2001 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Limited on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Conan releases extended cut of Chrysler's Super Bowl ad

Chrysler's latest Super Bowl ad follows in the footsteps of its classic Imported From Detroit spot starring rapper Eminem and Half-Time in America ad starring Clint Eastwood. Featuring Bob Dylan's gravely voice asking, "Is there anything more American... than America?" the spot has been somewhat controversial, thanks to a few lines informing viewers that Germany can brew beer, Switzerland can make watches and Asia can assemble phones. The US, though, will build your car, Dylan tells us. When the ad aired, Shinola-wearing Detroiters simultaneously spit out their Atwater beer over the perceived slight.
Naturally, that controversy has spawned more than a few parodies, one of which comes from Conan O'Brien. Coco expands on the list of things that aren't made in the US, like French water, Danish cheese and Japanese animated, um, adult films. Beyond those examples, there are a number of other things that should be left to countries that aren't the United States. It's a chuckle-worthy parody, so scroll down and have a look, and compare it to the original Super Bowl ad below that.

Bob Lutz, UAW rep commend Chrysler for not bowing to NHTSA recall pressure [w/poll]

Bob Lutz, the well-known executive with a range of automakers including both General Motors and Chrysler, says he supports Chrysler for not caving under federal pressure to issue a recall on 2.7 million Jeep vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is arguing that the plastic fuel tanks positioned behind the axles of certain 1993-2004 Grand Cherokee models and 2002-2007 Liberty models may become punctured in a collision and potentially catch fire, so it has called upon Chrysler to recall the vehicles. 15 deaths and 46 injuries have been attributed to the issue. For its part, Chrysler has maintained that its models "met and exceeded" all safety applicable mandates when they were manufactured, and furthermore, they argue that the government agency's own data proves that the vehicles are no more dangerous than similar SUVs produced by other automakers at the time. As a result, it is taking the unusual step of refusing to recall the vehicles.
According to The Detroit News, Lutz says Chrysler is right to push back when the government is out of line. Lutz also said that he wished he could have done the same when NHTSA urged Chrysler to issue a recall on certain minivans back when he was with the automaker 25 years ago.
Meanwhile, United Auto Workers Vice President General Holiefield also defended Chrysler by saying, "Our legendary Jeeps are crafted with pride by our dedicated UAW American workforce who work tirelessly to ensure the utmost quality of each Jeep that is produced for customers."

Chrysler recalls 350k vehicles over ignition switches

Chrysler has announced a recall covering 349,442 vehicles due to ignition switches that can either become stuck or move without warning. All of the affected vehicles are from the 2008 model year, and were built before May 12, 2008.
The automaker has learned that ignition keys on some vehicles "may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position during engine-startup," the company said in a statement. Additionally, "an ignition key may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position and may inadvertently move through the 'ON' position to 'ACCESSORY' or 'OFF.'"
Chrysler says it is unaware of any related injuries, and notes that while reduced braking, engine or steering power is possible in such instances, the airbags are not affected. The later stands in contrast to General Motors' recent rash of high-profile recalls, and it's an important distinction that Chrysler (understandably) felt necessary to call out in bold print in its press release.