FleetWeek

U.S. final order cutoff dates for 2011 models have been announced for all domestic manufacturers, as well as most import manufacturers.  Most manufacturers have also announced final order cutoffs for Canada.

The final order cutoff date for the Toyota Camry Hybrid has been accelerated by Toyota to this Friday, March 11, 2011.

GM has announced that the Chevrolet Impala will reach final order cutoff on March 24, while the final order cutoff date for the Chevrolet Malibu and Chevrolet Cruze will be March 31.

The following models will also reach order cutoff by the end of March (all dates apply to U.S. orders unless otherwise noted):

Ford
Escape Hybrid VSO (3/25/11)

GM
Chevrolet Traverse (3/31/11)
Buick Enclave (3/31/11)
Buick LaCrosse (3/31/11)
GMC Acadia (3/31/11)

Mazda
Tribute (3/25/11)

Mercedes-Benz
GLK Class (3/15/11)

Nissan
Altima (3/31/11)

Volvo
V50 (3/15/11)

Please note that all dates listed above are tentative and subject to change. Clients looking to acquire any models approaching cutoff are encouraged to submit orders as soon as possible to avoid missing the cutoff date due to sudden changes by the manufacturer.

A complete listing of announced order startup/cutoff dates is available here. Please contact a member of your account team if you have any questions about order cutoffs, production startup dates or your vehicle selector.
 

The following vehicle recalls were announced recently:

Chrysler

Chrysler is recalling about 250,000 2010 Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles in the U.S. due to concerns over engine stalling.  The recall affects vehicles built between August 2009 and June 2010.

Chrysler said that ignition keys on affected vehicles may inadvertently move while driving, causing the vehicle to suddenly shut off. Chrysler told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it believes only about 3% of the recalled vehicles have the problem. Chrysler will begin issuing recall letters in April.

Mazda

Mazda recently announced a recall of over 65,000 2009-10 Mazda6 vehicles in the U.S., Canada and Mexico over concerns that the fuel tank could crack and leak due to a buildup of spider webs.  The recall covers vehicles that were built between April 2008 and February 2010.

Mazda said a spider could weave a web in a vent connected to the fuel tank system and clog up the tank’s ventilation, possibly causing a leak. Mazda will begin issuing recall letters in mid-March.

Toyota

Toyota has recalled about 22,000 2008-11 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra vehicles due to suspected defects in the tire pressure monitoring systems.

Under federal regulations, the vehicle’s tire pressure monitoring systems must warn the driver not more than 20 minutes after the inflation pressure in a tire is equal to or less than either the pressure 25 percent below the recommended pressure. According to Toyota, affected vehicles left their factories with the warning sensors properly calibrated to their original wheels and tires.  However, at regional distribution centers (prior to dealer delivery) the sensors were transferred to wheels with different load ratings and were not recalibrated to the new ratings.

Each driver affected by the recalls noted above will receive an official recall notice and instructions directly from the manufacturer, and can have his or her vehicle repaired at a certified dealership free of charge.  Please note that drivers do not need to wait for an official recall notice to arrive before bringing their vehicle in for recall-related repairs.

Additional information on recalls is available at NHTSA’s website at http://www.nhtsa.gov/. Please keep in mind that NHTSA now offers an e-mail notification service through which users can receive automatic recall updates for their vehicles.  Those who wish to register for the notification service can do so here.
 

A fire broke out Wednesday at one of the Magna International plants in Howell, Mich. Magna makes seats and other interior vehicle components, and is a supplier to Ford, Chrysler, GM, Nissan and Mazda.
 
Ford and Chrysler reported that they were experiencing minimal impact as a result of the fire, and that all facilities that rely on Magna parts were running normally Friday morning.  Ford and Chrysler did not expect to shut down any plants or cut any shifts. 

GM's factory in Lordstown, Ohio, was shut down on Friday, and was also closed Monday. GM cancelled or shortened shifts at five other plants Friday: Detroit-Hamtramck, Flint Assembly, Lansing Delta Township, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Oshawa Consolidated.  GM said it is working to make up for the shifts affected by the fire.

Nissan has not reported any impact on its facilities, while Mazda is currently assessing the potential for production delays of the Mazda6, which uses parts made by Magna.

It does not appear that Wheels vehicle orders will be significantly delayed by any of the production shutdowns. We continue to monitor any impact this situation may have, and will update clients as appropriate.
 

Recent storms throughout the central and eastern U.S. have caused significant snowfall and flooding in many areas.  These weather conditions have slowed the movement of some railcars, thereby affecting delivery of vehicle components to assembly plants and the delivery of vehicles to dealers.

Wheels will continue to monitor the shipment of all vehicles, and will work with all affected clients to mitigate the impact that any shipping delays may have on your fleets.
 

The Wheels Client Steering Council meets three times each year to discuss existing Wheels programs and services and to make suggestions for new program initiatives. Council members will meet on Monday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 15.

If you would like the Steering Council to address a particular topic, please contact Council member Cathy Crossley from Tyco Electronics, with your opinion or suggestion at ccrossley@tycoelectronics.com as soon as possible.