Transmission

DETROIT — Kia Motors is recalling more than 70,000 Optima midsize sedans to fix transmission problems that can cause the cars to roll even while they’re in park. The cars are from the 2006 through 2008 model years and were built from Sept. 29, 2005 to June 13, 2007. In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia said that on some of the cars, a transmission shifter cable was installed incorrectly and can become detached from the shifter.

HIV-infected men who are sexually active with other men may be at risk for spreading the infection, even if they are taking very potent antivirus medications, according to new research from Boston scientists. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and Fenway Health have found that highly active antiretroviral therapy, known as HAART, does not completely suppress HIV in the semen of sexually active HIV-infected men who have sex with men. The scientists said their findings, which appear online in the journal AIDS, could indicate a...

MONCTON, New Brunswick -- Canada's premiers are encouraging the concept of a national transmission grid to make sure Canadians benefit fully from the country's energy resources. And some Canadian environmentalists say New England is setting the pace for change with its regional cap-and-trade program, in which participants set a percentage-based emissions cap that they must meet together. Those who produce emissions below the cap may sell their "excess" emissions to others who produce more than the cap allows.

Central Maine Power Co. has begun construction on a new 39-mile transmission line. The $33 million line will extend from Moscow to Benton. Company officials say it will enhance the reliability of power in Somerset County and be able to accommodate wind-generated electricity in the future. The line will consist of about 465 utility poles, each 70 to 80 feet high, and is being built parallel to an existing line in an established transmission corridor. Central Maine Power says the cost of the project will be shared by utility customers throughout New England, with CMP...

HOUSTON -- Spectra Energy, a spinoff of power producer Duke Energy , was making a successful debut yesterday on the New York Stock Exchange as one of the three largest natural gas transmission companies in North America. Spectra Energy Corp. shares rose 87 cents, or 3.14 percent, to close at $28.62 on the NYSE. The spinoff of Spectra, a natural gas company, was completed Tuesday, when markets were closed to observe the memorial service for former President Gerald R. Ford. Duke Energy Corp.

WASHINGTON - Democratic congressional leaders and the Obama administration indicated yesterday that they will push for greater federal authority to locate electric transmission lines, saying the current power grid stands in the way of developing alternative energy sources. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, said he will soon introduce legislation that gives federal regulators authority to override states on electric grid placement decisions as part of a package of energy proposals the Senate is expected to take up in the coming weeks.

Complaint In many respects, this is the most boring car we've ever driven. But in certain other ways, it's also one of the most engaging. Ride, acceleration, and handling The little Versa 1.6 is surprisingly agile and spirited - a four-wheeled scooter perfect for the city. Head-turning quotient Easily ignored, great for parking in high-theft neighborhoods. Body style/layout The Versa 1.6 is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive, subcompact economy car. In this iteration, it is the bottom, the absolute base of the nine-car Versa lineup, which includes...

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Pennsylvania is trying to persuade the nation's top financial services companies to establish backup operations in the state so that markets can recover quickly in the event of another terrorist strike on New York. Governor Ed Rendell has pledged more than $30 million to Wall Street West, an initiative to build millions of square feet of office space, improve infrastructure, and install hundreds of miles of fiber-optic cable in as many as nine Pennsylvania counties.

When last we drove a 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, we were shaken and stirred. That's because it was a convertible being asked to handle 500 horsepower and nearly 2 tons of weight. It made us long for the hardtop model. We got our wish, and Ford got it right with this fastback hardtop meant to evoke Shelbys from 1967 through 1970. Ford has delivered the proper amount of power, and a delicate feel for the road (when the steering wheel is in the proper hands). The company may have been trying to save money with a live-axle rear suspension -- as opposed to independent...

2008 Smart ForTwo Base list prices $11,590 - $16,590 EPA fuel economy 33 miles per gallon city / 40 miles per gallon highway Engine 70-hp, 1.0-liter three-cylinder Transmission 5-speed automated manual What we like Unexpectedly roomy interiorManeuverabilityTurning circleIconic stylingSeating position What we don't High-speed stabilityLimited cargo capacityRock-hard brakesUnrefined auto-manual transmissionPremium fuel...

General Motors said Friday that it will invest $325 million in its Warren, Mich., transmission factory, which the automaker said would create or save 418 jobs. The plant will get equipment to build transmission parts for future electric vehicles, the company said in a statement. The timing of the investment and the exact components that the plant will build were not disclosed. The company would not say how many of the 418 jobs will be new positions. But a summary of GM's new four-year contract with the United Auto Workers union says 360 jobs will be added at the plant for...

DETROIT — Kia Motors is recalling more than 70,000 Optima midsize sedans to fix transmission problems that can cause the cars to roll even while they’re in park. The cars are from the 2006 through 2008 model years and were built from Sept. 29, 2005 to June 13, 2007. In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia said that on some of the cars, a transmission shifter cable was installed incorrectly and can become detached from the shifter.

WASHINGTON - Volkswagen of America is recalling about 13,500 vehicles to fix problems with a dual-clutch transmission that could lead to a warning appearing on the dashboard. Also yesterday, Audi of America, Volkswagen’s luxury division, announced its own recall of 2,500 vehicles, citing similar concerns. All of the vehicles were built between September 2008 and August 2009. The Volkswagen recall affects the 2009 model year and a limited number of 2010 Jetta, Jetta SportsWagen, GTI, and Eos vehicles.

Complaint In many respects, this is the most boring car we've ever driven. But in certain other ways, it's also one of the most engaging. Ride, acceleration, and handling The little Versa 1.6 is surprisingly agile and spirited - a four-wheeled scooter perfect for the city. Head-turning quotient Easily ignored, great for parking in high-theft neighborhoods. Body style/layout The Versa 1.6 is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive, subcompact economy car. In this iteration, it is the bottom, the absolute base of the nine-car Versa lineup, which includes sedans and...

WASHINGTON - Democratic congressional leaders and the Obama administration indicated yesterday that they will push for greater federal authority to locate electric transmission lines, saying the current power grid stands in the way of developing alternative energy sources. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, said he will soon introduce legislation that gives federal regulators authority to override states on electric grid placement decisions as part of a package of energy proposals the Senate is expected to take up in the coming weeks.

2008 Smart ForTwo Base list prices $11,590 - $16,590 EPA fuel economy 33 miles per gallon city / 40 miles per gallon highway Engine 70-hp, 1.0-liter three-cylinder Transmission 5-speed automated manual What we like Unexpectedly roomy interiorManeuverabilityTurning circleIconic stylingSeating position What we don't High-speed stabilityLimited cargo capacityRock-hard brakesUnrefined auto-manual transmissionPremium fuel...

The state has eliminated more than $1 million for HIV testing and education in county jails, alarming sheriffs who fear the cuts threaten the health of inmates and those they have contact with after being released. Sheriffs warned that the cuts will lead to eliminating staff who educate inmates about the virus; curtailing HIV testing within the jails; and ending visits by infectious disease doctors who monitor inmates' health. "I'm very concerned," Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said.

South African President Jacob Zuma and his African National Congress sought a court order Tuesday to have a painting depicting the president's genitals removed from an art gallery but two men took matters into their own hands by defacing the portrait with gobs of paint. The case pits freedom of expression against the right to dignity, both guaranteed by South Africa's constitution. The painting by Brett Murray went on display in a Johannesburg gallery this month and came to the ANC's attention a week later, after local media reported it had been sold.

MONCTON, New Brunswick -- Canada's premiers are encouraging the concept of a national transmission grid to make sure Canadians benefit fully from the country's energy resources. And some Canadian environmentalists say New England is setting the pace for change with its regional cap-and-trade program, in which participants set a percentage-based emissions cap that they must meet together. Those who produce emissions below the cap may sell their "excess" emissions to others who produce more than the cap allows.

HOUSTON -- Spectra Energy, a spinoff of power producer Duke Energy , was making a successful debut yesterday on the New York Stock Exchange as one of the three largest natural gas transmission companies in North America. Spectra Energy Corp. shares rose 87 cents, or 3.14 percent, to close at $28.62 on the NYSE. The spinoff of Spectra, a natural gas company, was completed Tuesday, when markets were closed to observe the memorial service for former President Gerald R. Ford. Duke Energy Corp.