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NHTSA investigating why Jeep recall fix is taking so long

Jeep's saga with the National Traffic Safety Administration and the voluntary campaign to repair 1.56 million vehicles for allegedly unsafe trailer hitches, is getting yet another chapter. The controversy appeared to finally be over in January when the automaker found a supplier for the replacement parts. Nothing is ever that easy, though, and the government regulator is now requesting documents from the company to clarify why the repairs are taking so long to begin.
Jeep parent company Chrysler has until July 16 to submit documents and answers to NHTSA explaining the situation. The regulator claims that despite its compromise to inspect and repair the models with improper hitches in June 2013, Chrysler didn't find a part supplier until December and didn't order the replacements until January. The government agency believes that the first components weren't manufactured until May of this year and vehicles may not actually be repaired until as late as August. According to the report, if the Chrysler doesn't supply what NHTSA is asking for, the agency could "take additional appropriate action as warranted."
Throughout this entire process, Chrysler has asserted that the vehicles met the applicable crash test standards of the time, and it has kept NHTSA abreast of the repair activity. In a recently released statement it said that the regulator analyzed eight rear impact reconstruction tests and found the replacement hitch to be safe. To keep up with the high demand for replacements, Chrysler is working with multiple suppliers, and they are running three shifts, six days a week to get the parts ready as soon as possible.

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Winter storm got you down? Try snowboarding through Manhattan

Two filmmakers decided to make the best of this weekend's historic snowstorm by turning New York City into a winter sports enthusiast's wonderland. Popular YouTube based filmmakers Casey Neistat and Jesse Wellens uploaded this video of Neistat snowboarding through the empty streets of Manhattan yesterday. While officials were warning motorists to avoid driving in the blizzard, Neistat and his buddy were being pulled by a Jeep Wrangler through Times Square. It goes without saying that this stunt is suicidally dangerous. There are several moments in the video where Neistat gets pretty close to wiping out on the back of parked, snow covered cars or on the cornerstones of buildings. All to the soundtrack of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York, no less. The police do make a cameo, but NY's finest admit to merely wanting to watch the escapades. "Someone complained about you, so we're going to act like we're talking to you," the unnamed officer can be heard saying on video. The original video has since gone viral, and currently stands at over 6.2 million views in just 24 hours. Despite the virality of their tricks, please do not attempt this in your own snowbound metropolis.