2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland on 2040-cars

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Jeep Renegade recalled to prevent hacking

Jeep is issuing a voluntary recall of some 7,800 Renegades over fears that their radios may be vulnerable to hacking. The company is quick to stress that this campaign is independent of the hacking scare earlier this year. Only Renegades fitted with the 6.5-inch touchscreen display are affected by the recall. Owners of the affected vehicles will be mailed a USB jump drive that they can plug into their vehicle for a free software update. Alternatively, owners can head over to the UConnect website, enter their VIN, and download the software to their own jump drive. (See how in our video below.) Dealers will also perform the upgrade free of charge. The software update provides "additional security features," that should prevent remote tampering. If this sounds worrying, it's actually not that huge of a problem. First, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles estimates that over half the affected vehicles are still sitting on dealer lots. More importantly, according to FCA, the vulnerability on the Renegade "required unique and extensive technical knowledge, prolonged physical access to a subject vehicle and extended periods of time to write code," making it considerably different than the Cherokee problem. No injuries or hacks have been reported by any Renegade owner. Related Video: Statement: Software Update September 4, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to update software in approximately 7,810 U.S.-market SUVs equipped with certain radios. More than half remain in dealer hands and will be serviced before they are sold. The campaign – which involves radios that differ from those implicated in another, similar recall – is designed to protect connected vehicles from remote manipulation. If unauthorized, such interference constitutes a criminal act. FCA US has already applied measures to prevent the type of vehicle manipulation demonstrated in a recent media report. These measures – which required no customer or dealer actions – block remote access to certain vehicle systems. The Company is unaware of any injuries related to software exploitation, nor is it aware of any related complaints, warranty claims or accidents – independent of the media demonstration. Affected are certain 2015 Jeep Renegade SUVs equipped with 6.5-inch touchscreens. Customers will receive a USB device which they may use to upgrade vehicle software. This provides additional security features.

Chrysler investigating complaints of vehicles with faulty power modules

Chrysler owners are hopping mad after experiencing a series of electrical gremlins in some of the company's vehicles. Issues range from mere annoyances - windows rolling down and radios turning off of their own accord - to serious safety issues, with headlights that randomly shut off at night and cars that stall and refuse to start.
The issues are being blamed on the total integrated power module, which can cost up to $1,000 for customers to replace. This, of course, has led to a hefty batch of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with 240 owners expressing their displeasure so far. Another site, CarComplaints.com, has registered over 300 complaints relating to the 2010 to 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, alone, according to The New York Times.
Chrysler has acknowledged that it's investigating the complaints and is analyzing the faulty TIPMs, but that isn't quite enough for customers of the affected vehicles. The newspaper has snagged a few of the more harrowing tales with the electrically challenged Chrysler products, culled from the NHTSA complaints.

2019 Jeep Renegade revealed with a more mature, aggressive look

Jeep has finally revealed the refreshed 2019 Jeep Renegade compact crossover SUV. So far, only the exterior has been shown, and it does reveal a number of differences from the current model. At the front, we can see the Renegade now has available LED headlights similar to those offered on the Wrangler. The individual grille slats are wider with slimmer chrome bezels, which help to give it a more aggressive look. The front bumper has been completely redesigned, with the fog lights appearing to be bigger, and they now sit in the main lower grille. That grille is flanked by two triangular air inlets. Around back, the Renegade is nearly unchanged. The taillights are the only major change, and the dark red lights lend a more premium, mature look to the little crossover. We also see that the Renegade now sports an obvious grab handle for opening the rear hatch. Other details are scarce, as Jeep did not reveal much else with the two photos above. We've reached out to Jeep for more info but haven't received a response at the time of writing. We do know from the previous teaser of the new model that the Renegade will offer both three- and four-cylinder engines in Europe. The three-cylinder displaces 1 liter and makes about 120 horsepower, and the four-cylinder is available in two forms, one that makes 150 horsepower, and one that makes 180 horsepower. All of them are turbocharged. Spy shots have also hinted that the Renegade could also be getting a hybridized version. Related Video: Image Credit: Jeep Jeep Crossover SUV Economy Cars jeep renegade