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FCA recalls 570,000 SUVs from Jeep and Dodge over fire woes

Fiat Chrysler US has issued two recalls covering a total of about 570,000 Jeep and Dodge models. The first concerns vanity mirror wiring in the Jeep Grand Cherokee from the 2011 and 2012 model years, and in Dodge Durango units built before September 12, 2012. The automaker recalled almost 900,000 units last year to repair the issue, then faced more issues this year when the fires continued in repaired vehicles. This new recall seeks to resolve the issue, FCA saying that the post-recall fires happened in a tiny percentage of vehicles equipped with a specific wiring package. This recall is for 352,831 total units in the US, another 26,478 in Canada, 13,037 in Mexico, and 84,330 internationally. No injuries or deaths have been reported. FCA says it will inform customers as to when they can schedule a service visit to remedy the issue. The second recall takes aim at 60,107 examples of the Jeep Compass and Patriot from the 2015 model year in the US, plus 5,755 in Canada, 3,351 in Mexico, and 23,995 in other markets. Those models could suffer from an out-of-position clamp on the power steering fluid line. The error could allow fluid to leak, increasing the risk of a fire if the fluid ends up on a hot surface. In the case of a complete loss of fluid, drivers will need to use a lot more effort to steer. The automaker reports no injuries or accidents, and will advise customers when to head to the dealer for service. Related Video: Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge DurangoStatement: Vanity-Mirror WiringDecember 24, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is recalling an estimated 352,831 SUVs in the U.S. to help ensure vanity-mirror wiring may be serviced more consistently.Overheating conditions were reported among a small percentage of vehicles (<0.02%) serviced in connection with a related recall, conducted previously.** An FCA US LLC investigation discovered the service procedure, if not followed precisely, may leave vehicles susceptible to a short-circuit, creating a potential fire hazard.The Company is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. Post-service overheating conditions were observed only in vehicles equipped with a certain wiring package. These vehicles were produced before Sept. 2, 2012.Affected are model-year 2011-2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs produced before Sept. 2, 2012. Wiring in the headliners of these vehicles will be secured with a new adhesive.

How to tune a car right: Part 3, tuning Mopar with OST Dyno

Not long ago, I wrote a story about a pony car tuned with a supercharger. The blower install had been done properly. Then the car's owner bolted on a set of great looking wheels wrapped in good looking but inexpensive rubber. On my first test drive, I couldn't get any of that supercharged sweetness to the ground. It was the perfect ride for parking in a Burger King parking lot on a Friday night. I tooled around on a Sunday drive, shaking my head that someone had spent five figures to get more power the right way, with a clean install, then wiped out the gains so thoroughly that the stock engine would likely have overwhelmed the tires. This got me thinking about the ways people ruin their quest for horsepower, either on the front end by not insisting on a clean install and paying the money for it, or on the back end with supplemental purchases like cheap tires or cheap gas. So I called three tuners, one focused on GM, one on Mopar, one on Ford, to find out what people should know about how to get the best power for their goals, and how to make sure they are able to use all that power. The first interview in this three-part series was with Blake Leonard at Top Speed Cincy in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second with Brandon Alsept at BA Motorsports in Milford, Ohio. This third and last interview is with Micah Doban at OST Dyno in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, a family business with more than 40 years of Mopar expertise specializing in Gen III Hemis, but tuning everything from land-speed cars and drag racers to Jeeps The interview has been edited for clarity and concision. Do people who come to OST generally know what they want? Probably 80% of the people who come in simply want more power with no particular ET goal [ET is a kind of bracket handicapped drag racing – ed.]. WhatÂ’s the best way to start a Mopar tune? The first thing is what people often skip, and that's to find a tuner or a shop. People will throw parts on their cars that the Internet said to, then go to a tuner who does things a different way, and [the tuner is] like ‘No we don't like to use these injectors, we don't like these parts.Â’ You have to find someone familiar with the parts that are on your car or that you're planning to put on your car. So having a goal and then finding a tuner who can help you with that goal is proper way to start. Exactly. And a lot of tuners have their own formula – and when I say tuner I mean someone that also does work to the cars.

How good would this look as a Dodge? New Peugeot 408 is a cool EV crossover coupe

Americans have long lusted after the forbidden fruits of the automotive markets: Vehicles offered elsewhere but not sold here in the United States. When Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, former parent to Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, and others, joined forces with PSA (Peugeot and others), there was hope that Americans could get hold of some quirky French cars as part of the deal. That hasn’t happened, at least not yet. As it turns out, Europeans get just as many boring crossovers as we do, though Peugeot thinks it has a solution with the new 408, an aerodynamic compact crossover with style for days. While we seriously doubt a rebadged 408 would ever show up on our shores, it's easy to imagine how a vehicle looking something like this on the same electrified platform could spawn a viable product for the American market. Squint a bit and "new electric Dodge Intrepid" comes to mind.  Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that France would come out with a new vehicle that seems well-matched to the American market. Utility vehicles made up 46% of new vehicle sales in France in May, matching the sales numbers of sedans in the country. PeugeotÂ’s banking on the fact that many people want the space and usability of a compact SUV but tire of the styling and ubiquity of the vehicle type. The fastback shape provides a more dramatic design look without completely sacrificing the characteristics that make SUVs so popular.  Peugeot offers a traditional SUV in the 3008, but the 408 is sleeker and more aerodynamic. The automaker says that the 408 “offers a feline stance and unique allure, engineering excellence focused on efficiency and intelligent electrification, as well as the emotions provided by cutting-edge technologies dedicated to driving pleasure and instinctive use." Two plug-in hybrid powertrains will be offered first, producing 180 and 225 horsepower. A standard gas model will also be available with a 130-horsepower engine. All variants get an eight-speed gearbox, and Peugeot says an electric model will come later. No Stellantis brand in the United States currently offers a purely electric vehicle.  Peugeot will build the 408 at its plant in Mulhouse, France, for the European market. The vehicle will go on sale early in 2023 and will later become available in China. Related video: Featured Gallery 2023 Peugeot 408 Green Green Dodge Citroen Crossover Future Vehicles