2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler rides into SEMA on new Mopar performance axles

Mopar is unveiling Jeep Performance Parts axles as the latest off-road accessory to the Jeep Wrangler, which itself won the "4x4/ SUV of the Year" honors at SEMA for the ninth consecutive year. The show opens Tuesday and continues through Friday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Mopar teamed with longtime partner and auto supplier Dana to develop the axles, which are co-branded under the name JPP Ultimate Dana 44 AdvanTEK. They're installed on a Nacho Wrangler concept at Mopar's 15,345-square-foot display. The high-strength axles are built in the U.S. and feature gear technology that reduces gear set packaging, with added strength and overall rigidity for the trail. The high-clearance carrier design adds an extra half-inch of ground clearance, with an expanded range of gear ratios (4.56, 4.88, 5.13 and 5.38) to accommodate for more tire sizes. Chromoly axle shafts, thicker quarter-inch steel bracket mounts, 9.5-millimeter tubes and upgraded U-joints also add durability, while a nodular iron differential cover adds rugged looks, and its ribbing adds strength and rigidity. The direct bolt-in assembly allows for use of OEM components and includes electronic differential lockers already installed. The axles will be available for purchase starting next month. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jeep Wrangler Mopar Performance Axles: SEMA 2018 Related Gallery Mopar Jeep Performance Parts Wrangler off-road axle Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2018 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com SEMA Show Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Performance axle dana

332,000 Jeep, Fiat and Alfa Romeo models recalled over faulty seat belt buckle sensors

Stellantis has recalled 332,000 Alfa Romeo, Jeep, and Fiat vehicles in the United States due to faulty seat belt sensors. Included in the recall are certain 2017-2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia and 2018-2025 Stelvio models along with 2019-2023 Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, and 2024 Fiat 500E models. According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "A disrupted connector on the buckle switch hall effect may affect the conduction on the connectors of the seat wiring and buckle which may cause the front seat air bag to not perform as expected during a crash." In more simple terms, the sensor that tells the vehicle's onboard computer if an occupant's seat belt is buckled may fail. If this happens, an airbag may not inflate in the event of a crash as intended. As of June 26, 2024, Stellantis says it has identified 578 field reports in North America potentially related to this issue. "The remedy will be to replace the connector by directly wiring the sensor to the harness with a solder tube," according to documentation provided by Stellantis. All repairs will be made free of charge.

Stellantis lays off salaried workers, cites uncertainty in EV transition

DETROIT — Jeep maker Stellantis is laying off about 400 white-collar workers in the U.S. as it deals with the transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles. The company formed in the 2021 merger between PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler said the workers are mainly in engineering, technology and software at the headquarters and technical center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, north of Detroit. Affected workers were notified starting Friday morning. “As the auto industry continues to face unprecedented uncertainties and heightened competitive pressures around the world, Stellantis continues to make the appropriate structural decisions across the enterprise to improve efficiency and optimize our cost structure,” the company said in a prepared statement Friday. The cuts, effective March 31, amount to about 2% of Stellantis' U.S. workforce in engineering, technology and software, the statement said. Workers will get a separation package and transition help, the company said. “While we understand this is difficult news, these actions will better align resources while preserving the critical skills needed to protect our competitive advantage as we remain laser focused on implementing our EV product offensive,” the statement said. CEO Carlos Tavares repeatedly has said that electric vehicles cost 40% more to make than those that run on gasoline, and that the company will have to cut costs to make EVs affordable for the middle class. He has said the company is continually looking for ways to be more efficient. U.S. electric vehicle sales grew 47% last year to a record 1.19 million as EV market share rose from 5.8% in 2022 to 7.6%. But sales growth slowed toward the end of the year. In December, they rose 34%. Stellantis plans to launch 18 new electric vehicles this year, eight of those in North America, increasing its global EV offerings by 60%. But Tavares told reporters during earnings calls last month that “the job is not done” until prices on electric vehicles come down to the level of combustion engines — something that Chinese manufacturers are already able to achieve through lower labor costs. “The Chinese offensive is possibly the biggest risk that companies like Tesla and ourselves are facing right now,Â’Â’ Tavares told reporters. “We have to work very, very hard to make sure that we bring out consumers better offerings than the Chinese.