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FCA issuing software update for 1.4M vehicles to prevent hacking

In the wake of a Jeep Cherokee being hacked remotely while on the road through its Uconnect infotainment system, FCA US is now issuing a software update for 1.4 million vehicles in the United States. Affected customers will receive a USB stick in the mail with the improved version; owners can check this website to see if their cars are affected. A large variety of models with FCA's 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system are affected. They include the 2015 Chrysler 200, 2015 Chrysler 300, 2015 Dodge Charger, and 2015 Dodge Challenger; 2013-2015 Dodge Viper; 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500; 2013-2015 Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 chassis cab; 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Cherokee; and 2014-2015 Dodge Durango. According to FCA in its announcement, the new software "insulates connected vehicles from remote manipulation." As of July 23, the company also "fully tested and implemented within the cellular network" additional security to prevent access to many of a vehicle's systems. FCA US says that it's conducting this campaign out of an abundance of caution and disputes the notion that there's a defect with these vehicles. Beyond the demonstration of the hack in the Cherokee, the automaker says that it's unaware of any other reports of these attacks actually happening. Related Video: Statement: Software Update July 24, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to update software in approximately 1,400,000 U.S. vehicles equipped with certain radios. The recall aligns with an ongoing software distribution that insulates connected vehicles from remote manipulation, which, if unauthorized, constitutes criminal action. Further, FCA US has applied network-level security measures to prevent the type of remote manipulation demonstrated in a recent media report. These measures – which required no customer or dealer actions – block remote access to certain vehicle systems and were fully tested and implemented within the cellular network on July 23, 2015. The Company is unaware of any injuries related to software exploitation, nor is it aware of any related complaints, warranty claims or accidents – independent of the media demonstration.

Researchers who busted VW cheating say FCA's diesels dirty, too

The Wall Street Journal today reported on an upcoming report from West Virginia University's Center for Alternative Fuels Engines and Emissions, which is the same lab that investigated Volkswagen emissions cheating. The report, which will be released in a matter of weeks, alleges that 2014 and 2015 model year Jeep and Ram vehicles with diesel engines emit excess pollution. But it does not specify whether the company used defeat devices. Since the report discusses Jeep Grand Cherokees, and that engine is also available in the Ram 1500, it's safe to assume that one of the implicated engines is the EcoDiesel V6, a unit actually produced by VM Motori. It's unclear whether the report covers any of the Cummins engines used in heavier-duty Ram pickups. This report comes on the heels of a federal investigation into FCA's diesel vehicles. That investigation focused on the EcoDiesel engine used in 2014-2016 vehicles. The feds were seeking a fine of up to $4.6 billion. The EPA and the State of California also previously accused FCA of using a defeat device on the same vehicles back in January. FCA, for its part, alleges that the WVU study might have been commissioned by people interested in suing the company, and disputes the testing methodology, according to the WSJ. We've reached out to WVU to confirm which engines are implicated in its study and will update this post when we have more to share. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: The Wall Street JournalImage Credit: REUTERS/Gary Cameron Government/Legal Green Jeep RAM Diesel Vehicles ecodiesel

NHTSA upgrading Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango headliner fire probe

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into headliner fires experienced by a small number of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango owners has been upgraded to an engineering analysis, the step before the initiation of a recall. In August last year the investigation began with 146,000 Grand Cherokees from 2012 after three complaints were received, but a report on Edmunds says it has been expanded to include 593,299 vehicles covering the 2011-2013 model years for the Jeep and the Dodge Durango, which uses the same headliner assembly, because of possibly 52 incidents of fire.
In some of those incidents drivers have reported a burning odor, smoke or open flames that were contained to the headliner or migrated to another area of the passenger compartment. The culprit has apparently been found: NHTSA blaming an electrical short in the sun visor vanity light wiring, which is routed under the headliner and held in place by three screws. Chrysler began its own probe into the issue when it was first reported and is still looking into the situation while, "fully supporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's investigation."