2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi Pano Sunoof 35k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

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Jeep readying 2018 and 2019 Wrangler recall for bad frame welds

According to documents posted to the JL Wrangler Forums, Jeep is readying a recall for an unknown number of 2018 and 2019 model-year Wrangler SUVs. The issue revolves around the track bar mount, which on some vehicles is shearing off where it is welded to the frame. Since some affected vehicles may be unsold on dealer lots, the automaker has issued a corresponding stop sale. A Jeep spokesperson confirmed to CNET that there have been no reported accidents related to the issue, and Jalopnik reports that Jeep will inspect roughly 18,000 vehicles for the defect, though it believes only around 720 will be affected. As of the time this story was published, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had not yet posted this recall to its website. There have been a total of five recalls for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, including one for a steering shaft that could separate due to improper welding. One 2018 Jeep Wrangler owner in North Carolina posted a video to YouTube, seen above, showing track bar mounts that have completely sheared away from the vehicle's frame. These broken welds may cause severe steering degradation and "can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning," according to a dealer notice that was posted to the JL Wrangler Forum. That owner has said Jeep is replacing his Wrangler, but it's not clear if other vehicles are being replaced or repaired. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mixed sales results, but automaker stocks rise on need for cars in Houston

DETROIT — The Big Three Detroit automakers on Friday reported better-than-expected August sales and issued optimistic outlooks for demand as residents of the Houston area replace flood-damaged cars and trucks after Hurricane Harvey, sending their stocks higher. General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler posted mixed August U.S. sales, with GM up 7.5 percent and Ford and Fiat Chrysler down. Japanese automaker Toyota improved sales by nearly 7 percent, while Honda fell 2.4 percent. Still, analysts focused on the potential for Detroit automakers to cut inventories and stabilize used vehicle prices as residents of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, are forced to replace tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of vehicles after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Mark LaNeve, Ford's U.S. sales chief, told analysts on Friday that following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 "we saw a very dramatic snapback" in demand. That said, Ford sales fell 2.1 percent in August. It sold 209,897 vehicles in the United States, compared with 214,482 a year earlier. Sales were down 1.9 percent in the Ford division and off 5.8 percent at Lincoln. Demand was down for cars, crossovers and SUVs. It was not clear how many vehicles in the Houston area will be scrapped, LaNeve said, saying he had seen estimates ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 to 1 million. Ford's Houston dealers may have lost fewer than 5,000 vehicles in inventory, he said. Ford is the No. 1 automaker in the Houston market, with 18 percent share, according to IHS Markit. The company plans to ship used vehicles to Houston dealers and has "every indication we would have to add some production" of new vehicles to meet demand, LaNeve said. Investor concerns about inventories of unsold vehicles and falling used car prices have weighed on Detroit automakers' shares most of this year. Now, automakers can anticipate a jolt of demand from a big market that is a stronghold for Detroit brand trucks and SUVs. "It's got to be a positive for the industry," LaNeve said. Investors appeared to agree. GM shares rose as much as 3.3 percent to their highest since early March. Ford increased 2.8 percent at $11.34, and Fiat Chrysler's U.S.-traded shares were up 5.2 percent $15.91, hitting their highest in more than five years. GM reported a 7.5 percent increase in U.S. auto sales in August, helped by robust sales of crossovers across its four brands.

Chrysler axes old V6s, goes all-Pentastar

Old technology has a way of lingering on, particularly at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills. So while the Pentastar V6 has replaced the older engine architecture in just about every application, it still soldiered on in some export markets. But the introduction of a new 3.0-liter Pentastar V6, produced in Michigan and meant only for the Chinese market, has put the final nail in the old engine's coffin.
Fitted into the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler just introduced to China at the Chengdu Motor Show, the downsized six uses the same architecture as the larger 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. But because of its 2,997cc capacity, it can be exported to China without the increased duty the 3.6-liter or even 3.2-liter Pentastar engines would incur. The 3.0-liter V6 develops 230 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 210 pound-feet at 4,400 rpm.
Admittedly, it's unlikely, but even though the engine was said to be created solely to undercut tax thresholds in China and Europe, the 3.0-liter Pentastar has recently surfaced in rumors of an application here: as the boosted heart of a potential Cherokee SRT with anywhere from 375 to 410 hp.