Nutson's Auto News Blast - CES 'Car Show'?, 2014 Auto Industry Records, Slippery Oil Prices, GM, Ford, Lincoln Recall, Plus More Automotive News December 29-Jan 4 2015

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

Auto Central Chicago IL, Jamuary 4, 2015; Every Sunday, along with senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau I give you our "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to digest nuggets.

If you are a car nut like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can easily wish to "catch up" on these stories as well as the past 19 year's 1,752,307 automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves just search The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive.

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Nutson's Auto News Blast - Week Of December 29-January 4, 2015

* The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opens next week and cars are now in the forefront instead of video games. Ford and Daimler-Benz CEOs will be at the show. Also at the show will be Volkswagen, Toyota, General Motors, Hyundai, Mazda, Audi, BMW and FCA US LLC.

* LCM Automotive and J.D. Power predict the actual total of U.S. light vehicle sales will reach 16.5 million when the numbers are confirmed shortly. That includes 13.6 million retail sales. Fleet sales result in considerably less profit to manufacturers so retail sales is the more important number.

* The U.S. auto industry set a few records for 2014, one of them is the number of vehicles recalled at 60.5 million led by GM’s ongoing recall of faulty ignition switches and Takata’s air bag inflators. That number nearly doubles the previous record rate of 30.8 million vehicles recalled that was set in 2004. Ten recalls account for more than one million vehicles each.

* Contentious airbag manufacturer Takata this week hired a high-powered lawyer to assist with their ongoing disputes with NHTSA and other government agencies. NHTSA has demanded that the regional recall of air bag inflators be extended nationally. Takata contends the problems only arise in hot, humid climates and so a national recall is not warranted. The Takata airbag recalls involve aroung 24 million vehicles, mostly in the U.S.

* Ward’s respected “10 Best Engines” list came out this week and for the first time includes a hydrogen fuel cell engine - Hyundai’s FCV Tuscon 100-kW unit. Among winners is the BMW i3 electric powertrain. Also high on the list are the Corvette 6.2-liter V-8 and the Dodge Challenger 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V-8. Five of the winners are turbocharged including Ford’s 1.0-liter 3-cylinder Ecoboost. Ram’s new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel pickup engine made the list as well.

* World oil prices continue to sink resulting in gasoline prices not seen in years, many areas now below $2.00/gallon. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC states plan to continue production at current levels in order to protect their market share. Most analysts predict oil prices will remain at these low levels at least through mid-2015. Such low fuel prices also mean a boon to higher large car and light truck sales where auto makers realize much of their profits.

* Toyota began retail sales of its Nirai fuel cell-powered sedan in Japan this week. Priced at 7.2-million yen (about $61,000) they claim to have 400 orders for the car to start with which is their expectation for first year sale. Toyota plans to sell the car in the U.S. beginning this year and target 3,000 sales by the end of 2017.

* Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is recalling about 67,000 manual transmission Dodge Dakota, Ram and Mitsubishi Raider pickup trucks from 2006 and 2007 model years because they might start without the clutch being depressed.

* Volkswagen is recalling about 38,000 cars because a fuel leak in the engine may cause a fire. Affected models are 2014 and 2015 model years of the Volkswagen Beetle, Jetta, Passat and 2015 model year Golf and GTI.

* Ford is recalling 13,500 2015 Lincoln MKC crossovers to move the pushbutton keyless ignition switch location. The automaker said that because of the switch’s close proximity to other controls, drivers were inadvertantly shutting off the engine while driving. Dealers will replace the gearshift module with one that has the pushbutton start in a different location, and they will reprogram the powertrain control module.

* Ford is also recalling 12,200 2014 Ford Escapes and 2015 Lincoln MKCs for a fuel pump issue. Ford said an issue with the nickel plating on the fuel pump may cause the pump to seize.

* GM wasn't quite done with ignition recalls. GM is recalling 83,572 SUVs and trucks because a faulty ignition may move out of the "start" position causing the vehicle to stall and the airbags not to deploy in the event of a crash. The models involved are 2011-12 Chevrolet Silverado, Silverado HD, Suburbans, Tahoes, Avalanches; GMC Sierra, Sierra HDs, Yukons, Yukon XLs; and Cadillac Escalades, along with ESV and EXT versions.

* Motorcycle fatalities were lower in 2013 for the first year since 2009. This is the most recent data from NHTSA that also shows car fatalities declining too. Motorcycles now make up 14 percent of fatalities, up from 9 percent ten years ago. Helmets save lives as shown by 150 deaths in states with helmet laws compared to 1,704 deaths in states without. Pedestrian deaths dropped, while "pedal cyclists" deaths rose 1.2 percent.