Autoblog

Nissan recalls over 120,000 Altimas due to... spare tire inflation?!

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Nissan

A pressure regulator that over- or underinflated spare tires for five days earlier this year has led to a recall of 123,308 units of the 2013 Nissan Altima. Sedans that were manufactured from March 21-26 are those possibly affected by the temporary tire snafu, the recall for which will begin on May 3.

Those notified of the issue can take their sedans to their local Nissan dealer, who will check the tire pressure and correct it if necessary, but we imagine owners can probably just whip out a tire gauge to check and adjust the inflation for themselves. Should you need it, there's an official notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration below with a few more details.

Continue reading Nissan recalls over 120,000 Altimas due to... spare tire inflation?!

Nissan recalls over 120,000 Altimas due to... spare tire inflation?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota issues recall for 150K Tacoma pickups over possible spare tire trouble

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:57:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Toyota has initiated a recall of its Tacoma pick-up from the 2001 to 2004 model years, with up to 150,000 units affected. Tacomas sold in 20 snowbelt states and the District of Columbia could have an issue with the lift plate on their spare tire carrier, which is a piece of metal that helps raise the emergency spare wheel located at the back and underneath the truck. The plate might not have been properly coated with anticorrosion protection, and this could lead to the plate corroding on trucks driven in states that use salt on the roads during the winter. A lift plate failure could lead to the spare tire coming loose and causing an accident.

Toyota is working on a remedy to the situation and will notify owners when it is ready. The release below from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has more information, including all of the cold-weather states in which affected trucks are registered, and indicates that the recall should begin next month.

Continue reading Toyota issues recall for 150K Tacoma pickups over possible spare tire trouble

Toyota issues recall for 150K Tacoma pickups over possible spare tire trouble originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Creative carpentry - tree branch used as spare tire

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Videos, Humor

A greener kind of spare tire - Click above to watch video after the jump

Man's indomitable spirit and ingenuity are wonderful things - they allow for man to persevere in the most trying of situations. Aron Ralston hacked off his own arm and survived after a boulder trapped him in Blue John Canyon, for example. In this case, one man was tasked with a problem and a need to solve it at any cost. His trailer was missing a wheel - or maybe a wheel and an axle - and a spare was apparently nowhere in sight.

Rather than succumb to the pressure and admit defeat, he did what anyone entering survival mode would do - improvise. Finding a sturdy tree branch, he fashioned it into a support device and set off down the road. Disaster averted.

Hop the jump to see the human spirit in action (or to watch a clever idiot put his and other vehicles at risk - we're really talking about one and the same here).

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Creative carpentry - tree branch used as spare tire

Video: Creative carpentry - tree branch used as spare tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Artist Damien Hirst selling world's most expensive spare tire cover?

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Design/Style

This is a spare tire cover painted by British contemporary artist Damien Hurst. It currently retails for £900. That's $1,390 based on current exchange rates.

You read correctly - a tire cover that costs over one thousand dollars.

Hirst's work is praised around the world, and this isn't his first dive into the automotive realm. Earlier this year, a Hirst-painted Audi A1 sold for over $527,000 at an auction held by Elton John. This tire cover is obviously art on a smaller scale, featuring Hirst's spin painting design. The cover itself is made of a high-quality stainless steel band covering the tire tread with a high-impact plastic central dish displaying the artist's work.

Need a fashionable way to spruce up the tire cover on your Jeep Wrangler? Have an extra $1,400 burning a hole in your wallet? Hirst's art-gone-four-by-four can be purchased now from Other Criteria.

[Source: Other Criteria via Highsnobiety.com]

Artist Damien Hirst selling world's most expensive spare tire cover? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans over corrosion on spare tire cable

Chris Shunk — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

2010 Toyota Sienna - click above for high-res image gallery

It appears Toyota just can't shake the recall bug. Since last fall, Toyota has issued massive recalls for floor mats, stuck pedals, Prius brakes, Tundra frame rust and now the Japanese automaker's minivan is getting in on the act. Toyota has announced that it will voluntarily recall 600,000 of its 1998-2010 Sienna minivans for corrosion on the spare tire cable. A Toyota press release on the subject tells us that the cable may rust to the point where "the spare tire could become separated from the vehicle, a road hazard for following vehicles that increases the likelihood of a crash."

The primary cause of the corrosion stems from road salt used to combat ice. The recall covers vehicles in the northern states listed in the post-jump press release, though Toyota says it will inspect the spare tire cable on vehicles from states not affected by the recall as well.

At this point, Toyota admits it is still working on a solution to the rusted cable problem. If your Sienna is affected by the recall, you will receive a notice from the automaker to head to a dealer for inspection. Once Toyota comes up with a proper fix, customers will receive a second notice advising Sienna owners of the remedy. We're thinking two trips to the dealer is less than ideal, but then again we're sure most customers aren't interested in having their spare tire fall out during rush hour traffic. Hit the jump to read over the Toyota press release. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Sienna

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans over corrosion on spare tire cable

Toyota recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans over corrosion on spare tire cable originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

If you've been following the Toyota Tundra rust saga, you're aware that NHSTA recently requested data from Toyota about the purported frame corrosion affecting 2000 and 2001 models. Today, Toyota has extended that recall to include the 2002-03 model years, saying that a small number of trucks could suffer from frame corrosion that could cause the spare tire to detach from its underbody housing. That brings the total up to 110,000 Tundras located in 20 cold-weather states and the District of Columbia.

Toyota will begin an inspection program next month which will run through January of 2010, and if you're driving one of the affected pickups, you can get all the details in the press release below the fold. Hat tip to Mike from Pickuptrucks.com.

Continue reading Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks

Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Fat people waste gas

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:52:00 EST

Filed under: Trends

Gas prices have settled a bit in the past few months, but with the cost of a gallon still lingering well in the two-dollar range, many Americans are looking for ways to save a few bucks at the pump. But what if you are happy with your current car and don't want to be a new one that's more fuel efficient? One new study suggests you dump your spare tire.

No, not that spare tire. The one around your waist. This new study suggests that Americans are burning nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline every year because of the extra weight we're are toting around. At $2.20 a gallon, that amounts to $2.2 billion wasted on gas each year. "If a person reduces the weight in their car, either by removing excess baggage, carrying around less weight in their trunk, or yes, even losing weight, they will indeed see a drop in their fuel consumption." This from study co-author and University of Illinois researcher Sheldon Jacobson.

Jacobson points out that the lost mileage for any single driver is pretty small. Even by losing 100 pounds, the average driver would only save about $40 a year over a typical 12,000 miles. But it adds up when you consider how many motorists are on the road. Other research, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies support these findings. In a related study, the CDC found that heavy fliers have contributed to higher fuel costs for airlines.

The study will appear in the October-December issue of The Engineering Economist, one of those academic/industry journals published by the American Society of Engineering Education and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, former CDC director points out that although valid, the study conclusion is only partially helpful: "The wrong fuel is being focused on. If you're heavier, the most important fuel you use more of is food."

[Source: Yahoo! News]

REPORT: Fat people waste gas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments