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FCA and UAW deal could mean huge production shakeups

The big labor contract between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the United Auto Workers is likely to lead to some very serious production shakeups across the company's North American manufacturing operations. That's according to a new report from Automotive News, which details the sweeping changes at no fewer than five production facilities in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Mexico, and Poland. So without further ado, here's what's going where, presented in easy to digest bullet form. Ram 1500 production would move from Warren, MI to Sterling Heights, MI Warren, MI would be retooled for unibody production and would handle the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and could potentially build Grand Cherokees to ease the strain on Detroit's Jefferson North factory Chrysler 200 production would move from Sterling Heights, MI to Toluca, Mexico Dodge Dart production would move from Belvidere, IL to Toluca, Mexic Fiat 500 production, which is currently handled by Toluca, would be concentrated in Poland, where the Euro-spec Cinquecento is built Jeep Cherokee production would move from Toledo, OH to Belvidere, IL to make room for Wrangler and Wrangler Pickup production Like we said, those are some big changes. But, as FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne said in an earlier interview with Automotive News, this kind of shakeup would make a lot of sense. In that August interview the exec said that automakers moved truck production to Mexico because they were "threatened" by the UAW. "The only thing [the UAW] want is to move the truck back. Which is right. If you move the truck back here, which is [the UAW's] domain, [and move] all the cars that we get killed on somewhere else, we could actually make sense of this bloody industry and actually increase the number of people employed in this country and really share wealth because we are making money," Marchionne told AN. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Sergio Marchionne FCA toluca warren sterling heights

Ram recalling 131,000 heavy duty trucks over fire hazard

For a little over a year, Ram has been investigating an issue with a number of heavy duty trucks from the 2021 model year that have experienced engine bay fires. For some reason, even when the engine is off, the solid-state intake heater relay in Ram trucks fitted with the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel can suffer a short and catch fire. In March of this year, the company planned to recall about 20,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada when it thought the problem was limited to trucks with unprotected relays. In May, Ram discovered the issue occurring even in trucks with protected relays. Now Ram is preparing to recall 131,177 trucks from the 2021 and 2022 model years. The models in question are:  2021-2022 Ram 2500 (DJ) pickups built between August 3, 2020 and October 8, 2021 (67,597 units) 2021-2022 Ram 3500 (D2) pickups built between August 5, 2020 and October 8, 2021 (39,324 units) 2021-2022 Ram 3500 Chassis Cabs (DD) built between August 12, 2020 and October 7, 2021 (7,317 units) 2021-2022 Ram 4500/5500 (DP) Chassis Cabs built between November 13, 2020 and October 8, 2021 (16,939 units) Ram says it is aware of about 10 engine bay fires, but no accidents nor injuries due to the fires. The bigger issue for now is that Fiat Chrysler engineers working with the component supplier still haven't been able to find a root cause for the fires. Until they can nail down a cause, Ram recommends parking affected models outside, away from structures and other vehicles.   The pickup maker expects to begin mailing letters to owners on December 3, the same day it informs dealers of the fix for the issue. Owners with questions can call the Stellantis customer service line at 1-800-853-1403, the automaker's internal code for the recall being Y76. Or they can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). Or go to www.nhtsa.gov. The NHTSA campaign number is 21V798 Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ram Firefighter Edition launches new 'Built to Serve' trucks

Turns out the "fifth and final" model in Ram's "Built to Serve" series wasn't so final after all. The truckmaker is launching its second round of special-edition trucks with the vehicle you see here, which honors firefighters. Other trucks in this series will give the nod toward police officers and emergency medical service providers. "After honoring each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces with our initial ‘Built to ServeÂ’ models, we felt it would be equally important to also extend our gratitude to all first responders who serve or have served our communities," Mike Koval Jr., Ram Brand Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. "Whether a first responder or civilian, Ram truck owners are very familiar with this adage as itÂ’s something we strive to build into every truck and van we produce." The fiery Redline and smoky Diamond Black exterior colors and black interior with orange accent stitching certainly fits with the firefighting theme. And the body-color wheel flares, blacked-out grille, bumpers, and lighting elements stand out well against the bright paint. Velcro patches on the seats allow owners to affix their own patches for personalization. A handy holdover from military-themed trucks is the Pouch Attachment Ladder System/Modular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment (PALS/MOLLE) webbing that allows the attachment of equipment or pouches. Besides the interior and exterior customizations, each Built to Serve truck comes fully equipped with Ram's 4x4 Off-Road Group. They get all-terrain tires, an electronic locking rear axle, hill-descent control, skid plates for the front suspension, steering gear, fuel tank and transfer case,  tow hooks and uniquely calibrated shocks front and rear. This round of Built to Serve packages are available on Ram 1500 Big Horn models. Any body style or powertrain can be specified, with a starting price of $48,420 including destination. We expect to see previews of the other two Built to Serve first responder trucks before they go on sale this spring. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.