2000 Dodge Avenger 181,602 Miles Have Keys No Start Door Handles Missing on 2040-cars

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Dodge Durango gets the Blacktop treatment

The Dodge Durango is getting a meaner, more aggressive look as it becomes the latest model from the brand to wear the Blacktop Appearance Package. The upgrades are strictly cosmetic, but they lend the SUV a more assertive demeanor that some buyers like.
Available on the SXT, Limited and R/T (shown above) models, all Blacktop Durangos get black 20-inch wheels, dual exhaust, bod- color fascia and gloss black trim. The grille surround, air dam, mirrors and headlight surrounds all get the inky treatment, as well. The improvements add $1,590 to the cost of the SXT. They come to $1,990 on the Limited but also include HID headlights with LED running lights and a leather interior. Finally, R/T buyers only need to pay $295 for the upgrades. The Blacktop Durango hits showrooms this October.
If you're already in the market for a Durango but want a dash more style with no added performance, the Blacktop might not be a bad way to go. It certainly gives the SUV a bit more edge than it has in stock form. Scroll down to read the full release.

Small number of 2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger models recalled

A small number of units of the 2013 Chrysler 200 (inset) and 2013 Dodge Avenger are being recalled over a broken control valve in the fuel tank assembly. The potential 1,785 sedans were manufactured late last year, and if affected with a broken control valve could suffer from stalling or fuel leakage.
A bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that the recall should begin next month, at which time owners can take their cars to dealers for repair free of charge. The full release with more information is just below.

Dodge engineers trying to shoehorn Pentastar into Dart?

The fact that the Dart's launch has been a pretty dismal affair isn't what we'd call secret. Judging by its mounting inventories and poor critical reception, Dodge's successor to its unloved Caliber has struggled since it hit the market. And while both of those are difficult problems to address, at least their cause is well known - the powertrain.
Even Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has acknowledged that the powertrain options in the Dart are substandard, admitting at January's Detroit Auto Show that the powertrains are "less than ideal." Leading with the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found in the Fiat 500 Abarth left a bad taste in the mouths of consumers thanks to the laggy engine and dead throttle response (to say nothing of the manual and dual-clutch gearboxes that needed more refinement). The addition of the 184-horsepower 2.4-liter Tigershark in the Dart GT has helped matters some, but apparently Auburn Hills doesn't think it's quite enough.
If rumors are to be believed - get that salt ready - a possible solution may be in the works. A report from Allpar is claiming that Dodge is considering fitting a Pentastar V6 into the Dart's engine bay. As the Mopar-obsessed website points out, the critically acclaimed Pentastar is available in three different sizes - 3.0 liters, 3.2 liters and the original 3.6 liters. We don't get the 3.0 here in the US, but the 3.2 can be found in the new Jeep Cherokee and the 3.6 has been seemingly fitted to every model Chrysler can shoehorn it into.