Ten Summer Servicing Tips

Summertime is travel time. Even with gasoline prices at an all-time high, Americans can't resist the lure of sunny skies and the open road. According to a survey by AAA­, 31.7 million Americans planned to travel by car over Memorial Day weekend 2008, despite gas prices that are an average of $.60 more per gallon over the previous year [source: The Los Angeles Times].
Before hitting the road this summer, you can take several simple precautions to keep your family safe and save money at the pump. Extreme heat and long drives can be tough on cars. Cracked hoses, leaky radiators, underinflated tires and dirty filters can significantly lower your fuel efficiency, or worse, lead to a total breakdown.

10: Check Your Tires

parts of a car. According the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), only one out of 10 drivers checks his or her
Tire pressure changes with the rising temperatures -- approximately one to two PSI (pounds per square inch) for every 10-degree increase in outside air temperature [source: RMA]. Consult your owner's manual or the sidewall of your tire to see what your tire pressure should be and check it with a hand pressure gauge or just let the guys at the service shop do it for you.
An under-inflated tire bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the sidewalls of the tire. With enough heat and pressure, that tire eventually will blow. An over-inflated tire, on the other hand, makes less contact with the road and can lead to hydroplaning in wet conditions.
Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears, you're good [source: CBS News]. Your local service shop or specialty tire store can also check your tires for proper alignment and balance.
And don't forget about your spare! There's no point in having a spare tire if your spare is in worse condition than the rest. Make sure the spare is properly inflated and has ample tread depth.

9: Change Oil and Oil Filter

Oil is the lifeblood of your car. It keeps hardworking engine parts running clean, smooth and cool. Most owner's manuals suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles (12,070 kilometers). Oil change specialists suggest every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) or three months. The fact is, most of us do a lot of heavy driving during the summer when an engine is more likely to overheat. So at least check your oil before you head out on that road trip with the family.
To check your oil, let your car run for a few minutes, then park it on a level surface and shut off the engine. Open the hood and locate the oil dipstick. You're looking for two things here: the level of oil and how the oil looks [source: CBS News]. If you're low on oil, you can either add another quart or simply change the oil completely. The oil should look brownish yellow and clean on the stick. If the oil is a dark color or there's a lot of dirt and grime in it, then you definitely need an oil change and oil filter replacement.
Wait, didn't you do a lot of these things when you got your car ready for colder weather? As a matter of fact, yes. On the next page, we'll look at some winter maintenance you should undo for summer.

8: De-Winterize Your Car

There are several things you need to do to "un-winterize" your car for the summer weather. First of all, get rid of those snow tires. Snow tires are heavy and will lower your fuel economy.
If you haven't driven your car very much during the winter, or if you've had it in storage, then you need to check all of the fluid levels -- coolant, transmission, differential, power steering and brake fluid -- to make sure there weren't any leaks. You'll also want to change the oil, since oil gets thick and collects condensation if it sits in the engine all winter. If you haven't used your battery in a while, you might need a recharge or a replacement.
It's also important to really clean the undercarriage of the car after a long winter, especially if you live in a snowy climate. The salt that's used to melt snow and ice on roads can get caked on the underside of your car and begin to eat away at the metal. Lots of caked-on gunk will also make your engine and transmission run hotter, because heat has a harder time escaping through the bottom of the car.
You can clean the undercarriage yourself using a plain water hose or high-pressure cleaning system. Many professional car washes and detailing services can also perform a high-pressure steam clean for really nasty build-up.

7: Check Hoses and Belts

The key to summer driving is keeping the engine cool. We're going to talk about the radiator and coolant soon, but first you need to check the hoses and belts. The hoses connected to the radiator help pump coolant to and from the engine block, and the belts run the fan that helps cool the system further [source: CBS News]. If the hoses crack or the belts snap, the radiator will quickly overheat, leaving you stranded.
Check hoses for cracks, leaks and loose connections. Hoses should be firm, never soft and malleable. Hoses suffer from a slow deterioration process called electrochemical degradation (ECD) that eats away at rubber hose material from the inside [source: Consumer Reports]. The most vulnerable parts of the hose are those nearest to clamps where the hose connects to the radiator or the engine.
Belts can also be visually checked for cracks and damage. Take note if the belt looks excessively slick or smooth. Remove the belt to make sure that the material hasn't started separating into different layers. Experts say the risk of belt failure rises dramatically after 36,000 miles (57,936 kilometers) [source: Consumer Reports].

6: Change the Air Filter

Over the winter, your car's air filter can get clogged with salt and other thick debris. A clogged air filter can really lower your fuel efficiency. Replacing a dirty or clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent [source: Pep Boys].
But how do you know when to change your air filter? The recommended interval is every 12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers), but that can be affected by the particular road and air conditions in which you drive. If you do a lot of driving on dirt or gravel roads, then your air filter is going to clog up much faster than an air filter in a vehicle that's used strictly for highway driving. The only real way to know if you need to replace your air filter is take it out and give it a quick inspection.
Interestingly, a slightly dirty air filter works better than a totally clean one [source: Yahoo! Autos]. This is because the debris in the filter becomes part of the filtering process, trapping smaller particles that might have otherwise slipped past.
There's no real science to knowing when it's time to replace the filter. If it's really filthy, then it obviously needs to be changed. Otherwise, go with your gut. If you're preparing for a long summer of hard driving, then you might as well replace it. Air filters are relatively inexpensive.

5: Replace Your Windshield Wipers

The summertime is notorious for sudden, violent thunderstorms. When buckets of water are beating against your windshield, you need wipers that really work. Even more so at night, when a rain storm can decrease visibility to 15 or 20 feet in front of your vehicle.
Winter can be tough on windshield wipers. Ice, snow, salt and extreme temperatures make cracks and tears in the rubber that lower the effectiveness of the wipers. If your wipers are leaving visible streaks or take several passes to clear away light rain, they need to be replaced.
When replacing a wiper blade, it's better to replace the whole blade, not just the rubber part [source: NAPA Online]. Go to an auto parts store and they'll be able to give you the right blades for your make, model and year. If you've never replaced wiper blades before, it can be a little tricky. Just take your time, read the instructions carefully and everything should work out. It's also a good idea to observe the way your original wiper blades were attached. This may prove more valuable than anything printed on the new wiper blade box.

4: Check Your Brakes

Your brakes are the single most important safety feature on your car. Don't put yourself or your family at risk this summer by riding around on worn down or faulty brakes.
Brakes need to be replaced when the lining on your brake pad or brake shoe is worn down past the minimum thickness specified by the car manufacturer or state law [source: Yahoo! Autos]. You can have your brake linings checked at any normal service shop or at a brake specialist.
Here are some signs that your brakes need to be checked:

• Your brake pedal becomes very soft and mushy
• Your brake pedal is very hard and resistant
• Your brake pedal rests too low or too high
• Indication or warning lights on the dashboard
• Loud and constant scraping and grinding sounds coming from the brakes

Interestingly, squealing brakes are not necessarily a sign of a problem. Brakes squeal and squeak for a wide variety of reasons, including moisture on the brake pads, discs, shoes and drums. You should only become concerned if the squealing becomes a scraping or grinding noise. This is a sign of metal-to-metal contact, which can permanently damage brake parts.
If you notice a brake problem, it pays to have it inspected or repaired as soon as possible. The cost of a brake repair can increase dramatically if even minor problems aren't fixed in a timely manner.

3: Check the Coolant and Radiator

Cars are designed to run hot, but there's a limit to how hot they should run. A combustion engine is most efficient at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius). But if an engine is allowed to get too hot, moving metal parts can actually start to melt and fuse together, causing a variety of internal problems for your engine -- and, you guessed it, a hefty repair bill.
Luckily, all modern cars have an ingenious cooling system that uses a chemical coolant, called antifreeze, and a series of pumps, hoses, thermostats and fans to keep the car at its optimal running temperature. But any problems with this system -- low coolant levels, cracked hoses, loose or broken belts, a leak in the radiator or even a loose or missing radiator cap can cause your car to overheat and break down.
The summertime is tough on cooling systems. Sitting in traffic on a hot day is one of the quickest ways to overheat your car. This is because there's no air flowing across the engine to help keep it cool. A well-tuned cooling system can take long idles in hot weather, but if you have low coolant levels or a busted fan belt, your engine temperature is going to go up -- and fast.
Check under the hood and make sure that your coolant levels are fine. The general rule is to flush your radiator and add new coolant at least every two years. Flushing the radiator is done with a special chemical that cleans debris and build-up on the inside of the radiator. For summer driving, coolant should be added as a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. You can even buy premixed coolant so you don't have to bother with the measurements.
If you see a small puddle of coolant under your car when it's been parked for a while, then you have a coolant leak. Take it to the service station as soon as you can to get your system checked out.

2: Clean Your Battery

Wintertime is notorious for dead batteries and early morning jumpstarts. But the truth is that hot weather is even tougher on your battery.
Summer heat can speed up the chemical reaction inside a battery, causing the battery to be overcharged [source: CBS News]. This can dramatically shorten the lifespan of your battery. Heat can also damage the battery by evaporating internal battery fluid [source: Car Care Council].
The best way to keep your battery running smoothly is to keep it clean. Regularly detach the battery cables and wipe off the terminals. Make sure the battery is strapped down tightly and that all connections are secure.
If you suspect that your battery is being overcharged or isn't holding a charge well, take it to a service shop where they can run a quick battery inspection. And if you need to replace the battery, make sure that it's the right battery type for your specific make and model of car.

1: Maintain Your Air Conditioning

If you've ever lost your air conditioning on a hot summer day, then you know what a big difference a little cool air makes. The best way to tell if your air conditioner has a problem is if it can't generate or maintain air temperatures that are 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) below the ambient outside air temperature.
The most common cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of refrigerant. This could be caused buy a leak somewhere in the system. Since modern air conditioning systems are complicated creatures, it's best to have a professional check out the problem.
The air conditioning maintenance industry has changed a lot since 1994, when the Federal government outlawed the use of a refrigerant called R-12, known by its brand name Freon. In the past, if your air conditioner wasn't blowing cool air, you'd head down to the service shop, they'd top your car off with a little Freon and you'd be on your way.
The problem is that Freon, a chlorofluorocarbon, is extremely destructive to the ozone layer. Most people needed Freon refills because they had leaks. By simply refilling the leaky air conditioning units, millions of pounds of Freon were entering the atmosphere every year.
If your car was built before 1994, then you need to have your refrigerant checked out by a licensed professional who knows how to dispose of or recycle the material. In some states, it's illegal to refill a leaky system with R-12. However, even older cars can be easily retrofitted to use the newer, safer type of refrigerant called R-134a.

tire pressure correctly, compared with almost seven out of 10 who wash their cars regularly [source: RMA]. But the truth is that an under-inflated, over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous, particularly in hot summer weather.

Honda is Highest 'Non-Premium' Ranking in Initial Quality Survey

Honda is the highest ranking mass-market (non-premium) brand for the second consecutive year and fifth among all industry nameplates in J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study℠ (IQS) for 2012, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. announced today.
Honda auto plants also earned two plant assembly line awards for quality performance, with Line 3 of the Honda plant in Suzuka, Japan earning the top Platinum Award. The Marysville, Ohio auto plant Line 1 earned the Silver Plant Quality Award in North America.
The Honda and Acura brands achieved the best scores in their histories of the current generation of IQS. The Honda brand held onto its position as the highest performing mass-market brand by improving on its industry-leading score of a year ago, and for the fourth straight year overall. The Acura brand also improved and ranks sixth among all nameplates.
The all-new 2012 Honda CR-V earned the highest score in the compact crossover SUV category, while five other Honda models finished second in their respective segments. In fact, the Accord (midsize car), the Odyssey (minivan), the Crosstour (midsize crossover SUV), the Ridgeline (midsize pickup) and the Fit (sub-compact car) finished just behind the segment leader. Additionally, the Pilot ranked third, just behind the Crosstour, in the midsize crossover SUV segment. All of these models except the Fit are manufactured in North America using domestic and globally sourced parts. The IQS ranks vehicles based on a measure of reported problems per 100 vehicles (or PP100).
"For the second consecutive year our performance demonstrates our consistent commitment to deliver the highest quality for our customers," said Tetsuo Iwamura, president & CEO of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Thanks to the efforts of Honda associates in R&D, in manufacturing and in sales, we were able to continue to improve quality performance in this key industry ranking."
In the manufacturing area, 2012 marks the second consecutive year that a Honda plant has earned the top assembly line award globally. The 2012 J.D. Power and Associates study recognized the Suzuka, Japan plant, Line 3, as the only global Platinum Award, for production of the Honda Fit and CR-Z. The Marysville, Ohio plant, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this fall, earned a Silver Plant Quality Award for production of the Honda Accord and Acura TL and RDX. In 2011, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC earned the IQS Platinum Award.
The J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study serves as an important tool for consumers in evaluating the quality and design of new vehicles. Since 1987, J.D. Power and Associates has been surveying owners to measure the initial quality of new vehicles after the first 90 days of ownership.

Kelley Blue Book Names Honda Fit as Top 'Coolest Car Under $18,000'

Kelley Blue Book, an automotive information and research company, released a list of what it considers the 10 “coolest cars” that cost less than $18,000, the Honda Fit stealing most of the attention away.

The announcement is good news for car makers whose models make the cut because companies use small, inexpensive cars to attract young, first-time buyers to their brands. Once they snare such customers the manufacturers hope to cultivate long-term loyalty.
The top-10 list also helps define what a “cheap car” is these days. Six or seven years ago there were still new cars on the market for $10,000 or less. But now it is difficult to find models under $15,000. So Kelley’s roundup of cars acknowledges $18,000 as “the new $15,000” for people shopping for inexpensive cars that can still be considered cool.
“While there are many affordable new cars available today for less than $18,000, the list gets much more narrow and exclusive when you view it through the difficult-to-describe lens of what is cool,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.
Judging focused on two criteria — that the vehicles are fun-to-drive and fun-to-own. Kelley used its own Fair Purchase Price, or the price consumers typically pay for a particular model, to pinpoint the actual cost of each car. The exception is the Dodge Dart, which topped the list. The car just went on sale so adequate market pricing data are not available.

Ed Voyles Honda Military Appreciation Offer

We are very excited to announce the Honda Military Appreciation offer!

To express our appreciation to members of the US Military we are offering $500 to all eligible U.S. Military personnel, including spouses, toward any new Honda vehicle when they use a valid Honda APR, Lease or Leadership Purchase Plan with HFS. 

Honda Military Appreciation Offer Overview

Program Dates: 

June 23, 2012 – March 31, 2013

Eligible Vehicles: 

All model years that are eligible for new vehicle rates through HFS.

Customer Eligibility:

All Active Duty U.S. Military, Active Reserve, Ready Reserve, and spouse

Basic Guidelines for this offer:

·         This is compatible with all other offers except the Zero Due at signing leases.

·         Customer must provide Military Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).

·         Customer must use a valid new vehicle Honda APR, Honda Leadership Lease® or Honda Leadership Purchase Plan® with HFS.

·         One Pay Leases are eligible.

·         Customer can view this offer and print the Certificate on the HFS web site.  Please note:  The certificate is not necessary for the customer to receive the offer.

·         Spouse eligibility: If the customer is the spouse of a member of the U.S. Military, they must provide proof of relationship by presenting their Military ID, and their spouse’s LES.  Only a copy of their spouse’s LES will be retained for verification.  Eligibility is based on approved credit. 

·         $500 must be disclosed as Down Payment Assistance or Cap Cost Reduction Assistance through HFS.

·         Retired U.S. Military personnel are not eligible.

J.D. Power & Associate's Best Initial Quality Survey Awarded to The Honda CR-V

Top Crossover/SUV Awarded to the Honda CRV

In 1997, the CR-V was one of the few compact crossovers, and Honda got it right from the start. With its slim proportions, all-wheel drive and generous cargo room, the CR-V is about as utilitarian as anyone really needs. The 4-cylinder engines are snappy and good on fuel, and while the interiors need some improvement and the doors feel flimsy, there's a lot of well-engineered car here.

Honda to Start Recycling Rare Earth Metals from Hybrid Vehicle Batteries

Honda said Wednesday it will start recycling rare earth metals and other key materials in hybrid auto batteries this year — a key innovation in the Japanese carmaker's effort to be green.
Japan depends on imports, mostly from China, for rare earth elements, which are essential for making high-tech products. But a steady supply has been periodically threatened over political disputes with China.
Beijing, meanwhile, has defended its export limits on its rare earths as an environmental measure and rejected a World Trade Organization challenge by the United States, Europe and Japan. China has about 30 per cent of global deposits of rare earths, but accounts for more than 90 per cent of production.
Honda officials said the company was targeting September or October to begin recycling of rare earths. They said it would be a first for the auto industry.
Honda Motor Co. president Takanobu Ito said the move to recycle the metals is part of a broader push by the company to try to reduce pollution and global warming. The effort includes experimental projects to combine solar power with fuel-cell cars — what Ito called the Honda "dream" to derive energy solely from nature and emit just water.
"In the long term, we hope to move to renewable energy sources that won't harm the environment," he said at headquarters in Tokyo.
Fuel cells are powered by the energy created when hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce water. They are still too expensive for commercial use and remain experimental.
Ito stressed the environment was a pet theme for company founder Soichiro Honda, who repeatedly reminded workers the auto sector must share the responsibility for reducing emissions.

What are rare earth elements?

Rare earth elements, also known as rare earth metals, are a group of heavy metals that retain their physical properties at high temperatures. The body responsible for chemical nomenclature, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, considers 17 elements to be part of the group, though other groups use a slightly different definition.
Rare earth elements are used for everything from nickel metal hydride batteries in hybrid cars to fibre-optic telecom cables, military hardware, solar panels, wind turbines, compact fluorescent lighting, mobile phones, computers, the manufacturing of super conductors and high-energy magnets and petroleum refining.

Beijing, meanwhile, has defended its export limits on its rare earths as an environmental measure and rejected a World Trade Organization challenge by the United States, Europe and Japan. China has about 30 per cent of global deposits of rare earths, but accounts for more than 90 per cent of production.
Honda officials said the company was targeting September or October to begin recycling of rare earths. They said it would be a first for the auto industry.
Honda Motor Co. president Takanobu Ito said the move to recycle the metals is part of a broader push by the company to try to reduce pollution and global warming. The effort includes experimental projects to combine solar power with fuel-cell cars — what Ito called the Honda "dream" to derive energy solely from nature and emit just water.
"In the long term, we hope to move to renewable energy sources that won't harm the environment," he said at headquarters in Tokyo.
Fuel cells are powered by the energy created when hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce water. They are still too expensive for commercial use and remain experimental.
Ito stressed the environment was a pet theme for company founder Soichiro Honda, who repeatedly reminded workers the auto sector must share the responsibility for reducing emissions.

Honda Provides Top Safety for Consumers

Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced technologies and designs to enhance the safety of all road users, including automobile occupants, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians. The company operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test facilities and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of airbag technology, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety. This commitment to safety is rooted in Honda's goal to be a company that society wants to exist, and it complements the company's leadership in reducing vehicle emissions, improving fuel efficiency and advancing alternatives to gasoline.

Comprehensive Approach to Safety

Honda takes a comprehensive approach to vehicle safety, seeking to provide enhanced levels of occupant protection and help with crash avoidance in all Honda and Acura passenger vehicle designs, while also making an active commitment to enhance safety for the occupants of other vehicles as well as pedestrians.

• The company's 'Safety for Everyone' initiative, undertaken in October 2003, helped lead the industry to the increased application of standard safety features. In 2006, the company fulfilled the core part of the initiative, to equip virtually all Honda and Acura vehicles with a core suite of advanced safety features as standard equipment, regardless of vehicle size or price.
• Today, the company is looking to further advance its commitment to safety with the introduction and broad application of new safety technologies and driver assistive features for improved visibility:

New safety technologies

• Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning technologies will be applied to virtually all Honda and Acura models within the next several years, beginning with the all-new 2013 Accord, launching in the fall of 2012.
• Side curtain airbags with a wider deployment profile to help mitigate possible ejection will be introduced in the 2013 Accord and applied to additional models within several years.

Crash Test Ratings
Honda has been a consistent leader in achieving top-level safety ratings for its vehicles in both government and private industry crash test ratings.

• For model year 2012, American Honda has 13 IIHS 'Top Safety Pick' models (9 Honda and 4 Acura), including 10 of the 18 new models that were added to the IIHS' list of 'Top Safety Pick' models for 2012.
• The 2011 Accord sedan was the first vehicle to earn a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and a 5-star rating for all three underlying categories (frontal, side crash and rollover) under the NHTSA's safety ratings system that was modified starting with the 2011 model year.
• The 2011 Odyssey is the first and still the only minivan to achieve a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS.
• In model year 2009, prior to the implementation of new, more stringent safety ratings by the NHTSA, Acura was the first-ever automotive nameplate to earn a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS and a five-star crash safety rating from the NHTSA for ALL models in its lineup.

Crash Compatibility and the ACE™ Body Structure
Honda has played a leading role in addressing the issue of compatibility in frontal collisions between vehicles of different size, mass and ride height.

• In 2005, Honda introduced the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure on the Acura RL to enhance occupant protection in a frontal collision between vehicles of different sizes and ride heights.
• 19 of the 21 Honda and Acura vehicles sold today – representing more than 95% of American Honda's new-vehicle sales in the U.S. – incorporate the ACE body structure.
• The second generation ACE body structure, ACEII, features reinforced front frame members for further enhanced frontal crash energy management.

Pedestrian Safety
As part of its commitment to improving safety for all road users, Honda has also led the U.S. automotive industry in the application of features designed to reduce injuries to pedestrians in a collision, such as collapsible hood hinges and breakaway windshield wiper pivots, with a focus on reducing severe head injuries, which account for 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities.

• In advancing its designs, Honda first sought to better understand the dynamics of pedestrian collisions with the development of POLAR II, widely recognized at the time of introduction as the world's most advanced pedestrian crash test dummy. Tests conducted with POLAR II led to the development of the above noted features.
• In September 2008, Honda introduced its third-generation POLAR III test dummy with the enhanced ability to measure crash forces in the lower back and upper leg areas.
• More than 9 million Honda and Acura vehicles purchased by U.S. customers, including all model year 2008 and newer vehicles (except the S2000 – discontinued for MY2010) feature pedestrian injury mitigation features and designs.

Advanced Safety Testing
Honda operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test laboratories for development of improved safety designs and technologies.

• The company's Tochigi, Japan, facility was the world's first indoor, multi-directional car-to-car crash testing facility. The Tochigi facility has played a critical role in the development of enhanced designs for occupant and pedestrian safety as well as vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility.
• Honda R&D America's Raymond, Ohio, development center performs advanced testing on all U.S.- developed models. The facility features the world's first crash test sled with the ability to simulate the forward pitching motion of an automobile in a frontal collision, allowing for more accurate simulations of vehicle crash dynamics. The Ohio facility also features one of the world's highest resolution impact barriers – a 100-ton moveable crash test block with reconfigurable sides and 450 load cells – enabling precise measurement of the distribution of impact load forces on a vehicle to aid in the development of more advanced vehicle designs.

Industry-Leading Air Bag Technologies
Honda has long been a leader in introducing the industry's most advanced air bag systems, including:

• The first front passenger airbag to deploy vertically from the instrument panel, rather than directly at the passenger.
• Occupants in the outboard seating positions of every row of every new Honda and Acura vehicle are protected by side curtain airbags.

Other Pioneering Efforts
Honda has been a leader in developing next generation safety technologies, including:

• A Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) – introduced on the 2006 Acura RL – as well as continuing research toward future collision avoidance systems and designs for automobiles and motorcycles.
• The world's first fully-integrated rider airbag system for a production motorcycle – introduced on the 2006 Honda Gold Wing touring motorcycle.

Honda Earns Multiple Honors in AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards and Total Car Score's 2012 Top Scoring Car Awards

Honda has captured three of AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards for the 2012 Honda CR-V, Odyssey and Pilot, and four of Total Car Score's inaugural Top Scoring Car Awards for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline, Fit, Odyssey and CR-V.

"It's fantastic to have so much of Honda's outstanding product line represented in these awards," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing operations for American Honda. "AutoPacific's awards tell us we're creating truly satisfied owners, and the Total Car Score awards demonstrate how widely and well regarded Honda's products are among top authoritative sites."

AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) are based on over 75,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first quarter of 2012.The VSAs are based solely on owner input, and are an accurate measurement of how satisfied new car and light truck buyers are with their recently purchased vehicle.

The Top Scoring Car Awards are based on Total Car Score's ranking formula, which utilizes the ratings from trusted automotive sites converted into a simple percentage. These ratings are translated into a single Total Car Score that allows car shoppers to quickly and easily compare cars. In totality five Honda models garner a total of seven awards that highlight owner satisfaction or combined authoritative opinion.