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Automakers want to stop the EPA's fuel economy rules change, and why that's a shortsighted move

With a Trump Administration looming, the EPA moved quickly after the election to propose finalizing future fuel economy rules last week. The auto industry doesn't like that (surprise), and has started making moves to stop the EPA. Ford CEO Mark Fields said he wanted to lobby Trump to lower the standards, and now the Auto Alliance, a manufacturer group, is saying it will join the fight against cleaner cars. The Alliance represents 12 automakers: BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, VW, and Volvo. Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson for the Alliance, told Automotive News that the "EPA's sudden and controversial move to propose auto regulations eight months early - even after Congress warned agencies about taking such steps while political appointees were packing their bags - calls out for congressional action to pause this rulemaking until a thoughtful policy review can occur." The EPA was going to consider public comments through April 2017, but then said it would move the deadline to the end of December. That means that it can finalize the rules before President Obama leaves office. The director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, Jack Gillis, said on a conference call with reporters last week when the EPA originally announced its decision that it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to roll back these changes. Gillis also said on the same call that any attempt by the automakers to prevent these changes would be history repeating itself. "These are the same companies that fought airbags, and now promoting the fact that every car has multiple airbags," he said. "These are the same companies that fought the crash-test program, and now are promoting the crash-test ratings published by the government. So, it's clear that they're misperceiving the needs of the American consumer." There are more reasons the Allliance's pushback is flawed. Carol Lee Rawn, the transportation program director for Ceres, said on that call that the automotive industry is a global one, and many automakers are moving to global platforms to help them meet strict fuel economy rules around the world.

Strike looms for FCA workers as soon as Wednesday night

A strike is on the very near horizon for at least some United Auto Workers members at FCA US. On October 6, the union sent a letter to the automaker that officially announced the termination of its agreements with the company as of 11:59 PM on Wednesday, October 7. Assuming that a deal or extension hasn't happened by that time, workers could hit the picket line. While neither side is talking much publicly, it does appear that negotiations are still underway. In a very brief statement, the automaker simply says: "FCA US confirms that it has received strike notification from the UAW. The Company continues to work with the UAW in a constructive manner to reach a new agreement." The UAW seems equally receptive, and it says in a post on Facebook: "Negotiations with FCA continue. Your bargaining team is hard at work and we will continue to post updates when there is more to report." If a strike happens, it could put a serious financial burden on FCA US. Economist Sean McAlinden from the Center for Automotive Research estimates the cost at as much as $40 million per week, according to Reuters. The union hasn't clarified at this time whether all of its workers with the automaker would stop working or if the picket lines would only be at specific plants. The first tentative agreement posted to UAW members working with FCA US utterly failed in voting. Raises and a healthcare co-op would have been among the new benefits. However, the employees were upset that the proposed deal retained a two-tier wage structure, and they also didn't like the lack of details about rumors of major production changes.

Chrysler Pacifica owners report sudden power loss; FCA can’t figure out why

More than 50 owners of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan have filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alleging that the vehicle has suddenly lost power while on the road, posing a serious safety risk to owners. The New York Times reports that other Pacifica owners have described similar incidents on a Pacifica online chat forum and on Facebook. The problem seems to be affecting a small fraction of the more than 156,000 Pacificas sold since the minivan was introduced in 2016. No crashes or injuries have been linked to the problem, and dealers have been unable to replicate the issue on affected vehicles they have examined. Fiat Chrysler says it's looking into the problem but hasn't been able to identify the source. FCA spokesman Eric Mayne told the Times the company "is unaware of any injuries by accidents associated with these complaints" but takes customer concerns seriously. He said there was no indication that airbags or seatbelt tension were compromised by the issue. The Pacifica's airbags remain operational even when the vehicle loses power.Search for recall news on our hub. Try Autoblog's Car Finder to search for your next new vehicle. One owner, Adam Cohen, of Leesburg, Va., said his 2017 Pacifica shut down twice while his wife was driving it. He's been discussing the issue with Chrysler engineers and quality officials in recent weeks and even wrote to FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne. "They want to put a data recorder on my Pacifica and have me take it back and drive it around," he told the Times. "I told them they should drive it themselves and wait for it to happen. I don't want my family to be their test dummies. And that's where it stands. We're at a deadlock."Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Chrysler Pacifica: First Drive View 35 Photos Image Credit: Christopher McGraw / Autoblog Auto News Chrysler Driving Safety Minivan/Van new york times