Honda Recalls 105K More Vehicles, But Also Numerous Owners Can not Be Bothered to Get Them Fixed

Honda has expanded its driver’s-side airbag recall once again to incorporate a lot more 2001 Accord, 2004 Civic, and 2008 Pilot models that had been incorrectly identified by VIN when matched to Takata production records, the company mentioned. An additional 104,871 vehicles are integrated and owners will be notified at a later date. Honda, which has recalled the most cars out of all 10 makers, has recalled about 5.5 million automobiles for driver and passenger airbags in the U.S. because the recalls were initial announced in April 2013.

The question now is: How several owners will bother to take their automobiles in?

According to a new survey, a surprising number of Americans evidently don’t mind the idea of metal shrapnel cutting into their faces. Automotive News reports that just 12 % of all cars recalled for faulty Takata airbags in the U.S. have been repaired, which implies about 15 million men and women are nevertheless driving about with a potentially lethal airbag. AN says that in Japan, 70 percent of the 3 million automobiles under recall have been repaired, owing to that country’s “notoriously fastidious consumers” and tighter inspection needs.

It is a free fix, men and women. Get it completed.

Earlier this month, Honda backed a bill that would need all car owners to complete open recalls in order to renew their registrations. Additionally, Honda lately launched a national advertising campaign in the U.S. with complete-web page newspaper advertisements and 30-second radio spots encouraging Honda and Acura owners to get their automobiles repaired. Parts are readily obtainable now, but most owners across all of the 15 impacted brands have apparently decided it is not worth the difficulty.

Except it is. Here’s a single instance of a 2-inch fragment ejected by a faulty Takata airbag last August in a 2007 Mustang:

Takata, along with 2 other suppliers contracted by Takata, is creating 450,000 replacement inflators every month and will ramp up to 900,000 by September.

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Honda was fined $ 70 million by the federal government in January for withholding accident and defect data all 6 reported Takata-associated deaths occurred in Honda automobiles. An independent review board is hunting into Takata’s manufacturing processes and recommending greatest practices for what has become 1 of the largest-ever auto recalls. For full, continuously updated details of the Takata recall, bookmark this page and verify the federal VIN lookup to see if your automobile is incorporated.

Honda Recalls 105K More Vehicles, But Also Numerous Owners Can not Be Bothered to Get Them Fixed

Compo culture: Has the pendulum swung also far?

We’ve written lots about efforts by insurers, the government and the police to crackdown on insurance coverage fraud.

According to the Association of British Insurers, fraud is adding £50 a year to the price of automobile insurance coverage. Only this week, a group of guys from Merseyside had been jailed for their component in a scam designed to defraud insurer LV= of £500,000.

Unintended consequences

But has the welter of adverse coverage of fake and exaggerated claims really started to act as a deterrent for those who do actually have a valid case?

We asked John Baden-Daintree, director of legal solutions at Top quality Solicitors, to give us his thoughts…

Is Britain’s so-named compensation culture placing genuine accident victims off creating a claim?

We’ve heard it frequently adequate: “Britain has a expanding compensation culture with people increasingly creating dodgy claims for accidents and pushing up the price of everyone’s insurance”.

As a solicitor specialising in private injury claims, I hear this line far more than most – in reality, quite a lot anytime I inform anybody what I do for a living!

But whilst it is unarguably a single of those topics that tends to get men and women hot below the collar, I question how a lot these views reflect reality.

Official statistics

The government keeps a record of every injury claim made. Looking at road visitors accidents especially, far from showing that the number of claimants are spiraling out of manage, official government stats show they’re actually falling.

Road site visitors crash claims are down 6.7% since 2011. On prime of that, successive government critiques, like Professor Lofstead’s current assessment of Well being & Security, have discovered absolutely no proof of a compensation culture in Britain today.

The other area exactly where reality does not match preconceptions is more than scams such as crash for money. Freedom of info requests to the UK’s police forces uncovered only 2 such investigations in the final 3 years.

Vulture culture?

But misconceptions persist. Our research shows that a shocking 88% of us think there’s one thing of a ‘compensation culture’ in Britain nowadays.

Sadly this has resulted in a lot of innocent accident victims not pursuing a claim since they ‘don’t want to make a fuss’ (43%).

A third (32%) say they didn’t want to fuel a compensation culture and a additional 13% didn’t want to claim back their losses in case others thought badly of them.

I know of a quantity of folks who have not claimed back their losses simply because they worry about how others will perceive them. But the cost of not creating a claim can be high: on typical, people are left £1,178 out of pocket, which can leave men and women in debt.

Typical losses include things like loss of revenue, healthcare expenses, additional childcare or even sensible issues such as having to go by taxi due to the fact of being unable to drive.

Moreover they are missing out on the injury compensation they are entitled to receive. 

John Baden-Daintree

Suspicious minds

The culture of suspicion that surrounds individual injury claims is also unhelpful to efforts to bring higher transparency to this complete location.

For example, our study on perceptions of individual injury has shown that 43% of people think private injury victims spend their compensation on a household holiday, with 42% believing victims go on a purchasing spree.

Our analysis also shows that only 19% think the funds is employed to get individuals back into the position they have been in ahead of their injury.

This is why we advise you use a solicitor to help you make a productive individual injury claim while avoiding outdated perceptions of the individual injury claims culture, typically held by these fortunate sufficient to have never ever been in that position.

Surely truthful, difficult-operating individuals shouldn’t miss out on the financial compensation they want to get their lives back on track since they are worried that other folks will feel badly of them?

What do you believe? Is insurance fraud as serious a difficulty as we’re led to feel? And would you ever be place off from generating a legitimate claim? Let is know…

Compo culture: Has the pendulum swung also far?

Mercedes-Benz S-Class also offers Collision Prevention Assist Plus

No other car lives up to the high standards so famously and quite as comprehensively as the top model from Mercedes-Benz. The S 600 L with V12 biturbo engine is the top model in the already successfully established S-Class and is available exclusively with long wheelbase and with a luxurious package of equipment and appointments. Its performance data: 390 kW of power and 830 Nm of torque. The S-Class range gets even better in other ways, too: all models in the current range are upgraded with the addition of a head-up display, touchpad and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS.

“The S-Class is the embodiment of our claim to deliver the very best in terms of both technology and design,” says Selvin Govender, Divisional Manager, Product and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“The S 600 with its exciting and exhilarating V12 engine is our flagship model that epitomises the focus of our development work, the ‘Essence of Luxury’;.  Customers will be astounded by the power and grace of the most technologically advanced and luxurious model in its segment,” adds Govender.

With an output of 390 kW, the V12 biturbo engine in the S 600 packs a bigger punch than its predecessor did with 380 kW. The displacement of the engine has increased from 5513 to 5980 cc. A maximum torque of 830 Nm is available from 1900 r/min. The S 600 now for the first time features the ECO start/stop function as standard, significantly contributing to reduced emissions. The combined fuel consumption of the S 600 stands at 11.1 litres/100 km – 20 percent lower than that of its predecessor (14.1 l/100 km).

The most important features of the engine at a glance:

• All-aluminium crankcase


• One-piece chain drive


• Forged crankshaft in high-grade quenched and tempered steel


• Modified forged pistons


• New engine control unit


• New dedicated ignition coil with twin-spark ignition


• Cam follower


• 2 intake and one outlet valves (3-valve technology)


• Hollow-stem outlet valves, filled with sodium


• Low-temperature cooling-water circulation with separate expansion reservoir.

7G-TRONIC PLUS: outstandingly smooth gear changes as standard

All new S-Class models feature the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with DIRECT SELECT lever as standard. The features of the latest version to emerge include a new torque converter with reduced slip, an ECO shift mode with a wider ratio spread and an auxiliary oil pump to maintain the operating pressure during automatic stops. Low-friction components and low-viscosity oil help to reduce the operating pressure.

The comprehensive standard specification of the S 600 L reinforces its role as a flagship model. The LED Intelligent Light System, the MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension with ROAD SURFACE SCAN and the Driving Assistance package Plus, all come as standard. The latter comprises Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, DISTRONIC PLUS with STEER CONTROL and Stop&Go Pilot, PRE-SAFE^® Brake and PRE-SAFE^® PLUS.  These innovative driver assistance and safety systems, grouped together under the terms Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive, make driving even more relaxed and safer.

The standard MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension provides unrivalled comfort as it adapts to surface undulations.  This is made possible by a combination of the active ABC suspension with continuously variable dampers and the innovative ROAD SURFACE SCAN. The nature of the road surface ahead is precisely registered with the help of a stereo camera located behind the windscreen.  In addition the active suspension effectively compensates body roll and pitching when moving off, cornering or braking.  The continuously adjustable dampers allow both a comfortable basic damping action and a stiffer, speed-dependent setup.  All in all this leads to a magical combination of outstanding comfort and thrilling vehicle dynamics.

Additional fine touches in the new S-Class

With immediate effect, all the functions of the head unit can be controlled by fingertip gesture, as with a smartphone, from the new, standard touchpad. In addition, the touchpad allows letters, numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting – in any language that is available on the head unit. The touchpad thus offers an additional, full-function input option over and above the existing COMAND Controller and LINGUATRONIC.

A head-up display is a new standard feature for the S 600 L. As in a jet fighter, it displays important information directly in the driver’;s field of view on the front windscreen, so ensuring that the driver’;s attention is distracted less from the road ahead. The system provides information on speed and navigation instructions.

Replacing COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST on the S-Class now is COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS as standard. In addition to the adaptive Brake Assist system, which helps to protect against collisions at speeds of over 7 km/h, this system now features a further function: if the danger of collision persists and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 200 km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 50 km/h, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to 40 km/h.

A clear windscreen even at sub-zero temperatures, without all the hassle of scraping, is now possible thanks to electric windscreen heating – Magic vision control. This is designed to work in conjunction with the air-conditioning blower and ensures clear forward visibility in practically no time at all.

Luxurious and long

The S 600 L comes standard with the “Chauffeur package”.  The rear seat occupant on the front passenger side has 77 millimetres more maximum knee-room. This is because the front passenger seat can be moved 40 millimetres further forward, and a further 37 millimetres of space can be obtained thanks to a 4-link system. In addition to this “chauffeur position” the front passenger seat can be folded forwards or placed in an extended-recline position. The EASY ADJUST luxury head restraint is standard equipment in the “Chauffeur package”, as is a heel support for the rear passenger which extends from under the front passenger seat with this long-wheelbase version.

Luxury and reclining seat on request: the rear seats

The S 600 flagship model from Mercedes-Benz can very easily become a chauffeur-driven vehicle. The logical consequence is the particular attention devoted to the rear by the seat developers. The rear seats are therefore right in the forefront when it comes to seating/climatic comfort and passive safety.

5 rear seat variants (static bench seat or individual seats with 37-degree adjustment) are available for the long-wheelbase version. The adjustment kinematics has been changed in the luxury and reclining seat variants. The rear backrest is adjusted separately so that the legroom and seat reference point remain unchanged. The cushion can be separately adjusted for angle and horizontal position.

The maximum backrest angle of the optional Executive seat (reclining seat) on the front passenger side is increased from 37 to 43.5 degrees, giving it the largest backrest inclination in the luxury segment. The reclining seat behind the front passenger seat features a calf support which is freely adjustable for length and angle. In combination with the heel rest on the folding chauffeur seat and an additional comfort cushion, this allows a reclined position that sets new standards in the automobile sector with respect to sleeping and resting comfort.

The individual seat functions in the rear, and those of the driver’;s seat, are operated via the typical Mercedes-Benz control panels in the rear doors. The “resting position” key is pressed to bring the front passenger seat and rear seat into the reclining position.

The most upright backrest position of 19 degrees in the luxury and reclining seat variants allows relaxed working in the rear.

Legendary top-of-the-range engine

The figure “600″ has long been a legend in the history of the automobile: the model 600  (W 100) launched in 1963 was the first passenger car from Mercedes-Benz to feature a V8 injection engine. This same powerful (184 kW) and refined engine was also used from 1967 on in the W 109 model series (in the top-of-the-range 300 SEL 6.3). Further top models to feature a V8 engine included the 450 SEL 6.9 from the model series 116 (210 kW) and the 560 SE in the 126 series (220 kW in the ECE version). The 600 SE model in the 140 model series of 1991 marked the introduction of the first twelve-cylinder engine as standard in a Mercedes-Benz passenger car. The M 120 delivered 300 kW from a displacement of 6 litres and began a tradition of V12 units as the top-of-the-range engines in the S-Class. Since the 220 series, Mercedes-Benz has also offered especially sporty, AMG-optimised variants with V8 and V12 engines at the top of its S-Class range, in the form of the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG.

“The S 600 engine benefits from the twelve cylinder expertise of AMG as they are built at the competence centre for V12 powertrains at AMG in Affalterbach, benefitting from the expertise of our AMG engineers,” concludes Govender.

As with all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, the S 600 L comes standard with the class-leading 6-years/100 000 km Premium Drive maintenance plan.

S 600 L – R2 170 000 incl. VAT excluding CO? emission 299 g/km

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class also offers Collision Prevention Assist Plus

2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe Driven: Dag, It is Sexy (and Good, Also)

Very first Drive Evaluation

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Raising the flag.

Take a excellent look at the new S-class coupe. That is correct, slow down and cease clicking your mouse or swiping your screen for a handful of seconds. The auto is gorgeous, no? But photos don’t even capture its huge size, its presence, its curves. It is not a supermodel, a waif of a sports car developed to appeal equally to gawking adolescents and these far more chronologically advanced but equally insecure. This is a modern day Mercedes, fully realized.

An further second to keep in mind the CL-class, please, that old lady of a coupe that’s been haunting Benz dealers for years now. Okay, accomplished with that, no eulogy necessary. Mercedes sold fewer than 500 of them last year. We will not be surprised if it finds more purchasers for the new B-pillarless S550 in the very first month of sales, which most likely will be October. Pricing has yet to be announced, but count on it to commence close to $ 120,000.

So the S-class coupe is costly, yes. As it must be, for a automobile that stands atop the Mercedes product variety. Fire up the 4.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 and the exhaust rumbles louder than does the S-class sedan’s, regardless of the fact that it is the exact same engine creating the exact same 449 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. But the coupe also feels faster to accelerate, to shift, and to shed speed. Cutting 77 inches of wheelbase tends to make it a sportier proposition than the sedan, and when we lastly get one particular on our scales, the coupe should be lighter by a couple hundred pounds, also, if Mercedes is to be believed. Sprinting via visitors in the land of Gucci, the S550 coupe feels much more nimble than any CL ever has, regardless of measurements that track inside a few inches of its predecessor in every dimension.

Like in the sedan, the coupe has every single manner of contemporary technology constructed-in or prepared for order. This is a vehicle that can massage you while perfuming the air that you breathe. That can drive itself for short bursts, and brake for you when your consideration falters. Its massive glass roof can turn as opaque as the average driver’s understanding of the engineering that underlies these systems. Driving the S550 coupe, you nearly feel sorry for the product planners and engineers, under such intense stress to come up with 1 Far more Factor.

For the S-class coupe, that function is “active curve tilting,” a function of the car’s active suspension system that operates up to 112 mph. This predictive program scans the road up to 49 feet ahead with a stereoscopic camera and then hydraulically adjusts every single spring perch independently to compensate for up to 3 inches of physique motion versus the standard air suspension. Now the caveat is that we’re not acquiring this technology on the S550 coupe (or the S63 AMG coupe) here in the U.S. Our cars will all be fitted with 4-wheel drive, and active curve tilting is restricted to rear-drive automobiles.

That is okay by us. Obtaining driven a rear-drive S500 (European models wear different badging, but it’s the exact same auto as our S550), we wouldn’t really feel bad if somebody referred to as active curve tilting a gimmick. To be clear: We’re not. But we didn’t locate the expertise pleasurable, as it created handling unpredictable. And we do not see the point in building technologies that purposefully removes important feedback from the driving encounter. Thankfully, curve tilting can be turned off, and the Comfort and Sport settings of the ABC suspension provide what they guarantee.

The interior of the S-class coupe is almost indistinguishable from the sedan. A proper 3-spoke steering wheel replaces the odd 2-spoke unit in the sedan and the coupe gets the new touch-pad controller for the infotainment method just like in the newest C-class. Our test vehicle was fitted with the unique “Edition 1” remedy, so its dashboard inserts resemble a vintage Telefunken radio, with flowing lines on a piano black background, and a crystal nodule on the center console serves as the touch point to pop open the cover of the storage bin. Subtle but effective. Less understated are the Swarovski crystals obtainable in the headlamp assemblies, 17 each and every in the daytime operating lamps and 30 in the turn-signal indicators, even though none in the LED headlights themselves.

The S-class coupe is every bit as regal as its sedan counterpart. Yet when you open a single of the 2 4-and-a-half-foot-extended doors and slide into the quilted leather seats, almost everything appears just a bit a lot more opulent. Possibly it’s the tidier 4-place package or the steeper windshield rake. Or probably it is just the aftereffect of staring at the exterior sheetmetal. What’s unquestionable is this car’s position as Stuttgart’s new flagship.

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe Driven: Dag, It is Sexy (and Good, Also)