oldsmobile directional switch not working

I have a 1996 olds cutlas supreme. The directional signals work sometime, and when it does work only the driver's side works. Also, on the dash, only the driver side flash works. I checked the bulbs, and they are all good. A mechanic said that the flash switch was bad, and he had to get a new or used column. I was told by autozone, that only the switch needs to be replaced. Can anyone advise me on what and how to do it. Is this a job for a novice like me?
All advice would be appreciated.

Response:
-- Will your Center High-Mount Stop Light (CHMSL) illuminate when you depress the brake pedal, but the lower/outer lights will not?

-- Do you have to hold the signal lever in a certain spot to get the turn signals to flash?

-- Do you have to hold the signal lever in a certain spot to get the lower/outer brake lights to illuminate?

-- Will the signals work in one direction, but not the other?

If you answered yes to any of the preceeding questions, your turn signal switch is likely malfunctioning.



**One more question before we continue: Is the turn signal lever not "cancelling" (returning to the "off" position) after you make a turn? If this is the case, you have a broken "cancelling spring." Please see the accompanying section at the bottom of the page for replacement instructions.



Before you begin disassembly of your steering column, verify the turn signal flasher is not malfunctioning. If your brake lights work fine, but not the signals (either direction,) then it's likely the flasher is burnt out. The flasher itself is located underneath the dash near where the steering column passes through the firewall:

(Thanks to "digitaloutsider" for the above pic!)



Throughout this document you'll see me refer to the steering wheel radio controls as "RSWC." That's GM-Speak for "Redundant Steering Wheel Controls."



Okay, are you ready to sweat a little? This task is not for the mechanically inept, so back out now if you aren't sure you're up to the task.

Tools required for disassembly and removal:

Standard socket set (3/8" drive)

#30 TORX bit (not absolutely necessary, a hex-head will work if you don't have a TORX set)

Steering wheel puller:

Snap ring pliers:

Lockplate compressor:

2 small flat blade screwdrivers:

Notice the box carries both the AC Delco part #, and the GM part #.



Here's a pic of the new switch:

Allright, still with me? Let's begin.

1. Park the car with the steering wheel centered and the wheels straight ahead.

2. Locate and remove the "Airbag" or "SRS" fuse in the passenger side fusebox. There is more than one fuse for the airbag system, so I like to start the car after step 2 to verify the Airbag light in the dash remains lit. This way you know for sure that you pulled the correct fuse. On the Regal, it's fuse #21, highlighted below:

3. Remove the Negative battery cable.

4. Remove the trim panels underneath the driver's side of the dashboard.

5. Locate the yellow "CPA" connector for the airbag underneath the dash to the right of the steering column and disconnect. Remove the blue (or green) pin from the center of the connector to allow for the tab to be depressed.

6. Use the #30 TORX bit (or the corresponding Hex bit) to loosen the 2 bolts that secure the airbag to the steering wheel, located on the back of the wheel. The bolts will stay inside of the wheel. You will have to turn the wheel to the left to get to the left hand bolt.

7. Lift the airbag module away from the steering wheel.

8. Using the same procedure as described in step 5, disconnect the airbag wiring. Also disconnect the horn wire and RSWC connector (if available.) The horn is disconnected by following the red wire down to the white plastic "cylinder" sticking up from the column. Press in on the cylinder and rotate it counter-clockwise, then it should pop out (it's spring loaded.) On the Regal, there is a ground wire that "pins" inside of one one of the bolt holes for the steering wheel puller. Be sure to remove it as well. The Grand Prix and Lumina airbags will have a large piece of metal that acts as a spring that rests against the steering shaft (that is how the horn gets "grounded.")

9. Set the airbag aside. Carry it with the driver's side facing away from you. Set it down on a workbench facing up.

10. Point the wheels straight ahead once again.

You should now see the following:

11. Remove the steering wheel nut.

12. Install the steering wheel puller and remove the steering wheel.

You should now see this:

What you see exposed now is the airbag clockspring. The wire with the yellow connector is for the airbag, the one with the flat, black connector (on the bottom with the blue on the top) is for the RSWC.

13. Remove the snap ring that retains the clockspring.



14. Lift the clockspring off of the steering shaft and let it hang.

*WARNING* Do not allow the yellow inner ring of the clockspring to rotate, otherwise you will have to reset it later. Draw a mark across the black and yellow rings for alignment purposes, and place a piece of tape across the rings to prevent them from turning...

15. Remove the "wave" washer.



16. Remove the plastic cover on the left side exposing the washer and dimmer switches.

17. Pull the multifunction stalk straight out and disconnect the cruise control wiring from the washer switch.

You will now see the following:

The part that's exposed now is the Lock Plate. It has a spring pressing up against the back of it, and it is held in place by a retaining clip. You will need to use the lock plate compressor tool to press down on the lock plate to take tension off the spring in order to remove the retaining clip.

18. Use the lock plate compressor to depress the lock plate. The center of the tool threads on to the steering shaft, and the 2 "forks" press down on the lock plate.

Here's a pic of the Lock Plate Compressor tool installed on the column and pressing down on the lock plate:

19. Use the 2 small screwdrivers to remove the lock plate retaining clip. Have patience with this step, 'cause it takes a while to work the clip loose. If you bend the clip, no worries, you can easily bend it back into shape.

20. Remove the lock plate compressor.

21. Lift off the lock plate, paying attention to where you have it aligned. You will need to align it in the same position when reassembling the column. (Look 3 pictures up to see how it should be aligned.)



22. Carefully remove the hazzard flasher knob from the top of the column.

23. Remove the cancelling cam and spring.



You will now see this:

24. Remove the 2 screws that hold the dimmer switch to the signal switch.

25. Remove the 3 screws retaining the signal switch in place. You will have to move the switch into the "right signal on" position to remove the final screw.

26. Locate the bulkhead connector underneath the dash to the right of the steering column, loosen the large (red in the picture) bolt in the center of the connector and pull the connector straight out it. The bolt has an 8mm head, BTW.

Here's an overview of what you'll see under the dash:

Here's a pic of the Bulkhead up close with the signal switch harness hilighted (actually it's the harness on top, not the lower one pointed to in the pic.)

27. The signal switch harness piggybacks to the ignition switch harness. With the Bulkhead connector unbolted and removed, remove the blue retaining tabs and slide the signal switch harness *backwards* to remove it. It only slides in one direction, BTW. You may need to wedge a tiny screwdriver in the center of the signal switch harness to get it to disengage from the bulkhead.

28. If you have RSWC, disconnect the RSWC connector from the signal switch (there's a pigtail harness running from the signal switch to the connector)

29. Feed the wires up the column. You will have to first angle the harness so it will slip into the channel of the column. Pull on the signal switch to aid in feeding the wires up.







30. Installation is the reverse of removal.

31. When you get to point of reinstalling the clockspring, align the tab at the top centered with the notches near 12 O'Clock on the column.

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Here's how you replace a broken cancelling spring:

Follow the disassembly instructions above from Step 1 through Step 23



Here's what the signal switch looks like with one of the cancelling springs broken:

The springs are easily removed with a needle-nose pliers. They are installed the same way they came out.

Here's a pic of the switch with the new springs installed:

Reassembly is the reverse of removal.

Before you install the clockspring, go to Step 31.


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Just in case anybody was wondering how the column is assembled, here's a diagram I found on the GMPartsDirect website:

Ford recalls 281,000 F-150 trucks in U.S.

DETROIT (Reuters) -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling nearly 281,000 F-150 pickup trucks in the United States because of a potential problem with the door handles not working properly, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported today.

Model years 2009 and 2010 F-150 trucks produced from January 2008 to November 2009 are being recalled because in the event of a crash, "the door handle spring can fail causing the door latch to open," NHTSA said in a filing.

As of Jan. 21, there had been no reported accidents or injuries related to this issue, Ford told NHTSA.

Ford said that customers will initially be asked to bring their F-150s to dealerships if any door handle is loose or fails to return to a stowed position.

Later, once replacement parts are available, owners will be asked to bring in their trucks for inspection at Ford or Lincoln dealerships, the filing said.

The F-150 is the primary model of the F-series of pickup trucks that have been for 34 straight years the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. market.

Honda may end CR-V export to U.S. to reduce yen impact

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co. is looking to end exports of the popular CR-V crossover to the United States from Japan when it is remodeled in autumn to reduce losses from the strong yen, an executive said today.

"Our profit structure has improved mainly thanks to robust overseas operations, and the toughest area remains exports from Japan," Chief Financial Officer Yoichi Hojo said at a reporters' roundtable at Honda's headquarters.

"With a little investment, we would be able to increase production of the CR-V in the United States, so that's the most probable course of action (to reduce yen exposure)," he said.

Japanese automakers are reeling from a strong yen, now trading at around 81-82 to the dollar, losing money on many models that are exported from domestic factories.

Honda already has the least currency exposure among Japan's top automakers given its relatively low export ratio of 30 percent. Last year, Toyota Motor Corp. shipped 53 percent of its Japan-made vehicles, and Nissan Motor Co. exported 59 percent.

Honda, Japan's third-biggest automaker, built about 72,000 CR-Vs in Japan last year, exporting about 35,000 of them to the United States. Honda also builds the model in Mexico and Ohio.

Cost, pricing structure improving

Rivals are also taking similar steps to reduce exports from Japan. Nissan said last month it would shift production of its Rogue crossover from Japan to the United States at its next remodeling in 2013.

Hojo said Honda, like other Japanese automakers, would look to use more components from low-cost countries such as China and India to take advantage of the strong yen, also making those adjustments when vehicles are renewed.

Honda is due to revamp its high-volume Civic this spring, and Hojo said he expected new low-cost parts to account for at least 10 percent of the car, from virtually none now.

Honda has already raised that ratio on the low-margin Fit subcompact to 17 percent, and is aiming to boost that to about 30 percent, Hojo said.

Honda on Monday delivered better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and lifted its annual profit forecasts beyond the market consensus, largely due to the popularity of light trucks in North America.

With gasoline prices still relatively stable, more U.S. consumers are driving away with light trucks instead of passenger cars, and Hojo said Honda was boosting daily production capacity at its Alabama plant by 50 units to 650 units from this month to meet demand for the Odyssey minivan and other bigger models.

Honda this week forecast an operating profit of 620 billion yen ($7.6 billion) for the business year ending on March 31, for an operating margin of 7.0 percent -- at the top end of the industry -- despite an 8-yen fall in the dollar.

Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo said this week Honda had achieved an earnings structure under which it could make a profit of 100 billion yen ($1.23 billion) per quarter at a dollar rate of 85 yen and car sales of 900,000 units. A year ago, it strived to achieve that level of profitability at 90 yen to the dollar.

Hojo attributed the stronger earnings structure to the company's ability to raise its product prices -- by around 1 percent to 2 percent a year in the United States -- and a better cost structure partly helped by greater economies of scale.

Honda's shares have jumped 27 percent in the past three months, outperforming a gain of about 20 percent for both Toyota and Nissan.

U.S. auto sales may reach second-fastest rate in 17 months

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- U.S. automobile sales in January may have reached the second-fastest pace in 17 months, aided by rising business spending and consumer confidence.

January vehicle deliveries, to be released tomorrow, may have run at a 12.4 million annual rate, the average of six analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The seasonally adjusted rate in December was 12.6 million, the fastest since the government’s “cash for clunkers” program in August 2009.

Spending on equipment and software rose at a 5.8 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter, showing businesses were investing in a recovering economy. Humphrey & Associates Inc., a family-owned electrical contractor in the Dallas area, added seven Chevrolet trucks and vans to its fleet in December after delaying the purchases during the recession.

“People are beginning to spend a little money they’ve had on the sidelines,” Randy Humphrey, 42, the company’s vice president, said in a telephone interview. “We are dependent on our commercial and industrial clients and their business growth to make ours. When they’re adding, we’re adding.”

U.S. consumer confidence rose more than forecast in January to the highest in eight months, the Conference Board reported last week, while the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan final index of consumer sentiment fell less than analysts estimated. Gross domestic product grew at a 3.2 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter, the Commerce Department reported.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank AG and J.D. Power & Associates this month raised their estimates for 2011 light-vehicle sales after auto demand topped expectations in the fourth quarter. Gains from General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. may push the industry to a second annual sales increase after a 27-year low in 2009.

‘Strong close’

“There was such a strong close in December, and we aren’t expecting an equally strong payback,” said Jeff Schuster, the director of forecasting at J.D. Power who raised his full-year sales estimate to 13 million from 12.8 million. “That sets the year up for a good start.”

Full-year sales in 2010 were 11.6 million, or 31 percent less than the average 16.8 million annual rate before the recession, according to researcher Autodata Corp., based in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

Ford, which last week announced full-year profit of $6.56 billion that was the most since 1999, may say sales climbed 18 percent, according to four analysts’ estimates.

“Ford still relies heavily on F-150 sales for the profit generation, and that segment is poised to outperform the market this year,” said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends at TrueCar.com, who predicts a 16 percent gain for Ford in January.

Chevrolet pickups

GM may report a 9.2 percent increase in January sales, the average of four estimates. The automaker announced this month it would add a third shift and about 750 jobs to its assembly plant in Flint, Mich., to meet rising demand for heavy-duty pickups.

The largest U.S. automaker said its top-selling Chevrolet brand’s sales to small businesses accelerated in the fourth quarter, including a 54 percent surge in December from a year earlier.

Federal Reserve policy makers last week kept measures to stimulate the economy in place after President Barack Obama reached an agreement with Republicans in December to extend by two years tax cuts enacted during President George W. Bush’s administration.

“Interest rates are low enough, credit availability is improving, and we didn’t get a jolt from tax increases that would have affected higher-income taxpayers who buy a lot of vehicles,” said Paul Ballew, chief economist for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. in Columbus, Ohio. “All those things are clear pluses helping to bolster demand.”

Toyota sales

Toyota Motor Corp., the only large automaker to post a U.S. sales decline last year, may report a 16 percent gain for January, the average estimate of four analysts.

The world’s largest automaker suspended U.S. sales and production of eight models a year ago that accounted for more than half its deliveries. The company has recalled more than 18 million vehicles globally for a variety of reasons, including unintended acceleration, since the fall of 2009.

Barclays Capital analyst Brian Johnson predicts a 2.8 percent decline for Toyota, its fourth straight month of a decrease in sales from the earlier year. Deliveries of the top-selling Camry and Corolla cars may decline at least 10 percent, and Lexus sales also may drop, Christopher Ceraso, an analyst at Credit Suisse in New York, wrote in a Jan. 27 research note.

Chrysler estimates

Chrysler Group LLC may have increased sales 27 percent, the average of four analysts’ estimates. The automaker is preparing for an initial public offering this year and has said it can break even on an operating basis with 150,000 fewer vehicle sales annually.

The company is selling about 20 percent of its cars to fleet buyers such as governments and rental-car companies, down from about 50 percent in some months last year, Caldwell said.

Chrysler is considering two new pickups, a seven-passenger Jeep and a smaller minivan as part of a plan to boost global sales to 2.8 million in 2014. Worldwide deliveries gained 21 percent to 1.6 million last year, the automaker said.

Deliveries at Honda Motor Co. may have risen 24 percent, and Nissan Motor Co.’s sales may have increased 14 percent, according to the average of four analysts’ estimates.

California Air Resources Board Tire Pressure Check Mandate

Effective September 1, 2010, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has a new regulation that requires California's automotive maintenance industry to check the tire pressure of every vehicle they service.

This rule, one of 44 early action measures required by the 2006 California Assembly Bill 32, will annually:

1. Eliminate 700,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions;
2. Reduce the state's fuel consumption by 75 million gallons; and,
3. Extend the average tire's useful life by 4,700 miles.

"The 40,000 service providers subject to the regulation include smog check stations, engine repair facilities and oil service providers. Those not included are car wash, body and paint, and glass repair businesses."

taxes on a gallon of gas

The taxes on a gallon of gas start as soon as the oil comes out of the well. Although negotiated contracts, sweetheart deals, kickbacks and cross-cutting legislative actions can dramatically muddy the waters when it comes to assessing an "average" royalty in many countries, the fact is that companies like Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM - News) and BP (NYSE: BP - News) owe the landowner and/or the state money whenever they remove oil and natural gas. In the United States for instance, companies pay a royalty of 12.5% on oil taken from onshore Federal lands, and that is an addition to so-called "bonus bids" that are paid upfront.

If that oil travels through a pipeline to reach a refinery (and much of it does), there's more taxation there - states and municipalities will charge property tax on the pipelines, and some also charge tax based on the volume of oil or gas sent through the pipeline. What's more, pipeline tariffs are often restricted by law, which is in effect a tax as well.

Once the oil gets to the refinery, there's still more taxation that figures into the final pump price. Although excise tax is collected at different times and at different levels, the federal tax on gasoline amounts to a little over $0.18 per gallon, with states tacking on more tax (ranging from $0.07 to $0.30 per gallon depending upon the state). Don't forget, too, that many states tack on their regular sales tax every time you buy gasoline.

As the infomercials say, "but wait, there's more!" From the wellhead to the filling station, employers have to pay taxes on their employees' wages, property taxes on facilities, corporate income taxes and other incidental taxes like vehicle registration. While some of this does not necessarily pass on to the consumer (many economists have demonstrated the employees pay for their employer's taxes in the form of lower wages), most of it does.

2005 Honda CR-V vibration on sharp turns

Customer complained about a noise and or shuttering when turning into a tight parking spot. The shudder is there everytime but only on sharp turns at slow speeds. The CR-V only has 52,000 miles on it.

SHop:
test drove and could duplicate the exact issue as described by the customer. Pulled into shop and put up on rack for further inspection. The vibration is in fact coming from the rear differential. With the engine off and holding one tire still and turning the other tire slowly you can reproduce the vibration and watch the rear differential jump around.

All research points to changing the differential fluid and Making certain to use Honda Dual Pump Fluid Only! According to the operaters manual the differential fluid is due to be changed at 60,000 miles. Unit holds 1.3 qts of fluid.

FIX:
Drained and replaced fluid with Honda Dual Pump Fluid II, that I got at my local auto parts store, and test Drove. Problem solved.

Toyota recalls 1.7 million cars globally, including 245,000 Lexus sedans in U.S.

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp., struggling to restore its reputation for top quality, today recalled nearly 1.7 million vehicles globally for a variety of fuel system related problems, including 245,000 Lexus IS and Lexus GS sedans in the United States.

The North American vehicles are being called back to inspect for possibly faulty installation of fuel pressure sensors. In cases where the sensor is not fastened tightly enough, fuel can leak between the gasket that connects the sensor to the fuel delivery pipes, Toyota said.

Lexus dealers in the United States will inspect vehicles for fuel leaks. If none is found, they will tighten the sensor. If leaks are confirmed, the gasket will be replaced and the sensor tightened.

The move affects the following vehicles in the United States: 2006-2007 model year Lexus GS300/350; 2006-early 2009 Lexus IS250; and 2006-early 2008 Lexus IS350.

Today's actions bring the total number of Toyota recalls since fall of 2009 to 18 million vehicles.

“After Toyota's recalls last year, the company is more sensitive to recall issues and conducting them as early as possible,” Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at TIW Inc., told Bloomberg.

The move covering the fuel-pressure sensor covers 354,524 vehicles worldwide, including the Toyota Crown and Mark X sedans in Japan.

Also today, Toyota conducted a global recall targeting faulty fuel pipes and fuel check valves. That action affects 1.34 million vehicles, but none in North America.

Toyota said there have been no accidents related to any of the recall-related problems.

About 1.2 million of the vehicles in the second recall were sold in Japan, including the RAV4 SUV and the Voxy and Noah minivans. About 135,000 vehicles are in Europe, mostly the Avensis sedan and wagon manufactured at Toyota's plant in Britain.

A design flaw in those vehicles means that fuel pipes may develop cracks and leak. Some of the vehicles also have faulty check valves meant to prevent the reverse flow of fuel.

PRESS RELEASE: Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain 2006-2007 Lexus GS 300/350, 2006-2009 IS 250 and 2006-2008 IS 350 Vehicles to Inspect the Fuel Pressure Sensor Installation Click here for Customer FAQ for Lexus IS and GS Fuel Pressure Sensor Re

Toyota Motor Corporation announces separate recall involving certain vehicles not sold in North America.

TORRANCE, Calif., January 26, 2011 – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced that it will conduct a voluntary Safety Recall involving approximately 245,000 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 vehicles sold in the U.S. to inspect the fuel pressure sensor installation.

Due to insufficient tightening of the fuel pressure sensor connected to certain engine fuel delivery pipes (those with Nickel Phosphorus plating), there is a possibility that the pressure sensor could loosen over time. If loosening occurs, fuel could leak past a gasket used in the connection between the sensor and the delivery pipe and through the threaded portion of the sensor.

Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicle for fuel leakage and if no leakage is found, will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. The inspection and possible gasket replacement will be conducted at no charge to the vehicle owner.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a safety recall notification by first class mail once the parts that may be needed have been obtained. Lexus will also post this information on its website. Detailed information about this recall is available through Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25 LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987 or at www.lexus.com/recall.

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today announced a separate recall involving 1.3 million vehicles worldwide to remedy a different condition on a different fuel delivery pipe and a high pressure fuel pump check valve. TMC's recall announcement does not involve vehicles sold in North America.

Suzuki to pitch Kizashi sedan in regional Super Bowl ads

American Suzuki Motor Corp. will air a commercial for its Kizashi sport sedan during the Super Bowl next month, joining the crowded field of automotive brands hoping to capitalize on the year's biggest TV event.

It will be the Japanese automaker's first advertising appearance during a Super Bowl broadcast.

The 30-second Super Bowl spot is called “Wicked Weather” and will air in 19 markets concentrated in the eastern United States and seaboard, and in the Southeast.

The spot shows a driver evading a pack of menacing, snowball-wielding snowmen with the help of the Kizashi's optional all-wheel-drive system.

Suzuki aims to get the Kizashi and its optional AWD system in front of consumers that drive on snowy, icy roads during winter.

Suzuki will join a host of automotive brands with ads planned for the Super Bowl, including Hyundai, Kia, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz.

Before the “Kizashi Kicks” marketing campaign that began this month, Suzuki had a scant national advertising presence in 2010 as U.S. sales fell 38 percent from 2009.

Kizashi volume totaled 6,138 in 2010 in its first full year on sale.

EPA approves E15 fuel for use in 2001-2006 cars

Automakers to ask courts to overturn rule

WASHINGTON – Gasoline can be sold with as much as 15 percent ethanol – up from the current 10 percent limit - in vehicles made between 2001 and 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today.

The Obama administration's announcement dealt another defeat on ethanol concentration to automakers, who said they would probably contest the decision in court.

Last October, the EPA approved use of so-called E-15 gasoline for cars, SUVs and light pickup trucks made during the 2007 model year and later.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said today that use of E-15 gasoline would “allow more home-grown fuels in America's vehicles” without harm to emissions control equipment in cars and light trucks made since 2001.

Jackson said there had been “thorough testing” of the fuel by the U.S. Department of Energy.

EPA also said it will ensure that E-15 gasoline is properly labeled at the gas pump to prevent it from being pumped into vehicles that might be harmed.

An international automaker group said the government hasn't done enough testing to ensure that vehicles fueled with E-15 gasoline would be safe.

“All the data is not in to prove that E-15 won't have a negative effect on any vehicles,” said Mike Stanton, president of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers.

Automakers seek court relief

He also expressed concern that, even with labels at the gas pump, consumers might accidentally fuel cars that haven't been approved for E-15 fuel.

Last month, U.S. carmakers and engine manufacturers asked a federal appeals court to require the EPA to reconsider its earlier ethanol decision on cars made since 2007.

Stanton said the lawsuit would probably be expanded to include vehicles covered by today's EPA decision.

There are more than 150 million vehicles made since 2001 on U.S. roads, and they account for 74 percent of vehicle gasoline consumption, EPA spokesman Cathy Milbourn said in an interview.

By 2014, there will likely be 187 million cars and light trucks made since 2001, and they will account for 85 percent of gasoline consumption, she said.

The decision today was hailed by a group of ethanol makers called Growth Energy.

“Increased use of ethanol will strengthen our energy security, create U.S. jobs and improve the environment,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.

The EPA did not grant approval today for E-15 gasoline use in motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles or non-road engines because testing has not yet determined it is safe, the agency said in a statement.