70k Clean Miles Nav Sunroof Leather Hemi Navigation Chrome Wheels Autoamerica on 2040-cars

Auto blog

NHTSA closes investigation on 4.7M FCA power modules, no recall

FCA US hasn't had the best time with recalls as of late. Not only did the company recently agree to greater safety oversight and paid $105 million to the government, that came just days after hacking fears prompted a 1.4-million model recall campaign. However, a recent decision to close an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration means that the automaker doesn't have to worry about another major recall possibly affecting 4.7 million vehicles, according to the agency's report (as a PDF). Last September, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned NHTSA to investigate an alleged problem with the totally integrated power module (TIPM) on these FCA US models. The group claimed that a fault with the component could cause a variety of maladies, including stalls, not starting, catching fire, unintended acceleration, and airbag non-deployment. At the time, it also submitted 70 cases where this had reportedly happened. According to NHTSA, "no valid evidence was presented in support of claims related to airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration, or fire resulting from TIPM faults and these claims were found to be wholly without merit based on review of the field data and design of the relevant systems and components." The agency did find signs of an issue with the fuel pump relay in some Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos, but FCA US issued recalls for the problem in September 2014 and February 2015. Without anything else to go on, the Feds don't think it's worth investigating this topic any more.

Chrysler hoons Pacifica minivan, issues recall

Chrysler is recalling about 50,000 Pacifica minivans after finding an issue with a seat belt. According to the NHTSA recall notice, "In certain passenger seating and vehicle situations, the second-row center seating position seat belt buckle could cause the left outboard seat belt to become unlatched." The affected vehicles have the eight-passenger configuration, and includes 47,927 Pacificas in the U.S. from model years 2017 and 2018, plus another 1,908 vehicles in Canada. It appears the problem occurs under spirited driving (or "extreme handling maneuvers"), which is kind of funny, because: minivan. FCA's statement, though, adds a little more clarity. The problem was discovered through Chrysler's own testing, not some dad hooning his minivan on the way to soccer practice. The problem only occurs when there are people sitting in both the center and left outboard seat of the second row. In hard cornering, the left seat belt's release button would come into contact with the center buckle, which caused it to unlatch. FCA will notify owners, and will install a shorter second-row seat belt buckle for free. The automaker is unaware of any injuries related to this issue, but urges customers to "avoid using the second-row center seat in conjunction with the other second-row positions." Better yet, if you're going to autocross your Pacifica this weekend, leave your kids on the sidelines. They're just added weight anyway. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Chrysler Pacifica: First Drive View 35 Photos News Source: NHTSA, FCAImage Credit: Copyright 2017 Chris McGraw / Autoblog Recalls Chrysler Safety Minivan/Van chrysler pacifica seat belt

Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs