2002 2.2l sunfire misfire P0300

The other day I started my car and noticed a lot of exhaust was coming out of the muffler, so when I starte to drive the car wouldn’t go faster then 40k and the revs went up and the engine light started flashing !
We plugge in the code reader and said misfire cyl 3
We changed all the spark plugs and two were soaked with oil
Changed the coil pack an still does the same !
I just want to know what the problem is

Possible causes

Chrysler recalls police Chargers due to overheating

Chrysler Group LLC recalled nearly 10,000 Dodge Charger police vehicles built last year due to overheating issues that may lead to headlamp and brake failure.

The recall affects 9,688 Chargers for the 2011 and 2012 model years. The problems could lead to a loss of visibility or braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posting.

In some police cars, the low beam headlights may fail because of an overheated bulb harness connector. In other vehicles, the antilock brake and electronic stability system may stop working due to an overheated power distribution center.

Chrysler will relocate the ABS/ESC fuse and replace the headlamp jumper harness. Chrysler said it is not aware of any accidents, injuries or fires due to either condition.

The issues occur when police cars are exposed to severe conditions such as long periods of driving at a high speed, evasive driving during training exercises and extended idling, Chrysler said in a statement.

The headlamp problem was spotted in late August and led to changes at Brampton Assembly Plant, where Chrysler builds the Charger. In December, a state police car in Michigan showed repeated loss of ABS/ESC system power.

U.S. new vehicles being kept longer than ever

American drivers are holding on to their new vehicles longer than ever -– to nearly six years -- a new study says.

Research firm Polk, citing data compiled in September 2011, said U.S. consumers kept their new vehicles an average of 71.4 months -- up 4.7 months from March. Both the length of ownership and the rate of increase set records for the study, which Polk first conducted in 2001.

The data reflect growing reliability of new cars as well as consumers hindered from making another purchase because of the uncertainty surrounding the economy in recent years.

The longer terms of ownership combined with a vehicle fleet already at a record-high age create more business opportunities for manufacturers and their dealers, Mark Seng, global aftermarket practice leader at Polk, said in an interview.

"Traditionally most older vehicle repairs go to the independent aftermarket but this is an opportunity for manufacturers to get in on that as well," he said.

Used cars

Used vehicle owners held on to their purchases for an average 49.9 months, also a record, up from 47.5 months six months before.

The combined length of U.S. vehicle ownership stood at a record 57.0 months as of September, a gain of 3.1 months since March, said Polk, which uses registration data to conduct the study.

Since the U.S. financial crisis began in the third quarter of 2008, overall vehicle ownership terms have increased 23 percent, Polk said.

Another study released by Polk in January this year found the average age of light vehicles on U.S. roads had reached a record high of 10.8 years in 2011.

Sales plunge

U.S. light-vehicle sales plunged to 10.4 million in 2009 after spending most of the decade above 16 million units. The U.S. total recovered to 11.6 million in 2010 and 12.8 million last year. Polk’s analysts aren’t expecting sales to return to 16 million units until 2015

In today's study, Polk noted conservative spending and a still-weak job market in addition to relatively high unemployment rates as contributing factors for why consumers are keeping their cars.

"Unemployment rates continue to be high and we expect many consumers will suffer from lingering effects of the downturn, further contributing to longer ownership trends," Seng said in a statement that accompanied the study.

Dealer lessons

Seng, in the interview, said the lesson for dealerships is two-fold: the first for its parts and service operations to nurture more business and the second is for the retailers to learn ways to build loyalty with those customers.

"Dealerships need to figure out how to keep that relationship with their customer throughout the life of their vehicle," Seng said. "They need to maintain that loyalty with the customer on the service side of the business."

Seng said Polk finds that brand loyalty diminishes the longer they hold on to their car, especially when consumers choose longer leasing periods and warranties that do not run the entire length of that lease period.

"Rather than marketing to someone in their third or fourth year, it might be more beneficial to market to someone in their fifth or sixth year," he said. "It is real important for dealerships to track the length of ownership to help determine when their new car buyer might be in the market again."

99 Buick Lesabre won't stay running

I have a 1999 buick lesabre, just purchased, kept having a problem staying on unless i consistently put gas to the pedal while driving otherwise keep it moving, if sitting idle it shut off, oil was black so took to jiffy lube got total oil work up costing almost $200. check engine light was on they checked it n said mass air flow and spark plugs needed replacing, got them changed but the person who changed spark plug wires had firing range wrong so car was shaky, he did something to it and car drove smoothly no shaking no nothing,drove round the block couple times..nothing so proceeded to go to store an about 10 minutes later i noticed the car was quiet and slowing down, realized it had shut off..i tried giving it gas while turning on like ive done before that got it running and nothing. so called guy bk out he did something and then the car kept making screeching type sound he claimed starter problem. got starter tested starter good. now another guy checks and he says could be flywheel but couldn't say have to take to shop which i have no money for. finally another guy takes a look and says my harmonic balancer isn't moving and it should be turning even if the car won't start and it might have locked the engine; however i read that the engine knocks prior to locking up which it never did ever. So in your opinion what do you think since you seem to know your stuff. thanks. as a woman this is driving me nuts.

Automakers should disable technologies that distract drivers, U.S. says

The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its long-awaited guidelines on distracted driving, calling on automakers to disable applications that allow drivers to manually access social media, surf the Web or send text messages while on the road.

The recommendations also seek to prevent any in-car technologies that require drivers to use both hands or take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds.

"Increasingly, data shows that as technology evolves, cell phones aren't the only potential distraction in vehicles," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who has made distracted driving his signature safety issue.

"Many carmakers are now developing in-vehicle electronic systems that can give directions, post to social networking sites and search the Internet."

Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the trade group is generally supportive of the agency's guidelines.

"They're based on guidelines we developed 10 years ago," Bergquist said. But they also go further to address other emerging technologies, such as those involving social media, she added.

But the Alliance, which represents 12 major carmakers, is concerned that the disability technology won't be well received by consumers, Bergquist said.  

Drivers who can't access access applications on their dashboards will just revert to calling them up on their handheld devices, she added.

"If you can't put an address into GPS while moving, then you'll just use your handheld Garmin," Bergquist said.

Voluntary guidelines

The guidelines are voluntary, meaning automakers won't be penalized or suffer a safety downgrade if they don't comply.

In crafting the guidelines, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said the agency met with a "countless" number of stakeholders, including carmakers and independent research groups.

The agency chose to make compliance optional to give regulators more flexibility in keeping with the pace of fast-evolving technologies.

Strickland added that the agency hopes automakers will make compliance with the guidelines a selling point to consumers, as they do with other safety ratings.

The public will have a chance to comment on the guidelines over the next 60 days. NHTSA will also hold three public hearings in Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles in March.

In 2010, distracted driving deaths totaled 3,092, but NHTSA believes the total could be higher because drivers are often unwilling to admit to the behavior and many crashes lack witnesses.

While other auto industry trade groups have published their own safety guidelines for in-car technologies, NHTSA wants to broaden the scope to include emerging apps for social media, and better define what constitutes a distracted driving task.

The agency is working on a study to determine the hazards of in-vehicle phone use and is looking at hand-held and hands-free devices. It plans to release its analysis late next year.

Not enough?

Still, some safety advocates feel the agency's guidelines don't go far enough.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a proposal in December calling for all states to outlaw cell phone use, including use of hands-free devices, while driving.

The proposal is far tougher than restrictions put in place by many states banning hand-held calls or texting and could put technologies that promote hands-free calling behind the wheel at risk.

While LaHood said he appreciates NTSB's efforts, the agency is still studying the risks of driving while using hands-free devices. LaHood said in December he didn't believe "hands-free" was the problem.

"Before we go too much further," LaHood said, "I want to see what the studies we're doing on the cognitive distractions on some of these technologies."

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes ‘Distraction' Guidelines for Automakers

Proposed recommendations would encourage manufacturers to develop "less distracting" in-vehicle electronic devices

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to encourage automobile manufacturers to limit the distraction risk for in-vehicle electronic devices. The proposed voluntary guidelines would apply to communications, entertainment, information gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not required to safely operate the vehicle.

Issued by the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the guidelines would establish specific recommended criteria for electronic devices installed in vehicles at the time they are manufactured that require visual or manual operation by drivers. The announcement of the guidelines comes just days after President Obama's FY 2013 budget request, which includes $330 million over six years for distracted driving programs that increase awareness of the issue and encourage stakeholders to take action.

"Distracted driving is a dangerous and deadly habit on America's roadways – that's why I've made it a priority to encourage people to stay focused behind the wheel," said Secretary LaHood. "These guidelines are a major step forward in identifying real solutions to tackle the issue of distracted driving for drivers of all ages."

Geared toward light vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans, and other vehicles rated at not more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight), the guidelines proposed today are the first in a series of guidance documents NHTSA plans to issue to address sources of distraction that require use of the hands and/or diversion of the eyes from the primary task of driving.

In particular, the Phase I proposed guidelines released today recommend criteria that manufacturers can use to ensure the systems or devices they provide in their vehicles are less likely to distract the driver with tasks not directly relevant to safely operating the vehicle, or cause undue distraction by engaging the driver's eyes or hands for more than a very limited duration while driving. Electronic warning system functions such as forward-collision or lane departure alerts would not be subject to the proposed guidelines, since they are intended to warn a driver of a potential crash and are not considered distracting devices.

"We recognize that vehicle manufacturers want to build vehicles that include the tools and conveniences expected by today's American drivers," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "The guidelines we're proposing would offer real-world guidance to automakers to help them develop electronic devices that provide features consumers want—without disrupting a driver's attention or sacrificing safety."

The proposed Phase I distraction guidelines include recommendations to:

• Reduce complexity and task length required by the device;

• Limit device operation to one hand only (leaving the other hand to remain on the steering wheel to control the vehicle);

• Limit individual off-road glances required for device operation to no more than two seconds in duration;

• Limit unnecessary visual information in the driver's field of view;

• Limit the amount of manual inputs required for device operation.

The proposed guidelines would also recommend the disabling of the following operations by in-vehicle electronic devices while driving, unless the devices are intended for use by passengers and cannot reasonably be accessed or seen by the driver, or unless the vehicle is stopped and the transmission shift lever is in park.

• Visual-manual text messaging;

• Visual-manual internet browsing;

• Visual-manual social media browsing;

• Visual-manual navigation system destination entry by address;

• Visual-manual 10-digit phone dialing;

• Displaying to the driver more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task.

NHTSA is also considering future, Phase II proposed guidelines that might address devices or systems that are not built into the vehicle but are brought into the vehicle and used while driving, including aftermarket and portable personal electronic devices such as navigation systems, smart phones, electronic tablets and pads, and other mobile communications devices. A third set of proposed guidelines (Phase III) may address voice-activated controls to further minimize distraction in factory-installed, aftermarket, and portable devices.

The Phase I guidelines were published in today's Federal Register and members of the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal for 60 days. Final guidelines will be issued after the agency reviews and analyzes and responds to public input.

NHTSA will also hold public hearings on the proposed guidelines to solicit public comment. The hearings will take place in March and will be held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C

Kia plots rear-wheel-drive strategy

Kia is going rear-wheel drive.

The company's first-ever production rear-wheel sedan will launch in Korea in the first half of this year. It's code-named "KH," and it shares a platform with the Equus, Hyundai's top-of-the-line RWD sedan.

The car will be sold around the world, Kia said in a statement. Still, a spokesman in Korea declined to say whether the KH is coming to the United States.

"Kia Motors America is still evaluating plans for KH in the U.S. market, and there is nothing further to announce at this time," the spokesman told Autoweek. A U.S.-based spokesperson also said that the RWD car is being evaluated, though the official wouldn't elaborate.

Kia has been experiencing tremendous growth in the United States, with sales surging 36 percent last year to 485,492 vehicles. A rear-wheel-drive halo car could slot in above the Optima to provide a premium vehicle with athletic ethos.

The Equus was a reasonable sales performer for Hyundai in its first full year in the U.S. market in 2011, selling 3,193 copies. That augmented sales of the less expensive though still luxury-oriented Genesis, which improved a solid 13 percent last year to 32,998.

Clearly, Americans will buy well-equipped, rear-wheel cars from a Korean company.

While the spokesmen wouldn't confirm whether the KH will come to the United States, the sedan has been conceived to be a flagship model for Kia, and it's hard to comprehend why the company's most formidable model wouldn't come to one of world's most important markets.

Soon Nam-Lee, Kia's oversees marketing director, said in a statement, "Although launch timings for overseas markets are yet to be confirmed, this all-new, rear-wheel-drive large sedan will definitely become the leading model of our lineup around the world, showcasing the best of the best of Kia."

That's reinforced by the visual evidence. The KH, in the words of a Kia press release, has "a classic-car-like feel," and the initial sketches depict a vehicle that has the gravitas of Chevrolet Impalas and Ford Galaxie 500s of old. Kia's "tiger" front grille is evident, though it appears to be bolder than in today's products. There are also prominent headlights and taillights.

Kia has laid out ambitious growth plans for the United States and Europe, targeting a sales increase of 10 percent in America this year and nearly 23 percent in Europe.

The KH was presaged last year by the GT concept, which was revealed in September at the Frankfurt motor show. That concept also drew inspiration from larger, performance-oriented cars of the past, and styling cues from the GT likely will appear on the KH.

The concept featured a turbocharged V6 making 395 hp, paired with an eight-speed automatic. If the KH comes stateside, look for a similar high-output engine and eight-speed gearbox to be among the powertrain options.