http://www.motherproof.com/ Stay on top of the latest car reviews, tips and trends from MotherProof.com with our RSS feeds en editor@motherproof.com Copyright 2010 2010-02-09T17:38:53-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-2010-toyota-camry/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-2010-toyota-camry/#When:17:38:53Z Marking the Japanese automaker’s third recall in the first two months of 2010, Toyota has issued a recall for 7,300 Camry vehicles from the 2010 model year, according to the company. This recall only affects Camrys with a four-cylinder engine. The problem is with a power-steering hose that may be in contact with a front brake tube, which could create a hole in the tube and allow brake fluid to leak. This could negatively impact the effectiveness of braking in the vehicle. Owners of the affected 2010 Camrys will get a mailed notification in the middle of February, Toyota says. More information is available at www.toyota.com/recall, and owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331. 2010-02-09T17:38:53-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/advice-safety/story/recall-alert-2010-toyota-prius-2010-lexus-hs-250h/ http://www.motherproof.com/advice-safety/story/recall-alert-2010-toyota-prius-2010-lexus-hs-250h/#When:16:15:53Z Toyota has announced a recall of 133,000 2010 Prius hybrids and 14,500 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrids to update software for the cars’ braking systems. The software will address a glitch in the antilock brakes, which when engaged on rough road surfaces or during inclement weather can lead to a loss of braking control. It’s not known when dealers will have the software update, but Toyota says it will release the details “soon.” Prius owners will be notified next week with Lexus HS owners notified in the next few weeks. This latest recall falls weeks after the company halted sales of its most popular models over sticky accelerator pedals. The Prius and Lexus HS were not part of that recall nor were they part of last year’s recall of more than 4 million cars for faulty floormats. Prius owners with vehicles built since May 2009 — check your car’s driver-side doorjamb for a sticker that lists this date — are included. Every Lexus HS 250h, however, is included. There is no halt on sales of new cars already on dealer lots. Cars currently being assembled have already had the issue addressed. For more information, owners can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331. Keep Me Safe 2010-02-09T16:15:53-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/pontiac-vibe-gets-fix/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/pontiac-vibe-gets-fix/#When:22:30:51Z Worried owners of 2009 and 2010 Pontiac Vibes should now be somewhat relieved that GM dealers are getting the parts they need to fix that vehicle, which was included in the recent Toyota recall of 2.3 million vehicles for sticky accelerator pedals. Parts are being shipped this week, and letters will be sent to owners Feb. 16. Owners are being instructed in that mailing to contact their dealers after Feb. 22 to schedule an appointment. 2010-02-08T22:30:51-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/mitsu-sportback-test-drive-front-seats-have-pigtail-holders/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/mitsu-sportback-test-drive-front-seats-have-pigtail-holders/#When:19:42:52Z My first week test driving the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart seemed to revolve around the Recaro front seats. My kids were nearly obsessed with them. They wanted to know why the seats have two holes just below the head restraint; I just wanted to know why I couldn’t adjust the seat’s height so I could have a better view of the road. My eldest daughter thought the holes were to “hold onto when you turn around to look behind you when backing up.” However, my younger daughter, Cade, had a much more imaginative explanation: “I think they’re to stick your pigtails through.” A quick call to Mitsubishi put the debate to rest. The Recaro seats, which are part of a $2,750 optional package, are race-inspired, so the holes are for the shoulder straps of a five-point harness. Hmm, I like the pigtail idea better. Either way, my daughters decided it’s “totally not fair” that I get cool racecar seats and they get boring — aka normal — seats in the back. Do you hear that Mitsubishi? Kids want to ride in cool seats, too! Check back here and on Twitter.com/MotherProof as I write about my six-month test drive of the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart. 2010-02-08T19:42:52-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/mitsu-sportback-test-drive-family-to-put-car-through-ringer/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/mitsu-sportback-test-drive-family-to-put-car-through-ringer/#When:17:46:14Z Let’s face it; a quick test drive around a dealership isn’t enough time to figure out if a car will fit into your family life. Even the one to two weeks we spend in our test cars here at MotherProof.com is barely enough time to uncover a car’s endearing traits and maddening quirks. With that in mind, Mitsubishi is extending our test drive of the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart to about six months. That’s right, folks. This poor car is really going to go through the ringer, especially when my daughters and their friends get in the backseat. I’ll be documenting the six-month test drive in detail here in our News and Rants section as well as at Twitter.com/MotherProof.  2010-02-08T17:46:14-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-22850-maxi-cosi-mico-infant-safety-seats/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/recall-alert-22850-maxi-cosi-mico-infant-safety-seats/#When:21:16:01Z Dorel Juvenile Group is recalling 22,850 Maxi-Cosi Mico infant-safety seats that were made from Feb. 18-June 28, 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It may be difficult to attach or detach the shell from the base if the base has warped or there’s inadequate mating between the car seat’s shell and base mounting bracket. If the car seat’s shell is improperly mounted to the base, the child could be injured in a crash. Maxi-Cosi Mico models affected by this recall: • Model No. 22-371 HFL     • Model No. 22-371 JUC   • Model No. 22-371 LMD   • Model No. 22-371 ORE     • Model No. 22-371 PNG   • Model No. 22-372 TTH     • Model No. 22-515 BLK (base only) DJG will notify all registered owners and send a repair kit with two base springs, a hex wrench and instructions for base spring replacement. The kit is free. For more information, owners can call DJG at 877-657-9546 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236. 2010-02-05T21:16:01-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/toyota-president-apologizes-for-recalls/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/toyota-president-apologizes-for-recalls/#When:17:14:47Z Toyota’s president apologized Friday for the problems that have led to massive global recalls of the automaker’s vehicles. Akio Toyoda also said the automaker would reveal its plans to fix the braking problem in the 2010 Prius, but he didn’t say if there would be a recall of the popular hybrid, the New York Times reported.  “I deeply regret that I caused concern among so many people,” Toyoda said. “We will do our utmost to regain the trust of our customers.” In January, the automaker recalled 2.3 million vehicles because of a sticky accelerator pedal that could lead to unintended acceleration. Replacement parts are now arriving at dealerships. Last year, Toyota issued a recall for floormats that can trap accelerator pedals. That recall has been expanded to 5.9 million vehicles. A fix hasn’t been announced, but Toyota recommends removing the driver’s floormat. Toyoda plans to lead a special committee that will be charged with solving Toyota’s quality problems. This committee will review internal checks and consumer complaints; it will also seek the advice of experts outside the company. Toyota is now looking into possible brake problems with the Lexus HS 250h, which has the same braking system as the Prius. No problems have been reported with the HS 250h’s brakes. 2010-02-05T17:14:47-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/lifestyle-trends/story/looking-for-a-unique-baby-name-think-car-parts/ http://www.motherproof.com/lifestyle-trends/story/looking-for-a-unique-baby-name-think-car-parts/#When:15:37:01Z When it comes to baby names, there are plenty of popular trends out there, including old-fashioned names and surnames as first names (a trend I jumped all over with my boys’ names). With the recent birth of their third son, Axel, actor Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin, could be trying to start a new baby-name trend — car-related names. We won’t quibble over spelling, though. Truthfully, it seems the couple are honoring Paulin’s Swedish roots by giving their kids Scandinavian names, including Axel’s older brothers Magnus and Mattias. Axel is a popular name in Scandinavian countries, but it got me thinking about other car-related names that could double as a baby. Here are my top 10 car-related baby names: 10. Serpentine: What little girl wouldn’t want to be named after a drive belt? Maybe not, but at least she’ll stand out at roll call. 9. Xenon: Admittedly, this name is out there, but it might fit the bill if you’re looking for a name that stands out. You’d better make sure this kid has a solid middle name in case you need a fallback. 8. Turbo: This might be middle-name material. I can’t in good conscience recommend Turbo for a first name because of the teasing potential. Think about it. 7. Dualie: Sure, it’s really a pickup truck with dual wheels on each side of its rear axle, but there’s something sweet about this name when associated with a baby. Can’t you just see those cute cheeks?! 6. Cam: If your spouse isn’t buying into the car-related baby names, try using this one. It’s short for Cameron or camshaft, depending on your viewpoint. 5. VIN: This is another double-duty name that works for couples split over a car name. It sounds tough; don’t you remember Vin Diesel in “The Fast and the Furious”? 4. Torque: Speaking of tough, this is the name for a little boy who pops out with a full head of hair and an attitude. 3. Hemi: This is the name of Chrysler’s high-performance engine that makes any gearhead giddy. If you use this name, you’d better be prepared to buy this kid a powerful car for his 16th birthday. 2. Diesel: Yes, it’s a kind of fuel, but it makes a good name, too. Just ask singer Toni Braxton, who named her son Diezel. 1. Enzo: If your tastes lean toward the finer things, this is the name for you. Ferrari fans know that Enzo Ferrari founded the company, but the Enzo is also a supercar with a V-12 engine. I’ll admit that these aren’t your average baby names, but it’s better than Kal-el (actor Nicolas Cage’s son, who was named after Superman’s real name).  Do these names appeal to you? Tell us in the comment section below. Trends 2010-02-05T15:37:01-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/ford-issues-fix-for-2010-fusion-hybrid-brakes/ http://www.motherproof.com/news-rants/story/ford-issues-fix-for-2010-fusion-hybrid-brakes/#When:22:51:08Z Consumer Reports is reporting that Ford will issue a Customer Satisfaction Program this month to cover the braking system in the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids. This is a voluntary recall for all vehicles made on or before Oct. 17, 2009, and owners will be alerted by mail. You can check the label on your car’s driver side doorjamb to see when your car was built. Consumer Reports details at length a scary instance where a test car experienced perceived brake failure due to a software setting in the regenerative braking system. Ford sent engineers to the organization’s testing center to evaluate the problem. Only one other instance was reported on the government’s Safercar.gov website. No injuries have been reported because of the problem, Ford says. 2010-02-04T22:51:08-06:00 http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2010-subaru-outback/ http://www.motherproof.com/car-reviews/new/2010-subaru-outback/#When:19:49:38Z A few things have changed with the 2010 Subaru Outback. It’s undergone a redesign that’s full of positive changes, but there’s one change I’m not crazy about — the exterior. It looks like it’s been flattened out. The angles aren’t as pronounced as they used to be. It’s definitely not as sleek as its predecessor.  Even though my home state of Colorado is casual, where even on a fancy night out you can get by in denim, a little spice is nice. I like my cars to look confident. But it’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?  The 256-horsepower six-cylinder engine provides plenty of confidence, while the nicely appointed interior gives passengers a comfortable respite from the outside world. As with all Subarus, the Outback has standard all-wheel drive. On the road, the Outback is sporty and athletic, despite the five-speed automatic transmission.  Of course, I could switch into Manual mode for even more excitement. If I wanted to go crazy, I could use the paddle shifters for some behind-the-wheel fun or to help with steep downhill grades on those Rocky Mountain passes.  This is a fun car to drive on city streets, the highway and even mountain passes. I had plenty of power on demand, and the steering and braking were tight and responsive. There was no body roll like you get in SUVs or vans, which is why I love wagons. In Diapers, In School, Teens, Wagons/Hatchbacks 2010-02-04T19:49:38-06:00