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.   […]

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 […]

2021 and 2022 Hyundai models Elantra N, Kona N, Santa Cruz, Seta Fe, Sonata and the Veloster N have a defect that could cause a total loss of movement. Hyundai filed a recall with NHTSA over an issue with a fail-safe malfunction in the transmission oil pump. The recall affects 53,142 vehicles spread across six […]

When it comes to electric cars, the battery is arguably the most important component. After all, it’s the battery that powers the car. Electric car batteries typically last for over 10 years and can last up to 20 with proper care. Replacing a battery is expensive, so it’s important to factor that into your overall budget. […]

Smartphone Tool Improves Technician Efficiency It’s a proven fact that technicians that are pulled away from the vehicle they are working on to seek service or repair information creates a work stoppage for the period of time that the technician spends at a computer. In other words, when the tech puts his or her tools […]

Ford Recalls 3 Million Vehicles for a Transmission Rollaway Condition Ford Motor Company recently recalled approximately 3 million light vehicles which include the 2013 – 2018 Escape with all engine applications and the 6F35 transmission, the 2013 – 2018 C-Max with the 2.0 liter engine and CVT transmission, the 2013 – 2016 Fusion with all […]

It’s been discovered that transmission in Ford’s F-150 can suddenly go intro neutral. Over 47,000 pickup trucks from the 2021 model year are included in the recall. Vehicles Recalled: Some 2021 Ford F-150 pickup trucks built between July 28, 2021 and December 20, 2021. The Problem: Because of a problem with the transmission software, the […]

Nearly 127,000 Kia vehicles and 358,000 Hyundai vehicles are affected by this recall.   Engine compartment fires due to hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU) module malfunction and anti-lock brake system (ABS) module malfunction are causing Kia and Hyundai to issue recalls, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).   Kia is recalling certain […]

  Just when you think you have the automotive industry figured out, another curveball comes your way.    The automotive industry continues to change and evolve at an alarming rate. In order to be successful in this industry,  you have to roll with the changes. If you don’t update, you will evaporate.   Some of […]

Ford Knew About Defective Transmissions for Years Ford’s DPS6 transmission, also called the Ford PowerShift transmission, is a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. It has been used in the Fiesta from 2010-present, the Focus from 2012-present, and several other cars during that same period. The Detroit Free Press launched an investigation that revealed that Ford knew […]

The cyber-secure vehicle is here. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) introduced the Secure Gateway Module into roughly half of their 2018 product line and nearly 90 percent of their 2019 vehicles. The Secure Gateway Module, which FCA refers to as the SGW, is essentially a firewall providing moderated access to the in-vehicle network diagnostic services. The […]

New 8-speed and 10-speed Automatic Transmissions (Direct Shift-8AT & Direct Shift-10AT) Toyota has developed two new automatic transmissions―the 8-speed Direct Shift-8AT and the 10-speed Direct shift-10AT. For both, various measures were taken to minimize energy loss and heighten transmission efficiency. Gear tooth surfaces were processed using a new technique for a lower coefficient of friction […]

Toyota owner’s of 2018 models or newer may find that one morning there car or truck will not start remotely when using the key fob. That’s because a lot of late model Toyota owners are not aware of the fact that the remote start feature is a subscription service and that their free trail time […]

Allison Transmission Plans To Offer Its Medium-Duty, Fully Automatic 9-Speed Transmission Globally. “Right now is an exciting time to be part of Allison and our industry as a whole,” said David S. Graziosi, president and CEO of Allison Transmission. “There is more rapid change in our industry and more Allison initiatives underway today than at […]

Fed-Up Ford Mustang Owners File Lawsuit Over “Faulty” Six-Speed Manual Transmissions Ford’s been hearing about this for almost a decade. Now, it’s headed to court. Just months after Ford agreed to pay millions to Focus and Fiesta owners over their faulty PowerShift transmissions, it’s again facing a class-action lawsuit—this time for the Mustang’s six-speed manual. Drivers of […]

Automatic Stop-Start Removed In Some 2021 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra Pickups   Pickup truck customers eager to ditch automatic engine stop-start will be happy to learn that General Motors is removing the feature from some 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 models. The change stems from the ongoing global microchip shortage.   According to the automaker, most […]

Auto Repair Industry Faces Shake Up as Unprecedented Number of Shop Owners Plan on Retiring in Next Decade More than half of independent auto repair shop owners expect to retire in the next nine years, and the majority plan to sell their businesses, potentially leading to a wave of consolidation in the industry and leaving […]

Harbor Freight jack stand recall: Now the replacement stands are also recalled! Company offers refund or credit on any Pittsburgh stand, even those not recalled. In May, Harbor Freight recalled more than 1.7 million Pittsburgh branded three- and six ton jack stands that could collapse due to a manufacturing flaw. The flaw on those stands […]

Attention all Automotive Aftermarket Repair Shops! The cost of business is going up…again. Just when you thought things are getting back to some kind of normal, along comes a flyball right in the face. If any of you technicians out there have recently attempted to scan an FCA vehicle that was built after January 31, […]

Remember This Car? For all that guessed Ford Maverick, you are getting on in years!  Ford produced the Maverick from 1970 through 1977 as inexpensive transportation in a compact package. Many jokes were directed towards the Maverick, however Ford sold 579,000 of them in that first year of production. Now you might have laughed whenever […]