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Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan recall 3.4 million vehicles for faulty airbags

Most vehicle recalls that take place these days are a result of some problem that happens during the manufacturing process by the automaker, but as we see here, parts suppliers can also factor in to problematic safety issues. Automotive News is reporting that a total of 3.4 million vehicles produced by Japanese automakers between 2000 and 2004 are being recalled globally due to faulty airbags produced by an outside supplier, Takata Corp.
According to the report, vehicles from Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda are being recalled because of passenger front airbags that do not inflate properly. Globally, Toyota is said to be recalling around 1.73 million cars including 510,000 in the US composed of Toyota Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia and Tundra as well as the Lexus SC430 for the 2001 through 2003 model years; this is the second time this year the 2003 Corolla and Matrix have been recalled for an airbag problem. Honda is recalling 1.14 million models, Nissan another 480,000 and Mazda 45,463. The article says that Takata supplied faulty airbags to non-Japanese automakers, but it did not specify which ones.
Honda and Toyota have released information on their own websites about the recall, while Nissan and Mazda have not yet commented. Read official press releases from Honda and Toyota, below, and look for updates as we have word from the others.

These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.

Recharge Wrap-up: Fisker takes apart Finland assembly, Nissan Leaf sales in Europe expected to grow 25%

The Fisker Karma's Uusikaupunki, Finland production lines are being dismantled. The lines, operated by Valmet Automotive in the same plant that assembles the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, have been idle since Fisker's money woes brought them to a halt in 2012. Fisker, which has since been purchased by Wanxiang, and Valmet are still in talks over future collaboration. Read more at YLE. Nissan expects a double-digit percentage growth in Leaf sales in Europe in 2015. Nissan Europe's Jean-Pierre Diernaz puts that number at around 25 percent over 2014's record sales. Part of this is due to much lower prices than earlier model years, thanks to government incentives and lower production costs than earlier model years. Diernaz also said that the e-NV200 van will make up about 20 percent of Nissan's EV sales in Europe. Read more at Automotive News Europe. EV drivers pay less on average in taxes than gasoline vehicle drivers in every state except Virginia. Some states impose extra taxes and registration fees for EVs to make up for lost revenue from fuel taxes, but EV drivers still come out ahead, even when compared to high-mileage cars like the Toyota Prius. Even in Wisconsin - which might follow Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington in added EV fees - those who drive electric should fare better. Virginia, however, charges EV drivers an extra $114 annually across two added fees, while gas drivers would only get dinged about $35.10 in gas taxes in a 50-mpg car. Read more at Green Car Reports. Two hydrogen-powered electric bus prototypes will be deployed on a trial basis Hamburg, Germany. The Solaris articulated electric buses use fuel cell range extenders from Ballard. The buses were unveiled on December 18, and will go into operation in January 2015. The German government is funding the trial, and Hamburg aims to cease the purchase of diesel buses by 2020. The new-generation fuel cell system in the two Hamburg buses improve upon Ballard's previous design by using fewer parts and exhibiting less parasitic power loss from the integrated air compressor and coolant pump. Read more at Ballard's website. Featured Gallery 2012 Fisker Karma: Second Drive View 30 Photos Related Gallery 2013 Nissan Leaf View 55 Photos News Source: YLE, Automotive News Europe, Green Car Reports, BallardImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Green Fisker Nissan Alternative Fuels Transportation Alternatives Electric Hydrogen Cars recharge wrapup