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Airbag fault on 1M recalled Jeeps getting second look from NHTSA [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Here is the statement we received from Chrysler regarding NHTSA's query: "Chrysler Group LLC advised the National Highway Traffic Administration of the six reports and, in accordance with the Company's long-standing practice, is cooperating fully with the resulting investigation. Customer safety is paramount at Chrysler Group. Customers who are concerned may call 1-800-853-1403."
It appears that Jeep's repairs for nearly one million Grand Cherokees from 2002-2004 and Liberty models from 2002-2003 might not be over yet. The vehicles were first recalled in November 2012 because the front airbags could suddenly deploy without being in an accident. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a recall query into them because of reports of inadvertent activation on some already corrected vehicles.
The original problem affected over 919,000 vehicles worldwide, including 744,822 in the US, and was caused by a degrading circuit in the wires that control the airbags. In some cases the airbag warning light would come on just before the premature activation, but in other cases it would just happen. The automaker installed an "in-line jumper harness with an integrated electrical filter" meant to eliminate the power spikes believed to be the cause.

This American Life spends a week selling Jeeps in Long Island

So you think you know car dealers? Well, maybe you do, but This American Life spent a month at Town and Country Jeep Chrysler Doge Ram in Long Island to give us a behind-the-scenes look (or listen, since it's a radio program) at what it's like to be a car dealer.
Yes, there's a lot of swearing in thick New York accents, frustration, confusion, and generally it's a madhouse at the dealership. But that's understandable when the sales staff has to sell 129 vehicles in October in order to get an $85,000 manufacturer bonus - with several other Jeep dealerships within a 10-mile radius.
The episode, 129 Cars, is worth a listen, but make sure you have 71 minutes to spare if you want to get through it in one sitting. Head here for the unedited version or here for the bleeped version (which is 58 minutes long).

eBay Find of the Day: 1977 Jeep J20 time capsule

Is it just us or has eBay really become, of late, a surprising time capsule of older, barely used automobiles? We've had the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with 83 miles, the 2004 Ferrari Enzo with 175 miles, the 1987 Shelby Lancer with 22 miles, the 1989 Shelby Dakota with 23 miles - none of those four cars ever even registered - and the 1975 Cosworth Vega with 191 miles. You can add to that list a 1977 Jeep J20 - the kind of Jeep that enthusiasts point to when they beg the brand to make another pickup truck.
Listed on eBay by Masterpiece Classic Cars in Whiteland, Indiana, the Brandywine and Alpine White truck has used its 360-cubic-inch V8 paired with a three-speed automatic to go just 3,940 documented miles. Not surprisingly, it's listed in excellent condition and the images appear to bear that out. The three-quarter-ton pickup comes with its original manual and pamphlets, the Quadra-Track four-wheel drive probably just as ready to tackle the terrain as it was 36 years ago. If only it came with some John Denver to play in that AM/FM/8-Track stereo...
At the time of writing it hasn't garnered a single offer or bid, probably due to the above-top-dollar Buy It Now price of $34,900. Still, since this is likely the closest you'll get to a Jeep pickup for some time, we'd recommend admiring it in the gallery of photos above.