US safety regulators probe Nissan, Jeep problems

Jeep Wrangler
DETROIT – Auto safety regulators are investigating brake problems with the Nissan Altima and complaints of air bag troubles with the Jeep Wrangler.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website Friday that brake fluid can leak on the Altima midsize car, causing a loss of stopping power.

The investigation, which began on Monday, covers about 440,000 Altimas from the 2007 and 2008 model years. The agency said the brake master cylinder can leak internally, causing a warning light to illuminate. If the light is ignored, the cars could eventually lose braking power.

NHTSA said it has received 20 complaints, none of which resulted in crashes or injuries.
The agency noted that in 2008 and 2009, Nissan recalled about 180,000 Sentra small cars from the 2007 and 2008 model years to fix a defect that caused leaks in the brake master cylinders.

Nissan said in a statement that it is committed to safety and will work with NHTSA in the investigation.

On the Jeep Wrangler, made by Chrysler Group LLC, NHTSA said that the front driver's air bag can fail to deploy because of a broken electrical circuit. The investigation, also opened Monday, covers about 222,000 vehicles from the 2007 and 2008 model years. The agency has received 29 complaints, but no injuries have been reported.

NHTSA said it contacted 14 of the 29 owners, and six of them had right-hand-drive models typically used by postal carriers.
Chrysler also said it is working with NHTSA on the investigation.
Investigations can end with recalls or findings that there are no defects.
Last week, NHTSA announced that a probe into steering problems with Toyota Corollas found they were not caused by parts failures and no recall was ordered.
source: yahoo news

Volvo P1800 celebrates 50 years

Volvo P1800 celebrates 50 years

There is a big and international company will celebrates 50 years in this year

So far, 2011 has been a significant year with the Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin DB4-GT Zagato and BMW 'Neue Klasse' all celebrating their 50 year anniversaries. The Volvo P1800, which celebrates its half century anniversary this year, is yet another car entering this exclusive club.

The svelte Swedish coupe is ‘perhaps Volvo’s most internationally renowned model,’ according to the brand, and it's easy to see why. Planned in Sweden and designed in Italy, the P1800 was unveiled in Brussels, built in Britain and became a huge success in the USA. 

Conceived with the simple aim of attracting customers into Volvo showrooms, the P1800 was a self-indulgent departure from Volvos of the past. The P1800 was a significant model for Volvo. It was a huge sensation from a sales perspective and, from an image viewpoint, it was infinitely more successful.

While the P1800's eclectic history and arresting design proved popular the world over, the car's infamy was cemented following an appearance in the British television program, The Saint, in the 1960s. Though producers initially wanted an E-Type Jaguar to star alongside Roger Moore’s character, the British firm declined. Volvo stepped to the plate and provided a P1800, which allowed the car to become a cult hit. It is still often referred to as ‘The Saint’s car’.

The distinctive coupe's lines didn’t change over the car's entire 12-year life span. Volvo only altered minor details and added the 1800ES shooting brake to the line-up in the early 1970s. 

Volvo says the P1800 was intended to be ‘a car that looked like a Ferrari, but cost and functioned like a Volvo.' The infamous Irv Gordon car that has covered over 4,500,000km over its lifetime on the same engine is testament to this durability, whilst rising prices on the classic market mark out the P1800 as a truly useable classic that is an integral part of Volvo history.

buying used car

Did you decide buy used car?

Tips for buying used car

When you decide to buy a used car, you have already taken a smart and wise decision. Everyday new models are being introduced into the market and you can easily get a car that is as good as a brand new car at a lower price. Often car buying gets overwhelming for the buyer as each new brand is vying for customer's attention.  The new cars always come with additional features and amenities with a higher price. To buy used cars in Canada, people have numerous choices and there is always a great possibility to find the best deal.

It is more economical to buy a pre-owned car than a new one as you can save a lot of money. Due to the current economic problems, it is always better to get a used car at half the price of a new car. Within couple of years, a brand new vehicle depreciates very quickly. The value of the new cars goes down very quickly and when you buy a new car, you are only paying for the fresh aroma and warranty. When a new car is bought, there is no guarantee that you will get a completely flawless car. New cars also may come with manufacturing imperfections and bad design issues.

you can easily purchase a fully loaded model used car that you may not be able to afford with a new car. There are varieties of used cars and you can choose easily from among your favorite brands. Online research will help you to find the car of your interest at competitive rates. But you have to physically examine the car before you buy. There are several advantages when you buy a used car and you get the opportunity to drive the car of your dreams.

Purchase and Maintain a Second hand Engine

 How to Purchase and Maintain a Second hand Engine

If you have found yourself in a position where either you have determined yourself, or have been told by a qualified mechanic your current engine needs replacing with a second hand unit there are a few things to consider.
First and foremost you need to verify that the engine itself is at fault. It is quite easy to think the worst and assume the engine needs replacing but there is always the possibility there is something else wrong with the vehicle. If you do not find the original fault and replace the engine with a second hand engine then you risk having the same issues after the engine is replaced.

Find a trusted mechanic in your area; do not go for the cheapest as in this line of work you often times get what you pay for. In the cheaper places the mechanics are more willing to have a quick look and automatically diagnose the problem as the engine being at fault rather than actually taking the time to look the vehicle over thoroughly to determine why the engine has failed in the first place.

Word of mouth is probably the best way to find a good mechanic, ask your family or friends who they go to for work and use their experience to help you find the right garage.
Word of warning: do not go to a main dealer to have your engine changed. Unfortunately the way main dealers are set up they make more money on servicing (brakes, oil services and suspension) than they do by taking up ramp space for a few days by booking in engine jobs. This fact in itself leads many dealerships to price themselves higher than local garages quite often just so they themselves try to talk you out of having them do it. And if you do decide to have the dealer handle it for their exorbitant price they feel they didn’t lose out so much on the service work since they are charging you top dollar for the engine change.
Once you settle on a garage book the vehicle in with them and allow them time to do their work. It doesn’t benefit anyone if you are on the phone with them every 30 minutes asking them for an update. Give them the space they need to go through it thoroughly and give you an informed decision.
After they are given the time to diagnose the problem, if they then tell you that you need to install a second hand engine then ask them why, what happened to the original? All of this information will help you make an informed decision when it comes time to purchase your second hand engine.
Most garages do not have a problem with installing a second hand engine that is purchased by you the customer. Confirm this before you start looking for a engine. You can more than likely help your garage find a replacement engine for you. The internet is a wonderful marketplace but if you do not have the information or the knowledge about your vehicle then it may be easier for you to have the garage source an engine for you.
Once you have found and purchased a second hand engine, have it delivered to your garage so they can confirm it will fit your vehicle. Many different manufacturers offer the same engine code that covers multiple ranges of vehicles, all these means is that the engine and head may be identical but the ancillaries can possibly be different. This should not pose a problem for a decent garage as they would then just swap your ancillaries onto the new unit and install it as normal.
After the engine is installed in the vehicle you need to make sure to take care of it.
Check your oil and coolant regularly
Do a basic oil service on it every 3000-5000 miles
Try to park in the same spot as often as you can to help identify if your engine develops any leaks
Have regular servicing done by a trusted garage on normal intervals, the more the garage gets to know your vehicle, the easier it is for them to alert you if something looks out of place.
If there is ever an instance where you notice any overheating or abnormal noise pull the vehicle over as soon as possible and have it towed to your garage to try to prevent any major damage from occurring.
Now you can Purchase and Maintain a Second hand Engine

Volvo 960 the Volvo 760's Replacement

Volvo 960 the Volvo 760's Replacement

Going back to the autumn of the year 1990, people would be able to recognize that it was during this time and season that the world came to know the Volvo 960. During that introduction for the vehicle, the Volvo 960 was introduced as a 1991 year model. It was also launched alongside the Volvo 940. It was marketed as the replacement for the then defunct Volvo 760. It lived for quite some time. This vehicle was known as the Volvo S90 and the Volvo V90 for the last two years of its existence. And in the year 1998, production for this vehicle was entirely halted.

These vehicles were actually built in Kalmar in Sweden. The very first Volvo 960 was actually completed and came out to the streets on the 12th of August in 1991. It was then packaged as a 1992 year model. Starting from 1995 up until a year before its last production, the Volvo 960s were built in another location. This time, it was in Goteborg, Sweden. It was in June 27th of 1994 that the very first one from this location came out to do some rolling on the streets.

In the United States, the Volvo 960 parts were equipped with an electronically controlled Asian Warner automatic gearbox. As per those that were marketed in Europe, these came with 2.5 liter engines combined with a manual gearbox that was called as the M90. These vehicles were actually a range of rear wheel drive cars. They were crafted and specifically built so as to cater to the tastes, preferences, and appeal of the buyers from the United States. By doing such, the Volvo 960 was one of the cars that paved the way for Volvo to enter and expand its market in North America. This vehicle has been made available in two versions which comprised of the sedan which held four doors and the estate car which boasted of five doors.