2014 Ram 1500 Slt on 2040-cars

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FCA recalling 425,000 Ram 1500, Jeep Compass to fix windshield wipers

Fiat Chrysler is recalling an estimated 425,588 Jeep Compass SUVs and Ram 1500 pickups to fix windshield wipers that may not be adequately secured. The voluntary recall involves Jeep Compass models and Ram 1500 and Ram 1500 Classics from the 2019 and 2020 model years built before March 3 of this year. FCA says it knows of no related injuries or accidents related to the issue, which involves a fastener that is supposed to connect windshield-wiper arms not being secured sufficiently. The new wiper nut was first introduced into production at a Detroit-area plant that builds the Ram 1500 on April 28, 2019. Left unaddressed, it could affect a driver’s visibility and increase the risk of a crash. One owner of a 2019 Compass in Wichita, Kan., filed a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in June 2019 and said the windshield wiper came off during a storm the day the vehicle was purchased. FCA says it will begin contacting affected customers later this month to arrange a free repair. Customers can also contact their dealer if their wipers donÂ’t sufficiently clear their windshield, or if the wiper arms get stuck and donÂ’t return to the rest position when de-activated. Customers can also contact customer service at 1-800-853-1403. The recall also affects an estimated 76,280 vehicles in Canada and 3,280 in Mexico. Recalls Jeep RAM Truck SUV

Prosecutors indict three FCA employees in alleged emissions-cheating case

Federal prosecutors indicted three Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA, now Stellantis) employees as part of an investigation into alleged emissions cheating. Charges unsealed on April 20, 2021, accuse the defendants of helping rig the emissions control system fitted to the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 used in some models during the 2010s. Prosecutors claim Emanuele Palma, Sergio Pasini, and Gianluca Sabbioni played a determining role in developing a defeat device that allowed the V6 to obtain certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) while polluting too much in normal driving conditions. Jeep and Ram began making the engine available in the Grand Cherokee and the 1500, respectively, in 2014, but the charges state plans to game the EPA started in 2011. Palma, Pasini, and Sabbioni knowingly mislead federal regulators, the charges claim; they called it "cycle beating," according to The Detroit News. While the three men were part of FCA's research and development department, they started the project while working for an Italian supplier named VM Motori, which FCA purchased in 2013. Pasini and Sabbioni are each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and six counts of violating the Clean Air Act. They could spend several years behind bars if they're found guilty. Both are currently in their home country of Italy. Palma's legal troubles are more serious. He was charged with several counts in September 2019, though four wire fraud charges were dropped in November 2020. He lives in Bloomfield Hills, a city located on the far outskirts of Detroit. Prosecutors claim motorists spent over $4 billion on over 100,000 trucks and SUVs fitted with the non-compliant engine between January 2013 and September 2017. FCA has already agreed to pay $800 million to resolve civil claims from the Justice Department, state officials and customers, though it significantly has not admitted guilt. It stressed that "it did not engage in any deliberate scheme to install defeat devices to cheat emissions tests."

Chrysler recalling 280k Dodge Ram 1500 pickups over axle seizures

Following a June investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will be recalling 280,000 Dodge Ram pickups from model year 2005. The issue, NHTSA told The Detroit News, centered on a loose pinion nut, which could cause the rear axle to seize and, potentially, the driveshaft to detach. The affected vehicles were built between January of 2004 and August of 2005, while of the 280,000 trucks, only 257,000 were sold in the US market. According to The News, the recall will begin on February 13, and will see owners report to dealerships to have "a retention feature" added to the pinion nut.