2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn on 2040-cars

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Chrysler recalls 2013 Ram pickups, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Chrysler's spate of successful products is about to be marred by a trio of recalls. The Pentastar is recalling 51,477 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there have been no reported accidents, injuries or deaths related to the affected vehicles.
The largest action covers the Ram 1500, which is seeing 45,961 trucks being recalled. Models built between June 26, 2012 and February 5, 2013 are being recalled due to a potential software issue in the electronic stability control. Apparently, the system can be randomly deactivated upon vehicle startup.
Chrysler is also recalling 4,458 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee models. Covering everything but the SRT models, the potentially defective SUVs were built between January 14 and March 20, 2013. This recall focuses on "premium headlights," which means cars equipped with LED running lights. During the switch from the bright daytime running lamp setting to the low-intensity parking light setting, an electrical spike can cause one of the Jeep's computers to go into a safe mode, turning off the LEDs. This violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Dead man went unnoticed in pickup at airport for nearly 8 months

The Kansas City Star reports that on Sept. 12, Lenexa, Kan., police found a dead man in the cab of his Dodge Ram 1500 at the Kansas City International Airport. Though a disturbing thing to find at any time, the scene was made all the worse by the fact that the body had been sitting in that truck for eight months. That's right, for virtually all of 2017 to date. It seems likely that the missing man, Randy Potter, committed suicide, and it likely happened the night he was reported missing, which according to KCTV 5, was Jan. 17. This is because, according to the Chicago Tribune, Potter's parking ticket was printed that day. The fact that it took eight months to find Potter is astonishing. Although the Associated Press reports that Potter's body was covered by a blanket and the windows of the Ram were tinted, those aren't really excusable excuses. Potter's truck was in a large parking lot, one that holds nearly 6,000 cars, according to the Kansas City Star, but that shouldn't have mattered, since the company in charge of the lot, S-P+, was supposed to take an inventory of every car in the lot every single night. Plus, Potter's family took the license plate number of the truck to the parking lot security companies not long after his disappearance. Clearly no one from the parking company was watching closely. As for the police, the Star reports that they never checked the airport since there wasn't any evidence to say he might have gone there. Yet they say they spent "several hundred man hours" on the case, and their operating theory was that he had left his family. One way people leave is by plane. So how was the body finally discovered? Someone who parked nearby complained of a horrible smell. After eight months, no doubt. It's puzzling that no one would have reported a smell sooner. Though the problem would have been bad enough in winter and spring, it would have become pretty intense in the summer months, with high temperatures in the 90s translating into incredible heat inside a truck on shadeless pavement under the relentless Missouri sun. Related video:

2017 Ram Model Year Preview and Updates

Launched as its own division in 2009, FCA's Ram Truck line has ridden the wave of post-recession growth with significant sales upticks throughout its brief, independent history (it was spun off from Dodge) within the Fiat Chrysler ranks. Although the 'new' news for 2017 is limited, Ram continues to focus on efficiency, with the Ram 1500 offering both a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 and 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, achieving an estimated 29 and 25 miles per gallon highway, respectively. RAM 1500: All 1500s receive a list of revisions laden with value-added standard features. The most visible example is the recently launched Rebel, which receives more than its share of standard updates, including Uconnect 8.4 and media hub; automatic dual-zone temperature control; security alarm; remote start; rear backup camera and rear park assist. Newly announced at the Chicago Auto Show in February was the Copper Sport edition, built in limited volume and offering a host of 'custom' upgrades. The 1500 is sold in eleven different models. 2500/3500: Ram's Heavy Duty offerings include a new-for-2017 Power Wagon and an also-new 4X4 Off-road package, with the Power Wagon taking its design cues from the '79-'80 Macho Power Wagon. Announced at the Chicago Auto Show is a new Night package for the heavy duty lineup. Also for 2017, product planners have made the 6.4-liter HEMI standard on Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and Limited trims. PROMASTER CITY: Essentially unchanged, the compact commercial and passenger van has been updated for 2017 with brighter shifter illumination, rear door reflectors for better visibility when opened, and what is now best-in-class fuel economy.