FleetWeek

The final order cutoff date (U.S.) for the 2011 Ford F-150 and the 2011 Ford Ranger is tomorrow, Friday, August 19.  Clients are encouraged to submit any remaining 2011 F-150 or Ranger orders immediately. 

Ford has extended the order cutoff date for the 2011 F-150 in Canada to next Friday, August 26.  The cutoff date for the 2011 Ranger in Canada is September 9.

Ford said that order banks for the 2012 F-150 will open next Wednesday, August 24 in both countries.  The Ranger will be discontinued after the 2011 model year.

The cutoff date (U.S.) for the 2011 Dodge Nitro is September 8. The order cutoff date (U.S.) for the 2012 Dodge Caliber will be August 26.  The Nitro will be discontinued after the 2011 model year and the Caliber will be discontinued after the 2012 model year.

A complete list of announced order startup/cutoff dates is available here. It is important to note that all cutoff dates are tentative and subject to change, sometimes with very little notice from the manufacturers.  In addition, some manufacturers do not allow will-try opportunities for orders they receive after the cutoff date. Therefore, it is extremely important that clients looking to acquire any models approaching cutoff submit orders as soon as possible.  We recommend you submit orders to Wheels at least two days prior to the cutoff date if possible, to account for processing time.

Please contact a member of your account team if you have any questions about order cutoffs, production startup dates or your vehicle selector.

GM has announced that it is recalling nearly 12,000 2012 Chevrolet Impalas and more than 4,000 2012 Buick LaCrosse vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.

GM is recalling the Impalas to check for proper installation of the power steering hose. Misrouted hoses are more prone to damage, and could spray fluid onto hot engine parts, potentially leading to a fire.

The LaCrosse recall is due to concerns that the electronic brake control module may be incorrectly calibrated on affected vehicles.  This may cause the electronic stability system to improperly detect a sensor malfunction and/or fail to illuminate a warning light, and could hinder the driver’s ability to control the vehicle.

GM said it knew of no injuries or crashes related to the two recalls.  Each driver affected by the recall will receive an official recall notice and instructions from GM, and can have his or her vehicle inspected/repaired at a certified dealership free of charge.  GM said it will likely begin mailing notification letters sometime this month.

Additional information on recalls is available at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 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.

As the beginning of another school year approaches, clients may want to remind drivers to be especially alert when traveling near school buildings, crosswalks and school buses.

Special yellow warning signs, some affixed with flashing yellow lights, are often posted near schools. Drivers should be aware that school zones often entail reduced speed limits – and sometimes steeper fines for violations – on school days when children are present. Although school hours vary by location, typical hours run from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.

In all jurisdictions, drivers must stop before meeting or overtaking a school bus that is loading or unloading passengers. Drivers may proceed only after the school bus resumes motion, its red flashing warning lights have been turned off, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, or the bus driver signals that it is okay to proceed. Some areas allow vehicles to continue when the school bus is on the opposite side of a divided road where a barrier separates traffic or on a multilane roadway.  In any event, drivers should always watch for children and proceed cautiously when a school bus is nearby.

Drivers are encouraged to contact their jurisdiction's motor vehicle authority with any questions or for more information regarding school zone-related traffic laws in their area.

Please help keep children safe by urging drivers to stay attentive on the roads.

Please keep in mind that odometer disclosure statements are available to review and submit online. You will find the statements in the FleetView section Reporting & Analysis: Dashboard: Approvals where you can review and edit or approve odometer disclosure statements for sold vehicles.

The report entitled Odometer Disclosure in the Reporting & Analysis: Reports: Expenses section allows you to view any online disclosures which you have edited, approved, or not yet reviewed within any date range you wish. The approval tool lets you drill down to the detail behind each record as desired.

Please note that these statements are required by law to accompany sold vehicles. If you have any questions, please contact a member of your account team.