Mercedes, Chevrolet, Honda Take Top Honors In Strategic Vision 2008 Total Quality Awards

The Awards for Strategic Vision’s 2008 Total Quality Awards have been cast, and this year, three companies – Mercedes Benz, Honda and Toyota all have 2 models on the list that have managed to win in their respective categories.

The Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Awards are rated by The Total Quality Index™ which, of course, is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. Strategic Vision asks buyers to rate every aspect of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to performance and driving. It is much more than simply counting problems.

The full press release is below.

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Supposed Hidden Dangers of Hybrid Automobiles, EMFs

Now is the time to really break out those tin-foil hats (and maybe underwear)! Just to help perpetuate the FUD around hybrids, The New York Times is running an article about the “hidden” dangers of Hybrids – Electro-Magnetic Fields (or EMF’s).

According to the New York Times, strong electromagnetic fields are emanating from the high voltage power cables (which happen to be located near the driver) might be hazardous to your health, yet the government doesn’t even test for EMF’s in vehicles.

Back to Alternative Fuels 101, “Hybrid vehicles” are, of course, vehicles that use an electric power motor assisting the more traditional gasoline-fueled combustion engine. Unlike traditional vehicles, hybrids need to move a large amount of electricity which causes electromagnetic fields or EMFs. Many drivers are lucky enough to spend hours at a time in their car (yay rush hour), making this exposure prolonged, thus increasing the health risk. This apparently has many drivers concerned. The article says,

Their concern is not without merit; agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute acknowledge the potential hazards of long-term exposure to a strong electromagnetic field, or E.M.F., and have done studies on the association of cancer risks with living near high-voltage utility lines.

EMFs are nothing more than a byproduct of electricity, meaning, virtually every device that needs electricity produces some level of EMF. Generally, the more electricity pumped through an object, the stronger the EMF will be. However, there is no general agreement or federal standard that says what level of EMF’s are hazardous, if any. Currently the government does not do safety tests on the strength of EMF’s in hybrid vehicles.

Automakers argue that such instruments cannot make consistent and meaningful readings, however, there is anecdotal evidence of hybrid vehicle EMFs causing health problems. Neysa Linzer, 58, says that since she bought her Honda Civic Hybrid her blood pressure has increased and that she has fallen asleep at the wheel 3 times. She believes her hybrid is causing her health problems, “I never had a sleepiness problem before,” she said. She requested that Honda provide her with shielding material to protect her from the fields but Honda declined.

Driver, Brian Collins decided to test his Honda Insight with a Trifield meter. He received readings of 135 milligauss at the hip and 100 milligauss at the upper torso. Considering his VW Van only measures between 1-2 milligauss, he decided to sell his hybrid at a $7000 loss. The article says,

Lawrence Gust of Ventura, Calif., a consultant with a specialty in E.M.F.’s and electrical sensitivity, was one of the electrical engineers who tested Mr. Collins’s Insight in 2001. He agreed that the readings were high but did not want to speculate on whether they were harmful. “There are big blocks of high-amp power being moved around in a hybrid, the equivalent of horsepower,” he said. “I get a lot of clients who ask if they should buy hybrid electric cars, and I say the jury is still out.

New technology of course comes with new risks. Obviously, reduced gasoline consumption is a good thing, but should we ignore possible risks as these vehicles gain popularity? Should we care if tree hugging hippies can’t reproduce? Should the goverment be promoting hybrid use to the terrorists?

Acura NSX Shattered In Horrific Street Racing Accident, Driver Survives

The driver of this barely recognizable Acura NSX is somehow, miraculously, still alive. In what is being reported as a street race with a Honda Civic gone bad, this hooligan lost control of the Acura NSX, hit the curb, and a light pole, and ultimately ended up splitting the car in half!! The MSN NBC affiliate in San Diego quotes one witness telling them “I saw the car in the gutter with a guy sitting it it without any front. He was holding on the the gearshift, and I think he was still in shock and still wanting to shift gears.”Though the driver has only suffered from a fractured neck, we’re pretty sure he’s going to be hurting a lot more after paying the lawyer fees.

You can see the airbags did deploy, though the entire steering column seems to be a good twenty feet from the rest of the car.

Head over to MSN to catch the story.

Honda Recalling 353,000 Accords For Wiper Problem

Honda has recently announced they will be recalling 353,000 Honda Accords. The recall affects the 2003 model year Accord, and invloves a possible corrosion threat in the vehicle’s windshield wiper system. The defect could allow water to enter in through the area around the windshield wiper motor, leading to possible corrosion and even failure of the motor.

And from what we all learned about water and electricity, if water does get in the motor, a circuit breaker inside the motor could trip, preventing the windshield wipers from operating.

So bring your 2003 Honda Accord into a Honda dealer, so they can inspect your vehicle for such corrosion. If no corrosion is found, dealers must simply add another protective cover to the potentially defective area, but if corrosion is found, the entire motor will have to be replaced.

No injuries or accidents have been linked to the defect, according to the car manufacturer.

Personally, i think a good selling point would be for all manufacturers to list “Free Lifetime Recalls” as a selling point.