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FCA to recall nearly 900,000 vehicles that don't meet emissions standards

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will recall 862,520 gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States that do not meet U.S. emissions standards, the Environmental Protection Agency said on Wednesday. The recall was prompted by in-use emissions investigations conducted by the EPA and in-use testing conducted by Fiat Chrysler as required by U.S. regulations, the agency said. EPA said it will continue to investigate other Fiat Chrysler vehicles that are potentially noncompliant and may become the subject of future recalls. The recall includes 2011-2016 Dodge Journeys, 2011-2014 Chrysler 200s and Dodge Avengers, 2011-2012 Dodge Calibers and 2011-2016 Jeep Compass/Patriots. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement the EPA announcement "has no safety implications. Nor are there any associated fines." "The issue was discovered by FCA during routine in-use emissions testing and reported to the agency," the company said. "We began contacting affected customers last month to advise them of the needed repairs, which will be provided at no charge." Its U.S.-traded shares were down 1 percent. "EPA welcomes the action by Fiat Chrysler to voluntarily recall its vehicles that do not meet U.S. emissions standards," EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. "We will provide assistance to consumers navigating the recall and continue to ensure that auto manufacturers abide by our nation's laws designed to protect human health and the environment." Fiat Chrysler owners can continue to drive their vehicles, the government said. Due to the "large number of vehicles involved and the need to supply replacement components — specifically to the vehicle's catalytic converter — this recall will be implemented in phases during the 2019," the EPA said In January, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a settlement worth about $800 million to resolve claims by the U.S. Justice Department and state of California that it used illegal software to produce false results on Ran and Jeep vehicles. But that incident involved diesel engines. It is awaiting the outcome of a criminal probe. The hefty penalty was the latest fallout from the U.S. government's stepped-up enforcement of vehicle emissions rules after Volkswagen AG admitted in September 2015 to intentionally evading emissions rules.

Dodge Grand Caravan reportedly will cease production in 2020

The Dodge Grand Caravan looks like it may finally be reaching its demise next year. A report from Automotive News Canada says the old Dodge minivan will cease production in May 2020. The report cites AutoForecast Solutions as the source of its news. FCA confirmed to us that the van will be going away eventually, but the company is not ready to put an official end date on it yet. For the time being, it looks like the Grand Caravan’s long run will eventually grind to a halt in Windsor, Ontario, the vanÂ’s only production site. With the introduction of the Chrysler Voyager as the budget minivan option from Chrysler, FCA may think it no longer has any use for the outdated Dodge. The Grand Caravan has a starting price of $28,535, whereas the new Voyager is priced from $28,480. ThatÂ’s an almost identical starting point, but we still donÂ’t know what kind of incentives FCA will offer for the Voyager. There are typically big cuts for the Grand Caravan, which have pushed recent average transaction prices down to $24,972. We imagine itÂ’ll be much more difficult for FCA to offer discounts of that magnitude to Voyager shoppers. Still, AutoForecast Solutions told Automotive News it believes FCA will transition folks away from the Grand Caravan. “For the 2020 model year, theyÂ’ll likely run to fleet and then get the consumers to buy the new Voyager,” says Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. Eliminating the Grand Caravan would be a strong bet on ChryslerÂ’s strategy of splitting the Pacifica into two different model lines. Nearly every month, FCA sells more Grand Caravans than Pacificas. The Pacifica is the far superior minivan to own, but you canÂ’t argue with a cheap price. Once the Grand Caravan is gone, budget minivan buyers will have no choice but to buy a Voyager if they want the cheapest new option out there. Entries from the few other manufacturers that produce minivans are all going to be more expensive than the Voyager. The 2020 Pacifica and Voyager team are slated to reach dealers later this year, but it wonÂ’t be until next year that weÂ’re able to fully take stock of how this plays out for FCA.

Vin Diesel reveals first poster for Furious 8

Vin Diesel unveiled the first poster for Furious 8. The image shows Dom standing on a deserted road with his Dodge Charger with the tagline: "New roads ahead." Diesel's post doesn't offer any other new details about the much-anticipated action film, which is still a year away from theaters. While this image is teasing, we continue to get a better idea of Furious 8's cast. Scott Eastwood, Clint Eastwood's son, has a prominent role in the film, and Charlize Theron plays a villain. Dwayne Johnson also confirmed his return as Hobbs. Plot details still vague, though. An earlier teaser from Diesel hinted that some of the movie might take place in Manhattan, which could be an amazing setting for automotive stunts. The crew has also been filming north of Reykjavik, Iceland, which would be a great locale for off-road action. Furious 8 will hit theaters on April 14, 2017. According to Diesel, part 9 will arrive on April 19, 2019, and Fast & Furious 10 will potentially end the main franchise on April 2, 2021. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: