High Gear,’ Winner of Historic Ford Mustang Build, Puts Spotlight on Women Talent in the World of Customization

• Winning design of SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women – “High Gear” – to be unveiled in October at the 2012 SEMA show in Las Vegas

• Immediately following its reveal, the customized 2013 Ford Mustang GT donated by Ford to be quickly auctioned off to raise funds for the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund

• Thirty manufacturers, retailers and suppliers provided more than 50 components for the historic all-women build, with many products donated by companies owned by women

DEARBORN, Mich.  – The all-women vehicle customization project known as the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women, featuring a 2013 Ford Mustang GT, is on target for the unveiling of the winning design at this year’s SEMA show on Oct. 30 in Las Vegas.

 

The customized car, known as “High Gear,” was donated by Ford and will be auctioned on eBay immediately following reveal with proceeds slated for the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, an organization dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket leaders and innovators.

 

Click below to listen to an interview with Seely as she discusses the inspiration and design philosophy behind “High Gear.”

Thirty aftermarket manufacturers, retailers and suppliers provided more than 50 high-performance, street-legal components for this historic build. Custom installations and modifications include an E-Force supercharger from Edelbrock, front and rear brakes from Wilwood, lowering springs from H&R, suspension system from Whiteline USA, exhaust from MagnaFlow, stereo from Kicker, P Zero tires from Pirelli and Forgeline GA1R wheels with a custom finish. In addition to the customization of the Mustang GT by a team of all women, many of the products donated came from companies owned by women.

 

“It was amazing to experience the huge amount of support offered by the SEMA member companies,” said Susan Carpenter, SEMA Businesswomen’s Network product coordinator. “The response was overwhelmingly positive in support of the scholarship fund and to raise awareness of women in the automotive aftermarket.”

 

“From the beginning, we felt the build would have a lot of great energy,” said Lindy Jewell of H&R Special Springs. “I knew our suspension would be a perfect addition to this amazing project. We encourage and support these unique ideas to broaden aftermarket awareness.”

 

The SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women, scheduled for completion in late August, involves five primary groups including the powertrain team, paint and body team, undercarriage team, interior and sound system team and the quality inspection team.

 

“Being a part of this project has been thrilling,” said Coelette Chenier, marketing coordinator, MagnaFlow. “With the help of team member Laurie Paolone, I learned how to successfully install an exhaust system as well as several other products. Now I feel like I can do anything, and some day I’m going to customize a vehicle of my own.”

 

“There are many valuable one-of-a-kind Mustangs, yet none of them have ever been customized entirely by a team of women,” said Sherry Kollien, SEMA Project Manager, Ford Motor Company. “It’s worth stating that whoever successfully bids for this car is going to receive a very special piece of Mustang history.”

 

For a complete list of supporting SEMA member companies as well as a list of SBN team members and their bios, visit www.sema.org/SEMAMustangBuild. Follow the build progress at www.youtube.com/MotorTrend and www.HOTROD.com.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 168,000 employees and about 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

About the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), founded in 1963, represents the $29.99 billion automotive specialty equipment industry and is considered to be the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty automotive parts industry. SEMA member companies number more than 6,000, and include 13 market-specific councils and committees. The industry focuses on appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, Calif. 91765, call 909-396-0289, or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com.

 

About the SEMA Scholarship Fund

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund is dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket leaders and innovators through scholarship awards. Assistance is available for students seeking career paths in the automotive industry in accounting, administration, advertising, graphic design, engineering, information technology, manufacturing, photo journalism, racing, sales and marketing, technical training and transportation. For more information, visit http://www.sema.org/scholarships.

Recalls Of The Day, September 4, 2012

Today, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not issued recalls.  We will keep you posted if anything develops later in the day.

Poor A/C Cooling In 2004 Chrysler Town, Country, Plymouth Voyager Or Dodge Caravan

If your air conditioner just doesn't seem to cool when the ambient temperature is above 90 degrees, there is hope.  According to engineers at Chrysler the trouble likely is caused by the air condition compressor cycling too frequently.

If your technician verifies this condition, the problem can be resolved by reprogramming the powertrain control module.  Ask your technician to follow instructions on TechConnect on the internet.

Recall Recap For The Week Of August 27, 2012

The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration has provied their recall recap for the week of August 27, 2012.  Unfortunately it does not list all of the recalls that were issued.  For all recalls, check this bog's posting of all recalls for the week.

If your vehicle is listed, jot down the Campaign ID number, click the link at the top of this blog and enter the ID in the search box on the NHTSA web site.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V416
Manufacturer :	THOR INDUSTRIES
Make / Model Years :	SJC / 2012
Subject :	Mounting Bolts
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V415
Manufacturer :	Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC
Make / Model Years :	VOLVO / 2013
Subject :	Tire Pressure Monitoring System/FMVSS 138
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V414
Manufacturer :	MCCLAIN TRAILERS, INC.
Make / Model Years :	MCCLAIN / 2011-2012
Subject :	Wheel Separation
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V412
Manufacturer :	FLEETWOOD RV, INC.
Make / Model Years :	FLEETWOOD / 2013
Subject :	Threaded Fastener
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V411
Manufacturer :	ALTEC INDUSTRIES INC.
Make / Model Years :	ALTEC / 2008-2009
Subject :	Boom Pivot Pin
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :	12V410
Manufacturer :	KAUFMAN TRAILERS, INC.
Make / Model Years :	KAUFMAN / 2011
Subject :	Wheel End Bearing Failure

DENSO Develops New Vision Sensor for Active Safety Systems

- The World's Smallest Sensor Designed for Use in Lane Departure Warning and Automatic High Beam Control Systems -

KARIYA (Japan) - DENSO Corporation has developed a new vision sensor that is 50 percent smaller than the company's previous sensor. The new sensor, which is used in active safety systems with Automatic High Beam (AHB) Control Systems*1 and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Systems*2, is the world's smallest*3 of its kind. In addition, the sensor can perform at a higher operating temperature compared to the previous model, making this the greatest operating temperature range in the world*4.

Why make vision sensors smaller and operational at higher temperatures?

Typically, vision sensors are mounted on the upper edge of the windshield near the rear view mirror. Because of the location, DENSO engineers focused on reducing the sensor's size. In addition, for the new sensor to better operate in hotter climates and regions, DENSO also needed to focus on increasing the sensor's maximum operating temperature.

To address these two challenges, DENSO developed a low-processing load and high-performance algorithm, which only requires a high-temperature resistant, general-purpose microcomputer as opposed to image-processing integrated circuits (ICs), which are generally required for vision sensors for both LDW system and AHB system. Eliminating these ICs allowed the sensor size to be reduced, which also allowed for an increase in the maximum operating temperature.

Full-color Camera

DENSO's new sensor is equipped with a full-color camera as opposed to a monochrome camera, which allows the LDW System to detect lane lines markings in various colors around the world. This also allows the AHB Control systems to easily distinguish the tail lights of the vehicle ahead from other light sources.

This new vision sensor is available as a factory option for the Lexus ES, which is launched in China this July, and then later in North America, Russia, the Middle East, as well as other regions of the world. DENSO will progressively make the new sensor available for a greater number of vehicle models.

In an effort to realize an accident-free automotive society, DENSO has developed and commercialized both passive and active safety technologies to protect vehicle occupants, as well as to prevent traffic accidents. Based on the technologies it has developed, DENSO will continue toward a safe and reliable automotive society for all people in the world, including drivers and pedestrians.

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electric, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers.

 Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 35 countries and regions (including Japan) and employs over 120,000 people. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, totaled US$38.4 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 9.5 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges.

For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.

* 1. Systems to alert the driver when the vehicle is crossing the lane boundary to help avoid accidents caused by carelessly changing lane

* 2. Systems to automatically switch between high and low headlight beams according to the presence or absence of preceding or oncoming vehicles to increase the driver's visibility at night and avoid dazzling other motorists

Vision Sensor

Recalls Of The Day, September 1, 2012

Today the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued two recalls.  One is for an ambulance in which the body could seperate from the frame.  The other is for a car with software glitches.  Both of these issues could result in injury or crash.  

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): SJC / MARQUE 2012 SJC / MCCOY-MILLER 2012 Manufacturer: THOR INDUSTRIES Mfr's Report Date: AUG 27, 2012 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V416000 N/A NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected: 82

Summary: SJC Industries (SJC) is recalling certain model year 2012 McCoy-Miller and Marque ambulance vehicles, manufactured from November 1, 2011, through August 9, 2012. The ambulance box mounting bolts were not properly torqued to specification. As such, the mounting bolts could become loose and fall off the vehicle.

Consequence: Without correctly tightened mounting bolts, the ambulance compartment box can detach from the vehicle chassis, which in the event of a crash, may result in the passengers having an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: SJC will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the mounting bolts free of charge. SJC has not provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Thor Industries at 1-937-596-6849, ext 7363 or SJC Industries at 1-574- 970-6300.

Notes: Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): VOLVO / S80 2013 VOLVO / XC70 2013 Manufacturer: Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC Mfr's Report Date: AUG 27, 2012 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V415000 N/A NHTSA Action Number: N/A Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS Potential Number of Units Affected: 300 Summary: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2013 S80 and XC70 vehicles. A software error within the Central Electronic Module (CEM) will result in the "TPMS Service Required" message appearing after approximately 15 minutes of accumulated driving over 25 mph. The error will prevent the Tire Pressure Monitoring System from warning the driver that a tire needs air. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System." Consequence: A malfunctioning TPMS cannot warn a driver that a tire is underinflated. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash. Remedy: Volvo will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's TPMS. This service will be performed free of charge. Volvo has not provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Notes: Volvo's safety recall number is 256. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Final 25 Winners Announced in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good Program

Public Voting Determined Which Nonprofit Organizations Received New Toyota Vehicles

• 100 Winning Organizations Begin Receiving Vehicles in September 2012
• More than $7 Million in Vehicles and Cash Grants Awarded Over the Last Two Years of the Program

TORRANCE, Calif. – Tuesday, August 21 marked the last day of voting in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, a national philanthropic program that awards 100 cars to 100 U.S. nonprofits over the course of 100 consecutive days. Winners were selected each day through public voting on Facebook at www.100carsforgood.com.

Each day five nonprofit organizations were profiled on the 100 Cars for Good Facebook page where the public could vote for their favorite organization. The organization with the most votes at the end of the day won a new Toyota vehicle while the four runners-up each day received a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota. In total, 100 new Toyota vehicles and $400,000 in cash grants are being awarded to non-profit organizations across the country.

 

“It is rewarding and inspiring to see the response Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program has received from the public,” said Jim Lentz, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Over the course of two years, this program has awarded more than $7 million in vehicles and cash grants to local nonprofit organizations across the country, as well as helping to raise awareness to hundreds more. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to help these worthwhile organizations broaden their impact in communities all across the nation, and we thank the public for their support in determining the winners.”

 

Winning organizations offer services in a variety of areas, including: education, safety, animal welfare food banks, and human services for children and adults.

 

Final 100 winners in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program are:

Organization	Location	Voting Date
SPCA Cincinnati	Cincinnati, OH	August 21, 2012
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter	Chambersburg, PA	August 20, 2012
Nikkei Concerns	Seattle, WA	August 19, 2012
McDowell County Commission on Aging	Welch, WV	August 18, 2012
Grahamtastic Connection	Springvale, ME	August 17, 2012
Golden Ears Hearing Dogs	University Place, WA	August 16, 2012
C.U.R.E. Foundation	Rensselaer, NY	August 15, 2012
Teach for America - Delta	Oxford, MS	August 14, 2012
Keystone Paralyzed Veterans	Pittsburgh, PA	August 13, 2012
Wolf Conservation Center	South Salem, NY	August 12, 2012
Putnam County SPCA	Brewster, NY	August 11, 2012
PTSD Foundation of America	Houston, TX	August 10, 2012
Intervention Services - Village	Maitland, FL	August 9, 2012
Scott County Humane Society	Georgetown, KY	August 8, 2012
Northwoods Habitat for Humanity	Bemidji, MN	August 7, 2012
Animal Rescue Foundation	Terryville, CT	August 6, 2012
Emergency Shelter Program	Hayward, CA	August 5, 2012
Abused Women's Aid In Crisis	Anchorage, AK	August 4, 2012
The Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.	Mansfield, OH	August 3, 2012
Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA	Ocean Springs, MS	August 2, 2012
Victory Reins	Peotone, IL	August 1, 2012
Marinette County Elderly Services	Crivitz, WI	July 31, 2012
American Children's Society, Inc.	Marlboro, NJ	July 30, 2012
Edwards Center, Inc.	Aloha, OR	July 29, 2012
Family Promise of Grand Rapids	Grand Rapids, MI	July 28, 2012
The Fix Is In, Inc.	Rhinelander, WI	July 27, 2012
Wish Upon A Star, Inc.	Evansville, IN	July 26, 2012
Family Crisis Center of East Texas	Lufkin, TX	July 25, 2012
Heritage Hospice, Inc.	Danville, KY	July 24, 2012
K9 Specialty Services of Alabama	Columbiana, AL	July 23, 2012
Adelante Mujeres	Forest Grove, OR	July 22, 2012
Freedom Work Opportunities, Inc. (FWO)	Highland, MI	July 21, 2012
Creek Connections	Meadville, PA	July 20, 2012
Web of Life Foundation	Albuquerque, NM	July 19, 2012
Blessed Assurance Adult Day Care	Matthews, NC	July 18, 2012
Guardian Angel Service Dogs, Inc.	Orange, VA	July 17, 2012
West Alabama Food Bank	Northport, AL	July 16, 2012
Good Shepard Shelter	Los Angeles, CA	July 15, 2012
Stepping Stones Center	Cincinnati, OH	July 14, 2012
Mystic Farm Wildlife Rescue	Sagle, ID	July 13, 2012
Craighead Beringia South	Kelly, WY	July 12, 2012
Appalachian Regional Healthcare	Lexington, KY	July 11, 2012
Mentors 4 Kids, Inc.	Benton, IL	July 10, 2012
Freedom Fences	Anderson, SC	July 9, 2012
American Red Cross	Minot, ND	July 8, 2012
Desert Arc	Palm Desert, CA	July 7, 2012
Paws to the Rescue	Mullins, SC	July 6, 2012
Bitter Root Humane Association	Hamilton, MT	July 5, 2012
Gould Farm (William J. Gould and Associates)	Monterey, MA	July 4, 2012
All Pet Rescue, Inc.	Fort Pierce, FL	July 3, 2012
Pets Without Parents Columbus	Columbus, OH	July 2, 2012
Humane Society of South Coastal Georgia	Brunswick, GA	July 1, 2012
Pelican Harbor Seabird Station	Miami, FL	June 30, 2012
Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Camp	Amery, WI	June 29, 2012
One More Generation	Fayetteville, GA	June 28, 2012
Franklin County Humane Society	Frankfort, KY	June 27, 2012
Canine Partners for Life	Cochranville, PA	June 26, 2012
Ozark Family Resource Agency (Ripley County)	Doniphan, MO	June 25, 2012
The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri	Columbia, MO	June 24, 2012
Animal Aid Vermillion Area	Abbeville, LA	June 23, 2012
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue	San Francisco, CA	June 22, 2012
Ronald McDonald House of SNJ	Camden, NJ	June 21, 2012
Central Aroostook Humane Society	Presque, ME	June 20, 2012
STAR Center, Inc.	Jackson, TN	June 19, 2012
C.H.A.I.N.E.D. Inc.	Riverview, MI	June 18, 2012
4K for Cancer	Baltimore, MD	June 17, 2012
Young at Heart Pet Rescue	Lake Zurich, IL	June 16, 2012
Haven House St. Louis	St. Louis, MO	June 15, 2012
Girl Scouts of Kentucky's WRC	Lexington, KY	June 14, 2012
1st Priority & Search Recovery	Plantersville, TX	June 13, 2012
Motley Zoo Animal Rescue	Redmond, WA	June 12, 2012
A Child's Place	Charlotte, NC	June 11, 2012
Humane Society of Marion County	Ocala, FL	June 10, 2012
Humane Society of Fargo-Moorhead	Fargo, ND	June 9, 2012
Life 4 Paws Animal Rescue	Winnetka, CA	June 8, 2012
Feed My Sheep	Gulfport, MS	June 7, 2012
Rikki’s Refuge	Rapidan, VA	June 6, 2012
Last Chance Ranch	Quakertown, PA	June 5, 2012
Special Olympics Illinois	Normal, IL	June 4, 2012
Shore Hearts Golden Retriever	Lanoka Harbor, NJ	June 3, 2012
Clark County Community Services	Winchester, KY	June 2, 2012
Animal Aid, Inc.	Oakland Park, FL	June 1, 2012
K9 Services German Shepherd Rescue, Inc.	Middleburg, FL	May 31, 2012
Kristie’s Foundation	Anaheim, CA	May 30, 2012
Operation Blankets of Love	Granada Hills, CA	May 29, 2012
Central Vermont Humane Society	East Montpelier, VT	May 28, 2012
Fences for Fido	Portland, OR	May 27, 2012
Detroit Dog Rescue	Grosse Pointe Woods, MI	May 26, 2012
All Hands Volunteers	Carlisle, MA	May 25, 2012
The Children’s Lunchbox	Anchorage, AK	May 24, 2012
Together We Rise	Chino, CA	May 23, 2012
Petfinder Foundation	Tucson, AZ	May 22, 2012
SPCA International's Operation Baghdad Pups	New York, NY	May 21, 2012
The Dream Center	Los Angeles, CA	May 20, 2012
Hope for Paws Animal Rescue	Los Angeles, CA	May 19, 2012
Recycled Doggies, Inc.	Cincinnati, OH	May 18, 2012
Pibbles & More Animal Rescue	Ridgewood, NY	May 17, 2012
Lehmi County Humane Society	Salmon, ID	May 16, 2012
Cincinnati Zoo	Cincinnati, OH	May 15, 2012
DC Scores	Washington, DC	May 14, 2012

Winning organizations can choose from the following vehicles: Camry Hybrid, Highlander SUV, Prius v Hybrid, Sienna minivan, Sienna Mobility or Tundra full-sized pickup. A six-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty is also provided for each vehicle, compliments of Toyota Financial Services.

 

The 500 finalists, from which the 100 winners were ultimately selected, were certified by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the fields of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.
 

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs over 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

 

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed over half a billion dollars to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

 

For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/philanthropy.

 

About Toyota Financial Services

TFS is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota and Lexus in the U.S., offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust and extended service contracts and other payment protection products through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). TFS employs 3,300 associates nationwide, and has managed assets totaling more than $91 billion. It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.