAIR MOVEMENT IS HEATING UP
AUTOMAKERS & INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS HAVE REACHED A NEW AGREEMENT Groups representing automakers and independent repair shops say they have an reached agreement the week of July 10. This agreement includes the much fought over vehicle data and telematics which are required to perform certain repairs requiring information that was formerly forbidden by the original […]
WHO’S DRIVING?
Autonomous Driving Legal and Regulatory Issues Will Rear Their Ugly Heads as Level 3 Driving Looms Closer As autonomous driving leaps from Level 2 to Level 3 this year with the introduction of Mercedes Benz model equipped with their Drive Pilot system, which is a Level 3 system, regulators are scrambling to enact laws […]
FORD RECALL MORE THAN 250,000 EXPLORERS FOR ROLLAWAY THREAT
Ford Motor Company is recalling 252,936 2020 to 2022 Explorers with 10R80 transmissions and all engines as well as hybrid models for the possible danger of a rollaway threat. The recall includes Explorers, Explorer Hybrids, Police Interceptors and Explorer Plug-In Hybrids. The defect that causes the threat is caused by a rear axle horizontal mounting […]
THE BATTLE FOR “RIGHT TO REPAIR” CONTINUES
As the debate between legislators and aftermarket auto repair shops heats up, it has been a common occurrence for the original equipment manufacturers to claim “only we can properly repair your vehicle because we have factory support”. In addition to this old story, a new argument has arisen, now the O.E.s claim “only we can […]
DID JEEP DESIGN THE FIRST CROSSOVER 30 YEARS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE?
One theory of how Jeep got its name comes from its use in the military during WWII when during development and testing the now famous vehicle was referred to as the GP which stood for General Purpose. When WWll soldiers started using these vehicles GP quickly became Jeep and so it stuck until now. Since […]
AM RADIO IS NOT DEAD YET
Just when you thought AM radio was a thing of the past, as various automakers are eliminating an AM radio from their vehicles, U.S. lawmakers want to bar automakers from doing that very thing. Reuters and Automotive News reports that a group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to prevent automakers from eliminating the AM […]
ATSG’s New 8F35 TechTran Manual
This ATSG Ford / Lincoln 8F35 TechTran Manual will guide you in the complete teardown and assembly of the 8F35 transmission with many diagnostics included as well. The Ford 8F35 introduced for the 2019 model year is an eight speed front wheel drive or all-wheel drive transmission that was co-engineered with the GM 9T50. Ford […]
GOIN’ OUT WITH A ROAR
If you have ever said to yourself, “someday I’m gonna buy one of those”, I wouldn’t wait a whole lot longer. I’m referring to Dodge muscle cars which according to Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis is nearing the end of production as the Stellantis group member transitions to electrification by the end of this year. […]
NEW TWO SPEED TRANSMISSION FOR EVs
A few years ago, I created an article in a trade magazine about a new innovative transmission called the Zero Shift. The design of this transmission was based on a bicycle part called a “derailleur” which would allow a multi-speed bicycle to seamlessly shift up and down through the gears, said Wayne Colonna of ATSG. Zero […]