Perodua owners reminded on rear seatbelt deadline

Perodua vehicle owners that have yet to make appointment for their vehicles to be inspected for exemption or have the rear seatbelt installed at Perodua Service outlets are reminded to do so to avoid a last minute rush.

“Please have your appointment made by the end of June 2011, otherwise owners may not be able to get the seatbelts installed on time,” Perodua Managing Director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

The Government has indicated that it will not extend the 31 December 2011 deadline for owners to get their vehicles fitted with the rear seatbelt or given exemption for vehicles without anchorage points.

“The public have been given 3 years notice from 31 January 2009 to do so,” he pointed out.

“While the initial responses from the Perodua owners were good, however, it tapered off after 1 year. From 1 January 2009 to 31 March 2011, only 214,887 Perodua owners have sent their vehicles out of the total 526,722 units that are required to undergo inspection and retrofitting,” Aminar said.

Another 311,835 affected Perodua owners have yet to get their vehicles inspected.

The public can get the rear seatbelts installed for free at 56 designated Perodua service centres throughout the country.

They can call Perodua Customer Hotline at 1800-88-6600 to make an appointment or visit the nearest service centre.

Source: www.perodua.com.my

Perodua bags 2 awards at Frost & Sullivan Awards

Perodua bagged another 2 awards at the recent “2011 Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Excellence Award.”

Perodua’s compact multipurpose vehicle, Alza won the “Best Model of The Year” while the ViVA was awarded as the “Value-for-Money Car of the Year (1.3L and below).”

“This award will no doubt be another milestone for Perodua as it proves that our products are well received by our customers,” Perodua Managing Director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

“Perodua is not just about building practical compact vehicle but we emphasize on the people first philosophy in tandem with our brand statement of “Building Cars, People First,” he pointed out.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the Perodua ALZA scored high marks in these areas - high sales volume, market share, key selling points and marketing strategy among other things while the ViVA proved as the most economical car in terms of fuel consumption, part cost and total cost of ownership.

Perodua has sold some 266,700 units of the ViVa since May 2007 while more than 53,200 units of the Alza were sold since its launch in November 2009.

Source: www.perodua.com.my

In Memories... Perodua Rusa

The Perodua Rusa is a microvan manufactured by Malaysian automaker Perodua, and based on the Daihatsu Zebra and Daihatsu Hijet Maxx. Launched on March 6, 1996, with a 1.3 litre engine, followed by the 1.6 litre range on May 14, 1997, the Rusa is the first van to be produced by a Malaysian automotive company.

Three variations of Rusa vans are offered: The CX (1.3 litre, two seat version), the EX (1.3 litre, five seat version) and the GX (1.6 litre, seven seat version). The CX is primarily intended to serve as a freight vehicle, while the EX and GX are intended for private use. The van is also used by Malaysian police and fire fighting forces.

The vehicle's name "Rusa" is a Malay translation of "Deer". Later replaced by the Perodua logo, the van's original logo was a galloping deer.

Tips Penjagaan Kotak Gear

Apabila kita membeli kereta baru, semua peralatan adalah baru termasuk gear box. Dan jika kita perhatikan, ada dinyatakan apabila millage kereta kita mencecah 1,000 km, kita perlu hantar kereta untuk service pertama.

Service pertama adalah check up terakhir yang sepatutnya dibuat pada semua kereta oleh pengeluar kereta. Perkara yang diperiksa pada service pertama termasuk menukar semua jenis minyak pada kereta termasuk minyak gear box. Jangan abaikan service pertama ini kerana pada masa ini minyak injen dan minyak gear box yang mengandungi lebihan besi atau habuk besi di dalam injin akan dibuang bagi mengelakkan injin dan gear box terhakis.

Bagi yang membeli kereta secondhand, apa yang perlu dibuat, tukar minyak gear box sebaik sahaja anda membeli kereta tersebut dan rekodkan bacaan millage kereta anda. Bagi auto, setiap
15,000 atau 20,000 km, tukar minyak gear box anda. Bagi manual, setiap 40,000 atau 50,000 km tukar minyak gear box anda. Perkara ini sangat penting bagi menjamin gear box anda sentiasa bergerak lancar dan dalam keadaan "normal operating temperature" sepanjang masa. Bagaimanapun millage yang perlu bagi menukar minyak gear box bergantung kepada kereta dan jenis gear box (ikut panduan dalam manual kereta). Saya cadangkan setiap dua kali tukar minyak gear box, masukkan sedikit gear treatment. Setiap kali service kereta, minta mekanik memeriksa sekali paras minyak gear box kereta anda. Pastikan ia berada melebihi paras minima.

JANGAN MEMANDU SEKIRANYA PARAS MINYAK GEAR KURANG DARI PARAS MINIMA BAGI MENGELAK KEROSAKKAN GIGI GEAR.

Bagi kereta manual, semasa memandu jangan sekali-kali meletakkan kaki anda di atas pedal clucth. In boleh memendekkan jangka hayat clucth plate nada dan merosakkan gigi gear kereta anda. JANGAN CUBA LAKUKAN ‘SPIN WHEEL’. Laraskan paras clucth supaya berada dalam keadaan yang sesuai dengan panjang kaki anda (minta bantuan mekanik). Jangan paksa sekiranya gear tak masuk sebaliknya cuba lepaskan handbrek dahulu (terutama kancil). Semasa berada di lampu traffic, naturalkan gear dan tarik handbrek. Jangan biar injin melahu dalam keadaan bergear. Minta bantuan mekanik untuk mengenalpasti kelajuan maksimum gearbox kereta anda dan jangan memandu melebihi kelajuan maksimum ini.

Bagi kereta auto, pastikan anda faham kegunaan semua paras gear iaitu P, R, D, L, 2 dan 3. Bagi pemanduan biasa, gunakan cuma D dan bila memotong, gunakan "overdrive button". Sekiranya kerata anda tidak mempunyai overdrive button (wira 1.6 mempunyai overdrive button dan tidak pada wira 1.3, 1.5 ,kancil), anda perlu menerima hakikat yang kereta anda tidak boleh dipandu secara aggresive. Jangan gunakan overdrive button pada kelajuan melebihi 100 km/j kerana fungsi overdrive button adalah seperti kita menurunkan gear dari gear 5 ke gear 4 apabila memotong dan tetap pada gear 4 sehingga kita offkan overdrive button. Bayangkan pada kelajuan melebihi 100 km/j kita turunkan gear ke gear 4 atau 3. Kalau kita tak bernasib baik, kita mungkin dapat mengutip segala gear dan skru bertaburan di atas jalan. Gear 2, 3 dan L adalah untuk kegunaan mendaki iaitu apabila kereta kita tidak dapat mendaki cerun yang curam. Paras gear ini hanya untuk kegunaan kelajuan rendah (bergantung pada jenis kereta).

Bagi kereta semi auto, triptronik, steptronik. Penggunaan minyak gear box yang direkomenkan oleh pengeluar adalah sangat mustahak. JANGAN SEKALI-KALI MENUKAR JENIS MINYAK GEAR BOX KECUALI MENDAPAT NASIHAT DARIPADA PENGELUAR. Penukaran gear dari tinggi ke rendah juga mesti mengikut kelajuan yang disarankan oleh pengeluar. Sekiranya terdapat lelehan atau kebocoran minyak atau minyak keluar dari gearbox anda, jangan panik, gear box anda tidak rosak, kemungkinan cuma oil seal gear box sudah ‘mati’. Cuma periksa paras minyak gear box dengan lebih kerap dan pastikan ianya sentiasa cukup. Setiap kali kita menukar clucth plate, tukar juga oil seal walaupun ianya tidak bocor kerana jangkahayat oil seal dalam gearbox biasanya sama dengan jangkahayat clucth plate.

Seatbelt Pretensioners, New Feature for D54T

Introduction

Most modern seatbelt assemblies use three-point anchoring systems in conjunction with a pretensioner, which locks the belt in place during a crash event.
The three types of pretensioners in use today are mechanical, electrical and pyrotechnic. Each will be described here briefly, though the main focus of this report is the pyrotechnic type.

Types

Mechanical

Mechanical pretensioners use an inertial wheel with a pendulum device that moves under the rapid deceleration of the crash to lock the belt into place. Such mechanisms can often be detected by giving a sudden tug on the belt. A mechanical pretensioner will automatically lock the belt into place, with the intent of limiting occupant travel in the event of a crash.

Electrical

Electrical pretensioners replace the mechanical means of sensing deceleration (the pendulum) with an electrical device that may or may not be tied into the airbag ignition circuits.

Pyrotechnic

Pyrotechnic pretensioners use electrically triggered pyrotechnics that tighten the seatbelt a prescribed amount upon sensing a crash event. These devices can operate on either the buckle or ratchet side of the seatbelt mechanism. These are the most highly technical type of pretensioner, and also the most expensive. These will be the focus of this report.

History

Mechanical seatbelt pretensioners came into play at the same time full three-point anchoring systemswere employed. Some means were required to prevent excessive seatbelt slack with systems using non-fixed belt lengths. Excessive seatbelt travel allows too much occupant motion during a crash, thus increasing the chance of contact with components such as the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. Too much occupant travel also implies high velocities relative to these components, thus allowing the occupant to develop significant energies as contact with the interior is made. All of this translates into increased potential for injury in an accident.

Initially, mechanical pretensioners simply limited the travel in the belt. These designs include:

o	a pendulum that moves under the sudden deceleration of a crash
o	a ratchet mechanism, which rolls and unrolls the belt upon a reel usually associated with the pillar of the automobile.

The pendulum and ratchet interact in such a way as to lock the reel and therefore the belt into place during an accident, preventing any further travel of the seatbelt and occupant. These devices would more accurately be called limiting devices rather than pretensioners, as no true pretension is imposed within the belt itself.

Electrical pretensioners are similar except that the mechanical means of sensing deceleration is replaced by an electronic sensor that may or may not be associated with the deployment of the airbags.

It became apparent that more occupant protection could be achieved if some tension could be developed in the belt. The use of pyrotechnics in automotive airbags helped forge the way for use of pyrotechnics in seatbelt pretensioners. These devices use small pyrotechnic charges to pull the seatbelts into place and actually generate tension in the belt during a crash. This keeps the occupant travel to a minimum and also helps optimize occupant position for effective use of the restraint capabilities of the airbag systems.

Operation

Pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners operate on either the buckle or the ratchet side of the seatbelt mechanism. Their action augments or compensates for a variety of seatbelt performance issues, including:

o	Taking up any slack in the belt prior to occupant motion.
o	Compensating for the "film spool effect" of the seatbelt webbing unwinding upon itself on the locked ratchet.
o	Holds the occupant in position for airbag contact and so-called "ride down". Pretensioners are used in conjunction with other seatbelt features, such as:
o	"torque load bars"
o	"web grabbers"
o	breakaway seams

These features help optimize the performance of the airbag systems.

Maintaining proper occupant position reduces the amount of work the airbag must perform on the occupant, and thus increases the level of protection provided by the airbag system. Keeping the occupant in the proper position also helps minimize injury due to the rapid inflation of the airbags.

Pyrotechnic pretensioners are electrically triggered at approximately the same time as the airbags. Mechanical triggering can also be employed.

The combustion of the pyrotechnics within the pretensioner creates pressure that is used to either pull on the buckle side of the seatbelt mechanism or to tighten up on the spool side of the mechanism, thus reeling in some length of the seatbelt webbing.

Some means of mechanical locking is usually employed to maintain belt tightness.

A further description of the operation of pyrotechnic pretensioners can be found in the Technology section of this report, where specific details of the technologies used in these devices are discussed in some detail.

Automotive TIV Expected To Fall In 2011 - AmResearch

Malaysia's total industry volume (TIV) of new motor vehicles is not expected to spike in 2011 as disruption in the supply chain as a result of March earthquake in Japan may prompt players to cut production, AmResearch says.

"Broadly, we downgrade our TIV forecast to 590,027 units from 626,336 units previously. We now expect TIV to decline 2.5 per cent in 2011 versus an expected 3.5 per cent rise previously," the research house said Wednesday.

Last year, total TIV in the country hit a new record of 605,156 units, replacing the last one in 2005 which was 552,361 units.

AmResearch said UMW Holdings could be one of the worse affected, given that its plants at Toyota and Perodua were largely controlled by Japanese partners which adopted strict just-in-time inventory management system.

"We suspect Perodua and Toyota will likely need to manage sales deliveries in order to maintain sufficient inventory levels to keep their plants running," it said.

It added that Perodua's MyVi replacement model launch was facing a potential delay from earlier scheduled in April.

Toyota Japan recently already indicated that assembly disruptions may thin supplies of vehicles into the third quarter but Proton and Nissan are better insulated from supply shortage.

As a result of this, AmResearch said it trimmed 2011 earnings projection across the board by six to 12 per cent also to reflect crimped margins from reduced economies of scale and lower sales.

Source: BERNAMA

In Memories.... Perodua Kelisa

The Perodua Kelisa was a city car manufactured by Malaysian automaker Perodua from 2001 to 2007. The car was an unofficial successor to the Perodua Kancil, but was offered by Perodua alongside the Kancil until both models were replaced by thePerodua Viva in 2007.

The Kelisa was, in all its releases, based on a fifth generation Daihatsu Mira (L500), and is named after the Arowana fish native to Malaysia (ikan kelisa). The Kelisa was made available in two iterations: The first, which debuted in 2001, was intended to bear similarities to the 1999 Perodua Kancil at the front, including the headlights and grille; the second iteration, introduced in 2002, was given a minor facelift to feature modified and lower profile bumpers, and a grille that extended wider to reach the headlights. The second iteration would go on to replace the original Kelisa outright in the Perodua lineup. The Kelisa was popular amongst Malaysian drivers for its relatively good power-to-weight ratio, affordable price and low fuel consumption.^{[verification needed]}

The Kelisa was released in several "special" editions. A limited-edition Kelisa, based on the original variant, prominently sports two-toned colored paintwork and minor interior modifications. Later, the interior of the second Kelisa was given a few modifications and the exterior a modern Metallic Pearl Jade finish—a light double metallic colour—which Perodua marketed under the name Kelisa Imago.

he Kelisa range includes three models: the entry level EX, the GXi and the automatic EZi. It has a maximum speed of 97 mph (156 km/h) and can achieve about 68 miles per gallon. The Kelisa has a three-cylinder 989 cc petrol DOHC 12-valve engine (EJ-DE engine) with electronic fuel injection system. A smaller three-cylinder 847 cc petrol engine is also available. Selected Kelisa models also came with built-in Bluetooth technology.

As Perodua has sold its vehicles to the United Kingdom since 1997, the Kelisa was introduced into the country in January 2002 as a replacement to the Nippa, a rebadged Kancil, and like its predecessor was the cheapest new car on sale in the United Kingdom, starting at just over £5,000.

Production and marketing of the Kelisa, along with the Kancil, was officially halted following the release of the Perodua Viva in May 2007. Due to similarities in size and vehicle model they are derived from, the Viva is intended to succeed the Kelisa and the Kancil, both of which had been in production for 6 years and 13 years, respectively.

Perodua sees bumpy ride

The second and third quarters of this year will be challenging for Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (PERODUA).

The company’s operations are affected by the earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan in March.

Inventories at Perodua’s plant and the company’s vendors are estimated to be sufficient till May production.

“We believe this situation is temporary and we will bounce back strongly,” said Perodua MD, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said in a statement.

He said the company was communicating with Daihatsu Motor Co, and local vendors to zoom in on the problems and seek appropriate counter-measures.

“We will update our staff, vendors, dealers and other stakeholders as the situation becomes clearer,” said Aminar.

Perodua maintained its top spot in the car market with strong 2011 first-quarter sales. It sold about 45,700 units and had a 29.1% market share.

Source: The Star Online

Perodua Maintains Lead In Car Sales In 1Q-Myvi again best seller

Perodua maintained its pole position in the first quarter of this year with car sales of 45,700 units and an estimated market share of 29.1 per cent. Compared with the same period last year, sales fell 4.4 per cent from the 47,800 units and market share of 32.4 per cent, the company said in a statement here today.

"Competition has heated up with new product offerings and promotions by other manufacturers," its managing director, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said. He also said that despite the challenging market conditions, the company recorded the best sales for the year in March 2011 with close to 18,000 units, driven by strong demand for the Myvi, ViVA and Alza. Perodua sold 21,500 units of the Myvi in the first three months of the year or 19 per cent higher than the 18,000 units during the corresponding period of 2010.

Perodua also sold about 17,200 units of the ViVA while the Alza was also the top seller in the multipurpose vehicle segment with 10,400 units during the first three months of 2011. By revenue, sales of parts and accessories also improved by 31 per cent during the quarter under review.

"Moving forward, the second and third quarters will be challenging as our operations are impacted by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We believe the situation is temporary and we will bounce back strongly," Aminar said.

Source: BERNAMA

Perodua Says Supply Disruption Only a Temporary Setback

Perusahaan Automobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), says the supply chain disruption encountered by the company following the recent natural disasters in Japan, is only a "temporary setback" and inventories are sufficient until May.

Perodua's managing director, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said the company was currently assessing the situation, to better understand the impact of the earthquake and tsunami while in direct communication with its Japanese partner.

"We are in direct and continued communications with our partner, Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd, as well as local vendors to have a better and clearer picture of the problem and appropriate counter measures to be taken," he said in a statement released here, Thursday.

Concurrently, Perodua is updating its staff, vendors, dealers and other stakeholders, as the situation and problem become clearer.

Based on the latest information, the inventories at Perodua's plant and vendors are sufficient till May production, with some adjustments.

Meanwhile, OSK Research said any shortfall to the automotive industry due to the natural disasters, should be manageable as it can be easily be made up for by doubling production shifts in the second half of 2011.

It said should there be supply disruptions, the likelihood of cancellation of bookings by Perodua consumers would be minimal, given the lack of availability of substitute models.

"Any shortfall in production numbers in the near term could easily be made up for by doubling production shifts," it added.

OSK also said its recent conversation with a Tier 1 vendor of Perodua highlighted that the recent natural disasters had not caused a major supply disruption in the production of Perodua vehicles.

It has however, caused a delay in launching the upcoming new Myvi replacement scheduled for April-May 2011, to sometime in September or October," the research house added.

It said production of the Myvi replacement parts by Perodua vendors remains ongoing.

It noted that the current Myvi model is still on schedule to be phased out sometime at the end of the first half of the year as inventory supplies appear to be sufficient.

OSK also understood from a source that Perodua remains committed to producing 10,000 new Myvi replacement units monthly to cater to the huge demand going forward.

"This is judging from the significantly above average sales of 6000-7000 units a month.

"Hence, we think any production shortfall of Perodua cars in the first half of 2011, could easily be made up for in the second half of the year," it said.

OSK is maintaining an "overweight" call for the sector.

It said Proton Holdings Bhd's unit sales in the first quarter of the year continues to be strong year-to-date, rising by 10 per cent and boosted by the renewed scrapping program as well as the promotion for interest rates offered.

In contrast, Perodua's numbers remain weak compared to last year (-4 per cent year-to-date) as the impending launch of the new Myvi, may have slowed sales.

Source: BERNAMA

ABS Brakes and the Facts

Since most cars on the road today have some form of Antilock Brakes (ABS) I think we should take a look at how they work and clear up some mis-information about them.

As always, what I describe here is how most systems work in general. Since different manufacturers have their own versions of ABS their specifications and part names may differ. If you're having a problem with the ABS on your vehicle you should always refer to the specific service and repair manuals for your vehicle.

The ABS is a four-wheel system that prevents wheel lock-up by automatically modulating the brake pressure during an emergency stop. By preventing the wheels from locking, it enables the driver to maintain steering control and to stop in the shortest possible distance under most conditions. During normal braking, the ABS and non-ABS brake pedal feel will be the same. During ABS operation, a pulsation can be felt in the brake pedal, accompanied by a fall and then rise in brake pedal height and a clicking sound.

Vehicles with ABS are equipped with a pedal-actuated, dual-brake system. The basic hydraulic braking system consists of the following:

• ABS hydraulic control valves and electronic control unit
• Brake master cylinder
• Necessary brake tubes and hoses

The anti-lock brake system consists of the following components:

• Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU).
• Anti-lock brake control module.
• Front anti-lock brake sensors / rear anti-lock brake sensors.

Anti-lock Brake Systems (ABS) operate as follows:

1. When the brakes are applied, fluid is forced from the brake master cylinder outlet ports to the HCU inlet ports. This pressure is transmitted through four normally open solenoid valves contained inside the HCU, then through the outlet ports of the HCU to each wheel.
2. The primary (rear) circuit of the brake master cylinder feeds the front brakes.
3. The secondary (front) circuit of the brake master cylinder feeds the rear brakes.
4. If the anti-lock brake control module senses a wheel is about to lock, based on anti-lock brake sensor data, it closes the normally open solenoid valve for that circuit. This prevents any more fluid from entering that circuit.
5. The anti-lock brake control module then looks at the anti-lock brake sensor signal from the affected wheel again.
6. If that wheel is still decelerating, it opens the solenoid valve for that circuit.
7. Once the affected wheel comes back up to speed, the anti-lock brake control module returns the solenoid valves to their normal condition allowing fluid flow to the affected brake.
8. The anti-lock brake control module monitors the electromechanical components of the system.
9. Malfunction of the anti-lock brake system will cause the anti-lock brake control module to shut off or inhibit the system. However, normal power-assisted braking remains.
10. Loss of hydraulic fluid in the brake master cylinder will disable the anti-lock system. [li[The 4-wheel anti-lock brake system is self-monitoring. When the ignition switch is turned to the RUN position, the anti-lock brake control module will perform a preliminary self-check on the anti-lock electrical system indicated by a three second illumination of the yellow ABS wanting indicator.
11. During vehicle operation, including normal and anti-lock braking, the anti-lock brake control module monitors all electrical anti-lock functions and some hydraulic operations.
12. Each time the vehicle is driven, as soon as vehicle speed reaches approximately 20 km/h (12 mph), the anti-lock brake control module turns on the pump motor for approximately one-half second. At this time, a mechanical noise may be heard. This is a normal function of the self-check by the anti-lock brake control module.
13. When the vehicle speed goes below 20 km/h (12 mph), the ABS turns off.
14. Most malfunctions of the anti-lock brake system and traction control system, if equipped, will cause the yellow ABS warning indicator to be illuminated.

Perodua terkena tempias gempabumi di Jepun.

Mengikut sumber dalaman, pihak Perodua akan mengurangkan pengeluaran kereta sehingga 70% ekoran kerana kesulitan dalam mendapatkan alat ganti yang diimport dari Jepun bermula April 2011 ini. Hal ini meyebabkan berlakunya kelewatan penghantaran terhadap tempahan kereta Perodua. Ini adalah kerana hampir 40% alat ganti kereta Perodua terutama bahagian enjin di import dari Jepun. Oleh itu kepada para pembeli Perodua dinasihatkan agar bersabar dengan perkara ini. Untuk info kilang Perodua di Sg. Choh, Rawang menghasilkan sekitar 15,000 kenderaan pada setiap bulan.

Pada 11 Mac lalu, gempabumi dan tsunami telah mengakibatkan industri automotif global kini terumbang ambing. Para pemerhati berkata ekoran itu beberapa syarikat besar seperti Toyota, Honda dan Nissan telah mengurangkan jumlah pengeluarannya.