European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes automotive monday april 25,1994 Chrysler corp said wednesday that it has recalled 1,600, podge Dakota pickup trucks to replace defective suspension bolts that could cause handling problems if they  recall affects 1994 four wheel drive Dakotas. The problem was discovered at an Assembly Plant while bolts were being installed on the trucks upper suspension control arms Chrysler spokesman Alex Tsigdinos said. He said one Batch of bolts was improperly heat treated by a supplier. Chrysler received no customer complaints or reports of accidents related to the defect Tsigdinos said. The government is looking for a Way to Tell Consumers How Energy efficient new tires Are. The current system of tire grades i being reconsidered and officials Are contemplating adding a Grade that would give buyers a rating for what is called rolling resistance. Some tires Roll across the Road More easily than others. Those with High rolling resistance require More Energy to travel the same distance. Improving the rolling resistance of tires would save $2.7 billion in Energy costs through the year 2000, according to the government s climate Chang action plan. The National Highway traffic safety administration is seeking comment on the idea of a rolling resistance Grade for tires As Well As suggestions on an possible changes in the current tire grades which cover traction tread Wear and temperature resistance. Comments can be sent to the docket Section National Highway traffic safety administration 400 seventh St. S.w., room 5109, Washington . 20590.� " Chrysler corp. Will Market three More right hand drive vehicle models in Japan within the next two or three years a Chrysler official said. In the past japanese officials have suggested that . Automakers did riot try hard enough to sell in Japan particularly in failing to bring in car with the steering wheel on the right. Japan s traffic moves on the left Side of the Road. Chrysler began marketing Jee cherokees with right hand drive in Japan on Jan. 1 last year. Jerry k. Hsu Chrysler s Asia Pacific sales manager said wednesday that the three models coming later will be the newly developed subcompact passenger car Neon the jeep grand Cherokee four wheel drive multipurpose vehicle and a next generation minivan Massachusetts on Friday launched the nation s largest demonstration project to test and evaluate the everyday use of electrically powered motor vehicles for  officials said the such cars can help reduce american dependence on imported Oil and greenhouse Gas emissions and create jobs in the electric vehicle Industry. This eve demonstration will help us fully understand the role of electric vehicles As part of our transportation mix said economic affairs Secretary Gloria  environmental officials said the electric cars Are a Long term economical and responsible solution for the future maintenance of the  the first phase of the demonstration project 20 commuters will drive electric vehicles Between their Homes and the rapid transit stations they now use. Recharging stations will be installed. From wire reports no alarm Way to fight theft kill switch can keep car snatchers from even getting started by Charles Mcewen new York times Call it what you will kill switch engine disabled or starter interrupt. This Low tech device has a simple purpose to thwart a car thief without the costly Melisand whistles of Many Security systems. Installers and manufacturers recommend wiring the kill switch to the car s starter. Before turning the key in the ignition the Driver either flips a toggle us sets a plastic key into a connector or punches a code into a Keypad. The toggle can be hidden under the dashboard beneath the seat or in the Glove Box. Push Button switches can be tucked under the carpeting and activated by foot. /.  kill switch forces a potential thief to waste valuable time most thieves want to break into a car Start the engine and drive away in seconds. Searching for a hidden toggle or circumventing a switch s wiring leaves them vulnerable to Detec Tion. In several states including new Orkand new Jersey a kill switch entitles a car owner to a 5 percent discount on the comprehensive portion of his or her Auto insurance. If you know your Way around an elec tric Drill and a voltmeter or test Light you can install a kill switch yourself but since you can damage your car in the pro Cess it is not a Job for a rank Amateur. Kits Are available for As Little As $15,but to protect your car from the damage a Short circuit might cause Many install ers suggest that you look for a More expensive kit with its own fuse. Code alarm inc. Makes the Anes 20starter prevention system which oper ates with a plastic key. The suggested Price is $69.95, but it can be purchased for about $50 in some places. To Aid i installation by do it yours Elfers it comes with its own videotape. For $299 installed Audi Vox offers the Pursuit Keypad starter Cut out which disconnected to a dash mounted illuminated Keypad. To Start the car the Driver punches in a four digit code. Many locksmiths car stereo installers and Auto alarm specialists will put in a Basic kill switch for less than $100. The Price ranges from $80 to $150 in the Newyork City area for example. By comparison alarms can be had for As Little As $70 at Auto parts stores. One new Jersey installer says a reasonably sophisticated alarm will Cost $300 to $600.but keep in mind that alarms do Little to deter a determined thief and that false alarms can provoke the neighbors. Is a kill switch Worth the Money if it costs you $10, and you re saving a $23,000 car then it s Cost effective said sgt Christopher Buck a  officer for the Detroit police de. Apartment. But Mike l Dornhecker publisher of installation news in Redondo Beach calif., a Trade Magazine for retailers of Auto Mobile alarms car stereos and Mobile phones took a dimmer View the prob Lem with something like this is that the Guy May do thousands of dollars of damage breaking into your car whereas if you Hada More sophisticated system he might have bypassed your car in the first  big wheel at the White House the new presidential limousine a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham sits in a White House driveway last week ready to whisk president Linton away when called upon. The new six passenger hmm is 22 feet 6 inches Long and is equipped with a Telephone Public address system climate control and stereo. The presidential transportation takes unleaded Gas. Aaa says when it Rains on Drivers it pours Heathrow Fla up motor statistics As proof he  who think they always seem to have car trouble at precisely the worst possible time May be right the american Auto Mobile association reported thursday. The aaa Florida manager of Public and government relations Tom Schrod but he explained the figures help the Auto club adjust staffing so it can better respond to its members needs. Aaa Florida will respond to More than 1 million Calls for help from its uting factors behind the statistics be cause people tend to delay dealing with car problems until the last moment which often is after the car Breaks Down. People in two vehicle household favor one car on the weekend. That _. Members this year with mid april the Means the other sits unused delaying Dis or said a review of service Calls in the Start of its busiest season for Road service covery of a mechanical problem or giving state found that service Calls peaked at Schroder said the aaa Florida review a borderline Battery the Chance to run times when people already were under discovered that nearly one Quarter of All Down Schroder said. Str5f to breakdowns occur on mondays with he said that lockouts occur in the rain motorists Are most. Likely to break More reported Between 9 . And 10 or outside malls because people Are in a Down before work on a monday morning . Than any other hour. He added that hurry and that they Are not Keeline tracker lock themselves out of the car in the As Many As 50 percent of All lockouts Are of their keys rain or at an Airport or shopping mall reported on the weekend with most of Schroder t f Schroder said curing in the rain outside shopping malls mechanical Orall f a people who believe the world is and airports. And recognize we Fly Are Side stress against them May be tempted to use our Schroder said there Are Strong contrib so they avoid making careless mistakes