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California Highway Patrol powers up with Charger Pursuits

Residents of California, you'll want to adjust your rear-view mirrors and remain vigilant for the menacing maw of the Dodge Charger. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) ordered 580 Dodge Charger Pursuit cars to start replacing the organization's oldest vehicles. According to the CHP's director of communications, Fran Clader, these old cars are patrol versions of the Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Explorer and Dodge Charger. The cars will be delivered over the next two years with the majority equipped with Fiat Chrysler's 3.6-liter V6 engine. The unit makes 292 horsepower in the Charger and is found in everything from the Jeep Wrangler to the Chrysler 200. There will be a handful of Chargers with the 5.7-liter V8 found in the Charger R/T, but Dodge and Clader said they will just be used for training. Bick Pratt, head of FCA US government sales and operations, said the order represents a move back toward four-door police cars. "The CHP is ordering our Charger Pursuit vehicle to reintroduce the sedan into their patrol vehicle fleet," Pratt said. "That's important to us because it reflects a shift back to sedans by a progressive agency like the CHP." Chargers may show up in local law enforcement fleets. Pratt said departments will have the opportunity to also order Charger Pursuits through the CHP's contract. So wherever you are in California, if you see that famous crosshair grille in your rear-view mirror, be ready to pull over. Related video:

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.

Dodge Journey recalled for freezing fluid lines

The Basics: FCA is recalling 10,944 examples of the 2009-16 Dodge Journey - specifically those equipped with the optional engine block heaters and located in extremely cold climates. The Problem: Power steering fluid lines may leak when starting the engine in extremely cold weather, which would increase the amount of effort required to steer the vehicle. Injuries/Deaths: FCA reports that it is "unaware of any related injuries or accidents." The fix: The manufacturer is working on expediting replacement parts to resolve the issue in those vehicles potentially affected. If you own one: Expect to hear from the manufacturer soon to arrange service. Your chances of being affected are higher if you live in Canada, where a far greater number – estimated at 187,436 – of Journeys may be affected. Related Video: STATEMENT: FLUID LINE May 6, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 10,944 U.S.-market midsize crossover vehicles equipped with optional block heaters to address fluid-line durability in extreme, cold-weather conditions. An investigation found some lines carrying power-steering fluid may leak at engine start-up, when the vehicle is subject to extreme cold. Steering is not lost in such circumstances. However, if a vehicle is so-affected, the amount of physical effort required to steer may increase. The Company is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. Affected are certain model-year 2009-2016 Dodge Journey vehicles. An estimated 187,436 vehicles in Canada are also subject to this recall. Replacement parts are expected to become available soon. Affected customers will be notified accordingly. FCA US urges customers to follow the instructions on all recall notices. Customers with questions may call the FCA US Customer Care Center at 1-800-853-1403. Featured Gallery 2014 Dodge Journey Crossroad View 19 Photos News Source: FCA Recalls Dodge Crossover Minivan/Van dodge journey