2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport on 2040-cars

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Airbag fault on 1M recalled Jeeps getting second look from NHTSA [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Here is the statement we received from Chrysler regarding NHTSA's query: "Chrysler Group LLC advised the National Highway Traffic Administration of the six reports and, in accordance with the Company's long-standing practice, is cooperating fully with the resulting investigation. Customer safety is paramount at Chrysler Group. Customers who are concerned may call 1-800-853-1403."
It appears that Jeep's repairs for nearly one million Grand Cherokees from 2002-2004 and Liberty models from 2002-2003 might not be over yet. The vehicles were first recalled in November 2012 because the front airbags could suddenly deploy without being in an accident. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a recall query into them because of reports of inadvertent activation on some already corrected vehicles.
The original problem affected over 919,000 vehicles worldwide, including 744,822 in the US, and was caused by a degrading circuit in the wires that control the airbags. In some cases the airbag warning light would come on just before the premature activation, but in other cases it would just happen. The automaker installed an "in-line jumper harness with an integrated electrical filter" meant to eliminate the power spikes believed to be the cause.

Autoblog Minute: Wrangler Pickup, Triumph Fined, Cherokee Production Moves

Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on highlights from the week in automotive news on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Triumph Motorcycles in violation of the Safety Act, Jeep looks to adjust its vehicle production strategy, and a Wrangler pickup may soon be be produced in Toledo. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore, and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Triumph Motorcycles was hit with a $2.9-million fine because of a failure to submit safety documents to NHTSA in a timely fashion. An investigation of 1,300 bikes in September of 2014 led to this finding. Other violations were then discovered, like the late reporting of quarterly recall completion rates, and Triumph's failure to supply warranty data. Fines for these violations may seem harsh but U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said: "Manufacturers must comply with their reporting obligations. The law requires it, and public safety demands it. When companies fail to meet those obligations, we will hold them accountable." In FCA news, it seems that production of the Jeep Cherokee will be moved from the Toledo plant to a nearby state. Automotive News first reported on this adding that Jeep may produce a pickup alongside Wrangler to fill the void left by Cherokee. Jeep declined to comment on this news. Speculation surrounding Jeep's production plans depends on the automaker's ongoing negotiations with the UAW. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to check out my full recap this Saturday, including details on Ford's performance Fusion. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Jeep Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Triumph Motorcycles

Stellantis tells UK: Change Brexit deal or watch car plants close

LONDON - British car plants will close with the loss of thousands of jobs unless the Brexit deal is swiftly renegotiated, Stellantis has told the UK parliament, the latest in a series of warnings from the industry since the country left the European Union. The world's No. 3 carmaker by sales and owner of 14 brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat said that under the current deal it would face tariffs when exporting electric vans to Europe from next year, when tougher post-Brexit rules come into force. "If the cost of EV (electric vehicle) manufacturing in the UK becomes uncompetitive and unsustainable, operations will close," Stellantis said in a submission to a House of Commons committee examining the prospects for Britain's EV industry. Stellantis urged the government to reach an agreement with the European Union about extending the current rules on the sourcing of parts until 2027 instead of the planned 2024 change. In response, a government spokesperson said the business secretary had raised the issue with the EU. "Watch this space, because we are very focused on making sure that the UK gets EV and manufacturing capacity," Britain's finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday at a British Chambers of Commerce event. The potentially existential problem facing Britain's car industry is closely tied to the shift to EVs. Under the trade deal agreed when Britain left the bloc, 45% of the value of an EV being sold in the European Union must come from Britain or the EU from 2024 to avoid tariffs. The problem is that a battery pack can account for up to half a new EV's cost. Batteries are also heavy and expensive to move long distances. Experts have been warning since Britain left the EU at the end of 2020 that the country would need a number of EV battery gigafactories or potentially lose a hefty chunk of its car industry. Only Japan's Nissan has a small EV battery plant in Sunderland, with a second one on the way. Cost of failure Britishvolt, a startup which received UK government support for an ambitious 3.8 billion pound ($4.80 billion) battery plant at a site in northern England, filed for administration in January after struggling to raise funds. The company was then bought by Australia's Recharge Industries, which has yet to unveil plans for the site.