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Autoblog Podcast #370

Episode #370 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Michael Harley and Craig Fitzgerald of BangShift and Boldride talk about the 2015 Jeep Renegade, the Consumer Reports list of Cars to Avoid, and the Geneva Motor Show, which opened today. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the new rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #370: Topics: 2015 Jeep Renegade Worst Cars of 2014 Geneva Motor Show preview In the Autoblog Garage: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SE 2014 SRT Viper 2015 Subaru WRX Hosts: Dan Roth, Michael Harley Guests: Craig Fitzgerald Runtime: 01:28:37 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Jeep Renegade - 27:28 Cars to Avoid - 41:46 Geneva Motor Show - 59:54 Q&A - 01:11:04 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Geneva Motor Show Jeep Subaru Volkswagen Concept Cars worst cars

NHTSA boss Strickland weighs in on Jeep recall fracas

Adding yet another chapter to the ongoing Jeep recall story, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) head David Strickland has gone on record to defend the government's request that Chrysler recall 2.7 million out-of-production Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty vehicles after the agency investigated fiery rear-end collisions that have reportedly killed at least 51 people over the years. In statements made to The Detroit News, Strickland said, "We felt very strongly that the process that we undertook and the findings that we made and ... we made the decision to issue a recall request. We do not take that very lightly." The top US auto safety regulator stopped short of telling owners to park their cars until the automaker takes action. "They can make their own risk assessment and their own choices," he said.
Chrysler does not intend to recall the models, insisting the "vehicles met and exceeded all applicable requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 301, pertaining to fuel-system integrity" when they were manufactured and sold. "The company does not agree with NHTSA's conclusions and does not intend to recall the vehicles cited in the investigation. The subject vehicles are safe and are not defective," Chrysler announced last week in a statement. "We believe NHTSA's initial conclusions are based on an incomplete analysis of the underlying data, and we are committed to continue working with the agency to resolve this disagreement."
Legally, Chrysler has until June 18 to formally respond to NHTSA's request. If the automaker does not take action, NHTSA is expected to issue a formal finding and seek a recall.

FCA recalls over 200k Jeep Cherokees for windshield wiper static

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is issuing a recall for over 200,000 versions of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee due to a problem with static buildup disabling the windshield wipers. FCA has identified 158,671 units in the United States. Another 18,366 vehicles are estimated to be affected in Canada, a further 3,582 in Mexico, and 26,049 outside of North America. The problem, according to the first statement below, results from static building up if the wipers are operated in dry conditions. The static could mess with the wipers' control module, rendering them disabled. To fix the problem, dealers will be instructed to install a ground strap to the module. In parallel, FCA is also offering incentives to the owners of certain trucks that were subject to recall but for which remedies were not immediately available. To encourage those owners to bring their older vehicles in for the required service, the automaker will disperse $100 prepaid cards for use at their discretion. The program is offered to owners of certain model year Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty, Chrysler Aspen, and Dodge Durango sport-utility vehicles, as well as certain Dodge Dakota and Ram trucks. Owners of the affected Grand Cherokees will have the option instead to take a $1,000 consideration toward the purchase of a new vehicle or for parts and service. The offers are only being extended under certain specific criteria, though. So if you think that could be you, you'll want to read through the conditions in the second announcement below. STATEMENT: CONTROL MODULE August 31, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is recalling an estimated 158,671 SUVs in the U.S. to help protect their control modules from static buildup that may potentially disable the vehicles' windshield wipers. An investigation by FCA US discovered static buildup may occur if the vehicles' windshield wipers are activated during dry conditions. Significant static buildup may affect a control module that powers the wipers. The Company is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. Affected are model-year 2014 Jeep Cherokee SUVs. An estimated 18,366 vehicles will be recalled in Canada, as will an estimated 3,582 in Mexico and 26,049 outside the NAFTA region. Dealers will install a ground strap to the control module to eliminate the potential for static buildup. Customers will be advised when they may schedule service, which will be performed at no cost.