2021 Honda Pilot 2wd Special Edition on 2040-cars

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Tier 1 suppliers call GM the worst OEM to work with

Among automakers with a big US presence, General Motors is the worst to work for, according to a new survey from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, conducted by Planning Perspectives, Inc.
The Detroit-based manufacturer, which has been under fire following the ignition switch recall and its accompanying scandal, finished behind six other automakers with big US manufacturing operations. Suppliers had issues with trust and communications, as well as intellectual property protection. GM was also the least likely to allow suppliers to raise their prices in the face of unexpected increases in material cost, all of which contributed to 55 percent of suppliers saying their relationship with GM was "poor to very poor."
GM's cross-town competitors didn't fare much better. Chrysler finished in fifth place, ahead of GM and behind Dearborn-based Ford, which was passed for third place this year by Nissan. Toyota took the top marks, while Honda captured second place.

Takata airbag victim urges consumers to head to the dealership

A man who lost an eye in a low speed collision due to faulty Takata airbags is urging the owners of cars with recalled parts to take their vehicles into a dealership, before it's too late. The public service announcement comes from ConsumerWatch.com. In a video, the consumer rights website gives factual information about the recall, and adds a personal plea from Corey Burdick. The Florida man lost an eye due to shrapnel from an exploding Takata airbag. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Burdick was traveling just 15 mph in his Honda Civic when he collided with another car. There were no other injuries caused by the crash, except for the loss of Burdick's eye. He filed a lawsuit against Honda and Takata this year. "I lost my eye because of a defective airbag. Take your car in today so this doesn't happen to you," Burdick said. ConsumerWatch.com told Honda and Acura owners not to drive their vehicles until the faulty airbags were replaced. Good advice, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also recently advised owners of 2001-03 Hondas and Acuras to get their airbags replaced immediately. NHTSA says airbag inflators in those vehicles have up to a 50 percent chance of exploding in an accident. But replacing the airbags isn't as easy as simply going into the dealership. Many owners who take their cars in for replacement are finding out that new parts are in short supply as manufacturers grapple with the largest automotive recall in US history. Takata may not have enough replacements until 2019, CNN reported earlier this year. The problem is so pervasive that some brand new cars were found to be sitting on dealer lots with faulty airbags still in place months after the initial recall. Some cars have received replacements that were also faulty and now will require a second trip to the dealer. However, waiting is not an option for many owners. At least 13 people have been killed and over 100 injuries have been blamed on the airbags. Related Video: News Source: consumerwatch.com, Orlando Sentinel, CNN Government/Legal Recalls Acura Honda Driving Ownership Safety consumer airbag Takata airbag recall

Honda showcases the letter R in cool new ad campaign

Okay Honda, you've won the Internet for the week. This cool "double-sided" video, featuring the new Civic and Civic Type R Concept, is one of the more interesting YouTube spots we've seen.
On the surface, "The Other Side" shows a regular dad, simply going about his day and picking his daughter's up from school. But press the "R" key while watching the video, and it transitions into an alternate video. The dad is now in a Civic Type R Concept, and he's not on the school run. Instead, he's involved in something... a bit more devious.
We won't spoil the ending, but suffice it to say, you'll want to watch this video through to its conclusion. Also, because of the unique nature of this video, we can't embed it here, so you'll need to hop over to Honda's UK YouTube channel.