Honda Recall: Defective Airbags Could Affect 440,000 Vehicles
Man, hope you aren't working on it today... too nice in NE Ohio to be working on anything. Not many of these days left!
The jury is out on how time-constrained you are. How bad is the finish? Swirls? RIDS? What level of correction are you seeking? Your going to have to determine your priorities.
Assuming you want to concentrate on the paint, you'll have to determine what process to use after working a test spot. Nobody here can help with that now, you have to see what you've got to work with. Perhaps after wash and clay you can get away with the lighter polish to bring up gloss and eliminate some swirls and then slap on a coat of 845. If you find swirls that need more attention you can spot work 'em with the stouter polish/pad combination. If you start early and can have the car til late this may leave enough time for attention to the interior or under the hood, doorjambs etc. If you're going for serious correction and need a multi-step polish all over the car you'll obviously have to skip something else to devote your limited time to that.
If you're really lucky and the car isn't too bad you may get good results with spot correction and a dose of KAIO and the 845 topper. Great look and longevity. One thing for sure, if you go whole hog and try for perfection you'll just be making more work for yourself later. The combo of a black car and a woman that apparently doesn't give it proper care will just drive you nuts every time you see it prompting you to dive in again and again. The more complete job you do the more apparent future neglect is going to be. Don't ask how I know this
Enough computin', time to dig out a bike and go for a ride
TL
Saab's Gripen Demo aircraft has made its first test flight since receiving a key technology on offer to potential export customers including Brazil, India and Switzerland.
Now equipped with the antenna and other elements of Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems' Vixen 1000E/ES05 Raven active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the two-seat demonstrator resumed its flight activities on 27 October, when it performed a sortie from Saab's Linköping site in Sweden.
The heavily modified B-model aircraft had been on the ground in refit for the last several months, during which time Saab integrated its AESA array, new satellite communications equipment and additional internal fuel capacity. It has also gained new electro-optical radar warning receivers and missile approach warning sensors developed by Saab Avitronics.
Honda Motor Company expanded its vehicle recall of 2008 by another 440,000 Friday, announcing that the airbags in certain vehicles are at risk of being deployed with too much force, perhaps enough to cause physical and bodily injury. According to Consumer Reports, the latest Honda recall includes the 2001 Honda Civic, the 2001-2002 Honda Accord, and the 2002-2003 Acura TLs.
Takata Corporation, which manufactures the airbags, saw share prices fall nearly 6% due to the recall, according to Bloomberg. Takata is the world's largest manufacturer of automobile safety equipment. Takata says that the airbags manufactured for other carmakers are made differently and do not suffer from the same defect that prompted the Honda recall.
The defect is a problem in the airbag inflator, which sometimes can produce pressure in excessive amounts, causing the airbag to deploy with tremendous force and rupture. Metal pieces could possibly go through the airbag as well and cause injury.
Honda Motor Company is expected to issue recall notices in the next few months. Owners of the various Honda vehicles affected by the recall need only present their vehicle to dealers for an inflator replacement free of charge.
Honda is not the only car manufacturer which has had to announce a recall of late. Volkswagen, Subaru, and BMW have all announced recalls recently.
A problem with the fasteners on the roof edge spoiler has caused Volkswagen to issue a recall for 14,000 Touareg SUVs made between 2007 and 2009. The possibility exists that the struts could crack, causing the spoiler to come loose, possibly detaching itself from the vehicle, perhaps to the extent of causing property damage or bodily injury outside the vehicle. Dealers are installing reinforcing wedges on the spoilers for free to rectify the problem.
Subaru recalled 15,000 2005-2006Baja pickups because of a cracking fuel connection hose with the fuel pump. A possibility of a fuel leak could develop, perhaps starting a fire. Dealers are replacing the fuel pump bracket.
BMW issued a recall for all 2009 X5 and X6 vehicles because the rear disc brakes on the cars may not have been manufactured according to proper specifications. The problem is seen as a more poorly performing vehicle, with longer braking distances that could result in potential car crashes or wrecks. BMW has not announced its plans for rectification.
According to Japan's transport ministry, there has been at least one death in the United States due to the Honda airbag defect.
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Bloomberg.com
ConsumerReports.org
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