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Jeep Begins Fixing 1.56 Million Recalled Grand Cherokee, Liberty SUVs

Chrysler is just now beginning the big job of fixing 1.56 million older Jeep SUVs seven months after a recall was announced, according to The Detroit News. Jeep Grand Cherokees sold between 1992 and 1998 and Jeep Liberty models sold between 2002 and 2007 are being recalled because the gas tank can leak in the event of a rear-end collision, leading to a fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration originally requested the recall of 2.7 million vehicles. Chrysler initially disputed NHTSA's findings and seemed willing to go through a court battle until an 11th-hour deal reduced the number of vehicles involved in the recall. The remaining vehicle owners left out of the recall will receive a "customer service action" notification and may not get fixed. Chrysler says the vehicles are safe and need no repairs. Fixing the 1.56 million Jeeps will cost Chrysler $151 million. NHTSA cited 51 deaths causes by such tank fires. Chrysler plans to install protective trailer hitches to protect the gas tanks, but even the automaker admits the hitches will only provide incremental protection in a low-to-moderate speed rear-end crash. Related Gallery 2014 Jeep Cherokee Test Drive View 9 Photos Recalls Chrysler Jeep jeep liberty

The 2018 Jeep Wrangler will look a lot like the 2017 Jeep Wrangler

JL Wrangler Forums suggests the next-generation Wrangler will be restyled in an evolutionary way that maintains the off-roader's classic looks yet adds new features. The forum used intelligence from spy photos and leaked images to assemble renderings of the new Wrangler. They show that the front end is still classically Jeep, but with modern updates. The LED headlights and turn signals revealed in FCA drawings are noticeable changes. An interesting touch is just behind the rear bumper, where there appears to be an air dam for aerodynamics. There's still a gap between it and the front fenders to keep the old-school look intact. The grille, windshield, and hood are also more raked for the sake of aerodynamics. At the back, the lights follow the FCA drawings as well, though the reverse lights from those illustrations appear to be absent. The square taillights are also shown on the truck variant, along with the plastic fender flares of the SUV version. Spy photos of the Wrangler pickup have shown a streamlined box with integrated taillights akin to the Ram, but it's likely to be a placeholder until the final design is selected. The sides of both models also feature more squared-off details in the top and door handles, generally with beveled corners for a more modern look. The top is where things get fuzzy. The new model might lose its removable top altogether, in favor of removable panels similar to the Jeep Renegade. JL Wrangler Forums illustrated how this could work in the above image. The roof can be removed in sections, and the rear-most windows can also be taken out. The overall effect is similar to that of a current Wrangler Unlimited. There is a potential drawback to this system, though. All of these hard panels will have to be left somewhere. And unlike the current model, this one wouldn't have a soft-top back-up when the weather turns. It's hard to say for sure if this design will make it to production. FCA has consistently and effectively hidden this part of its Wrangler prototypes since they were first spotted. At this point, we can only speculate on how the top will function. Otherwise, these renderings seem plausible, and we should know how accurate they are when the Wrangler makes its expected debut next year. The new Wrangler will likely have some aluminum body panels, an 8-speed automatic and an available diesel powertrain. For more details and spy photos, check out our post that has assembled everything we know so far about the 2018 Wrangler.

Jeep Super Bowl commercial nets criticism from fish conservationists [Update]

Update. FCA got back to us with the following statement: "The Jeep brand and FCA cooperate with federal/state/local governments and organizations, including Tread Lightly and Access Fund, around the world to help ensure that its vehicles are being utilized in a legal and responsible manner, and follow those guidelines when demonstrating their off-road capabilities. Ecological assessments are made and considered when the Jeep brand conducts demonstrations of a vehicle's off-roading capabilities. The vehicle shown in this video is driving on a designated county road that experiences seasonal runoff and its performance capabilities are authentically portrayed consistent with the Jeep brand philosophy. Other examples of how Jeep demonstrates vehicle capabilities take place at the brand's Camp Jeep activities at auto shows and experiential events." The Super Bowl is always packed to the brim with various car commercials. FCA in particular had a big showing this year with ads from both Ram and Jeep. It's the latter that seems to have drawn the ire of some organizations, particularly one where a new Jeep Cherokee drove up a stream in a commercial called "The Road." Trout Unlimited, a freshwater conservation organization, has criticized FCA for encouraging driving that might endanger fish habitats. Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood sent a letter to FCA chief Sergio Marchionne, calling the commercial "wrongheaded" and that Jeep got some "bad marketing advice on this one." Wood says many of Trout Unlimited's members are Jeep owners and that he previously owned a Jeep CJ7 that he took all over Vermont. He says that he took it off-roading, though he never drove right up the middle of a stream. We're waiting on a comment from Jeep, but MSN reports that the automaker is defending the ads — though there aren't plans to run them again. Trout Unlimited says driving up and damaging streams can destroy the gravel where fish lay eggs. Either way, off-roaders should always be mindful of their surroundings so they don't destroy the land or sink their vehicles after, say, breaking through the ice on a frozen lake. Related Video: