Hyundai begins giving cash for clunkers rebates

Hyundai has begun giving cash for clunkers rebates, even though the official Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) doesn’t roll out until around the July 23, according to the official cars.gov Web site. (Read: "Cash for clunkers not ready yet.") Consumers shopping other brands who want to take advantage of the cash-for-clunkers trade-in deal from the government may be left in limbo for the next three weeks, unless other automakers step up with similar dealer-assistance programs.

The CARS bill that President Obama signed into law on June 24 says the program is good from July 1 to Nov 1. But the program doesn’t officially take effect for 30 days, or until about July 23. Those three weeks provide the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) time to establish the specific methodology for the federal government to reimburse dealers, ensure the old cars that qualify are crushed, and prevent fraud.

So for most of July, consumers with clunkers they want to trade in are left waiting – unless they want to buy a Hyundai. On Monday Hyundai announced a new incentive program loaning dealerships the money to take clunkers in trade before the program officially gets rolling. The company says it has already sold taken its first “clunker” in trade, a 1995 Ford Explorer traded on a Hyundai Elantra Touring wagon.

Other brands could follow Hyundai’s lead, though the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is recommending its members don’t start accepting clunkers in trade for rebates until NHTSA starts the program.

Before buying a Hyundai, or a model from any other brand, be sure to check the Consumer Reports ratings to ensure you are getting a good car and a good deal. See a complete list of Consumer Reports recommended models in our interactive new car selector, available to online subscribers.

Also read, "Cash for clunkers: Recommended cars that qualify for a voucher" and “Cash for clunkers: The best gas guzzlers to junk.”

—Eric Evarts

First drives of Consumer Reports’ latest vehicle purchases

At Consumer Reports we buy, anonymously, all the cars we test, about 80 per year, and put thousands of miles on each of them. So, we are constantly at dealerships buying new vehicles to put through our exhaustive test program consisting of more than 50 tests. As vehicles start the evaluation process, we share our initial, raw impressions through the "Logbook" posts on this blog. When vehicles start the test process, we provide initial First Drive reports on popular models before their road tests are completed.

The most recent First Drives include the Dodge Challenger, Ford Fusion and Fusion hybrid, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Nissan Cube, Nissan 370Z, and Volvo XC60. The full tests of all these vehicles will be published in the coming months.

Dodge Challenger: The classic muscle car is reborn into a powerful cruiser, but faces stiff competition from the revived Chevrolet Camaro and freshened Ford Mustang. Read the complete First drive.

Ford Fusion/Fusion hybrid: The Fusion is well-rounded and enjoyable to drive and is now fully competitive with the best family sedans. Read the complete First Drive.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe: This new coupe is eye-catching and generously equipped with an affordable sticker price, but the manual transmission is not up to par. Read the complete First Drive.

Nissan Cube: This boxy wagon has abundant interior room and great fuel economy for a low price. Read the complete First Drive.

Nissan 370Z: The Z is a true sports car with precise handling and fun-to-drive appeal, but the ride is stiff and road noise loud. Read the complete First Drive.

Volvo XC60: The XC60 luxury SUV is a pleasant vehicle, which showcases the latest safety advances, but it’s not as exciting to drive as it’s competitors. Read the complete First Drive.

We add new First Drives to ConsumerReports.org on a regular basis. These can be found on our First Drives hub linked on the main Cars page and secondary New Cars page. First looks can also be found in the model overview pages (available to online subscribers) until they are replaced with a final road test.

--Liza Barth

Hyundai gas promotion

Last summer, when gas prices hit $4 and higher, consumers flocked to more fuel-efficient vehicles. So manufacturers of less fuel-efficient vehicles began using gasoline as an incentive to help drive sales. Fortunately, gas isn’t expected to reach last year’s level and this week it is averaging $2.64 a gallon, $1.45 below the price this time last year.

Still, Hyundai figures almost-$3 gas is high for consumers during the busy summer driving season and is now offering a program that will lock in the gas price at $1.49 a gallon for a year on most Hyundai models leased or purchased between July 1st and Aug. 31st.

The program will be standard on new Accent (excluding the base model), Tiburon, Elantra, Elantra Touring, Entourage, Sonata, Azera, Santa Fe, Tucson, and Veracruz models. Two of these models are discontinued for 2010 (Tiburon and Entourage). Some are also eligible for the $3,500 or $4,500 government CARS program (Cars Allowance Rebate System).

After purchasing a new vehicle, new Hyundai owners need to register their credit card online to enroll in the program and receive the Hyundai gas card. The card can be used in about 93% of gas stations nationwide. Consumers can purchase a maximum number of gallons equal to 12,000 miles divided by the EPA combined mpg for that vehicle.

For more details visit Hyundai.com.

Check out our new car selector to see our Ratings on Hyundai vehicles.

--Liza Barth

August issue road tests: Wagons & hatchbacks

For our August issue test group, we tested hatchbacks and wagons. These vehicles are good alternatives to small SUVs. They offer better fuel economy, have a sedan-like ride, and flexible cargo-carrying capabilities.

The full road tests from the magazine (available to subscribers), have been posted online, along with videos of some of the models hosted by our automotive experts. These videos highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the vehicles, bringing the road tests to life.

For this month’s group, we looked at the Chevrolet HHR, Hyundai Elantra Touring, Kia Soul, Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe, and Volkswagen Jetta. Plus, we also feature the newly introduced Honda Insight hybrid, which gets 38 mpg overall.

In the September issue we’ll report on family sedans, including the Kia Optima and Ford Fusion and Fusion hybrid.

Ratings for all of the hatchbacks and wagons we have tested can be found with our dynamic New Car Selector tool.

Car brands: Who owns what?

The auto industry is very complicated these days, with constant change across all corners of the globe. The worldwide economic slowdown dictates widespread cost reductions, inspiring partnerships and changes in ownership. Further confusing the scene are past commitments between companies: For example, the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is based on a Mercedes-Benz platform–even though Chrysler and Mercedes are no longer joined at the hip.

To help clear up some of the confusion, here is a road map to navigate who owns what brands among the major companies that sell in the U.S. car market.

BMW owns: BMW, Mini, and Rolls Royce

Fiat owns: Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati; Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep–20-percent stake

Ford Motor Company owns: Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo (for now), and still owns 13.4 percent of Mazda

General Motors owns: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC. Also owns a controlling interest in Daewoo, as well as Opel and Vauxhall in Europe and Holden in Australia. (Pontiac to be discontinued)

Honda owns: Honda, Acura

Hyundai owns: Hyundai, Kia

Tata Motors (India) owns: Jaguar and Land Rover

Mazda (partially owned by Ford)

Mitsubishi

Daimler AG owns: Mercedes-Benz and Smart

Nissan owns: Nissan and Infiniti (Nissan is owned by Renault--France)

Porsche owns: Porsche and a majority share in Volkswagen

Subaru (A controlling interest of Subaru is owned by Toyota)

Suzuki

Toyota Motor Company owns: Lexus, Toyota, Scion, Daihatsu and Hino Motors, with a stake in Fuji Industries (Subaru’s parent company) and Isuzu

Volkswagen owns: Audi, Volkswagen, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and overseas SEAT and Skoda.

In formal negotiations to be sold:
Hummer: Tengzhong (China)
Saturn: Penske Automotive Group
Saab: Koenigsegg (Sweden)

--Liza Barth

Just In: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Hyundai has made great strides in the last few years. Cars like the Azera, Elantra, Sonata, and Santa Fe consistently exhibit all-around competence. (Follow links for ratings and road tests.) Even in the very competitive upscale sedan segment, the Genesis luxury sedan manages to impress; it scores very highly in our tests.

But there is one nut that Hyundai hasn’t cracked yet: building a car that is fun to drive. Previously tested Hyundais lack the steering feel and agility that makes a car truly entertaining.

Enter the Genesis Coupe. Based loosely on the Genesis sedan’s architecture, the Coupe aims at a wide range of sports car competitors – everything from pony cars like the Mustang/Camaro/Challenger (See muscle car showdown video) to upscale luxury sports coupes such as the Infiniti G37. We bought a Grand Touring V6 with the six-speed manual transmission; well-equipped, our car listed at $28,375.

First impressions: the 3.8-liter V6 revs freely, pulls strong, and sounds great. The steering is better-weighted than the light Hyundai norm and gives good feedback. Visibility is relatively generous for a sports coupe. But complaints are universal among the staff about the high-effort bulky clutch and awkward shifter that together makes the car hard to drive and shift smoothly. (Some wrote that the automatic would be less frustrating--a big concession for a traditional sports coupe.) The stiff ride makes us happy we didn’t buy the even-more-tightly-suspended Track version.

We’ll see how the Genesis coupe stacks up against its competition in our upcoming tests.

—Tom Mutchler, photo by Mike Leung

Top 40 Best Deals on American-Made Cars

Memorial Day is a time to commemorate the sacrifices made by men and women to protect our freedoms and values. It is a time to rally around the flag, with picnics, parades, and yes, car sales. In the patriotic spirit, our Auto Price Services team has studied the market and compiled these best deals on American-made cars for the holiday weekend.

Made in America
Buying an American-made car puts a new car in your driveway, and it also stimulates the economy from the automaker down through the parts suppliers, factory workers, and neighborhood dealerships. Given the recent announcements from Chrysler and General Motors that they will be making drastic cuts in the number of franchised dealerships, there will now be a greater drive than ever for these stores to make a deal. Likewise, their competitors will also offer significant discounts.

As is the case with our Best New Car Deals, to make this list, a vehicle must meet our stringent requirements to be recommended. Specifically, the vehicle must have performed well in Consumer Reports' tests, have average or better reliability, and, if crash-tested, provide good overall safety. Vehicles also must not have tipped up in the government rollover test.

To truly judge the deals, we factored customer rebates as well as hidden dealer incentives, as available in our new car price reports. From a list of all discounted models, we whittled it down to the 40 American-made models that meet our recommended criteria and offered the greatest discounts.

The list showcases a diverse assortment of 11 brands, reflecting the global nature of the auto industry and the reality that most companies build cars in the United States. (Conversely, many models from Chrysler, Ford, and GM are imported from other countries.)

While pro-America motives may fuel your purchase, be sure to research the models that best suit your needs and budgets, weighing the potential risks in choosing from a brand in bankruptcy proceedings or being divested, such as Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, and Saturn. Tremendous up-front savings can be overshadowed by excessive depreciation unless you plan on keeping the car longer than five years. There also may be limited dealer access.

Regardless of the model that catches your eye from this list, buying these models will help keep America working and put you behind the wheel of a good car.

Make & model	Expires	MSRP	Invoice price	Customer rebate	Dealer incentive	Bottom line price	Potential savings below MSRP
2009 Nissan Titan SE 4X4 Crew Cab SWB	6/1/2009	$33,200	$30,061	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	25%+
2009 Ford Focus SES Sedan	6/30/2009	17,865	16,552	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Ford Focus SES Coupe	6/30/2009	17,865	16,552	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Nissan Armada LE 4X4	6/1/2009	47,860	43,562	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Ford Mustang GT Premium Coupe	6/1/2009	29,160	26,734	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Ford Mustang V6 Premium Convertible	6/1/2009	27,345	25,100	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew 157-in.	6/1/2009	34,760	31,303	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Ford Escape XLT 2.5L 4WD	6/30/2009	25,205	23,381	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Odyssey EX	6/1/2009	29,455	26,692	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Mercury Sable Premier	6/30/2009	29,380	26,917	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Ford Escape XLT 3.0L 4WD	6/30/2009	26,215	24,300	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Ford Taurus Limited FWD	6/30/2009	30,670	28,053	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Mercury Mariner Premier I4 4WD	6/30/2009	26,515	24,598	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Ridgeline 3.5 Auto RTS	6/1/2009	31,305	28,363	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Nissan Frontier 4.0 LE Crew Cab 4X4 AT	6/1/2009	29,190	27,045	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Mercury Mariner Premier V6 4WD	6/30/2009	27,515	25,508	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Auto 4WD SR5 Crew Max	6/1/2009	34,285	31,369	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Ford Taurus X Limited AWD	6/30/2009	34,175	31,272	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Camry 2.4 Auto Hybrid	6/1/2009	26,150	23,796	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Camry 2.4 Auto SE	6/1/2009	22,815	20,533	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Camry 2.4 Auto LE	6/1/2009	21,650	19,593	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Lincoln Navigator Luxury 4x4	6/1/2009	56,020	51,383	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 4x4 EL	6/30/2009	45,730	41,628	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Subaru Outback 2.5 Auto I	6/1/2009	23,295	21,907	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Camry 3.5 Auto V6 XLE	6/1/2009	28,695	25,823	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Hyundai Sonata GLS I4	6/1/2009	18,700	17,922	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited 5-Passenger	6/1/2009	32,595	30,727	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 1LT 4X4 Crew Cab	6/1/2009	34,295	31,723	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Mazda Tribute 2.5 Auto i Grand Touring 4WD	6/1/2009	26,375	24,681	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Subaru Outback 3.0R Limited w/Navigation Auto 4WD	6/1/2009	34,095	31,721	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Accord 2.4 LX-P	6/1/2009	21,905	19,869	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD	6/1/2009	35,295	31,969	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Mazda Tribute 3.0 Auto S Grand Touring 4WD	6/1/2009	27,635	25,856	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Accord 2.4 LX-P 5AT	6/1/2009	22,705	20,592	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 HEV Auto	6/1/2009	26,650	24,976	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 GMC Sierra 4WD Crew Cab SLT SWB	6/1/2009	41,855	38,716	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+
2009 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6 A/T	6/1/2009	22,450	21,466	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+
2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 S Sedan	6/1/2009	21,040	19,728	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+
2009 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE Auto Sedan	6/1/2009	25,680	23,800	Yes	No	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+
2009 Honda Accord 3.5 EX-L V6 5AT	6/1/2009	28,955	26,240	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	10%+

—Jeff Bartlett and Michael Dempsey

 

Hyundai Equus: White knight or dead horse?

While other auto companies are rapidly shifting into reverse, Hyundai is pushing forward with plans to introduce its first super-luxury sedan, the Equus, to America. First seen at the New York International Auto Show, the Equus will be displayed nationwide this summer as Hyundai seeks to gauge public reaction to this high-end model. (See "The Genesis of Hyundai’s luxury brand?")

In Asian markets, the Equus competes with the prestige-brand flagships such as the BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s a big, rear-drive cruiser that is a step up in size and price from Hyundai’s upscale Genesis sedan, upon which it is based. Should the Equus be sold in the U.S. market, it would likely come with the same 375-hp, 4.6-liter V8 used in the top-trim Genesis, plus the full panoply of high-end, high-tech interior amenities one expects in the luxury class.

South Korea’s Hyundai has come a long way from the old cheap-and-crummy days to become one of the top brands in quality and reliability. The Equus shows just how far the company has come.

Today, we recommend most current Hyundai models we’ve tested, which is nearly all of them., The question for consumers is how much “image” they’re willing to give up for the sake of underlying quality and value. The luxury market is hard club to join, since so much depends on positive buzz and intangible curb appeal. The key issue of price is not yet settled, either. USA Today speculated that the Equus would weigh in at around $75,000, comparable with the base BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz flagships. But that’s not the formula Hyundai has followed so far, or indeed, the formula used by Toyota when it launched the Lexus brand. To succeed, the price would probably have to be lower, say under  $60,000.

The Lexus LS met rapid acceptance because it was a terrific car that started out much cheaper than its European competitors, and because it promised Toyota-levels of reliability, something the Europeans still aspire to. Hyundai plowed the same furrow with the Genesis. The V6 version is equipped like a $50,000 car but is priced in the mid-to-high $30s. Therefore, we would expect that Hyundai would try steal a march on the $75,000 luxury corps by starting Equus pricing much lower than that.

Hyundai’s foray into the deep end is not so much a plunge as a toe in the water. The Equus has already launched in South Korea, and the company plans to import only about 100 of them into the U.S. this summer, serving equal parts consumer survey and marketing tool. This approach has much upside, and it reduces the risk of a potential flop, like Volkswagen had with the pricey, heavy Phaeton a few years ago. If the Equus has legs, then Hyundai will have only to ramp up production for its U.S. model as needed. 

How do you think the Equus would be received in the States?

—Gordon Hard

The challenges of a winter tire change over

It’s not as easy as it once was to simply switch over tires due to seasonal changes.

Here’s the story.

One of our co-workers owns a Hyundai Elantra SE. It’s a pleasant small car and one of the better ones under $25,000. This past fall, she purchased winter tires and wheels to make the tire change-over a breeze. She also bought tire pressure monitoring sensors so when the winter tires were installed, she could continue to use the monitoring system that came with the car. She purchased the tires, wheels, and sensors from TireRack, who graciously provided free installation of the sensors and mounted and balanced the tires on the wheels. All that she needed to do was to install the tires on her car and go. Sounds simple, right? Well, not exactly.

So she went ahead and bought the tires and wheels for about $508. Based on the advice of someone who knows tires (that would be me), she then purchased the tire pressure sensors and politely accepted the charge of $316 for a set of four. Total cost, including shipping, was $921.50. She installed the winter tires on the car and quickly discovered the tire pressure monitoring icon was lit in the instrument panel, indicating a malfunction. A call to the local Hyundai dealer revealed the car’s tire pressure monitoring system would have to be reprogrammed to work with the new sensors. In other words, they had to fix it.

I’d love to tell you that the trip to the dealership solved her problem, but her problem continues. The Hyundai dealer discovered the new sensors were the wrong ones. After contacting TireRack, they agreed to send the four new sensors with the promise to pay $50 toward mounting them on the inside of the wheels at a local shop. With new sensors in hand, my coworker had to revisit the dealer and have them installed and programmed. Finally, after these numerous visits to the dealer, the winter tire pressure monitoring systems worked, but only briefly. Now the tire pressure monitor icon is back on. Could it be a bad sensor or some other problem associated with the tire pressure monitoring system? We don’t know right now.

So what’s in store when she wishes to make a ritual tire/wheel change-over from winter to all-season tires in the spring and back to the winter tires in the late fall? She’ll have to visit the Hyundai dealer twice a year to have everything installed and sensors re-programmed for a bi-annual cost of about $40.

But in all seriousness, good technology should be consumer friendly. Having to go back to the dealer to reprogram the monitoring system is inexcusable when simply changing a tire. And it’s not just Hyundai. Other car manufacturers are doing the same.

What’s Consumer Reports take on all this? We encourage automobile manufacturers to make tire pressure monitoring systems easy to use without requiring the consumer to go back to dealers and to have the system reprogrammed every time a new tire wheel sensor is introduced. And since wheel sensors cost as much as the new replacement tires, you should consider your options:

• Accept the cost and potential inconvenience of maintaining the operation of your tire pressure monitoring system when making a winter tire change-over, which includes a second set of wheels and sensors.
• Forgo the second set of wheels and sensors and have the winter tires mounted on the original wheels with the original sensors. There’s an added cost of mounting and balancing the tires and wheels, but at least that’s absorbed in the cost of not having to buy new wheels and sensors. The potential downside is a tire technician may damage a tire or sensor in the mounting process.
• The last option is practical, but not the best use of technology: Buying a second set of wheels for your winter tires without a second set of tire pressure monitoring sensors. The rationale here is winter tires are used for a short period during the year. The tire pressure monitoring system is only there to alert the driver of a leaky tire. The system was never intended to be a substitute for routine tire pressure checks. So with this option you would be driving without the safeguard of the tire pressure monitoring system like most drivers of older cars on the road today.

Before buying, be sure to consult our car, truck, and winter tire ratings and buying advice.

--Gene Petersen

Recalls: Hyundai, Mazda, GM, and Jeep vehicles

There have been a number of vehicle recalls announced recently affecting Hyundai, GM, and Mazda vehicles. If your vehicle is listed here, the manufacturer may contact you with information about what to do, or you can use one of the numbers we list below to contact the manufacturer yourself.

2010 Mazda3

Mazda is recalling over 25,000 2010 Mazda3 vehicles due to a problem with the clearance between the engine harness and starter housing. The cover of the harness may be damaged during operation and cause a short circuit. This may result in the engine stalling and not being able to restart.

Dealers will inspect and add a protector clip to the harness. If necessary, the harness will be repaired. The service will be done at no charge.

The recall is expected to begin on May 6, 2009. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.

2001-2003 Hyundai Elantra and 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
2001-2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
1999-2004 Hyundai Sonata and 2001-2004 Hyundai 300/350

Hyundai is recalling over 170,000 2001-2003 Elantra and 2003 Tiberon models as well as over 85,000 2001-2003 Santa Fe and over 175,000 1999-2004 Sonata and 2001-2004 XG300 and XG350 vehicles sold or registered in states that use large quantities of salt for de-icing during the winter months. Vehicles that are used in these so called “salt-belt states” may have internal corrosion. The Elantra and Tiberon models could have thinning of the steel in the front lower control arms. The Santa Fe could have thinning of the rear trailing arm steel and the Sonata and XG300/350 models could have thinning and corrosion of the front sub frame steel.

All could increase the risk of a crash.

On all models, the dealer will inspect the areas affected for corrosion and will replace in necessary. If a replacement isn’t necessary, the dealer will add drainage holes and rust proof the area. All procedures will be done free of charge. For more information, contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

2006-2007 Hyundai Accent, Entourage, Sonatas
2007 Hyundai Azera, Elantra, and Santa Fe
2005-2007 Hyundai Tucson
2007-2008 Hyundai Veracruz

Hyundai is recalling almost 532,000 models from various years due to a malfunction in the stop lamp switch, which may cause the brake light to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or remain illuminated after the pedal is released. This malfunction may also affect the transmission shifter-- the vehicle may not be able to get out of Park. The electronic stability control light may turn on and cruise control may not deactivate when the brake is applied.

Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge.

For more information, owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

1997-2003 Buick Regal
2000-2003 Chevrolet Impala
1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina
1998-2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1998-1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix

GM is recalling over 1.4 million vehicles due to a problem with the 3.8-liter V6 naturally aspirated engine. Engine oil may be dropped on the exhaust manifold when the vehicle goes through hard braking. If the manifold gets hot enough and the oil runs to the heat shield, an engine fire could occur.

Dealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel and install two new plugs free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin sometime in May. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537 and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or www.pontiac.com or www.gmownercenter.com.

2002-2003 Jeep Liberty

Chrysler is recalling over 42,000 Jeep Liberty vehicles sold in various “salt-belt states” on the East coast and Midwest due to a problem with the front suspension upper control arm ball joint. The area may have a loss of lubrication, which could cause a failure in the ball joint and result in a loss of steering control.

Dealers will replace the arm free of charge.

For more information, owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

2001-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Chrysler is recalling over 102,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles due to an overheating problem with the front heated seats, which could potentially cause a fire.

Dealers will replace the heater elements free of charge.

Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.