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Ram boosts Heavy Duty truck claims for 2015 [w/video]

The heavy-duty truck segment boasts some of the tightest competition of any automotive niche in the US. Being able to tout just one best-in-class figure can be a marketing advantage over competitors, and Ram Trucks is adding one more accolade to its tally with a powertrain update for the 2015 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups. Ram now claims best-in-class ratings for torque, towing and payload, depending on configuration.
The major change comes for the 3500 HD with a boost in torque for its Cummins 6.7-liter, inline-six diesel engine. It now produces a meaty 865 pound-feet of twist, a boost of 15 lb-ft, which is the best figure in its segment, according to the company. To eek out the extra power, the mill has more aggressive fuel delivery, and the turbo has been recalibrated. Of course, more grunt would be meaningless if drivers couldn't do anything with it, and the tweaks help allow payload to grow to 7,390 pounds, up from a rating of 7,320 pounds last year. The max towing rating remains unchanged at 30,000 pounds, though.
The rest of the powertrain lineup carries over from last year. The base HD mill is the gasoline-fed 5.7-liter V8 with 383 hp and 400 lb-ft and a six-speed automatic. The next step up is a 6.4-liter V8 with 410 hp and 429 lb-ft. There are also three trims of the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel starting with 350 hp and 660 lb-ft with a six-speed manual gearbox. If buyers opt for a the 68RFE six-speed auto, they get 370 hp and 800 lb-ft. Finally, there's the updated, top-rung version with 385 hp and 865 lb-ft with an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission.

1.8 million Ram trucks recalled to fix shifter problem

Fiat Chrysler is recalling 1.8 million mostly heavy-duty Ram pickups to fix a part that could allow the truck to shift out of park and roll without depressing the brake pedal, a problem the automaker knows to be potentially related to seven injuries and a "small number" of accidents. The company says tests revealed that the interlock, which is supposed to keep the transmission from shifting out of park without the driver's foot on the brake and without a key in the ignition, may malfunction if subjected to high temperatures for long periods. The recall is limited to vehicles equipped with shifters mounted on the steering columns; those with rotary-dial shifters or floor-mounted shifters aren't affected, and model-year 2017 trucks built after Dec. 31, 2016, are excluded. Trucks covered by the recall are certain 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups; 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs; and 2016 and 2017 Ram 3500 chassis cabs of less than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Certain 2009 through 2017 Ram 1500 pickups are also included in the recall. Most of the affected trucks are in the U.S., with the rest in Canada and Mexico, plus about 15,000 outside of the North American Free Trade zone. FCA recommends that customers always use parking brakes and not leave children unattended in parked cars.Related Video: Featured Gallery Mojave Road in a 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon View 31 Photos Recalls RAM Truck ram 5500 ram 4500

Chrysler recalling 31k SUVs and vans

Chrysler is issuing recalls covering roughly 31,700 vehicles worldwide due to two separate problems. In both cases the company believes that most of the affected vehicles are either still on, or in transit to, dealer lots.
One recall covers roughly 10,700 Dodge Durango, Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT models from the 2014 model year built between January 16 and April 17, 2014. The SUVs need a software update for the cruise control. It's possible that when the cruise is on and the driver presses on the throttle, the acceleration could last a second after the pedal is released or two seconds for the SRT. Afterward, they return to the speed originally set by the driver.
Chrysler says it isn't aware of any accidents, injuries or even reported incidents of this happening in the real world. Also, in all cases, if the driver presses on the brake, the cruise shuts off. The automaker believes that there are about 6,100 affected SUVs in the US, 950 in Canada, 425 in Mexico and 3,200 outside of North America. The software upgrade will be ready shortly, the company says.