Modern cars can be a headache
The automotive industry has made tremendous advances in technology over the past decade, but this has resulted in issues that can frustrate motorists.
There has been a technological revolution in the automotive industry over the past 10 years.
Thanks to a range of high-tech sensors, modern cars are able to anticipate and avoid dangerous situations and warn drivers of potential dangers.
The downside is that more things can go wrong. Our readers express some of their frustrations.
GHOST WARNING
My Mazda CX-9’s passenger seat belt warning goes off even when the seat is empty. In February 2021, I alerted my Mazda dealer and was told they needed a replacement sensor. They said they would contact me when the part arrived. I never heard back. When I next serviced in Feb 2022, I was told it wasn’t the sensor – they had replaced one on another CX-9 and the issue was not resolved. The service manager said they were waiting for a response from head office. To this day, I still haven’t heard anything. I love the car, but poor customer service for this and other issues has caused me to reconsider where I will service in the future.
I’ll take your business elsewhere immediately. The unwillingness of the service center to fix the problem with the sensors is a big problem, especially from a safety point of view. We’ve contacted Mazda Australia for comment, but – unlike every other manufacturer we deal with – they refuse to comment on individual cases.
DASHBOARD DISASTER
My daughter’s 2013 Mazda3 has a dashboard gap that grows above the instrument cluster. The vinyl goes up. She contacted Mazda Australia but was unable to fix it. It looks like Mazda recalled some earlier models and replaced the dashboard. A replacement would cost around $1100. What can she do?
We also contacted Mazda Australia about this, but again, no comment. Mazda3 owners suffered this tragedy in Australia and overseas, but there was no recall. In the US, there was a service bulletin for dashboards getting sticky, warping, or generating a gap. Mazda US extended its warranty to 10 years for the issue, but no luck here. Many Australian owners have received goodwill help according to the forums. Keep pestering Mazda Australia, at least to cover the cost of the new dashboard.
NO GOOD VIBRATION
Our much-loved 2013 Honda CR-V has a shudder at around 40-50 km/h, coming from the gearbox or the differential. I have researched the problem and it seems common. Do you know a solution? Did Honda issue a recall for this?
It would need to be properly diagnosed by a mechanic, but your generation CR-V’s shudder under light load is often reported by owners. There was no recall for this. Honda USA issued a vibration/judder service bulletin in 2017, advising service centers to update the automatic transmission’s software and replace its fluid to try and fix it. It is a simple and quick job; a Honda center or Japanese auto specialist is your best bet. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the torque converter, which is a lot of work.
NOT THE MESSIAH
Electric vehicles are not the future. To operate a Tesla Model S requires 8960 “C” size batteries. The transition to an electric vehicle requires six times more dirty sulfur mining to extract the 77 kg of minerals needed for a vehicle. This mining produces acid rain that contaminates the crops we eat and damages rivers, lakes, bushland, native forest and wildlife. People need to enlighten.
I can’t vouch for your numbers, but you’re right, the environmental impact of lithium mining (and others) needs to be considered. Electric cars are far from zero emissions when “well-to-wheel” analysis is applied, including extraction, processing and distribution. The source of electricity (coal-fired power station?) is also decisive. There’s no perfect answer, but surely it’s a preferable alternative to burning fossil fuels forever, if only for better air quality in our cities?
IT’S TIME TO REDUCE
I own a Hyundai ix35 but want a smaller SUV or sedan. I tested a Hyundai i30 but being tall I had trouble getting in and out. Is there something in between?
You need a small tailgate with a higher ride height. Ford’s Focus Active used to own that niche, but poor sales saw this raised 34mm Focus withdrawn from sale last year. Low-mileage 2020 versions can be had for less than $30,000 and it’s a cracking car. For something new, an urban SUV is what you need. The Mazda CX-3 is an enduring favorite – fun to drive but very small inside. The Toyota Yaris Cross and Ford Puma are also decent drives, but their cabins don’t reflect their high prices. I’d prefer the slightly larger Hyundai Kona or, if you don’t mind a waiting list, the Skoda Kamiq.
BRAND LOYALTY
I want to update my 2010 Toyota Corolla with a new petrol hybrid version. I went to Kia and Hyundai to compare, but their hatchbacks don’t have hybrid options. Why does Toyota have a hybrid sedan but its rivals don’t? Is it worth the extra money?
Toyota is the only game in town for a brilliantly efficient “series-parallel” hybrid small car. There’s the Mazda3 G20e mild hybrid, but its 6.0 L/100 km fuel economy makes it a gas junkie compared to the Corolla Hybrid’s 4.2 L/100 km. As small petrol/diesel cars are quite economical, there is no demand for hybrid versions, unlike more thirsty SUVs. Is a Corolla Hybrid worth it? I would take one. Most have a $2,000 premium over gasoline equivalents, but urban fuel economy drops from 7.5 L/100 km to just 4.0 L/100 km. They will also have a strong resale.
YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION
I want to replace my 2009 Holden Commodore with a Toyota Camry. My average annual miles are around 3500 km, so would it be better to get the regular petrol or hybrid Camry?
You are one of the few cases where I would suggest the gasoline four-cylinder, not the hybrid. With your low mileage, the $2,500 hybrid bonus won’t be repaid in fuel savings for very long. The combined economy is 6.8 L/100 km for gasoline and 4.2 L/100 km for the hybrid. The hybrid has a slightly better ride and will resell better, but the regular $30,990 more on-road Camry Ascent is a lot of car for the money.
KEEP IT OFF THE TRACK
David McCowen’s Subaru WRX review seemed to focus on a track test drive. Only a fraction of people follow their car. I want his opinion on how the auto CVT performed when tested under normal conditions.
David replied, “If people want to stick it in Drive and commute to work, the CVT might be enough. It’s a good CVT, but not very “WRX”. The CVT failed to impress on spirited driving on twisty roads, which is the kind of real-life driving WRX owners might do. The automatic WRX costs $4,000 more than the manual; I’m not super convinced by that. So. Buy a manual version. As all WRX owners should.
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