2002 Chrysler Sebring Lxi Convertible 2-door 2.7l on 2040-cars

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Ford and Chrysler reducing summer plant shutdowns

Most domestic automaker assembly plants traditionally take a couple of weeks off during the summer. The shutdowns give each plant time for much needed repairs and maintenance, and in some cases, help better align production with demand. Not this year, though, as demand for many models is outstripping what Ford, Chrysler and General Motors plants can produce.
Ford has announced that it will shorten its annual summer shutdown for most North American plants from two weeks to one. The shorter shutdown will increase the carmaker's annual North American production by 40,000 units on top of the 200,000 extra units that it was already planning to produce this year versus last. Automotive News reports that Ford produced 2.8 million vehicles on this continent in 2012, and that output this year has already increased 13 percent through April.
Chrysler, meanwhile, is also operating at full tilt and plans to run some plants through the summer with no shutdown at all. Those not getting a break include Jefferson North where the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango are assembled, Toledo North that will assemble the new Cherokee, and Conner Avenue, home of SRT Viper production. Other assembly plants will be down for a single week, while all of Chrysler's engine and transmission plants except one in Indiana will continue operating with no shutdown this summer.

More Ram trucks recalled over tailgate issue

Almost a year ago Fiat Chrysler recalled roughly 1.6 million Ram trucks over an issue with the locking power tailgate. The actuator limiter tab for the power locking mechanism could fracture, which would permit the actuator's lock-rod control to move beyond its limits. That would pull the locking rods open, thereby allowing the tailgate to open at any time. The 2018 recall covered Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickups from the 2015 to 2017 model years, with the five-foot-seven and six-foot-four beds and the power locking tailgate option. Trucks with eight-foot beds, and those with manual-locking tailgates, were excluded. The trucks with eight-foot beds have been added to the recall as of earlier this month, putting 410,351 more trucks in the pool. According to Consumer Reports, Ram redesigned the locking assembly on the other two shorter bed sizes for trucks built after August 2, 2017, which was the end of the 2017 model year. But the eight-foot long-bed trucks didn't get the redesigned part until April 2, 2018 for some reason, making all eight-foot-bed pickups from the 2015 model year to April 1, 2018 part of the recall equation. FCA says it's not aware of any accidents or injuries because of the issue. The company plans to notify owners on June 28. The paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't advise owners to stop driving the trucks, but nor does it instruct owners on how to address the problem in the meantime. Sounds like bungee cords might be the go. The fix is estimated to take 30 minutes at the dealer and entails removing the tailgate cover and installing a stop block to prevent the locking actuator's pivot arm from traveling too far. FCA says it will reimburse owners for any other repairs made to address the problem. Meanwhile, owners can contact Fiat Chrysler Automobiles customer service at 800-853-1403, and refer to FCA's number for this recall, V44. The NHTSA campaign number is 19V-347. Last year's recall comes under FCA number U74, and NHTSA campaign number 18V-486. Ram's not alone on this field. The NHTSA continues to investigate the 2017 Ford Super Duty pickups for a similar issue.

Scandal-rocked UAW extends Ford, FCA contracts, prepares to strike GM

DETROIT — Leaders of the United Auto Workers union have extended contracts with Ford and Fiat Chrysler indefinitely, but the pact with General Motors is still set to expire Saturday night. The move puts added pressure on bargainers for both sides as they approach the contract deadline and the union starts to make preparations for a strike. The contract extension was confirmed Friday by UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg, who declined further comment on the talks. The union has picked GM as the target company, meaning it is the focus of bargaining and would be the first company to face a walkout. GMÂ’s contract with the union is scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. ItÂ’s possible that the four-year GM contract also could be extended or a deal could be reached, but itÂ’s more likely that 49,200 UAW members could walk out of GM plants as early as Sunday because union and company demands are so far apart. Picket line schedules already have been posted near the entrance to one local UAW office in Detroit. Art Wheaton, an auto industry expert at the Worker Institute at Cornell University, expects the GM contract to be extended for a time, but he says the gulf between both sides is wide. “GM is looking through the windshield ahead, and it looks like nothing but land mines,” he said of a possible recession, trade disputes and the expense of developing electric and autonomous vehicles. “I think thereÂ’s really going to be a big problem down the road in matching the expectations of the union and the willingness of General Motors to be able to give the membership what it wants.” Plant-level union leaders from all over the country will be in Detroit on Sunday to talk about the next steps, and after that, the union likely will make an announcement. But leaders are likely to face questions about an expanding federal corruption probe that snared a top official on Thursday. Vance Pearson, head of a regional office based near St. Louis, was charged with corruption in an alleged scheme to embezzle union money and spend cash on premium booze, golf clubs, cigars and swanky stays in California. ItÂ’s the same region that UAW President Gary Jones led before taking the unionÂ’s top office last year. Jones and other union executives met privately at a hotel at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Friday. After the meeting broke up, JonesÂ’ driver and others physically blocked an AP reporter from trying to approach him to ask questions.