2006 Jeep Liberty Sport on 2040-cars

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Ram and Jeep diesel emissions allegations spur class action lawsuits

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Last week, the EPA issued a notice of violation to FCA after it determined that Jeep and Ram installed eight undisclosed auxiliary emissions control devices on diesel vehicles. Since then US law firm Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC and Canadian firm Sotos LLP have launched class action suits on behalf of owners. These latest lawsuits are unrelated to a previous class action suit brought against FCA and Cummins over NOx emissions in 2007 to 2012 Ram models. The violation notice – and the subsequent lawsuits – covers 2014 to 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 models equipped with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, a total of about 104,000 vehicles in the US. The EPA says that while the emissions control devices aren't necessarily illegal, installing them without disclosing them to the EPA is, as they produce more emissions in real world use than in testing. Skirting certification in this way might be a violation of the Clean Air Act. FCA could see fines of up to $45,000 per vehicle, depending on the outcome of the EPA investigation. FCA denies that these are cheat devices, and has proposed software updates to bring the vehicles into compliance. As for the lawsuits, Heninger Garrison Davis says that "Fiat Chrysler marketed those vehicles as environmentally friendly with enhanced fuel efficiency, better performance, and lower emissions. Although the diesel vehicles were successfully marketed as 'clean,' their environmentally-friendly representations were deceptive to consumers." The suit seeks an undisclosed amount of compensation for owners of these vehicles. In Canada, Sotos LLP is seeking $250 million in damages on behalf of owners. This suit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, also claims deception on the part of FCA, "resulting in losses and damage" to owners. These are similar claims to group actions against Volkswagen with regard to its diesel emissions cheating scandal. While VW is fixing or buying back many of the affected vehicles, the company is defending itself against some suits on behalf of owners, saying it expects " no decline in the residual values of the affected vehicles as a result of this issue." Don't be surprised if FCA mounts a similar defense.

Jeep Wrangler Scrambler pickup truck spy shots reveal top and lighting details

Several spy shots have come out that give us further insight into the new Jeep Wrangler Scrambler pickup truck. Among them are some photos of a prototype being driven near FCA test facilities. They show that the Wrangler will have LED headlights available similar to those on the SUV model, as well as the new Renegade revealed for Europe. They also show the taillights of the pickup, though they appear to be units from a previous-generation JK Wrangler. They're probably placeholders for the new model's lights. View 22 Photos These photos also include images of the truck's interior. The dashboard is a mash-up of old pieces, including a JK Wrangler dash, and a Chrysler-badged steering wheel. But the important part of these photos is that they show parts of a normal Wrangler SUV roll cage, and latches holding down roof panels. These are evidence that the production model will have a removable roof. Further evidence comes from photos taken by someone from the Jeep aftermarket part company Artec Industries was checking out the factory in Toledo, Ohio. The images were brought to our attention by Jeep Scrambler Forum, and they show an unfinished Wrangler pickup body sitting in the doorway to the painting facility. The photo is below, and it confirms a number of details. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This body has the same style of roll cage as those found on the SUV versions of the Wrangler. Specifically, it looks like a combination of the upright rear cage of the two-door, with the length of the Wrangler Unlimited's cage. In addition to confirming the removable top, the windshield also appears to fold down, too. Beyond the confirmation of the top and windshield features, the rest of the cab looks almost identical to any other 2019 Wrangler Unlimited. The fenders and hood are the same, down to the fender vents, as are the doors. The cab shows that there was clearly room for full-size doors, which would have been welcome from an access perspective, but that would naturally cost more than already developed parts, It also means that any aftermarket doors or door accessories created for the Unlimited will work with the Scrambler. We can also see that there's a small diagonal indent in the cab where part of the rear fender will fit. It also matches up with the line of the rear door.

Ford will put solid axles under the Bronco as the off-roading gods intended

We've been wondering what sort of creature the Bronco would be since we first heard of the thing last October, when a union chairman spilled the beans on the SUV and the Ranger pickup. Ford confirmed a 2020 arrival date for the Bronco at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, but at that point pretty much all we were sure of was that the Ranger and Bronco would be returning. The open question would be how hungry Ford was to spoil the Jeep Wrangler's solo party as a compact(ish) off-roader with dual solid axles, since the easiest thing would be to carry over the suspension design of the presumably related international Ford Ranger and its Everest SUV version: independent front suspension with either a leaf- (Ranger) or coil-suspended (Everest) solid rear axle. Enter Dana, the long-time supplier of Jeep stick axles, to confirm that the 2020 Bronco is getting a pair of them. That means solid axles front and rear, just like under a Wrangler. So reports Automotive News, citing an investor presentation from Dana. All signs so far, such as the report that the Bronco would be engineered by the same team in Australia that created the Ranger pickup, indicated that the Bronco would share a platform with the Ranger and thus be body-on-frame. The solid axle confirmation essentially confirms that theory. Some off-road-capable vehicles have paired solid axles with unibody frames, like the Jeep Cherokee (XJ generation) and Grand Cherokee (ZJ and WJ generations), but they are outliers. Generally, if you've got solid axles at both ends, they're going in a vehicle with a ladder frame. It also lends credence to the notion that our Bronco won't simply be an imported Everest, which might be too understated to stand out from lesser crossovers anyways. This is good news if you have Blue Oval in your blood and pine for a modern SUV that'll show up the Jeep guys on the trail. Less directly, it could mean a wholesale assault on the formula that makes Jeeps successful in the first place: the massive aftermarket of off-roading equipment and dress-up bits that appeal to Jeep buyers almost as much as a Trail Rated badge. At a minimum, Bronco enthusiasts can breathe easy that the reborn SUV won't merely be a light-duty crossover with styling "inspired" by true off-roaders. There's still a lot left to learn about the Bronco. Keep up to date with our running summary of everything we know about the returning off-roader.