1955 Pontiac Chieftain 2-door Wagon on 2040-cars

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Toyota urges owners of old Corolla, Matrix and RAV4 models to park them until airbags are replaced

DETROIT — Toyota and General Motors are telling the owners of about 61,000 older Corolla, RAV4, Matrix/ Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their Takata airbag inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel. The urgent warning Monday covers: Certain Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from the 2003 and 2004 model years. RAV4 small SUVs from 2004 and 2005. Also covered are about 11,000 Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004, which are essentially the same as the Matrix and were made at the same California factory. Most of the vehicles are in the U.S. “If the airbag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement. Owners can go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their cars are affected. If you're not the original owner of the vehicle, the manufacturer's recall letter might not reach you, so be sure to do the VIN check. The recalled RAV4s have Takata driver's airbags while the Corolla and Matrix models have them on the passenger side. The Corolla and Matrix also are under a separate recall because their airbags can be deployed without a crash, the company said. Both companies said owners should contact a local dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs. Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or vehicle pickup and delivery. Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured. The exploding airbags sent Takata of Japan into bankruptcy. The potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history. About 100 million inflators were recalled worldwide. Recalls Pontiac Toyota Takata airbag recall

GM expands headlight recall to 180k Buicks and Pontiacs

General Motors is issuing an expanded headlight module recall to include 180,504 examples in North America of the 2005 Buick LaCrosse (2008 model year pictured above) and 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. Specifically, the campaign affects 159,584 of them in the US and 20,920 in Canada. When the part fails, the vehicles' low beams can stop working either intermittently or permanently. "GM is unable to confirm any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this condition," the company said in a statement, and there's currently no permanent repair for the problem. For now, dealers will replace the headlamp module with a new example of the same part. The automaker first announced this campaign in November 2014 when it affected 316,357 examples globally of the 2006-09 Buick LaCrosse; 2006-2007 Chevy TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT; 2006-2007 GMC Envoy and 2006 GMC Envoy XL; 2006-2007 Buick Rainier; 2006-2008 Saab 9-7X; and 2006-08 Isuzu Ascender. Related Video:

Build your dream garage with this insane prize from Omaze

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability is subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. Normally when we write about Omaze sweepstakes, they involve a car that you'd never go out and buy on your own. A six-figure camper van build, a $300,000 Ford Bronco restoration, a Land Rover Defender that's so beautiful it should be in a museum. Today's prize might beat out all of those, because not only could you win a dream car, you'll be entered for a chance to win $100k cash to go along with it.  There are a lot of cars you can buy with $100k. You could buy a Land Cruiser Heritage Edition or a Mustang GT500 or 6 Chevy Sparks and start your own racing series. Personally, if I won that kind of dough, assuming I also won this Bentley Bentayga, my favorite of Omaze's current offerings, I'd probably use some of it to buy something quirky, like a Honda Element converted into a pop-top camper, or a restored/upgraded 60 series Land Cruiser. Think that's a terrible way to spend the cash? That's the beauty of it. It is completely up to you. No one can tell you what to do with it. Except maybe your spouse.  Here are our favorite vehicle giveaways we’ve found online this week: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition - Enter at Omaze Regardless of what you think about Ford using the name Mustang for an electric crossover, one thing is for certain, the Mustang Mach-E GT is an impressive piece of machinery. Here are some numbers for you: 480 horsepower, 634 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and 260 miles of range. Price? Well, thatÂ’s really up to you, because if you enter to win this Mach-E GT. it can be as low as $0. Here are the specs of the Mach-E in question, according to Omaze: Maximum Seating: 5 Engine: fully electric motors Drivetrain: eAWD Exterior Color: Rapid Red Metallic   Interior Color: Black Maximum Horsepower: 480 hp  Maximum Torque: 634 lb-ft Acceleration: 0-60 in 3.5 seconds Range: 235 miles Approximate Retail Value: $75,500 Cash Alt: $56,625 Special Features: GT Performance Edition; panoramic fixed-glass roof; Ford Co-Pilot360™ Active 2.0 and 360-degree camera; Brembo brakes; RTR Design Package including 20” RTR Aero 5 wheels, Nitto NT555 G2 tires and RTR Speed Block graphics Win a Restored 1969 Pontiac GTO - Enter at Omaze Joel Stocksdale, News Editor: There are an awful lot of ways to build a restomod.