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10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.

Chrysler reports $464M net income for Q3

Chrysler has just announced earnings of $464 million in net income for this third quarter, a 22-percent year-over-year increase. Net income for the first three quarters of 2013 is at $1.1 billion. Net revenue climbed significantly as well, to $17.6 billion, a 13.5-percent increase on Q3 of 2012.
Those increases were thanks in no small part to an eight-percent rise in sales from the same period last year, with 603,000 vehicles sold worldwide. "Chrysler Group's ninth consecutive quarter of positive net income highlights our commitment to producing award-winning vehicles for consumers, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500," said Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group.
Despite the increased sales, Chrysler's US market share dropped slightly, from 11.3 percent in Q3 2012 to 11.2. Canadian market share remained level at 14.3 percent. Have a look below for the entire press release from Chrysler.

FCA recalling Chrysler and Dodge minivans, Dodge Nitro SUVs for faulty airbag covers

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it would recall about 925,239 of its older model vehicles in the United States to replace airbag covers on their steering wheels after 14 potentially related injuries. The recall is limited to 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro SUVs, 2008-2010 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans, the Italian-American automaker said. The move follows an FCA investigation that found these vehicles were equipped with certain clips that may loosen and disengage over time, and in case of a driver-side airbag deployment the clips could act as projectiles. Fiat Chrysler said none of the potential injuries involved occupants of front-passenger or rear seats and that the airbags were not supplied by Takata. Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel. Related Video:   Recalls Chrysler Dodge Minivan/Van SUV