2014 Chrysler 300 S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

More Ram trucks recalled over tailgate issue

Almost a year ago Fiat Chrysler recalled roughly 1.6 million Ram trucks over an issue with the locking power tailgate. The actuator limiter tab for the power locking mechanism could fracture, which would permit the actuator's lock-rod control to move beyond its limits. That would pull the locking rods open, thereby allowing the tailgate to open at any time. The 2018 recall covered Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickups from the 2015 to 2017 model years, with the five-foot-seven and six-foot-four beds and the power locking tailgate option. Trucks with eight-foot beds, and those with manual-locking tailgates, were excluded. The trucks with eight-foot beds have been added to the recall as of earlier this month, putting 410,351 more trucks in the pool. According to Consumer Reports, Ram redesigned the locking assembly on the other two shorter bed sizes for trucks built after August 2, 2017, which was the end of the 2017 model year. But the eight-foot long-bed trucks didn't get the redesigned part until April 2, 2018 for some reason, making all eight-foot-bed pickups from the 2015 model year to April 1, 2018 part of the recall equation. FCA says it's not aware of any accidents or injuries because of the issue. The company plans to notify owners on June 28. The paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't advise owners to stop driving the trucks, but nor does it instruct owners on how to address the problem in the meantime. Sounds like bungee cords might be the go. The fix is estimated to take 30 minutes at the dealer and entails removing the tailgate cover and installing a stop block to prevent the locking actuator's pivot arm from traveling too far. FCA says it will reimburse owners for any other repairs made to address the problem. Meanwhile, owners can contact Fiat Chrysler Automobiles customer service at 800-853-1403, and refer to FCA's number for this recall, V44. The NHTSA campaign number is 19V-347. Last year's recall comes under FCA number U74, and NHTSA campaign number 18V-486. Ram's not alone on this field. The NHTSA continues to investigate the 2017 Ford Super Duty pickups for a similar issue.

Ferrari stock sale pegged for October, or later

The Ferrari IPO is still coming, but it won't be before Columbus Day (Monday, October 12, that is), according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne. The outspoken exec is blaming tax reasons for the fourth-quarter date, according to a report from Reuters. Marchionne said a full year needed to pass between FCA's October 13, 2014 Wall Street debut and any additional listing. This isn't the first delay in the Ferrari IPO. FCA was originally supposed to make a 10-percent offering of Ferrari during second or third quarter of 2015, before officially pushing things back to the third quarter of this year. Now, it's unclear if Ferrari will even go public before the dawn of 2016. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Marco Vasini / AP Earnings/Financials Government/Legal Chrysler Ferrari Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA fiat chrysler automobiles

Lee Iacocca’s 10,000-square-foot Bel Air mansion hits the market

We’ve seen the auctioning off of much of the estate of the late, famed auto executive and former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca, who died last year at age 94, including his 1992 Dodge Viper and wood-sided 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Convertible. Now comes his former Southern California mansion, which has hit the market for a cool $26.9 million. The Tuscan-style mansion in the tony Bel Air section of Los Angeles is where Iacocca lived following his retirement from Chrysler and the automotive industry in 1992. According to the website TopTenRealEstateDeals.com, itÂ’s a 10,682 square-foot, five-bedroom, eight-bath palace on 1 acre near the Bel Air Country Club. It comes with four ensuite guest rooms, a separate staff apartment, formal living and dining rooms, a wood-paneled library and five (!) fireplaces. High ceilings, chandeliers and expensive wood trim and moulding work abound. ItÂ’s also tailor-made for entertaining, with big open-plan rooms opening to landscaped terraces, a chefÂ’s kitchen, a swimming pool, spa and tennis courts. And in fact, Iacocca was said to have entertained the likes of Bob and Delores Hope, Frank and Barbara Sinatra, Priscilla Presley and Betty White. Oddly, considering Iacocca was one of the first celebrity auto execs, thereÂ’s no information about the estateÂ’s garage; Autoblog has inquired about that with the listing agents and will update this if we hear back. In the overhead view in the gallery above, the driveway leads to the large wing on the left side of the house, so the garage is potentially pretty big, but it's hard to say what else might share space under that roof. Aside from his work developing the iconic Ford Mustang in the 1960s, Iacocca is perhaps best known to generations of Americans for his role rescuing Chrysler from collapse. He did so by securing a $1.2 billion federal loan from Congress, restructuring the company by cutting wages and closing plants introducing popular fuel-efficient cars like the K Car and introducing the minivan. After his retirement in 1992, Iacocca invested in casinos and a line of imported olive oil, and he was a member of several corporate boards.   Featured Gallery Lee Iacocca's Bel Air mansion View 11 Photos Celebrities Chrysler