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Chrysler Recalls 350K Vehicles To Fix Ignition Switches

Chrysler is recalling nearly 350,000 cars and SUVs to fix ignition switches that could unexpectedly shut off the engines. The recall covers 2008 Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee SUVs, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans, and Dodge Magnum wagons. All were built before May 12, 2008. Chrysler says the ignitions may not fully return to the "on" position after being started. The switches could move to "accessory" or "off." That could shut off the engine and knock out power-assisted steering and other features. Chrysler knows of one crash and no injuries from the problem. It's telling people to use the key alone in the ignition and confirm that switches have returned to "on" after starting their cars. Chrysler is investigating the cause. Customers will be notified when repairs are ready. Related Gallery The Trucks And SUVs Consumers Are Liking Most View 11 Photos

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid scored 84 MPGe in government testing

The 2017 Chrysler Pacific, in non-hybrid form, was already at the top of the minivan heap in terms of EPA-rated fuel economy. Now the government agency has released its official test numbers for the Pacifica Hybrid, and they're looking pretty good. The non-hybrid Pacifica achieved 28 highway, 18 city, and 22 combined miles per gallon, which compared favorably to the 2016 Honda Odyssey's 28/19/22 and Nissan Quest's 27/20/23 ratings. You can read more about the regular Pacifica's scores right here. But none of these vans compare to the Pacifica Hybrid, which is incidentally the only hybrid in the class. FCA claims that the EPA's numbers are even better than the anticipated 80 MPGe, although we can't speak to whether that's an honest admission or a too-convenient claim. But there's no denying that the official rating – 84 MPGe – is impressive. If you aren't familiar with the MPGe rating, no worries. It's not as straightforward as conventional EPA MPG ratings, but a layperson can understand how it works. MPGe stands for miles per gallon equivalent, and measures fuel economy based on the energy content of a gallon of petroleum-based gasoline. For those who like formulas, the Automotive X Prize once defined MPGe as (miles driven) / [(total energy of all fuels consumed)/(energy of one gallon of gasoline)]). As for a conventional rating, the EPA only provides a combined city/highway number on the Monroney sticker, and an FCA spokesperson told us that the rating for the Pacifica Hybrid will be 32 MPG. This represents the hybrid working as normal, not in EV-only mode. It's also an improvement of almost 10 MPG over the combined ratings of the top three conventional minivans in the segment, including the non-hybrid Pacifica. Range is also fantastic. The EPA rated the total EV-only range as 33 miles, and the overall combined range at a staggering 566 miles. And that's from a fuel tank that's just 17 gallons (compared to the 19-gallon tank in the conventional Pacifica, which nets it a 418-mile EPA-rated range). FCA is going to extraordinary lengths to credit its eFlite transmission-generator unit, which can supply electric power to the front wheels if necessary. It's a piece of equipment that represents a substantial engineering investment, and apparently that's all paid off. Chrysler tells us that the Pacifica Hybrid will go on sale next month, and that dealers will get more volume in Q1. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.

FCA recalls 1.1 million vehicles worldwide due to confusing shifter

Fiat Chrysler is recalling 1.1 million vehicles worldwide to address the problematic shifter used on cars with eight-speed automatic transmissions. The issue is that the console-mounted shifter acts like a rocker switch and always returns to the middle position after moved. This has been deemed confusing to drivers – confusing enough to cause some to exit their vehicles without first selecting Park and leading to the car rolling away. FCA says 41 injuries are related to the shifter problem, and no evidence of equipment failure has been found. The company will enhance warning chimes and alter the shift strategy, meaning alert messages will be displayed in case the driver door is opened while the engine is running. With the door open, the transmission will prevent the car from moving even if Park is not selected. The affected vehicles are certain model-year 2012–2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans, as well as model-year 2014–2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs, an estimated 811,586 US vehicles in total. The recall also affects 52,144 vehicles in Canada, 16,805 in Mexico, and 248,667 vehicles elsewhere. The shifter is used with ZF-designed and ZF-built eight-speed automatic; Audi uses a similar shifter setup in some of its vehicles, including the current-generation, which predated Chrysler's use of it. Chrysler uses a different, a rotating-dial-type shifter on eight-speed-equipped Rams. The company moved away from the problem shifter design in 2015 for the Charger and 300, and the Grand Cherokee's shift lever was modified for 2016. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified of the recall when service is available. Fiat Chrysler urges customers to follow the instructions in the vehicle's owner's manual in the meantime. Related Video: News Source: FCAImage Credit: AOL Recalls Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Ownership Safety SUV Sedan