1995 Jeep Wrangler Rio Grande 4x4 5speed Hard Top 2.5 Liter 4 Cylinder Engine on 2040-cars

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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.

We test the latest Easter Jeep Safari off roaders in Moab

The Easter Jeep Safari began as a play for tourism: in 1967 the Moab Chamber of Commerce invited "the Jeeping community" to ride a single trail on the Saturday before Easter. The attendees were mostly members and friends of the Chamber of Commerce. Now, 52 years later, the nine-day Safari takes place on more than 40 trails and lures thousands of Jeepers, who put on one of the biggest and best modified Jeep shows in the world. Cue the designers at Jeep and Mopar, who mastermind new ideas every year for what a modified Jeep could look like, with inspiration from the experiences they have and the mods they see at the Safari. We flew to Moab to drive the seven newest concepts, and start the recap with the disappointments: The B-Ute and the 4-Speed, but only because we couldn't drive them. Before the day had properly begun, those two designer treats had tapped out. The Renegade – internally codenamed B Utility, hence the "B-Ute" name – always feels like The Little Engine that Could when placed next to its halo Wrangler brother. In addition to the cosmetic changes, designers put the arcane caption "Lt. Jenkins" above "FWD1337" (explanations of those two memes here and here). The B-Ute would have been nice to drive if for no other reason than shouting "Leeeroy Jenkins" all around the course. View 16 Photos We rued missing out on the 4-Speed. The blue wonder is the third of a conceptual trio called "The Lightweights," focused on nimble trail handling provided by weight savings. The first of the Lightweights, the 2011 Pork Chop concept, cut 900 pounds from a standard Wrangler Sport. The 2013 Stitch concept lopped 1,100 pounds. The 4 Speed omits 900 pounds. Jeep brought both earlier concepts, and they were revelations. The Stitch was a throwback to stripped-out Dukes-of-Hazard-style Jeep romping. Round vents at the edges of the instrument panel act as side mirrors, Fiat Abarth seats grip occupants, the lemon-hued bikini top sewn from a transparent welding curtain bathes the cockpit in yellow light. Daisy Duke drove a 1980 CJ-7 that had 87 horsepower to move 2,700 pounds. The Stitch weighs about 3,200 pounds, but gets 290 hp. The Stitch skimmed over rocks and floated over sand, so light on its feet that Jeep lead designer Mark Allen told us the 35-inch Mickey Thompson MTZ tires were inflated to a mere 3 psi. The 4-Speed concept's pretty close to the Stitch weight thanks to carbon bits and lighter four-cylinder engine.

NYIAS: 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, ooh-rah!

I was very happy to see Jeep offer a stand-alone, off-road-oriented model to the Grand Cherokee for 2017, the Trailhawk. This is not the first time for a GC Trailhawk, as they offered a limited run a few years ago to see if there might be a market for such a model. Looks like there is, as there are Trailhawk models for the Cherokee and Renegade, and now the Grand Cherokee as well. Just to be clear here, Jeep has always offered off-road ready packages (tow hooks, one inch more ground clearance, skid plates) for the Grand Cherokee and Cherokee in the past. They were called "Up Country," or more recently, "Off Road" groups. That was all well and good but, at least where I was living, almost impossible to find. Rarely would you ever find one so-equipped on dealer lots. If you ever saw one on the street, most likely the owner special-ordered it. Having said that, now that I'm living by the beach, I am seeing a few Up Country-equipped older Jeeps; not many, but more than I've seen in the past. As to the new Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawks; I'm seeing a bunch of them. It took a little while for the public to discover this trim level, but now I see them everywhere. Must be the orange tow hooks? Speaking of orange tow hooks... I'm not a big fan of them. Tow hooks for sure, orange ones, not so much; same with the matte black hood decal, not a fan. If I were ever to get a Trailhawk, it would be either dark gray or black, as that effectively hides the hood decal. So Jeep has packaged the Trailhawk as a premium model within each respective model line. While I fully understand the thinking, I do wish Jeep would also offer an entry-level off-road model, one with all the Trailhawk off-road goodness, but minus all the visual and luxury fluff. A lot of off-roaders don't want to pay, or can't pay top dollar for stuff they don't want or need. As to a name, how about "Trail," that being Trailhawk minus the "hawk;" or perhaps "Pioneer?" That's an old name from Cherokees of yesteryear. Back then the Pioneer was positioned as a mid-low level model. I think either name would work well for a back-to-basics-off-road-focused Cherokee and/or Renegade. Content it like the current entry-level Sport or mid-level Latitude models, but include the Trailhawk's off-road prowess. The Grand Cherokee should probably pass on that suggestion, as it would run counter to that model's high-end image. Related Video: Image Credit: Jeep Jeep open road