Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Deliveries Halted for Airbag Problem, GM Issues Further Recalls

Will GM ever be capable to focus on merely creating cars and trucks? The beleaguered automotive juggernaut has identified but yet another safety concern it demands to repair. Automotive News reports that driver-side airbag connections in the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks had been wired incorrectly to right the dilemma, the airbag’s sensing and diagnostic module will be reprogrammed.

GM started delivering the trucks to dealerships just 2 weeks ago Chevrolet and GMC dealers have been instructed to maintain the automobiles until the repair is implemented, which will come about within the next handful of days.

At least the fix will not be a key inconvenience. Just 49 cars are in the hands of buyers, a GM spokesman told AN. The rest of them are nevertheless at the production plant, in transit, or sitting in dealer inventory. GM says the trucks are safe to drive loaners are obtainable for spooked owners.

GM also recalled far more than 520,000 crossover SUV models globally (380,000 in the U.S.) based on the Theta Premium platform, such as the 2010–15 Cadillac SRX and all 457 Saab 9-4X units ever constructed. The dealer will verify the impacted autos for improper torque on a rear toe-link adjuster. 3 crashes have occurred, according to GM. Moreover, practically 90,000 units of the 2013–15 Chevy Spark will be recalled to verify for corrosion of the secondary hood-latch striker if it sticks, the hood could open unexpectedly. No U.S. incidents have been reported, but 3 situations of the hood popping open occurred in Europe.

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To the unsuspecting observer, the sheer number of recalls at GM is bewildering—there have been 71 in our industry so far this year. But CEO Mary Barra and the rest of GM’s leading brass seem to be taking no chances after the lax recall policy of preceding years and the subsequent political fallout have shaken the company to its core.

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Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Deliveries Halted for Airbag Problem, GM Issues Further Recalls

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

We often discuss the impact of crime on road safety and the need to root out any form of corruption! On the Arrive Alive website we have also discussed this in more detail on a page titled “Corruption, Traffic Enforcement and Road Safety”. Car insurance companies will agree that incompetent drivers  - or let us say those who should not be driving but who are licensed drivers after having “bought” their licences are also adding to road crashes and car insurance claims! We encourage strict processes and effective testing before a driving licence is awarded – but this process should be fair! With our high unemployment rate in South Africa it becomes ever more important for job seekers to have a driving licence. What will be the effect if the driving licence test is not fair and where it becomes nearly impossible for the average guy or girl to pass the test? This will only encourage corruption as more young drivers will seek illegal alternatives to get a driving licence! This is best illustrated with a question emailed to the Arrive Alive website Question: “Good day I am not sure where I should go in terms of complaints. I was advised to go to the Southern African institute of driving instructors.  I have recently wrote my learners twice and have failed. I wrote at Randburg licensing department in July and after test I found out that illegal questions that does not comply to the syllabus was in it. One of the questions were what is an exhaust silencer? I failed by one point and feel that it was extremely unfair.   I feel that they deliberately made me fail.I hear that this has been going on for quite some time,why doesn’;t anyone care? and the department of transport denies such questions in test! Please may you advise me. kind regards” Answer: We referred this to Pat Allen from the South African Institute of Driving Instructors and would like to share her response: Thank you for this referral with respect to question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence.

• Firstly, let me state emphatically that lawlessness on our roads is at an all-time high in the country. We agree that the public should know and apply the law thoroughly.


• We are constantly receiving similar complaints (see below) about the computerised learners licence tests. We so hoped the computerised tests would stamp out corruption and give learner drivers a fair knowledge test as experienced in first world countries, but unfortunately, that is not happening, especially in Gauteng.


• Despite forwarding complaints regularly to the National Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Department of Transport and the RTMC, since the inception of the Gauteng Computerised tests, the protestations and cries of the public who are failing repeatedly due to questions outside the prescribed syllabus are being ignored.


• Several authorities have been positively defensive, claiming the public are so used to passing easily without knowing the whole law, (which is actually quite true), yet no effort to remove the troublesome questions from the tests has been made. Apparently those responsible have not taken the trouble to actually read the prescribed syllabus.


• It seems impossible to sort this matter out. The authorities are ignoring all requests for intervention.


• One would imagine that the authorities would be appreciative of the law-abiding citizens, who do not consider buying licences, but try to do things legally, yet the public are hampered in their efforts by failing their learners licences over and over again, despite knowing their work very well. Many people use this as an excuse to buy licences and to driving illegally, which is not an acceptable option.


• Then, once they have eventually (hopefully) acquired a legal learner’s licence (with a more appropriate random selection of questions), and after a considerable delay and a lot more money than necessary has left their wallets, the struggle to find a test date sooner than 3 months ahead begins, in the hope that they will be ready to do their tests then, or risk forfeiting the moneys paid and re-booking months ahead, if not. Then the battle to find a legal driving instructor who has a high standard of integrity and training, and then to find a Driving Licence Testing Centre where tests are conducted according to the prescribed K53 test standard is a reality, and not a farce, begins.


• No. It is definitely not a straightforward process to acquire a legal driving licence in South Africa. At SAIDI have even experienced a member who has been compelled (by being attacked with assegais, spears and sticks with a young woman in the vehicle who was about to do a driving licence test), to join another Association, (Mpumalanga Driving School Association at a cost of R10 000.00), thereby contravening our Constitution AND BEING REQUIRED TO IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY WHERE FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION IS ENSHRINED WITHIN THE BILL OF RIGHTS, in order to be permitted to take his clients to a test centre in Mpumalanga, where he can get appointments within a week. He is so determined to continue this practise in order to survive financially, that he will risk being asked to step down as a SAIDI member. Being a breadwinner with 4 children to support, he can do nothing else.

Now I understand what is wrong with South Africa – no-one listens until people march in the streets breaking public property, (even school children now!), because those appointed to take responsibility for these matters simply ignore the public. This is not democracy working effectively. Speaking as a driving instructor with 35 years of experience, seen from my angle, road safety in South Africa is a hollow sham, despite billions being spent on numerous and ongoing expensive conferences, indabas and Summit meetings. So much for the Decade of Action. Unless the authorities start investigating these constant complaints, what hope is there of effective changes and fair learners licence tests? On behalf of SAIDI, we wish the complainant a test which is focussed on the prescribed syllabus next time. That is as good as it gets at the moment. If things change for the better, we will be the first to celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Let’s hope that someone will decide to correct the problems this time. If so, we applaud them.   Best regards,   P.A. Allen
  We would like to confirm that we will from our side strive to bring this to the attention of the decision makers at the highest level! Our road users deserve to share the roads with competent and licenced drivers  - and we need to address and remove any measures that promotes corruption in the road traffic environment! Also view: Crime as a Threat to Road Safety

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

We often discuss the impact of crime on road safety and the need to root out any form of corruption! On the Arrive Alive website we have also discussed this in more detail on a page titled “Corruption, Traffic Enforcement and Road Safety”. Car insurance companies will agree that incompetent drivers  - or let us say those who should not be driving but who are licensed drivers after having “bought” their licences are also adding to road crashes and car insurance claims! We encourage strict processes and effective testing before a driving licence is awarded – but this process should be fair! With our high unemployment rate in South Africa it becomes ever more important for job seekers to have a driving licence. What will be the effect if the driving licence test is not fair and where it becomes nearly impossible for the average guy or girl to pass the test? This will only encourage corruption as more young drivers will seek illegal alternatives to get a driving licence! This is best illustrated with a question emailed to the Arrive Alive website Question: “Good day I am not sure where I should go in terms of complaints. I was advised to go to the Southern African institute of driving instructors.  I have recently wrote my learners twice and have failed. I wrote at Randburg licensing department in July and after test I found out that illegal questions that does not comply to the syllabus was in it. One of the questions were what is an exhaust silencer? I failed by one point and feel that it was extremely unfair.   I feel that they deliberately made me fail.I hear that this has been going on for quite some time,why doesn’;t anyone care? and the department of transport denies such questions in test! Please may you advise me. kind regards” Answer: We referred this to Pat Allen from the South African Institute of Driving Instructors and would like to share her response: Thank you for this referral with respect to question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence.

• Firstly, let me state emphatically that lawlessness on our roads is at an all-time high in the country. We agree that the public should know and apply the law thoroughly.


• We are constantly receiving similar complaints (see below) about the computerised learners licence tests. We so hoped the computerised tests would stamp out corruption and give learner drivers a fair knowledge test as experienced in first world countries, but unfortunately, that is not happening, especially in Gauteng.


• Despite forwarding complaints regularly to the National Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Department of Transport and the RTMC, since the inception of the Gauteng Computerised tests, the protestations and cries of the public who are failing repeatedly due to questions outside the prescribed syllabus are being ignored.


• Several authorities have been positively defensive, claiming the public are so used to passing easily without knowing the whole law, (which is actually quite true), yet no effort to remove the troublesome questions from the tests has been made. Apparently those responsible have not taken the trouble to actually read the prescribed syllabus.


• It seems impossible to sort this matter out. The authorities are ignoring all requests for intervention.


• One would imagine that the authorities would be appreciative of the law-abiding citizens, who do not consider buying licences, but try to do things legally, yet the public are hampered in their efforts by failing their learners licences over and over again, despite knowing their work very well. Many people use this as an excuse to buy licences and to driving illegally, which is not an acceptable option.


• Then, once they have eventually (hopefully) acquired a legal learner’s licence (with a more appropriate random selection of questions), and after a considerable delay and a lot more money than necessary has left their wallets, the struggle to find a test date sooner than 3 months ahead begins, in the hope that they will be ready to do their tests then, or risk forfeiting the moneys paid and re-booking months ahead, if not. Then the battle to find a legal driving instructor who has a high standard of integrity and training, and then to find a Driving Licence Testing Centre where tests are conducted according to the prescribed K53 test standard is a reality, and not a farce, begins.


• No. It is definitely not a straightforward process to acquire a legal driving licence in South Africa. At SAIDI have even experienced a member who has been compelled (by being attacked with assegais, spears and sticks with a young woman in the vehicle who was about to do a driving licence test), to join another Association, (Mpumalanga Driving School Association at a cost of R10 000.00), thereby contravening our Constitution AND BEING REQUIRED TO IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY WHERE FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION IS ENSHRINED WITHIN THE BILL OF RIGHTS, in order to be permitted to take his clients to a test centre in Mpumalanga, where he can get appointments within a week. He is so determined to continue this practise in order to survive financially, that he will risk being asked to step down as a SAIDI member. Being a breadwinner with 4 children to support, he can do nothing else.

Now I understand what is wrong with South Africa – no-one listens until people march in the streets breaking public property, (even school children now!), because those appointed to take responsibility for these matters simply ignore the public. This is not democracy working effectively. Speaking as a driving instructor with 35 years of experience, seen from my angle, road safety in South Africa is a hollow sham, despite billions being spent on numerous and ongoing expensive conferences, indabas and Summit meetings. So much for the Decade of Action. Unless the authorities start investigating these constant complaints, what hope is there of effective changes and fair learners licence tests? On behalf of SAIDI, we wish the complainant a test which is focussed on the prescribed syllabus next time. That is as good as it gets at the moment. If things change for the better, we will be the first to celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Let’s hope that someone will decide to correct the problems this time. If so, we applaud them.   Best regards,   P.A. Allen
  We would like to confirm that we will from our side strive to bring this to the attention of the decision makers at the highest level! Our road users deserve to share the roads with competent and licenced drivers  - and we need to address and remove any measures that promotes corruption in the road traffic environment! Also view: Crime as a Threat to Road Safety

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

We often discuss the impact of crime on road safety and the need to root out any form of corruption! On the Arrive Alive website we have also discussed this in more detail on a page titled “Corruption, Traffic Enforcement and Road Safety”. Car insurance companies will agree that incompetent drivers  - or let us say those who should not be driving but who are licensed drivers after having “bought” their licences are also adding to road crashes and car insurance claims! We encourage strict processes and effective testing before a driving licence is awarded – but this process should be fair! With our high unemployment rate in South Africa it becomes ever more important for job seekers to have a driving licence. What will be the effect if the driving licence test is not fair and where it becomes nearly impossible for the average guy or girl to pass the test? This will only encourage corruption as more young drivers will seek illegal alternatives to get a driving licence! This is best illustrated with a question emailed to the Arrive Alive website Question: “Good day I am not sure where I should go in terms of complaints. I was advised to go to the Southern African institute of driving instructors.  I have recently wrote my learners twice and have failed. I wrote at Randburg licensing department in July and after test I found out that illegal questions that does not comply to the syllabus was in it. One of the questions were what is an exhaust silencer? I failed by one point and feel that it was extremely unfair.   I feel that they deliberately made me fail.I hear that this has been going on for quite some time,why doesn’;t anyone care? and the department of transport denies such questions in test! Please may you advise me. kind regards” Answer: We referred this to Pat Allen from the South African Institute of Driving Instructors and would like to share her response: Thank you for this referral with respect to question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence.

• Firstly, let me state emphatically that lawlessness on our roads is at an all-time high in the country. We agree that the public should know and apply the law thoroughly.


• We are constantly receiving similar complaints (see below) about the computerised learners licence tests. We so hoped the computerised tests would stamp out corruption and give learner drivers a fair knowledge test as experienced in first world countries, but unfortunately, that is not happening, especially in Gauteng.


• Despite forwarding complaints regularly to the National Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Department of Transport and the RTMC, since the inception of the Gauteng Computerised tests, the protestations and cries of the public who are failing repeatedly due to questions outside the prescribed syllabus are being ignored.


• Several authorities have been positively defensive, claiming the public are so used to passing easily without knowing the whole law, (which is actually quite true), yet no effort to remove the troublesome questions from the tests has been made. Apparently those responsible have not taken the trouble to actually read the prescribed syllabus.


• It seems impossible to sort this matter out. The authorities are ignoring all requests for intervention.


• One would imagine that the authorities would be appreciative of the law-abiding citizens, who do not consider buying licences, but try to do things legally, yet the public are hampered in their efforts by failing their learners licences over and over again, despite knowing their work very well. Many people use this as an excuse to buy licences and to driving illegally, which is not an acceptable option.


• Then, once they have eventually (hopefully) acquired a legal learner’s licence (with a more appropriate random selection of questions), and after a considerable delay and a lot more money than necessary has left their wallets, the struggle to find a test date sooner than 3 months ahead begins, in the hope that they will be ready to do their tests then, or risk forfeiting the moneys paid and re-booking months ahead, if not. Then the battle to find a legal driving instructor who has a high standard of integrity and training, and then to find a Driving Licence Testing Centre where tests are conducted according to the prescribed K53 test standard is a reality, and not a farce, begins.


• No. It is definitely not a straightforward process to acquire a legal driving licence in South Africa. At SAIDI have even experienced a member who has been compelled (by being attacked with assegais, spears and sticks with a young woman in the vehicle who was about to do a driving licence test), to join another Association, (Mpumalanga Driving School Association at a cost of R10 000.00), thereby contravening our Constitution AND BEING REQUIRED TO IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY WHERE FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION IS ENSHRINED WITHIN THE BILL OF RIGHTS, in order to be permitted to take his clients to a test centre in Mpumalanga, where he can get appointments within a week. He is so determined to continue this practise in order to survive financially, that he will risk being asked to step down as a SAIDI member. Being a breadwinner with 4 children to support, he can do nothing else.

Now I understand what is wrong with South Africa – no-one listens until people march in the streets breaking public property, (even school children now!), because those appointed to take responsibility for these matters simply ignore the public. This is not democracy working effectively. Speaking as a driving instructor with 35 years of experience, seen from my angle, road safety in South Africa is a hollow sham, despite billions being spent on numerous and ongoing expensive conferences, indabas and Summit meetings. So much for the Decade of Action. Unless the authorities start investigating these constant complaints, what hope is there of effective changes and fair learners licence tests? On behalf of SAIDI, we wish the complainant a test which is focussed on the prescribed syllabus next time. That is as good as it gets at the moment. If things change for the better, we will be the first to celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Let’s hope that someone will decide to correct the problems this time. If so, we applaud them.   Best regards,   P.A. Allen
  We would like to confirm that we will from our side strive to bring this to the attention of the decision makers at the highest level! Our road users deserve to share the roads with competent and licenced drivers  - and we need to address and remove any measures that promotes corruption in the road traffic environment! Also view: Crime as a Threat to Road Safety

Question/s outside of the prescribed syllabus for the learners licence will only further corruption!

Ford Reveals African Vision at First ‘Go Further’ Event

• Ford details its vision for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa at inaugural ‘Go Further’ event

• Fusion, new Focus, Transit and Tourneo Connect shown ahead of their local debuts

• 2015 Mustang shown for first time in Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa, 18 July 2014 – Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) showed off 4 new models that are destined for African shores, and detailed its future plans for the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region at its first African Go Further event held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Go Further is Ford’s brand promise and the name of product events it has held in Australia, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. The inaugural South African Go Further event marks the first time it is hosted on the African continent.

With nearly 1,000 media, stakeholders, suppliers and VIPs in attendance, Jeff Nemeth, President and CEO for the Sub Saharan Region, outlined the company’s vision for driving growth in existing markets on the continent as well as entering new ones.

“South Africa remains our engine of growth for the continent, and moving forward, Sub-Saharan Africa will be a key market for Ford,” says Nemeth. “Our vision is to become the first choice for mobility in Africa, and our event today underscores our commitment to serve customers throughout Africa.”

The next 2 years will see an unprecedented expansion of Ford’s vehicle and technology line-up in the Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) region. In total, 17 vehicles will be launched or refreshed, including the new Focus, Fusion, Ranger XL-Plus, Transit and Tourneo Connect – which will be on show for the first time at Go Further – and of course, Mustang.

SYNC® connectivity will feature in many of the new vehicles. SYNC with AppLink will bring voice commands to select smartphone applications, and SYNC 2 will offer a new, interactive version of SYNC boasting a touch screen as well as voice command functionality.

EcoBoost drivetrain options will also be expanded. EcoBoost is a turbo direct-injection technology that significantly improves power and fuel economy while reducing emissions.  Globally, EcoBoost is offered in 80 percent of Ford’s nameplates, and 30 percent of vehicles available in South Africa. By the end of 2015 this will increase to 33% in South Africa and 55% in SSA.

“Our products are more than just nameplates,” adds Nemeth. “The smart technologies, high safety, design and quality of engineering in Ford products are what people want and value. EcoBoost engines will power the new wave of modern vehicles, and SYNC connectivity will feature in 70 percent of our line-up by the end of 2015.”

Fusion to lead the charge for smart, connected motoring

The Ford Fusion offers the best of all the technologies from Ford and will go on sale in South Africa in early 2015.

Fusion comes with EcoBoost petrol engines, and will be the technology flagship for Ford in SSA, offering SYNC 2, Active Park Assist, Active City Stop, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, Rear View Camera, and Lane-Keeping System. In addition, Ford’s award-winning rear inflatable seat belt safety system will debut on the Fusion.

“With Fusion, consumers will get to experience the leading technologies Ford has developed over the last few years,” says Nemeth. “A smart family car that boasts innovative active and passive safety features, connected technologies, and environmentally-friendly engines.”

New Focus makes the best even better

The world’s best-selling car* – the Ford Focus – is also one of the highlights. First announced in February this year, the new Focus makes its African debut at the Go Further event.

Going on sale next year, the new Focus will feature an all-EcoBoost engine lineup, as well as a host of new safety and driver-assist technologies.

“In 2015 Focus will be updated to include the latest technologies we have on offer, giving buyers more reasons to consider the world’s best-selling passenger car,” says Nemeth.

Mustang to cement commitment to One Ford

Ford’s iconic Mustang performance model is also on show at Go Further. The all-new Mustang, which will be available with both an EcoBoost engine as well as its hallmark V8 powertrain, will go on sale in South Africa and SSA markets next year.

“The Mustang is out of the stable and here in Africa,” says Nemeth. “The One Ford plan means that we can finally bring a global Mustang to our local fans. This vehicle is incredibly special to us; it shows our local fans and customers that we are committed to bringing in the best Ford has to offer while also celebrating the brand’s rich heritage.”

Africa on the horizon

As Ford continues to expand its presence in the SSA region, the company will embrace a philosophy of African ingenuity by going further to bring smart products that are safe, environmentally friendly, and high quality to customers in Africa.

In many ways ‘Go Further’ is a modern interpretation of Henry Ford’s vision to “open the highways to all mankind…” and the freedom that comes with both personal transportation and economic development.  Ford is helping realise his vision today throughout Africa.

“The ‘One Ford’ philosophy of a global company building and designing cars for a global audience continues to be the driving force behind the brand. Go Further has provided us with a unique opportunity to share a taste of what’s to come for Ford in the Sub Saharan Africa region in the near future. We hope that everyone in attendance today is as excited as we are about what’s to come in the coming months and years,” concludes Nemeth.

Ford Reveals African Vision at First ‘Go Further’ Event