News

Chrysler Group LLC is recalling about 469,000 SUVs worldwide to update software after some vehicles’ circuit boards were found to be transmitting signals that trigger inadvertent gearshifts to neutral, the automaker said.
Included are 2006 to 2010 model-year Jeep Commanders and 2005 to 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokees, of which about 295,000 are in the United States, 28,500 are in Canada and 4,200 are in Mexico. The remaining 141,000 are outside of North America.
Chrysler also said it is recalling 532 2013-model-year Ram 1500 pickup trucks in the United States and Canada, a third of which remain in dealer inventories, to inspect and possibly replace windshield defrosting and defogging components.… Read more

Cadillac announced new coverage limits on its certified pre-owned (CPO) cars, with a full bumper-to-bumper warranty extending to six years or 70,000 miles from when the car was new. That’s two years and 20,000 miles past the brand’s previous CPO policy, which extended just four years or 50,000 miles. The program also includes 24-hour roadside assistance and three months’ OnStar and Satellite radio service.
Shoppers can also purchase Cadillac’s Premium Care Maintenance, which covers oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance, for $399, Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell confirmed. Premium Care Maintenance is standard on new Cadillacs but was previously unavailable on CPO cars.… Read more

The Toyota Matrix will pass silently into the ether next year, just as the new Corolla hatchback takes its place in 2014. This was confirmed to me by an internal memo sent to dealers last week.
That will neither come as a shock nor much of a disappointment for many, as the compact’s sales have slid downwards ever since 2009–now accounting for only 0.2 percent of Toyota’s sales in the compact segment.
According to Car and Driver, the Matrix was something of a success in its first four years on the market, starting 2002. It sold over 55,000 units each year before averaging 47,000 through 2008.… Read more

Van maker Vehicle Production Group — recipient of a $50 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy — has suspended operations and is in the process of being sold, its former CEO said. We have watched this company closely here at the Car Pro Weekly. Most recently, we covered the company because they supplied vans to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System.
The Allen Park, Mich., company, which made MV-1 vans for the disabled, terminated about 100 workers and closed its offices in February.
VPG was granted an Energy Department loan in 2010 under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program, mirroring struggling plug-in hybrid car maker Fisker Automotive Inc.… Read more

Cars have gone from being simply modes of transportation to rolling personal electronic devices. You wouldn’t resell your computer or smartphone with all of your personal information on it, shouldn’t your vehicle get the same treatment?

WFMY 2 News in Jacksonville, Fla., investigated what happens to personal information stored in vehicles when they make it back into a dealer’s hands. Taking a car off of a dealership lot and asking the GPS to navigate to ‘home’, the GPS gave directions to the home of Tim Jubito, only he no longer owned the car.

“I think that’s very bad to not have that cleared out when you trade in the vehicle.… Read more

For $18,000 this car owner created a monster, but it can be yours for the low, low price of $6,500.

This unholy union of a 1999 Ford Expedition and a Mercedes Benz E-class front end has dragged itself through 112,850 miles, all while looking like a it was mashed together by the teleportation machines in The Fly.

It comes fully loaded with flame style decals, a thumping sound system featuring 3 12-inch speakers and 2 amplifiers and, of course, oversized 24 inch rims.

It’s not just stylish, but it’s also safe. The thing comes fully equipped with airbags- passengers will be grateful for this safety feature when the driver crashes, which will no doubt happen while the driver watches a DVD from the screen on his steering wheel.… Read more

The weather is warm, and that means many of us will be towing trailers more frequently. There are some things to keep in mind before tugging that boat down the highway. First — and this may sound obvious — compare your vehicle’s towing capacity against the weight of the items you’re towing.
Next, make sure you have the proper towing hitch. Hitches vary by the vehicle doing the towing as well as the class of trailer being towed and its gross weight. Also, you’ll want to figure out the trailer’s tongue weight, which is the downward force that it exerts on the hitch.… Read more

Yes, engine coolant does deteriorate over time, but unless something unusual occurs, you probably won’t need to change the coolant in most late-model vehicles until 100,000 miles. Older vehicles probably require more frequent coolant replacement, so check your owner’s manual to be sure.
Most manufacturers now use extended-life coolant with a recommended change interval of 100,000 miles. That varies based on maintenance schedules for each manufacturer and individual models. Some Subarus, for example, call for coolant replacement after 13 years or 132,500 miles. Many Ford engines say to replace it after the first 100,000 miles and every 50,000 miles thereafter, though heavy-duty applications (such as frequent towing) should have it done more often.… Read more