I live in Los Angeles, so I know from traffic.

As you can see from Martha Kang McGill's chart (at left, also enlarged after the jump), I live in the worst city in the country, trafficwise. (Then again, spend some time -- which will be significant -- on Interstate 5 at 4:00 p.m. on a weekday and you wouldn't need a chart to tell you this.) The chart shows how much time the average commuter in 14 cities wastes, per year, stuck in traffic. Not only that: Things aren't getting better when it comes to congestion -- they're getting worse.

Well, not everywhere. As you can see from the "red needle" indicator, which shows congestion levels in 1997, one major city has actually improved: The average Seattle citizen's yearly commute time dropped almost 10 hours, from more than 50 to closer to 40. 

(Update: Toyota has added yet another recall to the list: About 9,400 2010 model year Lexus GX 460s, due to potential rollover issues.)

Yep, another one.

Only days after Lexus' parent company halted sales of the GX 460 for poor electronic-stability-control response, word comes -- here, from MSNBC -- that Toyota will recall 600,000 Sienna minivans to "address potential rusting spare tire cables that could break and create a road hazard in the latest safety problem to strike the beleaguered automaker."

Add that 600,000 tally to the almost 9 million vehicles that have been recalled, worldwide, since the widespread unintended-acceleration fiasco started gaining attention.

The recall covers 1998 to 2010 model year Siennas -- specifically those with 2-wheel drive that have been sold or registered in 20 cold-climate states, plus the District of Columbia.

The problem, according to Toyota, is that road salt could cause rust on the carrier cable that holds the spare tire; eventually and with enough degradation, the cable could break and dump the spare tire into the road, endangering other drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has thus far received six complaints of spare tires falling off Siennas.

Say what you want about what, exactly, got Toyota into its current situation, but the company has been nothing but fast-twitch response to any recent allegations of safety issues -- almost to the point of knee-jerk reaction. And while that can help toward rebuilding some customer loyalty and image resuscitation, a halt of recalls and safety issues to begin with would be far more effective.


 

If you want a car without a tailpipe, now's the time to jump at the chance for a new Nissan Leaf.

Nissan North America is opening up a reservations list for its all-electric vehicle, starting April 20. Of potential reservations, priority will be given to the more than 115,000 who signed up for more information about the Leaf at NissanUSA.com; if you haven't done so but would like to, registering at the above site by the end of day today will put you in the running. The reservation process opens up to the general public on May 15 and is a necessary step toward buying or leasing a Leaf when they roll out to select markets in December. 

The next time you rant online about your balky car or dicey dealership, be careful: Someone might be listening. But as opposed to, say, the government monitoring your e-mail, this time it sounds like a good thing. The explosion of Facebook, Twitter and other social media has automakers looking to not only spread their message in cyberspace, but to get unvarnished feedback from owners and consumers. Now, J.D. Power and Associates has created its Auto Intelligence Monitor, a Web tool that lets automakers listen in on social media to see how people really feel about their cars, dealership experiences and more.

 

The tool automatically follows what people are saying online about 37 automakers, nearly 300 models and 12 key topics -- everything from auto safety and environmental issues to styling, value, technology and automakers’ business, marketing and communications practices. J.D. Power will use the monitor to create industry benchmarks, helping manufacturers track their progress or see where their products, images or services rank against competitors.

 

Now, the worst-case scenario is that the manufacturers treat this independent feedback like the complaint box at a giant corporation -- a place where gripes and suggestions go to die. Done right, though, this kind of tool could empower consumers, or just make them feel like, well, a valuable customer.

 

BMW has priced the all-new 2011 BMW 528i sedan at $45,425.

Based on the 6th-generation 5 Series, the 528i is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder making 240 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque. These figures represent improvements of 10 hp and 30 lb-ft over the previous-generation 528i. BMW says a 0-to-60-mph sprint should take just 6.6 seconds compared with 7.1 seconds for the previous model.

 

Yep, another one.

Only days after Lexus' parent company halted sales of the GX 460 for poor electronic-stability-control response, word comes -- here, from MSNBC -- that Toyota will recall 600,000 Sienna minivans to "address potential rusting spare tire cables that could break and create a road hazard in the latest safety problem to strike the beleaguered automaker."

Add that 600,000 tally to the almost 9 million vehicles that have been recalled, worldwide, since the widespread unintended-acceleration fiasco started gaining attention.

The recall covers 1998 to 2010 model year Siennas -- specifically those with 2-wheel drive that have been sold or registered in 20 cold-climate states, plus the District of Columbia. 

Ford's Mustang may have a horse as its insignia, but the new version of this rebirthed muscle car has been reproducing like a bunny -- between limited editions, special or collector editions and every tuning house under the sun having a go at the pony car, there are almost more iterations of the Mustang than gearheads to drool over them. One name, though, has been missing of late: Steve Saleen and SMS Supercars.

Well, that wait is over: Saleen today debuts, on the day before the 46th anniversary of the original Mustang (launched on April 17, 1964), his 2011 SMS 302 Mustang, part of the trio of SMS Signature Series, kicked off last year with the 2010 SMS 570 Challenger and to be followed by an SMS Camaro.

Let's get to the real meat of the story, shall we? According to the press release:

"The SMS 302 4V utilizes the all-new normally aspirated twin overhead cam 5.0L V8 engine
with over 440 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. This is accomplished with an all-new 4-valve head
design, a high flow exhaust system, an optimized pulley drive system, premium fuel
calibration and performance filtration. 

According to Christopher Jensen over at The New York Times Wheels blog, Acura is calling back about 1,850 ZDX models due to an issue -- an improperly laser-scored dashboard cover -- that might prevent the passenger side airbag from deploying during a crash.

No problems have been reported by customers, according to the manufacturer; instead, it says it was told of the problem by a supplier.

In other recall news, Phil LeBeau is touting the partnership between General Motors and the used-car information site Carfax in his Behind the Wheel column at CNBC.