New and rapidly growing smaller displacement engine segment to reach 4-6% of North America market by 2014

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 21 -- Honeywell is taking the lead in turbo technologies designed specifically for small gasoline engines (1.4L) destined for the US, with the breakthrough launch of GM's Chevy Cruze - foreshadowing the emergence of a new and rapidly-growing sector expected to reach up to 4-6% penetration in all US light vehicle sales by 2014.

The GM 1.4L engine is equipped with Honeywell's latest gasoline turbocharger technology which incorporates new advances in bearing technology and aerodynamics specifically suited for small gasoline engines.

"Thanks to a turbo's unique ability to increase the performance output of smaller displacement engines, a downsizing revolution is underway in the US and around the world," said Alex Ismail, President and CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems. "Honeywell is excited to be leading the way in this sector. Over the next 10 years, this mega trend will see average engine displacement in the US reduce from 3.6L to 2.9L moving from V8 and V6 engines to 4 cylinders - a major reflection of this trend being high volume growth in smaller, 4-cylinder turbocharged passenger cars of around 1.4L. As the world's leading turbo manufacturer, we are well positioned to benefit from the move, which will help drive greater energy efficiency and reduced emissions in the auto industry."

Turbo growth is strongly linked in the US to CAFE standards that require fuel economy improvements of around 40 percent in light vehicles by 2016. Overall, turbo penetration is expected to reach 25 percent by the year 2014 up from 5% in 2009, driven mostly by the growth in gasoline engine boosting,

Honeywell Turbo Technologies is the leading automotive turbocharger developer in the world, and is a business unit of Honeywell Transportation Systems, which also consists of Consumer Products Group and Friction Materials. As a leading automotive supplier, Honeywell Transportation Systems enhances vehicle performance, efficiency and appearance through state-of-the-art technologies, world-class brands, and global solutions tailored for its automotive customers around the world.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

The $1,000 car – it's an often-quixotic purchase. You go into it an optimist, but very soon after, the newness of your latest old thing wears off, and you're left with a four-wheeled sarcophagus of rattles, forgotten receipts and gum wrappers. Still, there's a certain romance to the idea of a fantastic deal on a reasonably-good car, and they are out there. To prove their point, the founders of Carsforagrand.com purchased a Colonnade-era Pontiac for $800 and drove more than 3,000 miles across the country. Boo-ya.

The site aggregates ads from the internet and eBay Motors, and wraps them all up in a neat, zip-code-searchable form. The bigger point we take away from Carsforagrand's stunt is that there are cars in California that we'd consider nearly perfect in the rustbelt. For a grand. Three-hundred days of sun per year not enough for you guys, you have to hoard all the cheap, non-rusty old cars, too?

Source: www.Autoblog.com, www.carsforagrand.com

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite a torrent of high-profile recalls that have tarnished Toyota's once stellar reputation, a study published Wednesday reveals that the automaker actually gets fewer customer complaints per car than the majority of its competitors.

Edmunds.com reviewed more than 200,000 complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over the last decade and found that Toyota ranked 17th among the top 20 automakers in the overall number of complaints per vehicle sold.

The results come amid a series of recalls totaling more than 8.1 million Toyotas worldwide, including 400,000 of the popular 2010 Prius hybrid for problems associated with sticking brake pedals, software glitches and faulty floormats.

The study was based on the percentage of complaints each automaker received versus the total number of vehicles they sold in the United States between 2001 and 2010.

As a result, British carmaker Land Rover had the highest proportion of complaints relative to the number of cars it sold. The company received 0.6% of the total complaints in the database, while its sales amounted to only 0.1% of all new cars sold in the United States.

Meanwhile, Toyota had 9.1% of all the complaints in the database. But the company was number 17 on the list because its sales made up 13.5% of the U.S. market.

According to the study, Toyota had fewer complaints than its American rivals. Ford was number 10 on the list, while General Motors came in at number 11.

The only automakers to receive fewer complaints than Toyota were Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and the Mercedes-made Smart Car.

Among the other automakers that ranked high on the list were Suzuki and Isuzu, which came in at numbers 2 and 3 respectively. German automaker Volkswagen came in at number 4.

The complaints lodged against Toyota ranged from minor problems with lighting to more serious issues such as sudden acceleration and difficulty steering. But the study did not rate the reported incidences for severity.

Edmunds.com said that it found some unreliable reports in the database, including one complaint indicating that 99 people had died in one vehicle as a result of an accident. It also said that about 10% of the complaints appeared to be duplicates.

Quality control: Not just Toyota's problem

While the issues raised by Toyota's recent recalls shouldn't be overlooked, quality control concerns are apparent across the entire automobile industry, said Jeremy Anwyl, Edmunds.com chief executive.

"A broader view shows that consumer complaints reflect an industry issue, not just a Toyota issue," said Anwyl. "It is no longer an option for car companies to dismiss consumer complaints, even if the event is difficult to replicate or diagnose."

Some automakers assume that customer complaints are the result of driver error and not necessarily a reflection of design problems, said Jeannine Fallon, an Edmunds.com analyst.

"It depends on the culture of the car company," she said. "But it's clear now that Toyota has not had very many conversations with NHTSA."

2007-2008 Jeep Patriot Complete Service Manual CD

Categories Include:

CVT Transmission
Engine
Lubrication System
Cooling System
Fuel and Emission Control Systems
Engine Electrical System
Clutch
Manual Transaxle 4WD
Automatic Transaxle 4WD (Freedom Packages included)
Front and Rear Axles
Steering System
Braking System
Suspension
Body (Installation and Removal)
Body Electrical
Heater and Air Conditioner Systems
Technical Data

Click here for more information and to order!

Our service manuals are designed and written with accuracy and precision. There are several thousand pages that are printable in crystal clear high resolution.  The contents are searchable which is a unique feature that Promanuals offers.  All vehicle diagrams and diagnostic information, and step by step instructions are included.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our products and service.

So you're trying to sell your car and suddenly having that bumper sticker that says "Lost your cat? Look under my wheels" doesn't seem like such a good selling point.   Here's how to remove bumper stickers without damaging the painted bumper underneath.

Steps

5 Once the sticker is off, clean off remaining adhesive with an automotive adhesive cleaner such as PPG Ditzo DX 440. You may need to re-apply wax to the area.

 

Video

 

 

Tips

• The hair dryer/heat gun is only used to make the adhesive pliable after being hardened on your bumper for so long.
• Remember, to fold the edge of the sticker all the way over and pull slowly in the opposite direction by the corner, not up.

 

Warnings

• If the hair dryer is not working, you can rent a heat gun from a rent-all. Be very careful not to put your hand or fingers in the path of the heat gun as it can burn you. Also, do not touch the barrel of the heat gun as these are not protected.
• Do not apply continuous heat with a heat gun to the sticker or you may melt both the sticker and the bumper skin (if not a metal or steel bumper).
• Be very careful using razor blades on the paint. Only use a blade to grab the corner.
• You don't need a lot of Ditzo, just a small amount on a rag. Too much will begin to remove the paint.

 

Things You'll Need

• Powerful Hair dryer or;
• Rented professional heat gun.
• PPG Ditzo DX 440 or automotive tar remover
• Rag(s)
• Possibly a razor blade

 

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In general maintenance works consist of cleaning, refueling, providing proper lubrication, fixing, checking, adjusting wheels and car parts. Proper maintenance is the guarantee of a long life of your vehicle. However if you want to save on car maintenance, follow these helpful tips and discover how to have it up and running for lower costs.

Tip #1. Buy a newer car.

Does it sound rather vague to you? Some new cars from a manufacturer can last for years without any repairs. It mostly depends on your driving habits indeed. Once you have a new car you can forget your mechanic’s address for a while even though regular maintenance is still required. But if you already have an old car… well, see below.

Tip #2. Get good auto insurance.

Good car insurance is the best way to save on car maintenance when it comes to breakages and failures. Try to do some research and find such car insurance which best fits your needs. When you get car insurance with a low deductible payment it will help you reduce your technical maintenance expenses considerably. If you already have auto insurance with a high deductible… hmm, continue reading.

Tip #3. Do it on your own.

In case you have a mechanical breakdown, try to fix it by yourself. There are many online support services that can help you check your car and discover the fault. If you still need to take it to a repair service keep in mind that they get new car parts to change the broken ones with a high markup. Thus in some cases buying spare parts by yourself (if you know exactly what you need) will help you reduce the expenses by 4 times! Just shop around and look for better offers online.

Tip #4. Prevention is better than cure.

You can save money and prolong your car’s working capacity if you take some preventive measures. By changing oil, charging batteries in time as well as doing total check-up of your car once a month, you can help your vehicle last longer.

Tip #5. Use your car wisely.

You’ll be surprised how much you can save if you give some thought to the ways you use your car. One should stop the engine at red traffic lights and in the jams.

Tip #6. Maintain your speed level.

From my own experience I can say that when I speed up and pull up fast, it does good neither to my brakes nor my fuel economy. One should stick to some certain speed level. That way one can achieve the lowest fuel rate and save the brake pads from wearing out. Using deceleration technique to make your car come to a halt is better than applying the brake.

Tip #7. Check your tires.

Partially deflated tires do not help save money at all. First of all if there isn’t enough air in the tires they can wear out faster. Secondly under inflation increases fuel rate by 4-6% which makes you spend more fuel than usual. You can read technical characteristics and check the best tire inflation pressure for your car.

Tip #8. New spark plugs every once in a while.

Statistics show that changing old spark plugs in time cuts fuel costs down by 25-35%. Moreover new spark plugs also help improve car’s performance and capacity.

Tip #9. Wash it in time.

At first blush one could say that washing doesn’t reduce maintenance costs at all. However cleaning your car in time will help you prevent if from corrosion which is caused by accumulation of mud and dust that stay wet and stimulate corrosive wear.

Tip #10. Read the manual.

When you know your car as the back of your hand you are definitely aware of what it needs, when its engine has to be tuned-up or what oil it’s better to use. It’s always helpful to read the owner’s manual and look under the hood once in a while.

Check here for factory service manual for your vehicle.

Cars tend to depreciate very quickly, as even small damages can have a big impact on their resale value. However, just by taking a few simple steps, you can help your car maintain as much of its resale value as possible. All it takes is regular checkups and bit of mindfulness.Here are five tips to ensuring that you get the most for your vehicle when it comes time to sell it.

1. Get a Neutral Color
Bright, eye-catching colors might be appealing to those wanting to have a unique car that stands out, but unfortunately such colors are hard to sell. If you want a car that will keep its value the best, go for neutral colors, i.e. black, white or silver.

2.  Regular Maintenance
Take your car to the mechanic on a regular basis and keep the records of all these checkup in a place where you can easily find them. When it comes time to sell, buyers will place higher value on your car if you can show them proof that you’ve been regularly taking it in for professional maintenance.

3. Don’t Smoke, Eat, or Drink in Your Car
Cigarette smell, leftover food smell, food stains and drink stains will decrease the value of your car tremendously. Avoid smoking, eating or drinking in your car and clean your car’s interior on a regular basis.

4. Protect Your Car From Rust
Leaving your car exposed to the elements when idle, especially if you live in a place with lots of humidity, rain or snow, will cause it to rust faster, which is very bad for its resale value. Keep your car parked in a garage if possible or covered with a tarp if not. Find BMW repair in San Diego to replace quickly any components that start to rust, especially important ones like your bake lines.

5. Don’t Ignore Small Blemishes
Paint chips, small scratches and tiny dents make a huge difference in your car’s value. Making sure to avoid these small blemishes and fixing them quickly when they do occur is crucial if you want it to keep its value in the eyes of potential used car buyers. Being free of the little imperfections is what is going to make a car look new and well kept.

Source : www.articlesbase.com  

Things You'll Need:

• Box end wrench (size will vary depending on the make and model of your car)
• Ratchet with appropriate size socket
• Crescent wrench

Step 1

1. Refer to the pulley and belt configuration chart that every vehicle has. This chart is very important because the configuration varies widely between vehicles. The only way to find out how to release the automatic tensioner, also called a surf belt tensioner, is by looking at the diagram. The chart is usually on the underside of the hood or one side of the vehicle's inner fenders.

2.  
3. Step 2

   Find out what size driver you'll need to release the belt tension so that you can remove the vehicle's serpentine belt.

4. Step 3

   Locate the operating lug for the serpentine belt tensioner.

5. Step 4

   Push the lug until it bottoms down. You may need to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on the pulley and belt configuration chart.

6. Step 5

   Remove the belt from the alternator pulley.

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