On the Move

Monday, October 31, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329

Detroit ratings drop in reliability surveyThe respected Consumer

Reports magazine on Tues-day gave Detroit’s recover-ing auto industry a blow to the gut.

Chrysler was the one bright spot, moving from bot-tom of the barrel last year to the middle of the pack this year. Still, the magazine not-ed that Chrysler has many models it cannot recommend to buyers.

“Even with Chrysler’s improvement, Detroit mod-els still have reliability prob-lems,” it concluded after con-ducting its annual survey of 1.3 million members.

The news was damaging to Ford, which had been riding a wave of improved quality that has boosted its image, sales and profits. In 2008, the magazine put a Fusion on its cover and declared Ford “on par with good Japanese auto-makers,” a reputation that mostly has held up since.

Not this year. The Ford brand dropped 10 spots in the rankings, to No. 20 among 28 brands — far below Asian rivals who dominated the top 10 rankings.

General Motors posted a mixed performance. Chevro-let held steady at No. 17. Buick and GMC dropped in the rankings, along with Cadil-lac, which placed 25th.

On Wednesday, Ford reported earnings of $1.6 bil-lion, or 46 cents a share, in the third quarter, $38 million less than a year earlier, but better than analysts’ consen-sus of 44 cents a share.

Sales rose 14.1 percent to $33.1 billion as the Dearborn

automaker sold 1,346,000 vehicles, or 93,000 more than it sold in the third quarter of 2010.

“We delivered solid results despite an uncertain busi-ness environment by continu-ing to serve our customers around the world with best-in-class vehicles,” said CEO Alan Mulally.

Ford was profitable in North and South America, but lost money in Europe, Asia-Pacific and Africa.

Japanese lead pack in reliability survey

Japanese automakers continued to dominate the top spots in the Consumer

Reports’ annual automotive reliability survey, despite recalls, tsunamis and com-petitors who had gained ground in recent years.

Nine out of the top 10 brands in the annual survey were from Japanese compa-nies. Toyota’s Scion brand was ranked No. 1, followed by Lexus, Acura, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Infiniti, Subaru and Nissan. The German Volk-swagen brand placed 10th.

“They still lead the pack,” David Champion, director of Consumer Reports’ Automo-tive Test Center, said Tues-day of the Japanese automak-ers. “Although the domestics have improved, they still have a ways to go to really get to the best manufacturers that are out there.”

Consumer Reports’ survey results are based on respons-es from 1.3 million subscrib-ers to Consumer Reports or its website. The magazine uses the results to predict reliability for new 2012 mod-els.

The flaws in Ford’s MyFord Touch infotainment system go beyond how it functions, Champion said. The design of the touch-screen system causes drivers to get distract-ed, he said.

“When you are trying to ... press the right button area on the screen ... you keep on tak-ing your eyes off of the road,” Champion said Tuesday when he spoke at the Automotive Press Association.

Negative consumer survey responses to the system con-tributed to Ford’s fall from 10th place in last year’s Con-sumer Reports’ survey to No.

By Brent SnavelyDetroit Free Press

Eric SEalS/DEtroit FrEE PrESS/Mct

Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally talks to the media in front of the Ford Focus ST dur-ing the Ford press conference at Cobo Arena at the 2011 North American International Auto Show held at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, on January 10.

The Ford brand dropped 10 spots in the rankings, to No. 20 among 28 brands — far below Asian rivals who dominated the top 10 rank-ings.General Motors posted a mixed performance. Chevrolet held steady at No. 17. Buick and GMC dropped in the rankings, along with Cadillac, which placed 25th.

See RELIABILITY, Page 2

/ Monday, October 31, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

20 this year, as did a new transmis-sion system.

Champion said the in-car technol-ogy problems go beyond their com-plexity, too. “It is the fact that the sys-tems crashed, and there were issues with slow performance,” he said.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said Ford has already made chang-es to the system and stressed that MyFord Touch also can be operated with voice commands and buttons on the steering wheel.

“The great thing about technol-ogy and software-based systems is that we are able to address the issues quickly, and we have been doing that with MyFord Touch,” Sher-wood said.

Consumer Reports also singled out Ford’s new PowerShift dual-clutch six-speed transmission on the Fiesta and Focus. The transmission, Cham-pion said, doesn’t perform well in low speeds, such as in parking lots, and generates a chattering noise.

Sherwood said most of those issues have been corrected by making changes to the computer software that manages the transmissions.

Chrysler, which exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2009, is performing best with its new vehi-cles, such as the Jeep Grand Chero-kee, Dodge Durango and Chrysler 200.

“It gives us a good look of where the company is going,” Champion said. Chrysler’s Jeep brand jumped seven spots to 13th, and was the top-ranked domestic brand while Chrysler jumped 12 spots.

General Motors received a mixed report card from the magazine. The Chevrolet Volt extended-range elec-tric car — its most high-profile new vehicle — is the company’s most reliable, Champion said.

But Cadillac — GM’s luxury brand — ranked 25th out of 28 brands and the Cadillac SRX is not recommend-ed by the magazine. The survey also revealed that quality issues surfaced for the Chevrolet Cruze.

Terry Woychowski, GM’s vice president of quality, said the prob-lems on the Cruze have been fixed and said warranty claims for Cadil-lac have declined 21 percent this year. “We are very proud of the Cru-ze ... there were a couple of minor issues at launch,” Woychowski said. “But we hope that both these vehi-cles — the SRX and the Cruze — can gain their rightful spots next time around.”

ReliabilityFrom Page 1

Scion iQ: A smart alternative to ultra-small cars?

The niche for ultra-small city cars may be limited, but Toyota’s funky Scion brand believes its new iQ will expand the segment, and based on a sneak peak Tuesday , it has reason for optimism.

Positioned between Mercedes-Benz’s Smart car and the Fiat 500, Scion iQ offers a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine capable of 94 horsepower. But the real draw may be the 11 airbags and a nim-ble 12.9-foot turning radius that will make parking in congested cities easy. The U.S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency says it will average 37 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

Jack Hollis, Scion vice presi-dent, calls the segment premium micro-subcompact. How many cars are sold will depend on

gas prices, which are now down from their peak of last spring. But despite economic headwinds, young consumers are migrating to urban hubs, and that’s the mar-ket the iQ is targeting.

“The youth of today are much more interested in mass transit, car-sharing and other transpor-tation options,” Hollis said.

The iQ’s designers carved out more interior space, especially for front-seat legroom and over-all headroom, than a glance from outside the car would lead one to expect. With a height of 59 inches and length of 10 feet, the 66-inch width provides nearly the same space between driver and pas-senger as the much larger Toy-ota Corolla.

The iQ was slated for launch this summer, but the disruptions caused by the March 11 earth-quake and tsunami in Japan

pushed back its production launch. Now Hollis expects West Coast dealers to see their first cars in early December. Showrooms from the Southwest to Southeast should receive the iQ in January and February 2012, and the mar-keting launch on the East Coast and Midwest is slated for next March.

The other challenge for Scion is that the 18- to 29-year-old demo-graphic from which most iQ buy-ers will come is taking a dispro-portionate hit from the prolonged unemployment crisis.

“The market we’re aiming at has a 20 percent unemployment rate, but they are moving back into cities,” Hollis said.

An electric version of the iQ is scheduled for introduction next year, but Hollis said it will be sold primarily to corporate and government fleets.

The iQ will carry a base price of $15,995, including delivery.

“It’s definitely an interesting car,” said Dave Sullivan, an ana-lyst with AutoPacific. “The prob-lem is that Americans like to pay for cars by the pound. You have to give people a reason to want to downsize.”

The iQ expands Scion’s line-up from three to four models. Despite the earthquake’s impact, Scion’s sales through the first nine months of 2011 are up 13.2 per-cent from a year earlier. Sales of the redesigned 2011 tC sport coupe, launched about a year ago, are up 76 percent from last year through September.

Last April, Scion showed a con-cept car called the FR-S at the New York International Auto Show. A version of that is expect-ed to be produced sometime in the next 18 months.

By Greg GardnerDetroit Free Press

ToyoTa/MCT

The 2012 Scion iQ is officially known as a micro-subcompact.

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 31, 2011 /

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New Dodge Charger a racy, sophisticated bruteThe biggest surprise of the

2011 model year is the Pyg-malion-like transformation of the Dodge Charger into a car worthy of the name.

The new 2011 Charger’s sophisticated muscularity channels the spirit of the 1968 to 1970 Dodge Charger. With-out slavish duplication, the new car adapts the old car’s most pleasing attributes: the scallops on the hood and body sides, the graceful Coke-bot-tle shape of its beltline, the rear roof pillar offset from the fender line and the rear full-width tail lamps.

These hallmarks are mixed with new elements: the promi-nent Dodge cross-hair grille and menacingly aggressive head lamps; the sleek new roof line with thinner roof pillars and the extensive use of LED lighting. It instills the Charger with a suave muscularity, like Rambo in an Armani suit.

The design smarts contin-ue inside, though to a lesser degree.

The instrument cluster, which looks as if it was lift-ed from a chronograph, is set in a simple dashboard panel that is dominated by a gigantic touch-sensitive screen. Thank-fully, the screen’s large icons

are easy to activate, although some of the graphics, espe-cially on the navigation sys-tem, seem cartoon-like and crude.

Sublime tan Nappa leath-er seats, with a color lifted straight from Ferrari, give the interior an elegant edge.

The seats are part of a $4,000 Rallye Plus pack-

age that stuffs the Charger with gobs of gear: Bluetooth streaming audio, USB port, Sirius satellite radio, secu-rity alarm, dual automatic climate control, heated front and rear seats, and heated and cooled cup holders, among other options.

Other options include a $575 Drivers Convenience

Group, which adds such com-fort essentials as a power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, heated folding outside mir-rors and power adjustable ped-als. Also appreciated: the $650 Navigation/Backup Camera Group.

Despite the generous com-plement of options, the inte-rior comes off as more sport-

ing than luxurious. There’s plenty of soft-touch surfaces, and a dramatic reduction in hard plastic and coarse edges that characterized the 2010 Charger.

Looks aside, you can feel it when you’re in the car. The seats are wide and comfort-able. The interior is quiet. The storage bins are lined. The switches lack the cheap, tacky feel of previous mod-els. Interior space is gener-ous, but then again, this is a full-size car.

Given the car’s newfound sophistication, you might expect the Charger to still drive like a big, dumb Ameri-can poser. But here’s the sur-prising thing: it doesn’t.

There are three trim lev-els: Charger SE, Charger R/T and Charger R/T AWD.

The SE has a 292-horse-power 3.6-liter V6 and rear-wheel drive. The R/T swaps the V6 for a 340-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V8, and a per-formance-tuned suspension with larger disc brakes. The R/T AWD adds — surprise — all-wheel drive.

All engines are mated to a five-speed automatic transmis-sion, although an eight-speed automatic is expected by the end of the year.

Of course, just to confuse

anyone outside of Dodge, the Charger can be fitted with what the company calls life-style packages, but which sound like trim levels. They include the Rallye, Rallye Plus, R/T Plus, R/T Road & Track and R/T Max.

Time spent with a well-optioned SE proved the car to be remarkably poised over the rough roads. Body motions were very well controlled, and the car had a well-bred per-sona. It rides comfortably, but gets down to business when it’s time to have fun. The steer-ing communicates some of what’s going on; the brakes bring the party to a halt with authority.

And while many enthu-siasts would prefer a Hemi, the V6 acquits itself nicely while providing good fuel economy.

For a car that starts at the same price as smaller sedans whose strongest flavor is vanil-la, it’s an impressive feat and quite a transformation.

The Charger does some-thing the previous Char-ger did not. It captures the essence of classic Ameri-can full-size sedans: it has space, it performs well, it has bold style and it’s sold at a price mere mortals can afford.

By Larry PrintzMcClatchy-Tribune News Service

DoDge/MCT

The 2011 Dodge Charger adapts the old car’s most pleasing attributes: the scallops on the hood and body sides, the graceful Coke-bottle shape of its beltline, the rear roof pillar off-set from the fender line and the rear full-width tail lamps.

Under The Hood: Diagnosing lukewarm air-conditioning system

Q: My air conditioner just went from working great to not at all. It still blows from all the vents but never gets cold. Since it’s the end of the season, it’s not that big a deal to repair now, but I’m wondering how much this might set me back to fix.

A: When an air condition-ing system fails to blow cold air, there are three general areas of concern.

First is refrigeration. A/C systems pump refrigerant through a handful of com-

ponents and connecting hos-es to extract heat from the passenger compartment and release it outside. Should a leak develop in one of the components and refriger-ant is lost, efficiency will go down until the system shuts itself off. A compressor or control valve fault is also possible, but rare.

Next is a control system or electrical fault. Modern vehicles employ complex strategies for A/C operation. If a vehicle condition is out of limits or irregular, A/C operation may be denied.

An example is a faulty pow-er steering pressure switch or switch connection. If the engine control computer thinks the vehicle is turning sharply, the A/C compressor clutch may be ordered to stand down, as the combina-tion of these two accessory loads at the same time can affect idle stability.

In addition, a typical vehi-cle has perhaps a dozen electrical connections and switches related to compres-sor clutch operation, and a poor connection in any of them could result in an inop-

erative compressor, and no cold air.

The final category is the HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) net-work behind the instru-ment panel. It is possible cold air is being generated by the refrigeration compo-nents but is being acciden-tally mixed with warm air, providing incorrect output. This is rare, but worth con-sidering.

How about trying this: Open the hood and stand to one side as a helper starts the engine and then engag-

es and disengages the A/C mode switch several times, pausing a few seconds in between.

If a fairly loud click is heard each time the switch is thrown, this means the compressor clutch is engag-ing, which infers adequate or better refrigeration oper-ation.

If a click is not heard, shut off the engine and look around the engine compartment for signs of recent wetness — such as a clear, slimy residue — on or near A/C components and

hoses. A sudden, large leak would likely expel a notice-able quantity of refrigerant oil, leaving a visual clue. A slow, long term leak typi-cally leaves a dirty area, as refrigerant oil attracts dirt like a magnet.

It’s difficult to put a num-ber on repair cost. Your best hope is an easy to find elec-trical connection fault or hose connection leak. This might be in the $200 to $300 range. A leaking component, failed compressor or HVAC metering problem could be a lot worse.

By Brad BergholdtMcClatchy-Tribune News Service

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 31, 2011 / Page 5

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TD-0000190062


Is your car ready? Be thorough when winterizingIs your car or truck up to

the challenge of driving in inclement weather?

Now is the time to make sure it’s ready for the onslaught. Here’s what you should check:

n TIRES: People ignore their tires until one goes flat. But nothing else affects your car as much as an under-inflated tire.

Cold weather causes tires to lose air pressure, so it’s a good idea to check. The prop-er amount is not listed on the tire; it’s posted on the driver’s side front door jamb on most newer cars and trucks.

While you’re at it, check the tread. Take a penny and place it upside down into sev-eral places across the tire. If the top of Abe Lincoln’s head is showing, it’s time to replace the tire.

Also, check the state of the tread itself. If a tire is worn on both edges, it is under-inflated. If it’s worn in the center of the tread, it’s over-inflated. If you spot cups or

dips in the tread, it is usually a sign of worn parts. Have the suspension or steering systems checked.

Finally, if your car has summer performance tires, consider replacing them with winter tires.

n BATTERY: As the tem-perature drops, more juice is required to get your car or truck started each morn-ing. Replacing your battery ahead of time is beneficial in two ways: You can buy a new one on sale, and you won’t be left stranded.

Deciding when to replace it is simple. For example, if you have a 36-month battery, you can expect three years of trouble-free charging. But as the 36-month mark approach-es, think about replacing the battery a bit shy of that point instead of waiting until the last minute.

Also, have your car’s alternator, voltage regula-tor, belts and connecting cables checked.

n WINDSHIELD WIP-ERS, WASHER FLUID: If the wipers are streaking,

replace them. Also, if you dilute windshield washer fluid with water, use it up. Replace it with pure washer fluid that won’t freeze below 32 degrees.

n COOLING SYSTEM: If you can’t remember the last time your vehicle’s cooling system was flushed, check your records. Then, look at the owner’s manual. Flush-ing the system removes sed-iment and rust particles to prevent clogging. Be sure to use a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze to water. Also, be sure to use the proper anti-freeze. Many newer vehicles specify a new, longer-life engine coolant, not the tra-ditional green type. Final-ly, replace any dried-out, cracked hoses.

n LIGHTS: Seeing and being seen is important in nasty weather. Have a fam-ily member or friend stand outside the car, to make sure all the vehicle lights work: headlights, fog lamps, tail lamps and turn signals.

n BRAKES: When roads are coated with rain, sleet

and snow, stopping distanc-es increase. If your last vehicle check showed your brakes to be marginal, or the brakes squeal when com-ing to a stop, now is the time to get them checked and/or replaced.

n DEFROSTER: Do all of your defrosters work? This might seem like an insig-nificant item — until you need it.

n CLEAN YOUR CAR: Getting your car cleaned and detailed does more than remove the accumu-lated salt, sand and grime of summer. A great wax job seals the paint and pre-serves the finish.

Inside, a clean car is a pleasant car. Wipe down all surfaces. For leather surfac-es, use a leather cleaner and moisturizer to prevent crack-ing. Clear out the glovebox, center console and rear car-go area. Vacuum the seats, carpet and headliner.

You’ll have the peace of mind that a new life form isn’t spawning under the seat.

By Larry PrintzMcClatchy-Tribune News Service

Power drain: Leaky battery’s electrons make a break for it

QUESTION: We have a 2004 Taurus with 88,000 miles on it. About a year ago we started having problems. After sitting for two days, it wouldn’t start. It would click, and that was it. The dealer replaced the start-er, and everything was fine for a few months. Then the same thing happened again. AAA came out and installed a new battery, and every-thing was fine again for six months. But now, if it sits for two days, it will not start. Do you have any ideas?

ANSWER: I’d be looking for electrons. Somehow, while the vehicle is parked, electrons are escaping from

the battery. When enough of ‘em get away, well, the few remaining can’t carry the load of starting the car.

A more professional description of this problem is “parasitic loss.” Person-ally, I like “escaped elec-trons” better — doesn’t sound so creepy. Apparently, an electrical circuit in the car is drawing excess cur-rent when the ignition is off. Normal parasitic loss is in the range of 50 milliamps or less, to keep the computer systems and memory set-tings alive. This minor loss would take several weeks to drag down a good battery and prevent the car from starting.

To find the excess para-sitic loss, a shop can con-

nect an ammeter to mea-sure current flow from the battery with everything turned off. Unplug each fuse and relay — one at a time — to find the circuit draw-ing too much current. My homemade ammeter is an old taillight lamp with wires soldered to it. I disconnect one of the battery cables and connect my ammeter in series, meaning all the current flowing from the battery goes through the lamp. Normal parasitic loss won’t illuminate the lamp; there’s just not enough cur-rent flow. But a significant loss will cause the lamp to at least glow. As you pull fuses and relays, when the lamp goes out you’ve found the circuit causing the excess

electron loss. Also, make sure to have

the alternator’s output tested to make sure it’s keeping the battery fully charged.

Q: I have a ‘95 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 318-cubic-inch V8 engine. When it gets below 35 degrees at night, the starter grinds a couple of times before it engag-es and starts the engine. It’s like the starter is spin-ning before engaging. I’ve replaced two starter relays and two batteries, and the battery cables are good. What am I missing?

A: Here’s the way I would troubleshoot this problem. On a colder morning when you know this will happen, connect a voltmeter to the starter’s (+) terminal and

ground. Check the voltage that is reaching the starter as you crank the engine. If the voltage stays above 10 volts, the problem is in the starter. Perhaps the start-er pinion shaft is rusty or gummed up with grease or oil and not sliding cleanly into engagement with the flywheel/flexplate. Flush-ing with Deep Creep may resolve this issue. Anoth-er possibility: The starter’s clutch is slipping. A replace-ment starter would eliminate both of these possibilities.

If the voltmeter shows bat-tery voltage dropping below the 10-volt level, check for high resistance in the start circuit from battery to relay to solenoid to starter motor, and the ground connection

between the drivetrain and chassis.

n MOTORING NOTE: In response to a recent column about how to rid a vehicle of skunk smell, James Cappuc-cilli shared his technique. “I have always had success with charcoal briquettes (non-self-lighting type). I spread them out to get as much surface area as pos-sible. Sometimes in less than 20 minutes the briquettes get replaced with fresh ones. This exchange may go on for quite some time, but it has worked wonders for me. Afterward, when everything is smelling just peachy, I have a barbecue after airing out the used briquettes.”

Great idea — but I won’t ask what he’s cooking!

By Paul BrandMcClatchy-Tribune News Service

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 31, 2011 / Page 7

TD-0000190063


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TD-0000190064

On the Move

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