Author Archives: Carlos De Sordi

GM to Start Diesel Pickup Shipments After Certification Delay

General Motors will start shipping diesel versions of its full-sized pickups after a three month delay due to emissions certification.

Reports indicate the automaker had intended to begin shipping diesel versions of its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra in May. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s certification process for diesel engines took longer than expected. BMW, Fiat Chrysler and others have previously delayed vehicle releases due to certification issues.

The new Silverado and Sierra will be marketed as 2020 models. They feature 3.0-liter turbodiesel engines, the first time GM has put such an engine in a light duty pickup since 1997. The engines are built at GM’s facility in Flint, Mich.

FMCSA Proposes 2020 Fee Reduction

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has introduced a proposal to slash Unified Carrier Registration fees starting in 2020.

According to reports, the FMCSA has proposed a fee reduction of 12.82 percent from 2018 levels. Fees would increase again in 2021, but still remain lower than they were in 2018. The reduction is aimed at preventing revenues collected from exceeding the maximum, which is currently $107.78 million per year. Fees collected exceeded that amount by just over $9 million in 2019.

Under the new fee structure, carriers with one or two trucks would pay $60, up to 5 trucks would pay $180, up to 20 trucks $357, up to 100 $1,248, up to 1,000 $5,946 and more than 1,000 $58,060. The fees apply to trucking companies, brokers and freight forwarders.

API, ILSAC to Begin Licensing New Standards in 2020

The International Lubricant Specification Advisory Committee (ILSAC) and American Petroleum Institute (API) will begin licensed sale of oils meeting new GF-6 and SP classifications in May 2020.

The new classifications will replace the current API SN and ILSAC GF-5 standards, both of which have been in place since 2010. The API added an SN+ sub-classification in 2018. Products licensed against these standards will be better equipped to protect modern vehicle engines.

“The OEMs and vehicle manufacturers requested more robust engine oil specifications to meet the need of current and future engines,” Jeff Harmening, Manager of the API’s Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS), said. “These new specifications have seven new engine tests that are more representative of current vehicle parts. They introduced more stringent requirements. They will offer better wear protection and address the low speed pre-ignition issue. They will also introduce a higher level of chain wear protection and better fuel economy.”

Split in Two

Th GF-6 classification will be broken into two sub-categories, GF-6A and GF-6B. GF-6A will focus on more conventional oils, while GF-6B will set standards for lighter viscosity oils that have become popular in recent years. GF-6B oils will have a different fuel economy test than their 6A counterparts. The API will also introduce a new trademark, the shield, for the GF-6B sub-category. GF-6A will use the familiar “starburst” mark.

“GF-6A was intended to be a full GF-5 replacement and that is going to be backwards compatible with those oils. GF-5 usually focuses on five main grades, 0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30,” Harmening said. “There was a need in the industry to address the lower viscosity oils that are becoming more popular in the marketplace and ILSAC developed a different specification, 6B, for the 0W-16 viscosity grade. They requested the API develop a new trademark that would look entirely different so customers wouldn’t be confused.”

While the licensing date is still a year away, Harmening said companies can begin distributing products that claim to meet SN, GF-6A and GF-6B specifications. However, customers may see claims that oils meet these new standards before that.

“That doesn’t mean those formulations can’t be introduced into the current SN GF-5s that are on the shelves. They can introduce products that claim to meet those specifications,” Harmening said. “What they can’t do is use the API Starburst on a GF-6 approved product until that licensing date. Similarly, they can claim to meet API SP, they just can’t use the doughnut.”

New Tests

Oils licensed against the new standard will have to pass seven new tests, including updated variations of oxidation and deposit, sludge and varnish, fuel economy and corrosion tests. New tests for chain wear and low speed pre-ignition have also been introduced.

“That’s part of the reason it took so long for the category to be developed,” Harmening said. “Five of them are replacement tests that were updated to include modern engines. Several of them were updated because the parts supply for the engines were discontinued.”

Harmening said shops, dealerships and anyone else that carries motor oil prepare to stock products that meet the new standards. He recommended they start working with their suppliers now to ensure they have access to new products. Still, SN and GF-5 products won’t disappear immediately when the licensing date arrives.

“GF-5 will not go away immediately. Essentially you will be able to see ‘starbursted’ oils for both GF-5 and GF-6,” Harmening said. “This allows the industry a one-year transition period to ensure they can get oil out to market meeting the new requirements while at the same time providing oil that meets past requirements. Starting May 2021, oils carrying the ILSAC GF-5 specification will no longer be allowed to display the API Starburst and you will only see it on oils meeting the new specifications.”

Retailers Agree to $1.7 Million Super S SuperTrac 303 Settlement

Two retail chains have agreed to a $1.7 million class action settlement related to the sale of Super S SuperTrac 303 tractor fluid.

According to reports, Smitty’s Supply and Tractor Supply have settled with Missouri-based purchasers of the controversial tractor fluid. The plaintiffs alleged the product was deceptively manufactured, marketed and labeled, and that use of the product damaged their equipment. The settlement will provide compensation to about 10,000 class members who purchased Super S SuperTrac 303 between May of 2013 and the present.

303 tractor fluids have stirred controversy in recent years. These products, which often come in yellow buckets, are seen by some as cheaper alternatives to other brands. However, they can also damage modern equipment, as the JD 303 standard on which they are based became obsolete in 1974. Some states, including Missouri, have banned the sale of these fluids.

Automotive Industry Drives Increase in Industrial Robots

American companies are drastically increasing their investments in industrial robots, with the automotive industry driving a huge year over year increase in orders.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), orders for robots have increased 19 percent year over year in the second quarter of 2019. The 8,572 orders from Q2 bring the year to date total to 16,448 orders, a 7.2 increase from 2018. The biggest reason for the increase? Automotive OEMs, who have ordered 83 percent more machine units than last year.

According to reports, more than 180,000 robots have been shipped since 2010. Declining costs and more versatile machines have resulted in more companies bringing robots into the fold.

Washington State Troopers File Suit Against Ford

A group of Washington State Troopers have filed a lawsuit against auto manufacturer Ford, alleging an exhaust leak in their police interceptors caused exposure to toxic fumes.

According to reports, six offers are seeking class action status for the suit. The plaintiffs claim to have suffered headaches, nausea and flu-like symptoms after driving the vehicles. One claims to have suffered permanent damage. The Interceptors are based on the Ford Explorer, which was the subject of several exhaust related consumer complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) in 2017. An NHTSA investigation is still ongoing.

A statement from Ford said inspections of Interceptors revealed leaks related to improperly installed third party equipment. The automaker has been working with police departments that have complained about the vehicle and covered the cost of some repairs. The NHTSA said it would release the findings of its investigation when it is complete.

Two Dodge Vehicles top HLDI’s Most Likely to be Stolen List

Two Dodge vehicles topped the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI)’s list of vehicles most likely to be stolen from the 2016-2018 model years.

The Dodge Charger Hemi and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat were the most likely vehicles to be stolen, followed closely by Infiniti’s QX 50 4-door and QX 80 SUV. The GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab rounds out the top 5. The HLDI, which is part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), focuses on “whole vehicle thefts” using insurance claim data to establish “relative claim frequency” for each vehicle, with a score of 100 as the average. The Charger Hemi’s claim frequency score topped out at 544.

The BMW 3-series Sedan was the least likely vehicle to be stolen, coming in with a claim frequency score of 4. It was followed by two Tesla Models, the X and the S, the Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Encore. Notably absent from this year’s list is the Cadillac Escalade, the luxury SUV that often appears at or near the top of most stolen vehicle lists.

To view the top 20 most and least stolen vehicles, click here.

Major Supplier to Cut Back Investment in Combustion Engines

One of the world’s largest automotive industry suppliers said it would cut investment in combustion engines to facilitate more creation of electric power trains.

Germany-based Continental AG, the world’s fourth largest auto supplier, announced it would cut its investment in standard combustion engines and parts and focus on their electric counterparts. The shift comes as many nations in the European Union have pledged to outright ban gas powered vehicles over the next few decades. They also want to keep pace with vehicle manufacturers like Volkswagen, BMW and Ford who have announced plans to create more electric models.

According to reports, continental generates about $35.9 billion in annual sales. Representatives from the company have said the shift in focus will not mean they will cease manufacturing combustion engines or parts in the near future.

U.S. Government Contract Could Give Former GM Plants New Life

A major U.S. government contract could lead to the repurposing and reopening of former General Motors facilities.

According to reports, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking a manufacturer to build what they are calling “next generation” delivery vehicles. The contract is reportedly for $6 billion and includes a 20-year parts supply deal. Two finalists for the contract have said they would manufacture the new delivery vehicles at previously shuttered GM plants.

India-based Mahindra & Mahindra has said it would build a plant on the site of the former “Buick City” facility in Flint, Mich. The facility opened in 1993 and was closed by GM in 2010 after the automaker filed for bankruptcy. Mahindra currently manufactures its Roxor off-road vehicles in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Electric truck manufacturer Workhorse Group is also in the running for the contract. They would manufacture the vehicles at GM’s former Chevy Cruze plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The automaker’s decision to restructure led to the closure of the facility in March.

Inspector Determines Glider Kit Truck Study was Consistent with EPA Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has decided a 2017 study of glider kit trucks was consistent with agency standards.

Environmental activists and truck manufacturers have frequently criticized glider kit trucks, which combine new truck bodies with old engines. These engines are usually rebuilt and do not often meet federal emissions standards. The study in question determined glider trucks can emit up to 450 times more diesel particulate matter than new trucks. However, its validity was called into question in 2018 over concerns regarding the involvement of Volvo trucks, who donated vehicles for the study. Volvo has long been a proponent of reducing the number of gliders manufactured annually.

Despite concerns, the OIG determined the EPA acted within reason in completing the research. This comes as a blow to those advocating the repeal of a 2016 regulation that capped the number of gliders each manufacturer could build to 300 per year. The nations largest builder of glider trucks, Fitzgerald Glider Kits, was producing as many as 5,000 per year before the regulations took effect.