1983 Cj 7 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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

Jeep going bigger with new Grand Wagoneer, smaller with sub-Renegade?

The headlines are still rolling in for the new Renegade that Jeep unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show last week, but already reports are surfacing, citing sources within the company, about what Chrysler's iconic off-road brand will do next.
Speaking with Auto Express (whose reports we tend to take with a grain of salt or two), Jeep chief Mike Manley suggested that two courses of action are currently under consideration at Auburn Hills to develop two very different new models - one smaller and one larger than anything Jeep currently makes.
One plan would be to make an SUV or crossover even smaller than the new Renegade, although it isn't immediately clear what platform it would take. The Renegade (pictured above in Trailhawk spec) will be built in Italy alongside Fiat's upcoming 500X, but uses a heavily modified platform. We figure the smaller model, if approved, could base itself on the new Fiat Panda Cross.

Sergio rethinks FCA-GM merger idea, dismisses critics

After many public overtures, Fiat Chrysler Automotive CEO Sergio Marchionne has claimed his company won't be making a hostile takeover bid for General Motors. This is despite widespread speculation that FCA's desire to merge was motivated by its allegedly dire situation. As one unnamed GM exec who spoke to Automotive News earlier this year put it, "Why should [GM] bail out FCA?" "We are not choking. We are in relatively decent shape," Marchionne told journalists attending an FCA shareholder meeting in Amsterdam, AN reports. "We have been publicly rebuffed, we have been rejected and you cannot force these things. I don't want to. At the moment, we have no intention to do anything hostile." Instead of focusing on merging with GM, or any other partners for that matter, FCA will refocus on implementing its ambitious five-year investment plan, which would see it dump $52 billion into its various brands, with a particular focus on Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Jeep. So far the attempt has largely been unsuccessful, especially as it relates to the Italian brands. Earlier this week, additional reports emerged that claimed Alfa was pushing back the Giulia and an unnamed CUV while reassigning resources to updated versions of the Giulietta and MiTo hatchbacks. This is not the first time we've heard about trouble for the Giulia, of course. For Masearti, though, it was the first we'd heard of delays for Alfieri sports car, which allegedly won't appear in 2016, as promised. We can expect a proper breakdown of FCA's adjusted plans when Marchionne and Company reveal an updated product slate next month. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Alfa Romeo Chrysler Fiat GM Jeep Maserati Sergio Marchionne FCA