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Ram exec: first 30-mpg pickup truck will 'win'

It is totally possible, today, to take the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup truck, load it up with gear and people, and drive it from Texas to Michigan while getting 38 miles per gallon. We know because we did it. Officially, though, the 1500 gets just 20 mpg combined. A more impressive number is the 28 mpg on the highway. Bob Hegbloom, the Ram brand director, thinks that there's a more important fuel economy target to hit: 30 mpg. Whichever truck company can manage that feat, he recently told Automotive News, "wins." It's kind of an obvious thing to say, but in the 1500 with both the EcoDiesel and the V6 Pentastar engine, Hegbloom said, "fuel economy is so important." Hegbloom didn't promise that the next EcoDiesel truck will manage to get on up over the 30 hump, but he did say that Ram is not sitting still when it comes to fuel economy. "I just want to have continuous improvement and to keep gaining every day," he said. "We sat still in the past and it doesn't lead to a great place."

Common Dodge Ram 1500 vs. Chevrolet Silverado breakdowns

These two trucks are famous for their ability to get the job done. Still, even the toughest vehicle can have mechanical problems at some time. What if we match the Dodge Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado head to head? Let's find out more about common repairs for each model. Also, learn some tricks to pay for car repairs. Clunky Steering Both Dodge and the Chevy owners sometimes notice bumping and clunking when steering. This might be more noticeable when driving over bumps. The cause is usually different in each truck though. In the Dodge Ram, clunky steering is more likely due to a defective lower ball joint. Replacement costs around $300 - $400, parts and labor. Clunky Chevy Silverado steering is probably a steering rack failure. This problem appears more often in trucks with over 90,000 miles. Silverado steering rack repair will run you up to $1,000 or more. Starting Woes For the Chevy Silverado with over 130,000 miles, you might notice trouble starting. This problem may appear occasionally at first, but it typically gets worse. Excluding a weak battery, the culprit is usually the starter. Replacement will cost you around $330 - $500. Of the total cost, $90 is for labor only. Now the Dodge Ram might make a ticking sound when starting, especially on models with over 94,500 miles. The noise often disappears after the engine warms up. These symptoms may indicate a broken exhaust manifold. Repair costs range from $800 - $900. Burning Oil & Gas Gauge On The Blink Sometimes, the Dodge Ram burns oil much faster than normal. In models with over 125,000 miles, this often points towards a leaky intake manifold gasket. A knocking sound may also appear with acceleration along with possible engine misfire. The cost to repair is around $200 - $300. The Chevy Silverado has its own surprises, especially when you've filled the gas tank but the gauge still reads low. Or the needle fluctuates widely from low to full while driving. In trucks with over 120,000 miles, it's likely due to a faulty fuel sensor. You might need a full fuel pump replacement, which can cost you up to $820, parts and labor. Water Inside And Poor Heat The Ram 1500 rear window has been known to leak. You might notice the back seat and floor wet after a rainstorm. This is more common in trucks with over 65,000 miles. Resealing the Ram 1500 rear window costs around $150 - $250.

Fiat Chrysler's next-generation Uconnect is faster, built on Android

If you're a regular reader of Autoblog, you know that for a long time we've liked Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect infotainment system for its bright, clear, responsive touchscreen interface. Now, according to the company, it will be better than ever with Uconnect 5, the latest iteration of the system. It has upgraded hardware and a revamped graphic user interface (the stuff on the screen). Looking at sample screens shown above, there are characteristics shared with the old system, such as the time, status and shortcuts at the top and the menu icons at the bottom. In the middle, the major change is the addition of home screens that can be customized with favorite menus and readouts that are always available. Each of these home screens can have up to four functions and you can have five pages to flip through. The graphics themselves feature more legible fonts and updated icons. Each car brand will get its own set of icons, colors and textures to help create unique experiences. And while each Fiat Chrysler product will be able to have Uconnect, including Alfa Romeo that has until now lacked Uconnect, each brand has the ability to make small tweaks including the screen orientation. The system will support displays in landscape, portrait or square, so different brands may choose different shapes. Powering Uconnect 5 is a processor Fiat Chrysler says is six times more powerful than what's in current systems. It features 6 gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of internal storage. The processor also supports screens as large as 12.3 inches with as many as 15 million pixels, or nearly twice that of a 4K resolution TV. The system can display information on up to four screens, too. Uconnect 5's firmware is built on Google's Android operating system, joining a few other automakers in using Android as a base for their infotainment systems. Uconnect 5 brings with it a number of new features. It brings full Alexa integration, so you can use it just like you do at home, provided you have a data plan for the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto continue to be standard, but now they can be used wirelessly. You can also now connect two phones via Bluetooth wirelessly so you can access content from both. Navigation gets real time information and updates from TomTom. Users can create five profiles with unique climate, radio and instrument settings, plus one for a valet.