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Chrysler recalling nearly half a million vehicles with active head restraints

Chrysler has announced that it will recall roughly 490,000 vehicles around the globe due to a potential active head-restraint problem. The problem is being blamed on "potentially faulty microcontrollers" that may keep the vehicles' anti-whiplash active safety feature from working properly. Chrysler says it has no knowledge of any accidents or injuries related to the issue. Models covered under the recall include the 2011-2013 Chrysler Sebring, 200 (shown) and Dodge Avenger models, along with 2011-2013 Jeep Liberty and 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro SUVs.
Interestingly, the Pentastar notes that the faulty part came from an (unnamed) supplier who furnished the parts in the wake of Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami, natural disasters which decimated the world's supply of microcontrollers.
Chrysler says of those nearly half a million vehicles affected, around 442,000 of them reside in the US, with an additional 25,000 in Canada and 10,000 units in Mexico. A further 12,000 models were shipped beyond the NAFTA region. The Auburn Hills automaker will begin sending out recall notices shortly, and technicians will upgrade the system software or replace the microcontroller as necessary at no cost to owners.

Dodge Dart pushed toward the grave with simplified lineup

FCA announced a while back that the Dodge Dart and its Chrysler 200 half-sibling are on the way out due to lack of interest. The 2016 model year will be the Dart's last, and Dodge has just reconfigured the lineup mid-year to lower (relative) pricing and streamline ordering. Streamlined is a nice way of saying there will be fewer choices, with three models (down from five) and limited customization beyond choosing the paint color. The odd thing is that the Dart continues to offer three different engines. And while the prices of the individual models have decreased, the former SE base trim is now gone. That means an early-2016 Dart was available for as little as $17,990, while the late-2016 Dart starts at $18,990. For that sum you get the new base model, the SXT Sport, which replaces the SXT and comes with the 2.0-liter Tigershark four-cylinder (160 horsepower, 148 lb-ft of torque) and a six-speed manual; a six-speed automatic is an available option. Standard equipment includes normal entry-level car stuff, black cloth upholstery, 16-inch wheels, and grille shutters that help improve fuel economy. The SXT Sport can be dressed up with one of three different appearance packages; Chrome adds bright accents to parts including the grille and door handles, Rallye has a black grille and a touring suspension, and the Blacktop package makes pretty much everything on the exterior black and includes a sport-tuned suspension. All three packages come with bigger wheels, too. From there it's on to the new Dart Turbo, for $20,490. It comes with the 1.4-liter turbo four (160 hp, 184 lb-ft of torque) and comes exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. This is supposed to be the model for enthusiasts, which is how Dodge is selling the switch to manual-only. Ditching the disliked dual-clutch automatic that was previously offered with this engine doesn't hurt. This engine was also used in the former Aero model, as it's the most fuel-efficient in the lineup. The Turbo gets the Rallye appearance stuff and a different hood. At the top is the Dart GT Sport, starting at $21,900. It has the 184-hp, 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. This is the one with features, including a power driver's seat, the 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment unit, digital reconfigurable gauges, dual-zone auto climate, keyless start, and a rearview camera. The latter-part-of-2016 Dart will be available in eight colors.

CEO Sergio Marchionne curses FCA spokesman for emissions cheating denial

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne reprimanded the company's top U.S. spokesman for issuing press releases about Fiat's vehicle emissions practices days after Volkswagen's disclosure in September 2015 that the German automaker had used illegal software to evade emissions tests, documents released Monday show. Lawyers suing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in a securities case filed excerpts of an email from Marchionne to Gualberto Ranieri, then the company's U.S. spokesman, in a filing in federal court in New York criticizing him for saying that the company does not use defeat devices. "Are you out of your goddam mind?" Marchionne wrote in an email on Sept. 22, 2015, adding that Ranieri should be fired and calling his actions "utterly stupid and unconscionable." The company said in a statement on Monday it was "understandable that our CEO would have a forceful response to any employee who would opine on such a significant and complex matter, without the matter having been fully reviewed through its appropriate channels." The statement added that Ranieri's comments came just days after VW's emissions issue became public "and before a comprehensive internal review and discussions with component suppliers was possible." Fiat Chrysler was sued in 2015 along with Marchionne and other executives over claims it defrauded shareholders by overstating its ability to comply with vehicle safety laws. An amended version of the complaint filed in 2017 added claims about its compliance with emissions laws. The shareholders accused the defendants of inflating Fiat Chrysler's share price by hundreds of millions of dollars from October 2014 to October 2015 by downplaying safety concerns. They said the shortcomings materialized in 2015 when the automaker was fined $175 million by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and took a roughly $670 million charge for recalls. Plaintiffs filed the excerpts seeking approval to take up to 40 additional depositions, including Marchionne's. The U.S. Justice Department sued Fiat Chrysler in May 2017, accusing it of illegally using software to bypass emission controls in 104,000 diesel vehicles sold since 2014. Fiat Chrysler has held numerous rounds of settlement talks with the Justice Department and California Air Resources Board to settle the civil suit, including talks as recently as earlier this month. It faces a separate criminal probe into the matter.