2009 Dodge Challenger Srt8 6-speed Hemi Sunroof Nav 10k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

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470,000 Jeep Liberty, Chrysler 200, and Dodge Avenger models recalled for restraint defect

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it is recalling 470,000 vehicles worldwide to replace a component that may inhibit deployment of the vehicles' active head restraints in the event of a crash. Around 414,000 of those vehicles were sold in the United States. Apparently, "a component common to the modules of certain vehicles may degrade after extensive vehicle use." The recall covers 2012 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles and 2012-13 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger midsize cars. FCA says a warning light may alert owners to the problem. The Italian-American automaker said it is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to the recall. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the issue in June. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Related Video:

Dodge closes Caravan order books at the end of this month

After being introduced as the Dodge Caravan in 1983, after debuting a long wheelbase Grand Caravan in 1987, after entering its fifth generation in 2007 and going almost unchanged since then to become the oldest minivan in the segment, after being publicly sent to the slaughterhouse in 2011, again in 2013, and again in 2015 before being pardoned thrice by the automotive governor, this month it's over for good for the best-selling Dodge and best-selling minivan in the U.S. and Canada. At least, according to Mopar Insiders, which credits dealer sources for the news that "the end of the month" will be a car shopper's last chance to order the Dodge Grand Caravan in the states that don't adhere to California emissions. Since the Grand Caravan's 3.6-liter V6 can't clear CARB mandates, Dodge pulled the model from the 13 so-called ZEV states in March this year.  Last summer, an analyst at AutoForecast Solutions told Automotive News that Dodge would cease Grand Caravan production at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada in May this year. The brief reprieve is said to be related to the coronavirus standstill, Fiat Chrysler not alone in revising its plans to make up for two months of lost production. The new 2020 Chrysler Voyager is the official replacement for the Dodge, being a de-contented Pacifica that returns an old Chrysler nameplate to circulation and is built in the same plant as the Pacifica and Grand Caravan. The Grand Caravan's numbers have come down this year, but Dodge still sold a strong 24,931 units through the first quarter of the year; the kid-hauler has sold less than 100,000 units in a year in the U.S. only twice since 1985, topping six figures for the last four years. In 35 years on sale here, the minivan has hurdled the 200,000-unit marker 19 times. With the order books open until the end of the month and Windsor plant working a single shift and still finding its feet, Grand Caravans will continue to trickle off the lines after May, but not for long. 

Dodge Challenger Hellcat valet mode angers parking attendant

I spent over three years as a valet. It was good money and an excellent second job when I was getting my start as a writer – ten hours per week at the small restaurant I worked for was good for anywhere from $150 to $250. Over those years, I can say with absolute confidence I never goofed off in someone's car. Unfortunately, not all valets are so trustworthy. Like these idiots. Apparently, a Dodge Challenger Hellcat owner captured the valets at Universal Studios in Florida on his dashcam messing about behind the wheel of his 707-horsepower muscle car. One valet is behind the wheel and there's another riding shotgun as they aimlessly wander about the parking lot, lamenting the fact that the owner (wisely) engaged valet mode before handing over the keys. "We can't do anything," they whine. The owner, for his part, seemed pretty cool about the whole thing, writing in the YouTube description that he purposely kicked up the exposure at the end of the video to hide the identities of the valets. He also added that they didn't do anything wrong – this former valet agrees to disagree, based on the over four minutes it takes to actually park the car – and that he was thankful for valet mode. You can check out the video above – be warned, though, there is some language in it. And remember, if you valet your car, use valet mode, check the odometer when you drop off and pick up, and if everything checks out, give the poor guys a tip. Want more recent Hellcat news? Check out the Wrangler Trailcat concept headed to the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, photos of a possible Hellcat HD Ram pickup, and spy shots of the Hellcat-engined Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It's been a good week for 707-hp Mopars. Related Video: