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NHTSA investigating power modules on Chrysler Group SUVs and minivans

The Center for Auto Safety is officially petitioning the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to begin scrutinizing alleged problems with the totally integrated power module (TIPM) on about 24 Chrysler Group SUVs and minivans. The advocacy group claims that the part's failure can cause affected vehicles to stall or not start at all. NHTSA is still looking into the accusations and deciding whether a full investigation is actually warranted.
The CAS petition claims at least 70 TIPM failures, but according to NHTSA, six of the complaints are for models that don't have the modules. In 34 of the reported cases, the vehicles refused to start, and in 17 of them the engine stalled. There were also two allegations of smoke and one of a fire. However, none of these affected airbag deployment or resulted in a crash.
This petition isn't the first TIPM-related problem for Chrysler Group. A recent report in the New York Times alleged that it found 240 complaints potentially related to the issue on NHTSA's website alone. In September, the automaker also recalled 230,760 examples worldwide (188,723 in the US) of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango replace the fuel pump relay circuit inside of the TIPM-7 with one external to the unit. The original part could allegedly cause the models to stall without warning. Even earlier, the company also recalled about 80,000 examples of the Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro in 2007 to have the module reprogrammed.

2014 Jeep Cherokee uncovered with bold new look

Jeep has been shuttling around Alfa Romeo-based test mules and camouflaged prototypes of its replacement for the current Liberty for some time now. Those heavily disguised vehicles may have offered a glimpse of the new Jeep, but a new set of production-line images from Jalopnik tell a much more complete story.
Jalopnik report indicates unequivocally that the Cherokee name will be re-upped in place of Liberty, though it doesn't spell out exactly where that thinking comes from, though a name change has been rumored for some time. Chances are good that the same source that delivered these factory images delivered the name, as well.
The Cherokee absolutely has some Alfa Romeo DNA in its makeup, the final product is far from looking like its Guilietta ancestor. The athletic, high-waisted design is relatively attractive from what we can see here, though the grille and headlight treatment are sure to cause a lot of ruckus when the Cherokee makes its official debut at the New York Auto Show in April. The very narrow, pointed headlamps are pinched in a not particularly Jeep-ish fashion, and the curved, short version of the seven-slot grille is far more rakish than anything that Jeep has produced to date.

Watch this 9-year-old drive Jeep Wrangler off-road [w/poll]

This nine-year-old girl might be better at rock crawling than some people twice her age. But is it worth putting her in danger to do it? According to her father on the Jeep Experience Facebook page, her name is Faith, and she has been offroading with her family since she was two. At nine years old, she's now driving her dad's Jeep over the rocks by herself.
As you can see she's belted in and under her father's direct supervision and guidance. She shows immense confidence for someone her age and follows her dad's instructions on exactly what to do. Although, this could still be a very dangerous situation if something went wrong.
Previously, we saw a similar video with a six-year-old on a motorcycle driving on public roads through the desert. Voters decided by only a six-point margin that the adult should be in trouble for letting the kid ride the bike. Here, we have a slightly older child driving a vehicle off road. Where do you fall in this case? Is it still wrong to hand over control to a child? Let us know in the poll below and scroll down to watch the video.