2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler production in Toledo to nearly double by 2018

The Jeep Wrangler's future in Toledo, OH, is officially secure. FCA US announced plans on Thursday to spend $1.05 billion to retool the Wrangler factory and another site in Illinois to build Jeeps. The investment could add up to 1,000 jobs, and, according to The Detroit Free Press, allow Jeep to build as many as 450,000 Wrangler models in Toledo. FCA is investing $700 million to make over the Toledo North factory to build the next-generation Wrangler – a vehicle that's hotly anticipated by enthusiasts. FCA said this will add about 700 new jobs. The Wrangler factory is part of a multi-site complex in Ohio, and FCA said an announcement about the South factory will come later. Nearly two years ago, FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne touched off a firestorm by suggesting the Wrangler could leave Toledo, though plans to keep the iconic Jeep there quickly proceeded. Automotive News reports the new Wrangler will use some aluminum elements, run a turbo four-cylinder engine, and offer a diesel variant. Designers will also pay increased attention to aerodynamics, though maintain the Wrangler's familiar appearance. Additionally, FCA reportedly plans to build a Wrangler pickup in Toledo. That 450,000-vehicle threshold could potentially break down into 350,000 traditional Wrangler models, along with another 100,000 Wrangler-based pickup trucks. When the current Toledo plant was opened in 2005, Chrysler said its capacity was about 150,000 vehicles per year. Since then, that figure has increased to about 240,000 Wranglers yearly, and Jeep has no problem selling that many. FCA's factory in Belvidere, IL, gets $350 million for upgrades to produce the Jeep Cherokee, which moves there in 2017 from Toledo as part of a product shuffle. FCA builds the Dodge Dart and Jeep's Patriot and Compass in Belvidere. The automaker is killing the Dart and will replace the compact Jeeps with a single model next year. The moves are part of FCA's strategy to fortify the Jeep brand, which has posted healthy sales and enjoys a strong reputation around the world. Related Video:

Chrysler recalls 350k vehicles over ignition switches

Chrysler has announced a recall covering 349,442 vehicles due to ignition switches that can either become stuck or move without warning. All of the affected vehicles are from the 2008 model year, and were built before May 12, 2008.
The automaker has learned that ignition keys on some vehicles "may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position during engine-startup," the company said in a statement. Additionally, "an ignition key may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position and may inadvertently move through the 'ON' position to 'ACCESSORY' or 'OFF.'"
Chrysler says it is unaware of any related injuries, and notes that while reduced braking, engine or steering power is possible in such instances, the airbags are not affected. The later stands in contrast to General Motors' recent rash of high-profile recalls, and it's an important distinction that Chrysler (understandably) felt necessary to call out in bold print in its press release.

Vile Gossip | Adventures in tire testing

Jean Jennings has been writing about cars for more than 30 years, after stints as a taxicab driver and as a mechanic in the Chrysler Proving Grounds Impact Lab. She was a staff writer at Car and Driver magazine, the first executive editor and former president and editor-in-chief of Automobile Magazine , the founder of the blog Jean Knows Cars and former automotive correspondent for Good Morning America . She has lifetime awards from both the Motor Press Guild and the New England Motor Press Association. This is her first column for Autoblog — look for more Vile Gossip in the future. I began writing at Car and Driver magazine back in its golden age in the 1970s, before I'd actually read it. I knew very little about cars. The only magazine I read religiously was Four Wheeler because I owned big trucks and liked to go off-roading with my Chrysler Proving Grounds friends. My vast 10 years of driving experience up to that point (high-speed dirt-road idiot, taxicab driver, Chrysler Proving Grounds test driver) had less bearing on my being hired at Car and Driver than the fact that the editor just wanted to rile up the all-male staff. He didn't need me for that. They were already in full dudgeon when I arrived. They'd just spent a chunk of time testing a stack of tires for their big tire-test issue, and the editor-in-chief was toe-to-toe with the technical editor over the rankings of the top 10 tires. It was loud, and it was angry. I had no idea that car magazines tested tires. Cab driving had led me to believe that airing up a tire and changing a flat was all you needed to know. I changed so many flats on that cab, I eventually wound up in front of a live audience on the " Oprah Winfrey Show" demonstrating my brilliance with a jack and a tire iron. My point, of course, is that tires are more controversial, and also more essential, than you'd think. My other point is that it's good to get worked up about the subject, but not quite so good to let yourself be seen, as I did, on my hands and knees with my ass up in the air on national TV. This is how I prefer to test a tire: First, pick a top brand. Then accept their invitation to try and beat the crap out of their tire. I chose Yokohama, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The big news for them was the GEOLANDER M/T G003!