Q: I own a 2020 Subaru Forester. The maintenance guide suggests a brake fluid flush every 30,000 miles/24 months. I have never owned any vehicle that has recommended this with such frequency. The brake fluid in the reservoir is very much a honey gold color but I presume this may not be indic… Read More ⇒Motormouth: How often for brake fluid flush?
BRIDGER, Montana — Out here in big sky country, the only things larger than the bison are pickup trucks and three-row SUVs. I pulled my 6,326-pound, 6-foot-6-inch Jeep Wagoner L off Route 86 next to a herd of bison grazing on the golden landscape behind a wire fence. Read More ⇒Family-friendly Jeep Wagoneer L explores America’s frontier
Nissan was a pioneer of the small truck, starting with its Datsun 1000 back in 1959. The little trucks were useful for hauling whatever folks were making, growing or fixing — even if it only had a meager 37 horsepower. Read More ⇒Nissan beefs up its pickup game
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer wasn’t happy. Ford Motor Co., a company whose very name is synonymous with Detroit, had just announced it had chosen two southern states, Tennessee and Kentucky, as sites for an $11 billion electric-vehicle project. Read More ⇒There’s a billion-dollar bidding war for EV plants across the U.S.
Q: I’ve been having intermittent problems with the push button start on my 2015 Honda Accord. Once in a while, I get a whirling sound when I try to start it and it eventually starts after a couple more tries. I’ve been told that it could be the battery or starter, but I’ve only got 32,000 mi… Read More ⇒Motormouth: What’s wrong with car start button?
As someone who flies fairly frequently, I am convinced that airline executives (who most likely fly in private jets) care only about jamming as many customers onto their flights as possible, providing the same amount of comfort afforded cattle before the slaughter. Read More ⇒2023 Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid handles well and a comfort on the road
European carmakers could see output drop by more than 1 million vehicles per quarter starting late this year and continuing through 2023, as soaring energy costs weigh on the supply chain, according to a report. Read More ⇒Europe’s car output predicted to plummet by millions
Q: I can’t get the inside of my car windshield clean. I have tried: newspaper, glass cleaner, vinegar and it is still streaked! Any other suggestions? Read More ⇒Motormouth: How to get windshield clean?
SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. — Powered by a 1.5-liter Honda Fit engine, the F1600 class is one of my favorite open-wheel, so-called “Formula” racing classes. It’s a showcase for relentless wheel-to-wheel driving, some of the country’s best up-and-coming teenage drivers on the Road to Indy — and for H… Read More ⇒Auto review: New Honda HR-V is great — until you put your foot into it
It wasn’t that long ago that sales to rental fleets were seen as a sign of failure. With the dawn of the electric-vehicle age, that’s changing. Read More ⇒Hertz’s electrified fleet could be the auto industry’s safety net
Q: What became of emergency brakes on cars? Can the parking brake be used in an emergency? Read More ⇒Motormouth: What became of emergency brakes?
While Joe Biden was busy throttling the latest Corvette with car executives at the Detroit auto show last week, much of the rest of the industry filed into a jam-packed convention center about 30 miles west for a forum the president also managed to rev up. Read More ⇒New federal climate bill has the U.S. battery industry revved up
Everyone everywhere is constantly telling you what to do. It’s a constant when growing up, and it continues once you’re older, as advertising tells you what to drink, smoke or wear. Your clergyman tells you when you’re sinful. Even your pet tells you to feed it, usually by barking or meowing. Read More ⇒Updated Lexus RX is a plush tourer for those not in a hurry
Q: I have a 2019 Subaru Forester. I have been told that, due to the many electronic systems, I cannot go to a car wash that uses a track system. To do so I would have to turn off all systems. I was told it is because my car is in neutral on a track system and the electronic systems are still… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Can’t go through car wash?
DETROIT — A more technologically advanced interior, “edgier” exterior and new engine options are among the highlights of the next-generation Mustang that Ford Motor Co. unveiled at the Detroit auto show Wednesday with enthusiasts on hand to mark the next chapter of the iconic pony car. Read More ⇒The seventh-generation Ford Mustang is here
YORK TOWNSHIP AND YPSILANTI, Mich. — Toyota Motor Co. may not be the first company that comes to mind when it comes to Michigan automakers, but the Japanese carmaker says the state is playing a key role in the research and development of new products and technologies. Read More ⇒50 years of innovation: Toyota touts Michigan’s contribution to research and development
Q: I religiously read your Sunday newspaper column right after Dilbert. I keep getting emails about EcoMax, which appears to be a plug-in device promising 15-35% less gas consumption. Is this a viable $49.95 investment? Read More ⇒Motormouth: Avoid the temptation
Q: I have some scratches on the bumper of my 2017 BMW 440xi. I’m skeptical of the products I see on social media and commercials. Do you have any suggestions for products that help to hide or cover up bumper scratches? Read More ⇒Motormouth: How to fix scratches on my bumper?
Americans and Brits have always had a love-hate relationship. Yet for well over a century, fortunately, the predominant mode has been mutual affection, interlaced with a great deal of mutual imitation. Read More ⇒Anglophiles take note: The 2022 Land Rover Defender is more powerful than ever
Half of all auto cyberattacks in history occurred in 2021 alone — up nearly 140% from 2020. Read More ⇒Startup aims to protect connected cars from cyberattacks
More than $4.8 billion has been pumped into the electric-vehicle charging industry this year — a combination of roll-out announcements, debt financing, investment and acquisitions. And this is just the deals that have disclosed financial figures. Read More ⇒Car-charging investment soars, driven by EV growth
The Lucid Air Dream Edition travels up to 520 miles on a charge, more than any electric vehicle on the market by a wide margin. If a buyer chooses the larger, 21-inch wheels, however, 39 of those miles vanish — a 7.5% range penalty. Read More ⇒Electric cars have a big tire conundrum
Q: My new car came with wheel locks. I understand why these became popular when fancy wheels were a new thing. Now, nearly every new car has alloy wheels. Since you have to carry the lock key in your car, a wheel thief would have to first ransack the car to find the key. Are these locks real… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Do I really need wheel locks?
Once a legend, always a legend. Read More ⇒The Acura Integra is back
Q: I see you recommend waxing your car twice a year. I have owned more than 30 cars in my life and have never waxed one of them. When my car comes out of the car wash, it looks has good as any of my neighbors’ cars. Have you sold out to the wax companies or should I have my eyes tested? Read More ⇒Motormouth: Do I need to wax my car?
The auto industry, like many others, is in the midst of a perfect storm of misfortunes. Read More ⇒Car repair delays have dealerships, customers equally frustrated
It’s called the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 but one of its primary goals is to fight carbon emissions by, among other things, giving Americans incentives to buy zero-emission vehicles. After passing both houses of Congress, the bill was signed Tuesday by President Biden. Read More ⇒What car buyers should know about the tax credits for EVs
Healthcare worker Cleveland Wishop landed at Baltimore-Washington International Airport last fall expecting to retrieve his car from long-term parking and drive home. Read More ⇒Used car prices are up, and the repo man is back
Q: Periodically, my 2014 Buick Regal will not crank when I turn the ignition key to start but displays the following message on the instrument panel “Open and close driver window.” After I open and close the driver window, the message changes to “Open and close the passenger window.” After o… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Open the window, then start the car?
It’s been 14 years since Toyota offered a new Toyota Sequoia. Given its long life with little change, you can be forgiven if you forgot the model even existed. But with the Land Cruiser leaving the American market, the Sequoia now takes on its role as Toyota’s largest and most capable SUV in… Read More ⇒Toyota Sequoia benefits from Tundra’s best assets
Montana’s vast spaces and epic vistas, its mountains and boundless plains, seem made for a road trip. Just not in an electric car. Read More ⇒Biden has a $5B plan to eliminate America’s EV charging deserts
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Thinking about buying an electric vehicle? What if it were a convertible? Read More ⇒All-electric Mini Cooper Convertible Concept is good, green fun
WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service plans to make at least 40% of all new delivery vehicles battery electric, including at least 50% of the trucks purchased from Oshkosh Corp. Read More ⇒USPS increases EV commitment to 40% of new delivery trucks
Q: We live in the suburbs of Chicago and drive a 2015 Dodge Caravan, for which it’s recommended to use regular gas rated at 87 octane level. We just completed a road trip to Seattle and the gas stations in the Western states showed the regular gas with an octane rating of 85. Do cars at high… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Different octane gas at different elevations?
The big-brute V-8 engine is vanishing, especially in compact and midsize vehicles. Turbochargers are moving in these days. They’re more efficient and squeeze extra power and torque from smaller engines. Read More ⇒With IS 500, Lexus brings back old-fashioned power
Q: I was wondering if there’s a rule of thumb for shutting off a car while waiting in line at the bank or pharmacy or coffee shop, etc. to conserve gas. If I think I’m going to be idling more than a minute, like at the bank, I shut the car off. Does this make sense, or should I just let the … Read More ⇒Turn it off, or let it idle?
Most Americans depend on cars to get around, but recent data shows purchasing a new vehicle may now be out of reach for average earners. Read More ⇒How to afford your next vehicle
If you’ve been a fan of the Toyota Avalon, you might be distressed to know that the car that started life with the internal corporate nickname the Fat Camry will motor into the history books come August. Initially an attempt to lure Detroit full-size sedan buyers — it even had a bench seat —… Read More ⇒The Crown returns to the U.S.
Q: I bought a 2018 Ford Edge Sport new and have driven it for almost four years. The dealership said to use 87 octane gas so that’s what I’ve been using. My manual says anything from 87 to 91. Where I fill up, 88 octane is usually a little cheaper, although one day it was 40 cents less per g… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Which gas should I use?
A quarter of Americans surveyed say they will buy an electric vehicle as their next automobile as gasoline prices soar to record levels. Read More ⇒A quarter of Americans say their next car will be an EV
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thomas Hoff was tired of living in a regular old house. Read More ⇒Full-time RV residents are getting younger
A few weeks ago, at an RV industry showcase in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, I test drove an electric motorhome — a concept vehicle made by Winnebago Industries Inc. as it works on developing a commercial e-RV. More like a shuttle van with sleeping accommodations than a traditional motorhom… Read More ⇒RV makers race to lure millennials with eco-friendlier options
Q: One more item to add to your list of things to do to prepare a car for use in a cold state like South Dakota. Make sure the windshield washer fluid isn’t plain water or diluted washer fluid. Had that happen to me once. Bought a used car from a dealer that had water in the fluid tank, whic… Read More ⇒Motormouth: Make sure that washer fluid doesn’t freeze
A 1-mile stretch of roadway in the heart of Detroit could become the proving ground for a technology that promises to zap away electric vehicle owners’ fears of running out of juice. Read More ⇒A road that charges your EV as you drive? An engineering firm is working on that
CLAYTON — The Little Bookstore, 413 Riverside Drive, will host a poetry showcase on Monday. Read More ⇒Little Bookstore in Clayton to host guest author and poetry open ‘mic’
Here are the bestsellers for the week that ended Saturday, July 2, compiled from data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide, powered by NPD BookScan. Read More ⇒This week’s bestsellers
“Night of the Living Rez: Stories” by Morgan Talty; Tin House (296 pages, $16.95) Read More ⇒In debut collection of short stories, a family is forced to endure a string of crises
“The Long Way Home” by Tom Montgomery Fate; Ice Cube Press (168 pages, $19.99) Read More ⇒One man’s journey in search of a spiritual home
Low inventory levels led Cox Automotive analysts to again revise their full-year U.S. 2022 new-vehicle sales forecast downward. Read More ⇒Auto sales could hit below 2020 levels
The new 2023 Kia Sportage isn’t so much a car as it is a Universal Studios theme park attraction: an affordable look at the latest auto technology that you can do with the whole family: huge screens, semi-autonomous driving, red leather, hybrid-electric power. Read More ⇒Kia Sportage Hybrid is an affordable look at the latest auto technology
Q: So, most new vehicles have a built-in programmable garage door opener. When the vehicle is locked and someone breaks into the vehicle, does the opener work? Read More ⇒Break into car, then break into garage?
