Chrysler to fix airbags in some 355,500 minivans

Chrysler Group LLC on Wednesday asked the owners of more than 355,000 of its popular minivans to take them to dealers in a few months to replace crash sensors that help to control the air bags.

The sensors can crack and fail in 2005 and 2006 Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan models, Chrysler said in a statement. It is asking owners to wait until June to contact dealers because it needs time to distribute repair parts.

The automaker is calling the move a "safety improvement campaign" and says it is not a recall. But National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokeswoman Oliva Alair says the agency considers it a recall and is monitoring repairs to make sure they are carried out.

Chrysler said that in some weather conditions, the front crash sensors can crack, causing water to enter. The company says the sensors help the air-bag control computer decide the speed and manner to deploy the safety devices. Sensors to be replaced are not the main airbag control sensor, the company said.

Chrysler may drop Sebring name at next refresh

2010 Chrysler Sebring

New products seem to be a scarce commodity at Chrysler, but a recent raft of reports emanating from Auburn Hills and, perhaps more importantly Turin, Italy, shows that storm clouds are gathering near The Pentastar's new product desert.

Chrysler brass recently gave members of the Economic Club of Chicago luncheon a sneak peak at the new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, along with information about the arrival of the Fiat 500 by the end of 2010. Now the Detroit Free Press reports that Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is talking major refresh for the Dodge Avenger and the Chrysler Sebring by the end of the year. And that's not all.

Chrysler offers 60-day money-back deal on minivans to buyers who trade rival vans

CHRYSLER IS offering a 60-day, money-back guarantee on its minivans to customers who trade in a competitor's vehicle - an offer similar to a recent GM incentive.



Chrysler said the offer on the 2010 models runs through March31.

Buyers of a Dodge Grand Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country minivan must drive their new vehicle for at least 30 days. If they aren't satisfied, they can return them to the dealer for a refund of the purchase price, minus registration and license fees.

Among the rules: Anyone returning a minivan would not get their trade-in vehicle back, the van can't have been driven more than 4,000 miles and it can't have more than $200 worth of damage.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/02/12/2010-02-12_chrysler_pushing_60day_moneyback_guarantee_on_2010_minivan_tradeins.html#ixzz0faKpLym3

Dealers optimistic about Chrysler's future

Chrysler Group LLC dealers left the first large-scale meeting with the automaker's new management team Sunday encouraged by the executives' commitment to reviving the company, but braced for a product drought.

The meeting, held at the National Automobile Dealers Association annual convention, gave dealers a chance to voice concerns about the company, which emerged from bankruptcy protection last summer, and question executives about plans, products, marketing and incentive spending.

The mood during the two-hour closed-door meeting was mostly upbeat, a marked contrast to a year ago in New Orleans, when Chrysler executives urged dealers to order more vehicles when inventories already were high. Dealers ordered vehicles, only to see the company file for bankruptcy months later and terminate many of their franchises.

2010 Chrysler 300 SRT8

the Chrysler 300. Not because the stalwart sedan is heavy on kitsch and light on substance like the Gremlin or the duck — far from it. And not because the Chrysler is a magical machine manufactured with unicorn tears and is completely flawless. But because the Chrysler 300 occupied two distinctly different modalities for automaking in America extremely well.

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First, because the massive sedan pandered to the excesses of American lifestyles. The wheelbase, clocking in at a lifetime-long 120 inches, can comfortably shelter a full orchestra but rarely carries more than one. Similarly, the 4,000-lb. Goliath at low speeds is tougher to steer than an aircraft carrier.

But second because Chrysler built what can safely be marketed as the most affordable luxury vehicle of all time. Starting in at $28,000 on the low end, the 300 offers the best chance for middle-class America to become enveloped in a loving interior short on windows but long on comfort. And so universally accepted that it found its way into Snoop Dogg’s heart and suburbia’s heart, too.

So, as the 2010 Chrysler 300 marches on toward redesign in 2011, what better way to look back on the sedan that carried Chrysler for so many years than to admire its top-of-the-line, all-out, guns-blazing swan song, the 2010 Chrysler 300 SRT8?

An R-rated version of the 300, the SRT8 adds a lower stance, bigger engine, bigger brakes, bigger tires and badder sound to the already colossal Chrysler-built carrier. The 6.1-liter, Hemi V8 is so big under the hood it needs its own postal code.

This sedan is low and mean. And with a 0-60 time in the low 5-second range, it’s beyond quick — it’s diabolical.

The rev-happy sedan gallops with a whisper on the gas pedal, and howls with a stamp of the right pedal.

January Auto Sales: Chrysler

Chrysler Group LLC said Tuesday its sales fell 8 percent in January amid widespread declines across a number of major models.

BY THE NUMBERS: Sales fell to 57,143 vehicles from 62,157 in the same month last year.

HOT MODELS: Sales of the Sebring surged 85 percent to 3,593 vehicles sold.

Chrysler 300C

The car manufacturer, Chrysler, has been around for a long time. The first Chrysler 300 models were made during the period of 1955 and 1971 ­ the earlier models, being muscle machines, were generally quite pricey.

Today, Chrysler cars are well built and are packed with many luxury items and safety equipment.

The Chrysler 300C has the X-factor that causes onlookers to turn their heads twice to gaze upon its awesome design. Chrysler has gone for a design that harks back to American car designs of yester-year. With a high waist and a low sweeping roofline, and a nose that draws the eye to the massive grille and beautifully crafted xenon headlights, the Chrysler 300C looks good. It's no wonder the sales in America are on the increase for such a great looking, roomy and powerful machine. The various engine sizes, along with the stately sedan and the handsome and practical wagon models, make the Chrysler 300C a tempting prospect for all potential car buyers.

Beautiful leather upholstered seats offering a typically American lounge quality in comfort, plus enough support to remain comfortable for long periods at the wheel, are a fantastic possession the Chrysler holds for its owners. There are plenty of luxury items. These are just some of the things that are available as standard equipment: cruise control, a dual zone climate control unit, electric front seats that are adjustable 8 ways ­ not to mention heated ­ and a trip computer. Now perhaps, the most mentionable luxury item would have to be the superb 280W Boston acoustic 6 speaker sound system that comes as standard with the Chrysler 300C. Clarity and depth of sound is soothing to the soul as you cruise down the highway in your Chrysler 300C. And Americans sure know how to make a car cruise.

With six airbags, and electronic stability and traction control, the car has a five-star safety rating, making this a safe and secure drive.