2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

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Ram introduces latest 'Built to Serve' pickup honoring U.S. Air Force

Ram announced Thursday that the third of its five-truck "Built to Serve" series will officially launch Friday. The latest edition, finished in either Anvil or Billet Silver, honors the U.S. Air Force on the anniversary of its founding.  "Ram continues to honor all of those who serve or have served in the United States armed forces with distinction through our latest ‘Built to ServeÂ’ offering," said Ram chief Mike Koval Jr., in FCA's announcement. "The ‘Built to ServeÂ’ adage is something Ram truck owners, whether civilian or military, are very familiar with as itÂ’s something we strive to build into every truck and van we produce."   FCA is releasing a new truck approximately once every three months, each commemorating one of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Deliveries of the latest model are set to begin this week to coincide with the 73rd anniversary of the Air Force's establishment as a separate branch on Sept. 18, 1947.  "Built to Serve" models are easily spotted thanks to their prominent rear quarter panel decals. Cosmetic upgrades include an all-black grille and surround, black badges, side steps, black four-inch exhaust tips, body-colored wheel arch trim, and 20-inch wheels finished in Technical Gray. The option price adds the Off-Road Group, which bundles features such as underbody skid plates, electronic-locking rear axle, off-road shocks, tow hooks, and all-terrain tires.  In total, FCA will sell 9,000 "Built to Serve" editions divvied up so that each branch gets two appropriate color choices out of 10 total: Gator (1,000 units) and Diamond Black (1,000); Ceramic Gray (1,000) and Patriot Blue (1,000); Anvil (1,000) and Billet Silver (1,000); Tank (1,000) and Flame Red (1,000); and Spitfire (500) and Bright White (500). The up-charge regardless of variant is $2,795.      

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

2019 Ram 1500 pickup production problems costing FCA $300M to fix

Fiat Chrysler is spending more than $300 million to fix production issues with the new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup as the plant where it's built is running below capacity and suppliers reportedly struggle to keep up with building it and the 2018 version simultaneously. The truck's ramp-up is well behind schedule, Automotive News reports. FCA's Sterling Heights Assembly plant in Michigan began building the pickup in mid-January but is running at only 60 percent capacity, CEO Sergio Marchionne said on an earnings call last week. Sources told the publication the plant is still undergoing construction and was building about 1,000 trucks per day toward a run rate of 1,400 per day. It's operating two 10-hour shifts per day, seven days a week, with plans to keep the factory running every weekend and holiday through Labor Day to meet production targets. More than 2,500 of the new pickups were reportedly awaiting unspecified electrical repairs before they could be shipped. FCA could use the boost from the heralded new 2019 Ram 1500, which figures prominently in its aggressive annual financial goals. The company is relying on the previous-generation 2018 Ram 1500, demand for which has been sagging. First-quarter sales of the pickup are down almost 13 percent year over year to 103,964, according to carsalesbase.com figures. Meanwhile, sales of Ford's F-Series pickups over the same period rose 4 percent to 214,191, while Chevrolet Silverado sales have climbed 5 percent to 135,545. Dealers have started receiving deliveries of the 2019 Ram 1500, but only the version fitted with the 5.7-liter V8. The EPA has yet to issue fuel economy ratings for the standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 paired with the eTorque 48-volt mild hybrid system, nor the same system mated with the V8. As we noted in our recent First Drive review, upgrading to the (non-hybrid) V8 costs $1,195, which is actually $255 cheaper than before. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: FCA Plants/Manufacturing RAM Truck sales