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Detroit 3 small cars lay an egg in latest Consumer Reports reliability study

Consumer Reports has released its Annual Auto Reliability Survey and the results are, in a word, interesting. While we already covered the score-damaging effects of infotainment systems, there's another big angle to the data that's getting some attention - the utterly dismal scores of the Detroit Three's small car offerings.
The turbocharged Dodge Dart and Chevrolet Cruze, as well as the Ford Fiesta were their respective brands' lowest-scoring models, a stat that's made worse by the fact that the American automakers finished 25th, 21st and 23rd, respectively.
That's not acceptable for The Detroit Free Press' auto critic, Mark Phelan, who has penned a scathing critique of the D3's small car reliability scores, arguing that GM, Ford and Chrysler are "out of excuses."

Mopar '15 performance kit now available for Dodge Charger R/T

Dodge is releasing a new Mopar performance kit for the 2015 Charger R/T sedan, offering up just 50 examples of the dealer-installed upgrade package. Only a select few dealers will sell the kit, and they'll do so at a price of $3,550. As per usual, the Mopar kit makes both performance and aesthetic changes. For the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, upgrades include the Stage 1 Scat Pack kit, which adds a cat-back exhaust and cold-air intake, good for 18 additional horsepower and 18 more pound-feet of torque. There's also a new strut tower brace and a "premium fuel powertrain control module." Aesthetic changes are remarkably simple, with matte black body-side decals being the only notable addition to the exterior. In the cabin, there's a serialized dash plaque and new door sill plates. This is the sixth Mopar special edition since 2009. If you wish to join this fairly exclusive fraternity of Dodge owners, dealers are currently accepting orders, with deliveries slated to start later this month. Scroll down for the official press release from Dodge. PERFORMANCE IN A BOX: MOPAR '15 PERFORMANCE KIT LAUNCHES FOR 2015 DODGE CHARGER R/T Owners of 2015 Dodge Charger R/T can enhance their ride with a Mopar '15 performance kit 50 limited-edition Mopar '15 performance kits now available through authorized dealerships for an MSRP of $3,550 Mopar '15 follows the success of five special-edition vehicle packages offered by the FCA brand since 2009 Delivery of Mopar '15 performance kits to begin in early June June 8, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Mopar enthusiasts that feel the need to enhance the look and performance of their new 2015 Dodge Charger R/T can now do exactly that with a new Mopar '15 performance kit. With just 50 units available, authorized dealerships are now accepting orders for the limited-edition Mopar '15 kits for an MSRP of $3,550 with delivery to begin in early June. "Mopar has a long history of delivering to enthusiasts performance and customization in unique and convenient packages," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO — Mopar Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care, FCA. "We are now shifting into another gear and offering a limited-edition kit that will allow customers to really enhance the performance and look of their Dodge Charger R/T." The Mopar '15 kit is a street-legal performance package that includes the Scat Pack Performance Stage Kit 1, as well as a front strut tower brace with caps and bright pedal kit.

How to update and secure a vulnerable Chrysler Uconnect system

If you own one of the 1.4 million vehicles affected by the recent Chrysler software recall, you may want to watch this video. In it, we explain how to get the latest infotainment software loaded onto the 8.4-inch Uconnect system. The recall was a response to the findings of researchers who were able to hack into and remotely control a 2014 Jeep Cherokee through its cellular connection. Although Fiat Chrysler has worked with Sprint to plug most of the holes on the carrier side, there are still some vulnerabilities that only this latest software version can patch. Owners have three options to get the update: download it now, wait for a USB stick in the mail, or take the vehicle to an FCA dealer. Chrysler will be sending USB sticks loaded with the software update to customers. Anyone with an internet connection and a USB stick of their own with at least 4 GB capacity can speed things up by downloading the patch from the Uconnect website. We cover that process from start to finish in the video, with the final portion still applicable to those using the FCA-supplied USB stick. If after watching this you still don't want to tackle the patch yourself, you can take your vehicle to the dealer to have it done. Also note that this process is the same for all Uconnect updates, not just the one patching the exploits. Our demonstrator vehicle is a 2015 Ram 1500 pickup. The procedure should be very similar on other products with the 8.4-inch Uconnect system, with only the location of the USB port varying. Once you have the USB stick with the software on it – either after having downloaded it yourself or receiving it in the mail from Chrysler – the installation process is relatively simple. It takes about 15 minutes to perform the update; we edited out the wait in the video. To check whether or not your car's 8.4-inch Uconnect system is running the latest software, go to System Information on the touch screen's Settings page and look at Software Version. The update related to the recall is version 15.17.5. Related Video: Recalls Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Safety Technology Infotainment Videos Original Video hacking