Dodge Dakota 1998 Red Short Bed on 2040-parts.com

Feds look at Toyota electronics as source of accelerator defects

The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into whether Toyota Motor Corp.'s problems with unintended acceleration can be traced to defects in the electrical controls rather than just the mechanical problems cited by the automaker, a Transportation official said Tuesday. “We're not finished with Toyota and are continuing to review possible defects and monitor the implementation of the recalls,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

Drivers waste £1.9 billion on insurance

A TOTAL of £1.9 billion is being wasted by drivers in the UK who automatically renew their car insurance without shopping around for the best deal. A study has found 2.4 million drivers in the UK don’t bother to compare quotes to get the best deal when their car insurance comes up for renewal. The research by Moneysupermarket.com found 8.6 million drivers in Britain could be better off by up to £220 per year each if they moved to a new insurer.

Acura promotes movie role with secret-agent kit

Rarely do the lengths to which a carmaker will go in promoting a product raise eyebrows here at AutoWeek, but it still happens from time to time. Case in point: Acura sent us a kit of secret-agent tests showcasing the role of its cars in the movie Thor. Touting the carmaker’s first stint in a major motion picture, the so-called Acura S.H.I.E.L.D.