Honda Windward

Toyota May Have Some Explaining To Do

Toyota may have some explaining to do. In an internal document obtained by Congressional investigators, company executives noted they had saved $100 million by persuading U.S. regulators that a sudden acceleration problem with 2007 Camry and Lexus models was caused by floor mats.

Citing it as a "win" for the company, the document said Toyota had been successful in negotiating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the floor mats rather than finding a defect in the cars that required a repair.

Toyota ultimately suspended US sales of eight of its models and recalled millions of vehicles to address the sudden acceleration problem.

In September 2007 Toyota announced a recall of 55,000 floor mats which were used in the 2007/2008 Lexus ES 350 as well as the 2007/2008 Camry. At the same time, NHTSA strongly urged owners to "make sure the driver-side, all weather floor mat is properly secured before driving the vehicles."

At the time, NHTSA and Toyota noted that, if unsecured, the mats could slip forward and trap the accelerator pedal, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. Though the recall was limited to the Camry and Lexus, ConsumerAffairs.com had logged many complaints from Toyota Prius drivers about the sudden acceleration problem. And at the time, not all were buying Toyota and NHTSA's solution.

The Rub

"Here is the rub," one California reader told us in 2007. "If it truly were the mat catching the accelerator, why did turning the car off solve the problem? There is nothing with the power button that would do this. And yet each time when I restarted the Prius it was fine. If the accelerator were caught under the mat once the car was turned off the problem did not persist," she wrote.

Fast-forward two years and Toyota recalls more floor mats to deal with the same problem. In September 2009 Toyota announced a recall of 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota cars, again blaming the sliding floor mats. At the time, owners of the affected models were asked to remove the floor mats until they could be replaced with a safer version.

Then, just over a month later, NHTSA took the unusual step of correcting what it called "misleading" information from Toyota. In an early November 2009 statement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was correcting what it called "inaccurate and misleading" information in a Toyota press release, concerning its recent recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus models.

The release in question stated that NHTSA had reached a conclusion "that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver's floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured." Not so, the agency said.

Must Address Design Flaw

"NHTSA has told Toyota and consumers that removing the recalled floor mats is the most immediate way to address the safety risk and avoid the possibility of the accelerator becoming stuck. But it is simply an interim measure," NHTSA said in a November 4 statement. "This remedy does not correct the underlying defect in the vehicles involving the potential for entrapment of the accelerator by floor mats, which is related to accelerator and floor pan design."

In other words, NHTSA said Toyota couldn't resolve the problem simply by removing the floor mats. They must address what safety researchers by then saw as a design flaw. Not long afterward, the carmaker capitulated, beginning what has turned into a financial and public relations nightmare.

Congress, meanwhile, wants to know what Toyota knew and when it knew it. The document citing the savings in limiting the 2007 recall to floor mats may take center stage as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform holds hearings on the subject. The Obama Administration is also looking closely.

"Unfortunately, this document is very telling," Olivia Alair, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Department, said. "We're going to hold Toyota's feet to the fire and make sure they do what's necessary

Honda Windward Wins Again!

Toyoya Halts Sales of Eight Models

Toyota has announced that it will halt sales of eight models due to its ongoing problems with unintended acceleration. At issue are accelerator pedal mechanisms that could get stuck in the open position due to wear, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. Earlier this month, Toyota announced a recall of 2.3 million vehicles with the possible defect.

Late last year, the Japanese automaker recalled nearly four million vehicles for floor mats that could trap accelerator pedals, also causing unintended acceleration. The two issues are apparently unrelated, though 1.7 million vehicles are affected by both issues.

The following eight models are included in the sales suspension:

• 2009-2010 RAV4,
• 2009-2010 Corolla,
• 2009-2010 Matrix,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry,
• 2010 Highlander,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus or Scion sales have been halted, and due to the sales suspension of the above eight models, a number of manufacturing plants will be shut down for at least the week of February 1st. Click past the break for all the details on the recall and the plants being shuttered in North America.

*UPDATE: Toyota has confirmed for us that the Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid are not included in the sales suspension. Toyota has also reiterated that no Lexus or Scion models are included as these cars are built in Japan.

[Source: Toyota]

Accord Wins Again, Again, and Again!

For a record 24th time, the January issue of Car and Driver magazine has named the Honda Accord one of the 10Best Cars. An amazing record but not surprising when you consider the exceptional qualities the Accord has to offer, including an exceptional ride quality. As Car and Driver puts it, "In '08, the redesigned Accord sedan vaulted into the EPA's large-car domain yet retained the taut, square-jawed underpinnings that make it so gratifyingly competent to drive."[1] And when you throw the sporty Accord Coupe V-6 into the mix, the driving enthusiasts at Car and Driver had even more reasons to celebrate, "Row through the velvety manual six-speed-barking the front tires something fierce as you shift into second-and 60 mph manifests in 5.6 seconds."

Honda gets Accord Crosstour just right
By James R. Healey, USA TODAY
You could make a strong case that, with the launch of the Accord Crosstour on Nov. 20, Honda's now gotten the Accord right.
Honda - playing the same future games that everybody in the business does - decided awhile back that a big chunk of buyers would be pining about now for an Accord-size vehicle that was handier than a sedan and sportier than a mainstream crossover-utility vehicle.
Those would be, Honda speculated, folks beginning a family or folks whose kids have flown. Crosstour is intended to be their new best friend.
You're forgiven if you can't quite place the type of vehicle. Is it a coupe-ish, utility-ish, what-ish ... ? No. It's a hatchback. Period.
It sits 2 inches higher off the ground than the Accord sedan on which it's based, for foul-weather and bad-road ground clearance, and it offers very basic all-wheel drive as an option.
It is what in the European market is called a five-door - a four-door sedan with a hatch making the fifth door. You can say the same about the BMW X6 or Honda's Acura ZDX. Remarkable, really, that after years of hatch rejection, the industry's inching back toward what's always been the best, most practical way to configure a sedan.
Besides the obvious - a sharply sloping roofline - Crosstour differs from the Accord sedan several ways: beefier grille, nifty blue instrument pointer lighting, 299 to 487 more pounds than similar Accord sedans, 2 inches wider than the sedan outside (though, strangely, an inch or so less inside). And it's the only Accord to offer AWD, though a more primitive type than, say, the Subaru Legacy provides.
The sloping rear roof makes the 2010 Accord Crosstour distinctive, unlike, say, the flat-roofed Toyota Venza based on the Camry sedan. But the styling is color-dependent. A white test car looked as if it had been eating bonbons on the couch all day. A dark gray tester looked trimmer.
The hatch is handier than a trunk, and space behind Crosstour's back seat is twice that of an Accord sedan trunk.
Honda's brought its best cargo-consciousness to the stowage area. Under-floor bins ape the feature in the Honda Ridgeline pickup. A big removable and washable center bin is flanked by two smaller ones. The covers of all three tubs can be reversed, offering carpet or a durable hard-plastic surface.
But there's no stash site for the covers if you overfill the bins. You have to leave them loose in the car or in your garage.
The all-wheel drive, which Honda calls Real Time, is like that on its Element and CR-V small SUVs. Mainly a front-drive system, it transfers some power to the back wheels when, and only when, the fronts slip, Honda says.
Yes, the Honda setup responds quickly. But AWD almost always provides better stability and security if it anticipates and can power all the wheels a moment before they lose traction, rather than a moment after. The system is lighter and cheaper than smarter AWD setups, so it's easy to see why Honda chose it. And it worked fine in very wet weather. No winter roads were available for severe weather testing.
But how's the darn thing drive? That's the point, isn't it?
Yes, it is. And it drives great. But there's literally a price for the package. Crosstour's a premium model, ranging from about $30,000 to $37,000, which is $2,865 to $3,665 more than similar Accord sedans. And the fuel economy is mediocre.
Still:
?It had one of the best blends of ride comfort and bump-taming found in any test car for years. It was quite at home on a tight S corner that's part of the Test Drive routine, taken as fast as traffic and bravery will allow. That was surprising. Extra weight usually degrades handling.
Crosstour swallowed almost without acknowledgment hefty drainage channels, also taken briskly, that populate other parts of the Test Drive route.
Steering was a commendable combo of straight-ahead finesse and quick-turning response. Brakes felt above average.
?Seats were unusually comfortable for a Honda, allowing good retraction of the lumbar support and, in the testers, providing inviting leather surfaces.
In back, the tape measure says head and legroom are about even with the sedan, but it nevertheless felt tight for a leggy adult back there.
?Optional navigation system was aggravatingly slow to load and signal its readiness, but a peach otherwise. It could be used while underway (always and only by a passenger, you understand, for safety). Spelling the names of streets or points of interest was fast because of how the dial and the alphabet display are set up.
?The 3.5-liter V-6, same as available in the Accord sedan and the only engine offered for the Crosstour, ran like a champ, making nice noises doing so. Crosstour's extra weight dampened the yee-haw index when applying wide-open throttle.
The five-speed automatic shifted briskly and smoothly.
?Details were a mix. Old-school parking brake sat right there against the center tunnel. No monkeying with an electronic faux brake device to save console space. But Crosstour didn't want for cubbies and bins on the console.
Fuel-filler door latch down by the floor is gone. Now you just push the fuel door and it pops open, as on most vehicles. If the car is locked, so's the gas flap, so you're no more vulnerable than before if fuel goes back to $4 a gallon and siphonistas are on the prowl.
No blind-spot warning blinkers in the outside mirrors - and that was good. Kept the driver more attentive to surrounding traffic. Rearview camera provided a crisp image in the navi screen when backing.
By whatever alchemy, Honda's made the Crosstour such a delight that other Accords, and rival sedans, seem pale.
HONDA ACCORD CROSSTOUR
?What? A high-riding hatchback version of the Accord sedan for those who want a hint of SUV and a bushel of utility in their sedans. Available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD).

?Where? Made at East Liberty, Ohio.
?Why? Fill a gap that Honda perceived between Accord sedan and Pilot SUV.
?How much? Pricey. EX FWD starts at $30,380 including $710 shipping. EX-L (leather), the lowest-price AWD, is $34,710. Loaded test car, AWD EX-L with navigation, was $36,930.
?How powerful? 3.5-liter V-6 rated 271 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, 254 pounds-feet of torque at 5,000; five-speed automatic transmission.
?How big? Inches its way into full size: 196.8 inches long, 65.7 in. tall (including 4-in. antenna), 74.7 in. wide on a 110.1-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,857 to 4,070 lbs. Turning circle diameter: 40.2 ft.
Passenger space: 101.4 cubic feet (100.8 cu. ft., AWD). Cargo: 25.7 cu. ft. behind rear seat, 51.3 cu. ft. when seat's folded.
Tows 1,500 lbs.
?How thirsty? Rated 18 mpg in town, 27 mpg on the highway, 21 in combined driving (FWD), 17/25/20 (AWD). Trip computer in AWD tester showed 17.1 mpg (5.75 gallons per 100 miles) in suburban use, FWD tester showed 18.7 mpg (5.35 gal./100) in mostly city use.
Burns regular, holds 18.5 gallons.
?Overall: Feels just right.

Check Out The BBB Rating When Deciding Where To Buy A Car

BBB for Honda in Hawaii

Honda Windward's BBB Rating

It is not easy to get the best ratings from the BBB. One more great reason to come and check out Honda Windward.

Honda Accord To Get Mugen Accessories

LAS VEGAS - Honda's relatively low-key presence at the 2009 SEMA Auto Show was boosted by word that the automaker will make a complete line of Mugen performance accessories available for the Accord sedan in the U.S. starting on November 11.

The Mugen accessories will include 18-inch alloy wheels, front sports grille, front under-spoiler, side spoiler, rear under-spoiler, sports floor mats, machined aluminum oil filler cap and a "distinctive front emblem," said Honda in a statement. The accessories are pegged to the five most popular Accord sedan colors. They include Polished Metal Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic, White Diamond Pearl and Taffeta White.

"Honda is committed to supporting personalization of our vehicles into the future," said Bruce Smith, vice president of Parts Operations for American Honda, in a statement. Pricing was not announced but please contact our parts department for more details.

Honda's 2009 SEMA Auto Show appearance included a 2010 Honda Fit with Mugen accessories and several historic Honda vehicles, including an N600, the first model that Honda sold in the U.S.

Good news for Honda customizers, but when will the Mugen accessories make it onto the Crosstour

The Accord Crosstour Has Just Arrived At Honda Windward And Honda Gets It Right...

  Honda - playing the same future games that everybody in the business does - decided awhile back that a big chunk of buyers would be pining about now for an Accord-size vehicle that was handier than a sedan and sportier than a mainstream crossover-utility vehicle.

Video on the Crosstour

Those would be, Honda speculated, folks beginning a family or folks whose kids have flown. Crosstour is intended to be their new best friend.

You're forgiven if you can't quite place the type of vehicle. Is it a coupe-ish, utility-ish, what-ish ... ?

No. It's a hatchback. Period.

It sits 2 inches higher off the ground than the Accord sedan on which it's based, for foul-weather and bad-road ground clearance, and it offers very basic all-wheel drive as an option.

It is what in the European market is called a five-door - a four-door sedan with a hatch making the fifth door. Remarkable, really, that after years of hatch rejection, the industry's inching back toward what's always been the best, most practical way to configure a sedan.

Besides the obvious - a sharply sloping roofline - Crosstour differs from the Accord sedan several ways: beefier grille, nifty blue instrument pointer lighting, 299 to 487 more pounds than similar Accord sedans, 2 inches wider than the sedan outside (though, strangely, an inch or so less inside). And it's the only Accord to offer AWD.

The sloping rear roof makes the 2010 Accord Crosstour distinctive.  But the styling is color-dependent. A white test car looked as if it had been eating bonbons on the couch all day. A dark gray tester looked trimmer.

The hatch is handier than a trunk, and space behind Crosstour's back seat is twice that of an Accord sedan trunk.

Honda's brought its best cargo-consciousness to the stowage area. Under-floor bins ape the feature in the Honda Ridgeline pickup. A big removable and washable center bin is flanked by two smaller ones. The covers of all three tubs can be reversed, offering carpet or a durable hard-plastic surface.

The all-wheel drive, which Honda calls Real Time, is like that on its Element and CR-V small SUVs. Mainly a front-drive system, it transfers some power to the back wheels when, and only when, the fronts slip, Honda says.

Yes, the Honda setup responds quickly. But AWD almost always provides better stability and security if it anticipates and can power all the wheels a moment before they lose traction, rather than a moment after. The system is lighter and cheaper than smarter AWD setups, so it's easy to see why Honda chose it. And it worked fine in very wet weather. No winter roads were available for severe weather testing.

But how's the darn thing drive? That's the point, isn't it?

Yes, it is. And it drives great. But there's literally a price for the package. Crosstour's a premium model, ranging from about $30,000 to $37,000, which is $2,865 to $3,665 more than similar Accord sedans. And the fuel economy is mediocre.

Still:

?It had one of the best blends of ride comfort and bump-taming found in any test car for years. It was quite at home on a tight S corner that's part of the Test Drive routine, taken as fast as traffic and bravery will allow. That was surprising. Extra weight usually degrades handling.

Crosstour swallowed almost without acknowledgment hefty drainage channels, also taken briskly, that populate other parts of the Test Drive route.

Steering was a commendable combo of straight-ahead finesse and quick-turning response. Brakes felt above average.

Seats were unusually comfortable for a Honda, allowing good retraction of the lumbar support and, in the testers, providing inviting leather surfaces.

In back, the tape measure says head and legroom are about even with the sedan, but it nevertheless felt tight for a leggy adult back there.

Optional navigation system was aggravatingly slow to load and signal its readiness, but a peach otherwise. It could be used while underway (always and only by a passenger, you understand, for safety). Spelling the names of streets or points of interest was fast because of how the dial and the alphabet display are set up.

The 3.5-liter V-6, same as available in the Accord sedan and the only engine offered for the Crosstour, ran like a champ, making nice noises doing so. Crosstour's extra weight dampened the yee-haw index when applying wide-open throttle.

The five-speed automatic shifted briskly and smoothly.

Details were a mix. Old-school parking brake sat right there against the center tunnel. No monkeying with an electronic faux brake device to save console space. But Crosstour didn't want for cubbies and bins on the console.

Fuel-filler door latch down by the floor is gone. Now you just push the fuel door and it pops open, as on most vehicles. If the car is locked, so's the gas flap, so you're no more vulnerable than before if fuel goes back to $4 a gallon and siphonistas are on the prowl.

No blind-spot warning blinkers in the outside mirrors - and that was good. Kept the driver more attentive to surrounding traffic. Rearview camera provided a crisp image in the navi screen when backing.

By whatever alchemy, Honda's made the Crosstour such a delight that other Accords, and rival sedans, seem pale.

HONDA ACCORD CROSSTOUR

What? A high-riding hatchback version of the Accord sedan for those who want a hint of SUV and a bushel of utility in their sedans. Available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD).

Where? Made at East Liberty, Ohio.

?Why? Fill a gap that Honda perceived between Accord sedan and Pilot SUV.

How much? Pricey. EX FWD starts at $30,380 including $710 shipping. EX-L (leather), the lowest-price AWD, is $34,710. Loaded test car, AWD EX-L with navigation, was $36,930.

How powerful? 3.5-liter V-6 rated 271 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, 254 pounds-feet of torque at 5,000; five-speed automatic transmission.

How big? Inches its way into full size: 196.8 inches long, 65.7 in. tall (including 4-in. antenna), 74.7 in. wide on a 110.1-in. wheelbase. Weighs 3,857 to 4,070 lbs. Turning circle diameter: 40.2 ft.

Passenger space: 101.4 cubic feet (100.8 cu. ft., AWD). Cargo: 25.7 cu. ft. behind rear seat, 51.3 cu. ft. when seat's folded.

Tows 1,500 lbs.

How thirsty? Rated 18 mpg in town, 27 mpg on the highway, 21 in combined driving (FWD), 17/25/20 (AWD). Trip computer in AWD tester showed 17.1 mpg (5.75 gallons per 100 miles) in suburban use, FWD tester showed 18.7 mpg (5.35 gal./100) in mostly city use.

Burns regular, holds 18.5 gallons.

Overall: Feels just right.

Honda Insight...A Great Way To Go Green

The goal of the 2010 Honda Insight is to make the best use of the most cost-effective hybrid technology. That means a 40-mpg+ compact car for less than $20,000-a figure designed to undercut the least expensive Toyota Prius by about $2,000. And the 2010 Honda Insight has already racked up independent real-world highway fuel economy tests above 60 miles to the gallon..

For the new Insight's design, Honda uses a shape that's coming to define hybrid and electric vehicles: a five-door hatchback with a smooth front and a high, abrupt tail. You can add the 2010 Insight to a list of similarly shaped cars that begins with the Toyota Prius and includes the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid as well. In this case, Honda leans heavily on styling cues from its much-publicized FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle.

The differences between the 2010 Honda Insight and the 2010 Toyota Prius, can be easily summarized: The Insight is thousands of dollars cheaper, gets comparable fuel economy, has a crisper look and provides a more agile and enjoyable ride.

Driver Controls and Feedback, For Max MPG

The electronics in the control system let Honda offer what it calls the Eco Assist system, which tells the driver how economically she's driving by changing the background color of the speedometer. Green means good, blue means you're a lead-foot. There's an ECON mode that enhances fuel economy further by resetting the control logic, so the car accelerates more slowly and backs off the gas engine quicker.

Nuf Said About Texting! 

In 1997, Ford Motor Co. equipped the Mustang with one of the first RFID ignition immobilizers in the U.S. car industry. Theft levels for the Mustang immediately dropped 70 percent from just two years prior. The results were stunning, and pretty much every other carmaker followed suit.

Today, the RFID (radio frequency identification) industry claims a 90 percent reduction in theft rates for car models equipped with RFID starters, immobilizers and entry systems. Both automakers and insurance companies have full faith in the devices, even going so far as to label them unbeatable. And certainly, the technology is an impressive display of security innovation.

RFID relies on radio-frequency signals to create a system that, for the first several years it was in use, was indeed uncrackable. In the 1990s, many a car thief was thwarted by the rather brilliant addition of RFID immobilizers to regular old physical keys. An RFID immobilizer is a chip embedded in the top part of an ignition key. This chip sends out an encrypted string of radio-frequency signals, basically a particular number of impulses broadcast on various radio frequencies to create a specific code, when the driver inserts it into the ignition-key slot. Without this code, the car either won't start or won't activate the fuel pump. So even if someone hotwires the car or copies an ignition key, the ignition isn't going to work because it hasn't received the proper radio-frequency code.

If you have a car that comes with a special "valet key," the immobilizer probably shuts down the fuel pump if the car is started without the code. This means the car is going to run only on whatever fuel is left in the fuel line, which will only get it a couple of blocks. Thus the valet key -- valet parkers only have to drive a car very short distances. If they try to drive off with your car, they won't get very far. Neither will any other potential car thief.Early RFID systems, both keyless entry (the key fob device with the button you press to unlock the car) and vehicle immobilizers, used 32-bit encryption. That means they sent a code of 32 impulses. With 32 bits in the code, there are billions of possible combinations. In newer schemes, including remote starters that let you start a car with the push of a button, the codes have 40 bits, which increases the possibilities. With so many possible codes, the system seems unbeatable.

The number of new cars considered the safest by the U.S. insurance industry went up in the last year with Honda as one of the top auto makers
Honda Motor Co. had the many of the vehicles on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's annual list of the safest cars for the 2008 model year.

The institute requires new cars and trucks have electronic stability control, or ESC (VSA vehicle stability assist on Honda), to qualify for the award. Many auto companies are putting the anti-rollover technology into their fleets ahead of a U.S. government requirement for the systems by the 2012 model year.

``Vehicles should be designed to provide good occupant protection when crashes occur but now with ESC we have the possibility of preventing many crashes altogether,'' said Adrian Lund, the institute's president.

Lund cited studies that have estimated as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided annually if all vehicles had the technology.
Honda and its Acura unit had seven vehicles on the list: the Honda Accord, Odyssey, Pilot, CR-V and Element and the Acura MDX and RDX SUVs. Honda has had stability control on all SUVs, pickups and minivans since the 2007 model year and the technology is now standard on the Accord.

Electronic stability control senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and avoid a rollover. The technology helps motorists avoid skidding across icy or slick roads or keep control of their car when swerving to avoid an unexpected object in the road.

The institute said the awards help consumers compare vehicles without having to review results from multiple tests.

Why drive anything else but a Honda from Honda Windward?

Honda Does it Again!

Car and Driver Magazine has named the 2010 Honda Accord and the 2010 Honda Fit as two of the winners of its prestigious and highly competitive annual "10Best Cars" award. Now in its eighth generation, the Accord has achieved "10Best" status 24 times in the 28 years that Car and Driver editors have been conducting the competition, more than any other vehicle in the award's history. The Honda Fit has been honored with 10Best status in each of the four years that it has been on sale in the United States.

"The Car and Driver '10Best' awards recognize Honda's ongoing emphasis on performance, quality and safety," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Honda is honored to have its vehicles regarded so highly over the years with one of the most coveted awards in the industry."

Stick With Honda Windward For Your Extended Service Contract

U.S. Fidelis is facing yet another class action lawsuit, the latest in a long line of allegations of fraud and manipulation by the company.

U.S. Fidelis sells extended warranties to consumers whose factory-provided service protection has expired. Lead plaintiff Benita Bruno's suit, filed in federal court in Michigan, says that U.S. Fidelis uses "high pressure sales tactics combined with fraudulent representations and omissions" to convince consumers to buy such warranties.

According to Bruno, U.S. Fidelis's "ruthless sales techniques" include telling consumers that failing to sign up for a plan right away will cause them to "lose out on any opportunity to receive coverage for their vehicles." Consumers who continue to resist receive additional phone calls, with better "incentives" offered each time.

Bruno also accuses U.S. Fidelis of severely misrepresenting the amount of coverage offered under its policies. According to the complaint, U.S. Fidelis uses heavy-handed techniques to convince consumers that they are buying "full coverage warranties," a far cry from what they end up receiving.

Bruno's story is typical of U.S. Fidelis customers. After seeing an advertisement for "full coverage warranties," she called the company in August 2009 to inquire further. A U.S. Fidelis representative told Bruno that "if she failed to purchase the warranty at that instance it would not be available to [her] at a later date." Bruno ended up sleeping on it and, despite its previous ultimatum, U.S. Fidelis sold her a warranty on September 2, 2009.

Shortly after making her purchase, Bruno discovered that, contrary to U.S. Fidelis's representations, her warranty "did not completely cover [B]runo's vehicle for repairs." Specifically, U.S. Fidelis's "sales representative failed to inform [B]runo of all of the terms of the [warranty], including conditions, exclusions, restrictions, and limits of liability."

Bruno is hardly the first to point out the difference between U.S. Fidelis's rhetoric and its results. The company is infamous for providing policies ridden with so many exceptions and loopholes as to be essentially worthless. Last April, a similar class action was filed against the company in Missouri. That suit also described a pattern of high-pressure sales tactics and bare-bones warranties that left consumers out in the cold when their cars broke down.

In March 2008, a press release by then-Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon alleged that the company sent letters to consumers warning that their factory warranties were about to expire when, in fact, most recipients had plenty of time left on their factory protection plans.

U.S. Fidelis has also cycled through several names in the past few years, never an encouraging sign. The company started as Dealer Services before morphing into National Auto Warranty Services and finally settling on its current name.

The present suit is brought on behalf of all Michigan consumers who purchased an extended warranty from U.S. Fidelis on or after April 1, 2004. Bruno's attorneys estimate that potential class members number in the thousands.

The suit says that U.S. Fidelis has "continuously and systematically established a pattern of racketeering activity through the use of [its] business plan of obtaining funds through mail, wire, radio, and television fraud," thereby violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Bruno also accuses the company of violating several Michigan consumer protection laws.

ConsumerAffairs.com has received many complaints about U.S. Fidelis, and over a half dozen this year alone. William of Chicago offers a representative account:

"Back in July 2009, I saw an advertisement for this company, and at the time, I thought that it would be a good investment to purchase one of the company's extended warranties for my Chevy Impala. Boy! Was I wrong, I put my car in the shop twice only to have most of the repairs for my car not covered for some bull reason. I have since came to the conclusion that I am better off without the US Fidelity warranty and better off buying a warranty from GMAC. I had to incur a 690.00 dollar repair bill, plus I already have paid out a total of 700.00 in payments to US Fidelis, I want all my money back."

Honda Makes Generous Donation to Haiti

Honda announced a donation to the Red Cross of more than $300,000, as well as portable generators, water pumps, and other Honda products for use during humanitarian relief and recovery efforts in Haiti.

The donation represents the collective contribution of the Honda family of companies in North America, which consists of sales, manufacturing, finance and research and development operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with employment of more than 31,000 associates.

"We want to help address the dire human need that Haiti is experiencing as a result of this disaster," said Tetsuo Iwamura, president & chief executive officer of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and chief operating officer of Honda's North American region. "Honda has a longstanding relationship with the Red Cross, and we will work continuously with them to assist with the effort to provide much-needed relief."

The Red Cross has emphasized that the greatest current need is funding to support on-site emergency response teams. Honda has also been in close communication with the Red Cross regarding its need for material and equipment such as generators and water pumps on site, and Honda will continue to work with the Red Cross to determine its need for such support in Haiti.

The Honda donation consists of more than $300,000 in cash. This pledge will be augmented by a company matching gift available at various Honda companies, with funds designated to the Red Cross.