1994 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 on 2040-cars

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Dodge recalls 173 Chargers and Challengers for front wheels that don't fit correctly

Dodge is recalling 173 Challengers and Chargers because they’re equipped with an incompatible front wheel and brake package. All the vehicles are 2019 model year cars built between May 28 and September 25 this year, according to the official NHTSA documents. The wheels donÂ’t provide enough clearance from suspension and brake components, Dodge says. ThereÂ’s a chance that the tireÂ’s inner sidewall will make contact with the steering knuckle. When the tire hits the steering knuckle, it could end up damaging the tire, causing a “sudden loss of tire air pressure.” This, of course, is not what you want out of a tire. Predictably, FCA says this could result in a crash without prior warning. To fix the problem, your local Dodge dealer will be installing the wheels that shouldÂ’ve been equipped on the car in the first place. FCA continues: “Also, for customer satisfaction, replace the rear wheels to match the front wheels.” We were wondering if the rear wheels would come into play here, and it looks like Dodge wonÂ’t be leaving anyone out to dry with mismatched front and rear wheels. The wheels in question are described as “Mid Gloss Black Wheel.” Check your window sticker (or wait for the official mailing) to see if you have those wheels on your Charger or Challenger. Unfortunately, FCA doesnÂ’t detail which trims of Charger and Challenger are affected in its recall notice. The company also makes it clear that this recall is due to “an engineering release error” and not a wheel defect. This particular wheel and brake package shouldÂ’ve never been offered as an option from the factory. Look out for a notice in early December, as FCA says it will begin notifying owners around December 13 this year. As of now, there are no reported injuries or accidents due to the issue.

EV cost burden pushing automakers to their limits, says Stellantis' CEO Tavares

DETROIT — Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said external pressure on automakers to quickly shift to electric vehicles potentially threatens jobs and vehicle quality as producers struggle with EVs' higher costs. Governments and investors want car manufacturers to speed up the transition to electric vehicles, but the costs are "beyond the limits" of what the auto industry can sustain, Tavares said in an interview at the Reuters Next conference released Wednesday. "What has been decided is to impose on the automotive industry electrification that brings 50% additional costs against a conventional vehicle," he said. "There is no way we can transfer 50% of additional costs to the final consumer because most parts of the middle class will not be able to pay." Automakers could charge higher prices and sell fewer cars, or accept lower profit margins, Tavares said. Those paths both lead to cutbacks. Union leaders in Europe and North America have warned tens of thousands of jobs could be lost. Automakers need time for testing and ensuring that new technology will work, Tavares said. Pushing to speed that process up "is just going to be counter productive. It will lead to quality problems. It will lead to all sorts of problems," he said. Tavares said Stellantis is aiming to avoid cuts by boosting productivity at a pace far faster than industry norm. "Over the next five years we have to digest 10% productivity a year ... in an industry which is used to delivering 2 to 3% productivity" improvement, he said. "The future will tell us who is going to be able to digest this, and who will fail," Tavares said. "We are putting the industry on the limits." Electric vehicle costs are expected to fall, and analysts project that battery electric vehicles and combustion vehicles could reach cost parity during the second half of this decade. Like other automakers that earn profits from combustion vehicles, Stellantis is under pressure from both establishment automakers such as GM, Ford, VW and Hyundai, as well as start-ups such as Tesla and Rivian. The latter electric vehicle companies are far smaller in terms of vehicle sales and employment. But investors have given Tesla and Rivian higher market valuations than the owner of the highly profitable Jeep and Ram brands. That investor pressure is compounded by government policies aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union, California and other jurisdictions have set goals to end sales of combustion vehicles by 2035.

2013 Dodge Dart gets brace of new special edition models

After almost a year on the market it, it is becoming more clear to Dodge how customers like to option out their Darts, so the automaker has combined popular features into three special edition packages and sweetened the prices. Start with a standard 2013 Dart and add either the SXT or Limited "Special Editions" or Rallye Appearance Group, and you'll save yourself a lot of box checking.
The $595 Dart SXT Special Edition takes the trim just above the base model and adds a new grille, dark-tinted headlights and projector fog lights, LED racetrack taillights, cruise control and audio controls on the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Limited Special Edition starts with the top-end model and adds a power sunroof, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control and Nappa leather seats among other features, for $1,810.
The Rallye Appearance Group (pictured) is a package for the SXT, and it blacks out the front fascia, throws on 17-inch wheels and some badging for $395. The new special editions are reaching dealers now and could help the Dart's sales to further improve after a slow start. You can find out more about them in the press release below.