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Autoblog Podcast #396

Episode #396 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, and Chris Paukert talk about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, the 2016 Jaguar XE, and the 2015 Lexus RC. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #396:
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Mazda recalling 190,000 CX-7s due to rusty ball joints

UPDATE: This post has been updated with additional information from Mazda. The Basics: Mazda is recalling 190,102 Mazda CX-7 crossovers built between February 14, 2006, to May 9, 2012 – model years 2007 through 2012. The Problem: Water can sneak in between the suspension ball joint fittings. If snow and road salt are common in your neck of the woods, the joints can corrode and separate from the lower control arms. That's bad if you enjoy steering your CX-7. According to Mazda, owners of affected models may notice a rattle from the front suspension due to the loose ball joint in the lower control arm fitting. Mazda describes separation of the ball joint and control arm as a "worst case" scenario "after extended operation in such condition." Injuries/Deaths: It's unknown if the rusting issue has led to any crashes, injuries, or deaths. Autoblog has a call into Mazda for additional details and will update this post with any new information. There have been no reports of accidents, injuries, or fatalities related to this recall. The Fix: Owners should report to their local Mazda service center, where techs will replace the both front lower control arms. Any work done is free of charge. If you own one: Mazda will perform some automotive triage with this recall, focusing on CX-7s that have had the longest exposure to salt and are most likely to suffer control arm separation first. Owners of 2007s and 2008s come first, followed by 2009 through 2011 models. Mazda will also focus on vehicles registered in states where snow and road salt are most common – Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. If you live in a more temperate region or own a 2012 CX-7, Mazda will perform recall work as "parts are available." Owners can contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 for additional info. Recall notices should hit the mail around October 10th. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2011 Mazda CX-7: Review View 21 Photos News Source: NHTSAImage Credit: Copyright 2016 AOL Recalls Mazda Crossover mazda cx-7

Autoblog Minute: VW Q3 financial woes, 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

Consumer Reports pulls its Tesla recommendation, the U.S. Copyright Office offers a ruling affecting car owners, VW gets hit hard with third-quarter losses, and lots of exciting news from Tokyo. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Consumer Reports pulls its Tesla recommendation, the U.S. copyright office offers a ruling that affects car owners and gear heads, VW gets hit hard with third-quarter losses, and lots of exciting news from Tokyo. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. After a week away testing vehicles for Autoblog's Tech of the Year award, we're back in the office to recap the week in automotive news. [00:00:30] One of the things you might have missed was Consumer Reports pulling its recommendation of Tesla's Model S sedan. The blemish for Tesla comes after a tally of reviews from customer surveys. The most common problem areas for the Model S as cited by survey takers included: the drivetrain, power equipment, charging equipment, body and sunroof squeaks, rattles, and leaks. So lots of stuff. Though they could not ignore a score of "worse-than-average", Consumer Reports still [00:01:00] highlighted the fact that the Model S was "the best performing car" they've ever tested. Telsa CEO Elon Musk took to social media to defend his sedans saying: "Consumer Reports reliability survey includes a lot of early production cars. Already addressed in new cars." And, "Tesla gets top rating of any company in service. Most important, CR says 97% of owners expect their next car to be a Tesla (the acid test)." In Financial news, Volkswagen took a hit and reported an operating loss of [00:01:30] $3.84 billion. This is the first such loss for VW in 15 years. Toyota reclaimed the crown as the world's largest automaker as well. It's important that it's not all doom and gloom for VW though in Q3. Sales revenues were up and the company's automotive division boasts $30 billion dollars in liquid assets. It's a sizable war chest that will no doubt come in handy, as the company has yet to feel the full brunt of the diesel emissions scandal. Good news for gear heads. The US copyright office [00:02:00] ruled in favor of mechanics and car owners by granting an exception to existing copyright law. The law was originally meant to prevent software pirating and bootlegging of Hollywood movies.