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Fiat Chrysler expands Takata airbag recall to 3.3M vehicles

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is expanding its recall of vehicles equipped with Takata airbags, moving beyond Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to the greater US, as well as Mexico, Canada and beyond. The affected vehicles, some 3.3 million in total, were built between 2004 and 2007, with many models, including the Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500, Durango and the Chrysler 300, having been affected by Chrysler's previous recall. Despite the somewhat alarming nature that comes with a recall of this many vehicles, it seems that Chrysler is moving more out of an abundance of caution (and federal pressure) than anything else, saying: "Neither FCA US, nor Takata Corporation, the supplier, has identified a defect in this population of inflators. These components also are distinct from Takata inflators cited in fatalities involving other auto makers. More than 1,000 laboratory tests have been performed on these components. All deployed as intended, but FCA US continues to study the suspect inflators, which are not used in the Company's current production vehicles." Owners of affected vehicles will be notified and asked to report to dealers for a free replacement driver's side airbag. Scroll down for the official press release from FCA. Statement: Global Air-Bag Inflator Replacement December 19, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC will replace driver's-side air-bag inflators in an estimated 3.3 million older-model vehicles worldwide, in an expansion of an ongoing regional field action. Neither FCA US, nor Takata Corporation, the supplier, has identified a defect in this population of inflators. These components also are distinct from Takata inflators cited in fatalities involving other auto makers. More than 1,000 laboratory tests have been performed on these components. All deployed as intended, but FCA US continues to study the suspect inflators, which are not used in the Company's current production vehicles. Outside of Florida, one of the areas covered by the original action, no FCA US vehicle has been linked to an air-bag deployment of the type that has raised public concern. Nevertheless, the Company is replacing the Takata components tied to that concern. FCA US is aware of one related injury involving one of its vehicles, an older-model sedan. It occurred in a southern Florida region marked by persistent, high, absolute humidity – a condition believed to be a contributing factor in the air-bag deployments under investigation.

Mopar '13 Dart priced from $25,485*

For the past few years, Chrysler's Mopar in-house tuning division has created its own one-off versions of several cars in the automaker's portfolio, including the Mopar '10 Challenger, Mopar '11 Charger and Mopar '12 300. For 2013, the black-and-blue up-do has been given to the new Dart compact, and Chrysler has announced that the limited-edition sedan is now available for order, priced from $25,485, not including *$995 for destination.
Like previous Mopar edition vehicles, the Dart is painted in a signature Pitch Black exterior with an offset blue racing stripe. The sedan sits seven millimeters lower to the ground and gets visual add-ons like a chin spoiler, decklid spoiler and rear diffuser, along with gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels.
Performance wise, the Dart's 1.4-liter MultiAir inline four-cylinder engine remains, producing 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The Mopar car gets a sport-tuned exhaust system along with revised power steering calibration and beefier brakes.

Dodge recalls 27k Darts for bracket that can disrupt transmission module

Dodge is recalling 27,520 examples of the 2013-2015 Dart with dual-clutch gearboxes. The mounting bracket for the transmission control module can affect the part's operation and cause the compacts to suddenly shift into neutral. According to the automaker, 23,688 of them are in the US, 3,376 in Canada, 5 in Mexico, and 451 elsewhere. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports these examples carry build dates between February 24, 2012, and June 16, 2015. There are also no reports of accidents or injuries. Because of the way the bracket is mounted, the part can put too much force on the control module's circuit board and cause it to shift out of gear. The engine and airbags remain operable if this happens. To fix things, dealers will install a redesigned mount and replacement module. Related Video: Statement: Mounting Bracket September 14, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is recalling an estimated 23,688 cars in the U.S. to replace certain control modules and mounting brackets that may contribute to a loss of motive power. The Company is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. An FCA US investigation prompted by a small number of warranty claims discovered a control-module mounting bracket may apply too much force and disrupt the function of a circuit board within the module. This condition, unique to certain cars equipped with dual dry-clutch transmissions (DDCT), may cause the transmission to shift into neutral. However, the engine remains on and the vehicle's air-bags, as well as other safety features, are unaffected. The condition may also be preceded by the illumination of a dashboard warning light. Customers who observe this are urged to contact their dealers. The campaign is limited to certain 2013-2015 Dodge Darts equipped with DDCTs. Additional vehicles will be recalled in Canada (3,376), Mexico (five) and outside the NAFTA region (451). Affected customers will be advised when they may schedule service, which will be performed free of charge. Service will entail installation of a redesigned mounting bracket and replacement of the control module. Customers with additional questions may call the FCA US Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403.