Car Recalls for Kia; Ford Investigated for Spontaneous Shattering Glass

Car Recalls for Kia; Ford Investigated for Spontaneous Shattering Glass

DETROIT, M.I. – Car recalls have been announced officially by Kia Motors for its 2011 Kia Sorento models. A driveshaft part may be misaligned and may be causing a problem with loss of motive power. At the same time Kia is beginning its recall, Ford is under investigation for its 2010-11 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Ford: Spontaneous Breaking Glass

More than 200,000 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner models from 2010-11 may be affected by potential faulty rear liftgate windows. The NHTSA has announced it is currently investigating the possible issue with Ford as it has received 18 complaints that “the liftgate window glass shattered spontaneously, while opening the liftgate or while closing the liftgate.” One incident involved a mother and her 10-year-ancient son who were both cut by the broken glass pieces.

Ford Motor Corp has not issued a formal recall yet and the NHTSA has not requested one, but Ford did comment in its own bulletin back in November about the possibility that “some 2010-2011 Escape and Mariner vehicles built on or before Oct. 15, 2010 may experience the liftgate window glass breaking, typically when colder ambient temperatures are present.”

There was a similar occurrence in 2004 when Ford recalled 955,000 of the 2002-03 Ford Explorer models after the NHTSA received 5,000 complaints with 165 minor injury reports.

Kia: Grinding Transmission

The 2011 Kia Sorento has been confirmed to have a defect with the intermediate shaft in the automatic transmission of 12,690 vehicles that had been produced through May 22, 2010. The specific models affected are stocked with 2.4L engines and automatic transmissions with 2WD.

The intermediate shaft in the driveshaft may be misaligned with the right side output gear which can cause the shaft to grind and wear out quicker than with normal, proper use. If this occurs for an extended period of time, it may cause hurt to the automatic transmission as the transmission may lose motive power, which increases the risk of a collision.

Owners will be told about the car recalls beginning May 2011. Dealers will replace the right side output gear and intermediate shaft to right the problem. Any owners who may have questions about the issues included in the recall may contact Kia at 800-333-4542.

Check back as MI Auto Times follows the investigation.

MI Auto Times covers all Michigan automotive news all the time, featuring newly released vehicle recall information, relevant Michigan automaker news, vehicle ratings and comparisons, and everything else auto-related Michigan and world readers need to know.

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Mechanic Career Trade School Track

Mechanic Career Trade School Track

In case you have just finished high school and seek an occupation in the automotive field, a trade school is the next best option. Gone are the days when anyone without having schooling in repairing an automobile could enter the job field. Today, these “shade tree mechanics” have no room in the automotive field mainly because of the integrated electrical systems, intricate computer systems, hi-tech features like global positioning systems that run vehicles. Hence, an auto mechanic needs to be a remarkably experienced professional who has been through mechanical technician instruction in the diverse complex systems that make the modern vehicles these days.

Prerequisites
Towards completion of your high school, apply for virtually any vocational programs in electrical trades and auto repair. You will be at a bonus if you have class-room schooling in physical science, math, metal works, mechanical drawing, computer skills, or automobile courses.

You may favor to specialize in collision repair, diagnostic testing, transmission overhaul and rebuild, automotive air-conditioning, or any other major auto repair. Nowadays technological improvement in the field of automotives indicates more complicated systems for technicians to repair, thus specialization in the field surely pays off!

Training, Education and Qualifications
The majority of training authorities highly recommend a formal training program for individuals looking for automotive mechanic jobs in high school or postsecondary vocational school or an accredited trade school. Extensively looking into each trade school and being familiar with the requirements in your state before applying can help you find a highly regarded auto mechanic program, targeted toward making you a expert in the field. You will master new skills and stay up-to-date with the latest technological developments in the automotive field and get an associate degree or certificate on conclusion of the trade school program, which will add value to your resume and help you get an entry level job.

Vocational School vs. Community College
Postsecondary automotive mechanic programs provide you with comprehensive career preparation by giving both classroom training and hands-on experience. Depending on the number of hours you attend your trade school program, the training will range from six months to a year. On the contrary, community college curriculums award a certificate after a 2-year mechanical training, apart from offering instruction in a range of topics, including basic math, English, computers, and other such courses.

Employers generally expect their potential employees to have solid analytical and communication skills, which makes it convenient for them to figure out technical manuals and keep abreast of the technological advancements in the field of automotive repair and service. A vocational program, on the flip side, offers you to study job-specific skills, which makes you a perfectionist in the chosen field. Community colleges, besides offering you associate degrees and certificates, sometimes offer vocational classes.

Finding Work
You can start your automotive career as student technician or lubrication worker. You may also prefer to work as an a seasoned, a professional mechanic’s helper so that you progressively learn and practice the needed skills. You can start to practice basic assignments such as oil change, simple repair work, and routine service task and then progressively go to major repair works after a few months’ experience.

After investing two years working as an apprentice at a major auto shop, you are entitled to take the ASC test for certification. Your mechanic certification will ensure that you are a expert in the field and thus help you earn promotion to the journey level merely a few months on the job. The more time you invest in an accredited trade school, the more in need you will become in the automotive jobs market.

There are a number of automobile manufacturers and dealers that sponsor 2-year associate degree programs for postsecondary courses. In such courses, you are required to attend alternate periods in classes, in addition to working full time as a mechanic apprentice under sponsoring dealers to get practical experience and essential time-saving tips from an seasoned technician in the service departments. To most employers, successful completion of a vocational mechanical technical training program is the ideal preparation for an entry-level job.

In addition, you can find helpful information on MechanicApprentice.com. MechanicApprentice.com is a site dedicated to helping everyone start their careers as an auto mechanic and answering your questions about what it takes to become a mechanic apprentice.


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Detroit MI Automakers Enjoyed a Great 2010; Other Companies Gaining Market Share

Detroit MI Automakers Loved a Fantastic 2010; Other Companies Gaining Market Share

Detroit MI auto industry followers waited to see what the final sales numbers would turn out to be for the month of December and for the whole year. Most automakers saw an increase from sales numbers from the year before while others like Toyota are still trying to come back from a negative change in sales.

The largest news for previous months’ sales data is the possibility of it changing from the Huge Three to the Many Seven, according to some analysts. Hyundai Motor Co., who sold a record-making 500,000 vehicles in the U.S., which it has never done before, was very close to gaining 5 percent of the market share this year, but stopped shy at 3.91 percent. According to the Wall Street Journal, if Hyundai hits the 5 percent mark as the Korean automaker is predicted to, the U.S. market will have a dramatic shift from the time when the Detroit Three dominated the market and were the deciding factors of the industry’s movement.

The seven would be:  General Motors, Ford, Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Chrysler, Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai.

“I reckon it’s honest to say we are entering a new era,” said Jim Press, a former Toyota and Chrysler executive now working as a consultant to several vehicle makers, in a Wall Street Journal article. “You have a completely different situation when you have six or seven companies that are all established, with a significant customer base. It’s not like the ancient days when it was the Huge Three and then all these small guys.”

Detroit MI automaker General Motors is still on top of the pack with 19.58 percent of the market followed by Ford with 16.61 percent of the market and Toyota in third place with 15.50 percent of the market. Honda beat out Chrysler with 11.32 percent to Chrysler’s 8.80 percent market share.

GM’s sales rose 8.5 percent from November with an overall 7.2 percent increase for the total year of 2010. It was an overall excellent year for GM as its IPO was extremely successful, earning it the title of largest IPO in history. This Detroit MI Huge Three member is working its way back to its original glory.

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