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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

Fiat Chrysler seeks $6.8 billion state-backed loan in Italy

MILAN — Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Saturday that Fiat Chrysler was entitled to apply for Italy's state-backed loans because the automaker employs thousands of people in the country, even though its legal base is located abroad. The Italian-American group confirmed on Saturday its Italian unit was working with Rome to obtain state guarantees on a 6.3-billion-euro ($6.8 billion) loan facility designed to help Italy's automotive industry, comprised of approximately 10,000 small and medium-size businesses. The coronavirus outbreak, which has hit Italy especially hard, slammed the brakes on demand for new vehicles and forced automakers to halt most production, burning cash. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said in a statement that talks were ongoing with lender Intesa Sanpaolo for a three-year credit facility exclusively dedicated to the group's activities in Italy. Asked whether FCA, which has its legal headquarters in the Netherlands, could get a loan guaranteed by the Italian government, Conte said the group qualified. "We're not talking about the parent company, we're talking about the group's companies in Italy, which employ thousands of people," the prime minister said. FCA runs several plants and research and development centers in Italy, directly employing around 55,000 people. In addition, over 200,000 people work in Italy's 5,500 parts suppliers and 120,000 people in car dealers and service companies, with the automotive industry accounting for 6.2% of Italy's domestic product, FCA said. News that FCA was asking the Italian government for liquidity support had raised criticism. The ruling party PD's deputy president, Andrea Orlando, earlier on Saturday said on Twitter that if a company asked the Italian government for sizable financing, it had to bring back its legal base to Italy. The scheme is part of emergency measures the Italian government is making available to the country's businesses. It offers more than 400 billion euros' worth of liquidity and bank loans to companies hit by the pandemic. FCA said the state-backed credit facility it is seeking will have "the sole purpose of providing operational support for payments to Italian suppliers to support their liquidity and, at the same, supporting the restart of production and investment at Italian plants." The group has gradually restarted operations in Italy since the end of April. Related Video: Earnings/Financials Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat coronavirus

Mike Manley named CEO of FCA amid Sergio Marchionne health crisis

Mike Manley has been immediately granted "all the powers of CEO" of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. In a statement, FCA said its Board of Directors made this decision "in order to provide for his full authority and operational continuity for the company." Manley, who has been at the helm of Jeep since 2009 and Ram since 2015, is expected to be named an executive director for FCA after the next shareholder's meeting. In a similar statement, Ferrari said it had "named John Elkann as Chairman and will propose to Shareholders, at a meeting to be called in the coming days, that Louis C. Camilleri be named as CEO." CNH Industrial, a company that makes trucks, agricultural, and industrial equipment and which Marchionne also chairs, named Suzanna Heywood, as his replacement. Sergio Marchionne, who had served as CEO of both FCA and Ferrari, suffered "unexpected complications" as he was recovering from surgery performed earlier this month. FCA's statement adds that these complications "have worsened significantly in recent hours." Marchionne, credited with rescuing Fiat and Chrysler from bankruptcy since taking the wheel at the Italian carmaker in 2004, had been due to step down as the head of Fiat Chrysler next April. His internal successor had yet to be named. Marchionne had previously said he planned to stay on as Ferrari Chairman and CEO until 2021.Reuters contributed to this report.Related Video: Image Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Chrysler Ferrari Fiat Sergio Marchionne