2005 Chrysler Sebring Gtc on 2040-cars

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NHTSA questions FCA's reaction to recalls, will hold public hearing

The US Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are holding a public hearing on July 2 to investigate whether FCA US is failing to fix safety problems and issue necessary notices. The agencies also want detailed accounts of the handling of 20 recalls by June 1 as part of a special order. If the Feds determine that the automaker isn't living up to its legal requirements, the result could go as far as a "buy-back or replacement of affected vehicles." "Significant questions have been raised as to whether this company is meeting its obligations to protect the drivers from safety defects, and today we are launching a process to ensure that those obligations are met," NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind said in the announcement of the hearing. The 20 recalls that the agencies are investigating date from between 2013 and 2015. Just some of these include the action to make the fuel tanks safer on the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty; FCA US' Takata inflator repairs; inadvertently deploying airbags in the Liberty, Grand Cherokee and Dodge Viper; and the company's ignition switch fix for the Chrysler Town & Country, Grand Caravan and Journey. Failure to submit reports about all of these on time could result in a $7,000 per day fine. You can read the whole list in the PDF for the special order. In a statement to Autoblog, FCA US said, "The average completion rate for FCA US LLC recalls exceeds the industry average and all FCA US campaigns are conducted in consultation with NHTSA. The Company will cooperate fully." The government agencies claim that they have received complaints from customers alleging that they weren't notified of recalls; parts not being available; difficulty getting an appointment, and misinformation from dealers. During the hearing witnesses from FCA US, NHTSA and the public have the opportunity to present evidence on each campaign. U.S. DOT Announces Fiat Chrysler Public Hearing and Issues Special Order NHTSA has concerns about 20 recalls and sets public hearing date for July 2 WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold a public hearing to determine whether automaker Fiat Chrysler has failed to remedy safety defects and issue required notices in 20 recalls.

Ford Mustang was almost 'Imported from Detroit'

The Ford Mustang achieved iconic status nearly the moment the sheet came off at the 1964 World's Fair. And if Henry Ford II wasn't getting divorced around that time, the pony car might have been called the Torino and been marketed as 'Imported from Detroit,' according to Automotive News. We'll explain. During research for the new book Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story, author David Maraniss found an interesting connection between Chrysler's (now FCA US) slogan and the Ford Mustang. Before the pony car even had a name, the Blue Oval's advertising agency had the idea to market it as a "brand new import ... from Detroit," according to Automotive News. The vehicle would be sold as "inspired by Italy's great road cars, but straight from Detroit." The name Torino was suggested, as well. However, the real world interfered in making the Mustang Detroit's first import. According to the author, Henry Ford II was getting a divorce, and his future wife was Italian. It was therefore thought to be a bad idea to sell the future pony car as being from Italy. Things clearly changed by the time the Torino hit the streets years later. Related Video:

Junkyard Gem: 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser with 5-speed manual transmission

Before we get started on today's Junkyard Gem, let's talk about what I mean by the word "Gem" in this context, because I've been getting a lot of hate mail from readers foaming at the mouth with rage because I dared to refer to such cars as the Pontiac Sunfire or Subaru Tribeca by that name. When I say "Gem" I mean it in the historical sense, not because I think a particular vehicle is a generally superior machine. OK? Now we can talk about a real junkyard rarity: a PT Cruiser with a manual transmission. Chrysler sold PT Cruisers in Europe and Japan, where manual transmissions are preferred, and the 5-speed manual was the base transmission in the North American-market PT Cruiser all the way up until the 2009 model year. However, most American and Canadian PT Cruiser buyers proved willing to spend the extra money to get an automatic transmission, because... well, PT Cruiser. I found this car in a wrecking yard in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is such a hotbed of amateur racing and restoration of old British and Italian sports cars that perhaps residents have a slightly greater appreciation for three-pedal cars than Americans in general. With 150 horsepower moving 3,123 pounds— essentially a slightly bigger Neon — this car would have been more fun to drive than most minivans. Later on, Chrysler dropped Neon SRT4 drivetrains into PT Cruisers, creating the 215-horse GT Turbo PT Cruiser. We think a bustleback body kit would go well with one of those cars. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "Take it easy, Mr. Satan!"