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Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

2003-04 Dodge Viper recalled for sudden airbag deployment

As if driving the old Dodge Viper (not the fancy new SRT model) isn't intimidating enough, imagine trying to wrangle that V10 beast and then suddenly having the airbags deploy. Yikes. That's apparently what could happen to some 3,660 Viper models from the 2003 and 2004 model years, and as such, Chrysler has issued a recall.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the car's airbag control module may fail, causing the bags or seatbelt pre-tensioners to deploy without warning while the vehicle is in operation. That's a dangerous scenario in any car, let alone one offering insane horsepower a near-total paucity of safety nannies should things get squirrely.
Owners will be notified this month about the recall, though a remedy is not expected to be available until later this year. Scroll down for the full NHTSA statement.

Dodge recalls 2011-2016 Charger to give owners wheel chocks

A bizarre new recall gives wheel chocks to Dodge Charger owners so that people remain safe while changing the sedan's wheels. The campaign covers 441,578 examples of the 2011-2016 Charger in the US; plus 19,229 in Canada; 4,969 in Mexico, and 38,947 outside the NAFTA region. According to Dodge's announcement, owners should use the chocks to stabilize the Charger when using a jack to change the wheels, like in the case of a flat tire. Without them it's possible for the sedan to fall off the jack. The company is aware of three minor hand injuries from this problem. Dodge will notify owners by mail when they can pick up the free wheel chocks. FCA US spokesperson Eric Mayne offered Autoblog a more detailed explanation about this recall. "The body structure of this vehicle is unique. If owner's manual instructions are not followed, slippage may occur. Chocks are being provided to help ensure the instructions are followed," he said. "We are continually analyzing warranty data to identify ways to improve the ownership experience. When tire-jack data was reviewed, we identified a need to further assist our customers." Statement: Wheel Chocks February 3, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to supply wheel chocks for an estimated 441,578 full-size sedans in the U.S. The chocks are for use, as instructed in the vehicle's owner's manual, when employing a tire jack to change wheels. When positioned diagonally opposite to the wheel being changed, the chocks will help stabilize the vehicle. Failure to follow the manual's instructions with an affected vehicle may cause the vehicle to come off the tire jack. FCA US is aware of three related injuries – all minor. The recall is limited to 2011-2016 Dodge Chargers. Also affected by the campaign are an estimated 19,229 cars in Canada; 4,969 in Mexico and 38,947 outside the NAFTA region. Recall notices will advise affected customers when they may obtain their wheel chocks, which will be supplied free of charge. Customers with questions or concerns may call the FCA US Customer Care Center at 1-800-853-1403.