European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday october 17, 1994 automotive \ the stars and stripes Page 9 Ford motor co. Has recalled 87,000 cars to replace catalytic converters that May not meet Federal emissions standards. The recall announced Friday covers Ford thunderbird Turbo Coupe Mercury Cougar xr7 and Merl tur xr4ti cars from Model years 1986-89. Vehicles registered in California which have different engine calibrations Arentt affected by the recall. In Canada the recall applies Only to 1988 and 1989 models. North Carolina and Alaska will receive Federal Grants to test the idea of graduated driving licenses for Young people. The National Highway traffic safety administration has suggested the phased in licenses which would include an intermediate a limited a stage Between the learners permit Ana a full adult License. Grants of $397,271 to North Carolina and $77,047 for Alaska were announced by the Agency which said other states May also apply for funds to study the idea. Teen age Drivers have four times More accidents per mile than adults and the Agency contends that introducing a License stage in which youths face some restrictions could help Cut that toll. Preliminary studies in California Maryland and Oregon found that such programs Cut crashes and violations by teen age Drivers Between 5 percent and 16 percent officials said. The equipment failure feared most by Drivers is Brake failure according to the car care Council. And some surveys indicate that As Many As one out of three vehicles Are in need of some kind of Brake maintenance. The threat of Brake failure can be minimized if you take one simple step the Council recommends that you have your vehicles Brake system checked by a professional at least once every 18 months or 15,000 Miles. X if you Tow a trailer or have a daily driving routine that includes a great Deal of Stop and go travel you should make a Brake system inspection an annual event. It does no to take Long and it does no to have to Cost anything. Many Brake repair shops offer free inspections without appointments. Between inspections use common sense and be aware of the sound and feel of your car. Brakes rarely break Down without some kind of warning. Here a what to look for _ a squeaking or grinding noises when you slow Stop or turn. A pulling to one Side when you slow or Stop. A drag when the brakes fail to release completely when you take your foot off the pedal. A pulsating brakes a Jerky sensation As the car comes to a Stop. A grab when the brakes grab with the least pressure on the pedal. A hard pedal when the Brake pedal requires excessive pressure before you feel the effect. Information on vehicle Brake systems can be obtained by sending a. Self addressed stamped envelope to the car care Council dept. A one Grande Lake drive port Clinton Ohio 43452.  Mercedes Benz a said it will name its new Alabama Plant Mercedes Benz . International. Production at the new Tuscaloosa Plant formerly called Mercedes Benz project inc., is scheduled to begin in 1997. A from the associated press no snooze is news accidents caused by drowsy Drivers an increasing worry by Henry Chu los Angeles times the radio is blaring the window rolled Down. You blink hard and try to concentrate. But invisible strings tug your Chin and eyelids downward and you Drift off to sleep As your car drifts across lanes. If you re Lucky you Jerk awake a second later arid snap Back into focus. But tens of thousands of people each year Arentt so Lucky and wind up in crashes Many of them fatal. Indeed falling asleep at the wheel a often just a metaphor for being inattentive on the Job has in its literal sense become a deadly problem on our nations highways As folks work longer hours and sleep less. The . Department of transportation estimates that at least 50,000 accidents a year Are caused by sleepy Drivers with 1,436 deaths in 1992, the tendency to succumb to Chaus Tion behind the wheel cuts across All boundaries of sex age and race. But Drivers 25 and younger Are the most prone to nodding off because of lifestyles that embrace late night partying studying into the Wees hours or working evening jobs an expert in sleep research said. Also at risk Are truckers who drive their hulking tractor trailers throughout the night often through Long Flat stretches of desert or Plain. Snoozing becomes almost irresistible Given the monotonous drive blackness All around lulling vibrations and the mesmerizing Quality of watering the broken White Stripe in the Middle of the Road Rush toward you and past toward you and past. A a lot of Drivers get hypnotized a said Dick Jacoby president of West East trucking in Chatsworth Calif which delivers produce around the country. A a lot of Guys they try to fight it. But you  Jacoby who says he has logged 2 million Miles on the Road tells his employees to find a rest Stop or a Motel if exhaustion hits. A a the Rule of thumb is if you blink your eyes twice or Yawit Bice pull off and go to  to sleep disorder specialists the Rule of thumb is that humans weren to designed to perform tasks like driving Fate at night 1 . A. Y a a our natural biological rhythms push us to doze at certain times of the Day the strongest cravings grip us Between 2 . And 6 . And in the mid to late afternoon. Add to those powerful urges the fact that our society is demanding More Folts work Force at All hours und the result is a High potential for sleep deprivation and disaster.  ���.�. A a a a a x. / last March a pickup packed with 20 people veered off the freeway into a ditch near Barstow calif., killing 12 and injuring eight in one of the worst single Chi de accidents in the states history. The cause a Driver who had fallen asleep. A y / a a a a a. A a a a a a a a a they re like alcohol related crashes. They re More severe than the average crash in general a said Ron Knipling of the National Highway traffic safety administration. To try to prevent such catastrophes Knipling a Agency and private researchers Are developing devices that can be installed in cars to detect drowsiness perhaps by recording How much the car is Drifting off Center or How often the Driver adjusts the steering wheel. Activating an alarm can warn of drowsiness but the trick is finding a Way to stimulate the Driver into steady alertness especially in a luxury car that maximizes Comfort and minimizes Effort a a virtual a bed on wheels a As the sleep research expert puts it r the Gumc Jimmy is a Wagon that can Challenge the reigning four wheel drive vehicles jeeps grand Cherokee and the Ford explorer. By Paul Dean los Angeles times there a a new visitor in areas of Urban wilderness where four wheel drive vehicles Are More popular than Cowboy boots. Its the 1995 Gumc Jimmy a vastly improved Brush Crusher with sufficient style and Pugna City to cause nervous twitches among the reigning monopolists jeeps grand Cherokee and the Ford explorer. For 1995, Jimmy a engineering has been improved by borrowing from general motors better Selling More refined Sonoma compact pickups. Occupants have been Given priority equal to purpose which Means an expanded Interior better insulation to Dampen mechanical gnashing larger windows and a stiffer Frame for More educated handling. Handling. Its the Bane of All sport utilities As manufacturers attempt to offer some Middle ground for suspension setups. They typically fail. For a soft Long travelling Large leaved suspension works Well Over hummocks and Gumbo but in town requires map pockets with Barf bags. Tamer tires and taut Shelp Are great for interstates but they will whack frames and crack crowns when the going gets Rural. So Gumc lets owners do the choosing whether buying a two or four door Jimmy two or four wheel drive buyers can pick from four suspension packages a base off Road euro ride or luxury. There is Only one engine. But its last years optional Power Plant a a hard Quot pulling 200-horsepower v-6 that is larger than engines in explorer or grand Cne Rokee and Only 20 ponies shy of cherokees optional v-8. Prices also wrestle favourably with the Competition the sticker stretch is from $18,274 for the 2wd, two door Jimmy so to $22,205 for the 4wd, four door Jimmy set with a 7-Inch-Ionger wheelbase. And our snooty set tester a a Glossy Candy Apple with a steel Gray skirt and smoked Glass adding mystery to whatever might be going on inside during Rainy commutes a barely topped $27,000, that cleanly undercuts the limited editions of Ford explorer and grand Cherokee. And the set arrives with a similar Load of primary luxuries including leather bucket seats that fit better than dentist chairs but with less pain overhead console for garage door Remote and goggles a Compass for anyone venturing past Ventura two additional 12-Volt Power outlets for your Champion blender and baby bottle warmer push Button 4wd shifting on the Fly everything in fact but winches and a complimentary Winchester. The Jimmy has the Square purposeful looks of All sport utilities but with the flush curved Glass and smooth rounded contours essential for snaring today a suburban buyers. Bumpers arc integrated headlights Are wraparound and the cast Alloy wheels were made for stomping. With absolutely nothing to be ashamed of pm cd a bold Bright distinctly oversized lettering remains dead Center on the Grille. The Interior easily fits five adults with no crushed shoulder pads. There a room to stretch space to look around enough cubbies for a months motoring litter and cup holders to grab everything from a single cappuccino decaf to a half liter of evian. The soft luxury suspension still gives the fractionally top heavy Jimmy an Opportunity to wander in freeway lanes. Steering has been tightened considerably from earlier models but its Bias is still toward the floppy. But All things considered As a satisfy ing meld of Price performance Comfort and purpose the Jimmy is a contender