USA RECALL - FCA - Nearly 300,000 Dodge Journey & Fiat Freemont CUVs from 2012-2915 for possible ABS Issues.

FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 275,614 cross-utility vehicles (CUVs) in the U.S. to apply a moisture sealant and replace, as required, certain electrical components.

 

An FCA US investigation of warranty repairs discovered electrical components on certain older-model vehicles may be subject to moisture buildup that has potential implications for their Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) modules. Water intrusion may disable the vehicles’ Anti-Lock Braking and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems.

 

FCA US is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. The condition, if it occurs, is most often preceded by an instrument-cluster warning light; foundation brake function is unaffected.

 

The recall is limited to certain 2012-2015 Dodge Journey CUVs. Additional vehicles are affected in other markets. They comprise an estimated 78,148 in Canada and 36,471 in Mexico. Another 151,476 are affected in left-hand-drive non-NAFTA markets where the vehicle is also sold as the Fiat Freemont.

 

Affected customers will be advised when they may schedule service, which will be performed free of charge. FCA US urges customers to heed the instructions on their recall notices.

 

Service may involve ABS module replacement, wiring repair and/or sealing certain connections to protect against moisture.

 

Customers with additional questions may call the FCA US Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403.

USA - Ford Fusion continues to grow with an over 100% growth in sales over the last couple of years.

• Annual Ford Fusion sales jump from 142,000 vehicles in 2006, the popular midsize sedan’s first full year on sale, to 306,000 in 2014
• Over the same period, Honda Accord went from 354,000 vehicles sold to 388,000, while Toyota Camry sales fell, from 448,000 vehicles sold to 428,000
• Radical 2013 Ford Fusion redesign forced other automakers to reconsider “vanilla” styling in midsize segment

Since its 2013 model year redesign, the widely acclaimed Ford Fusion has not only brought sexy back to the midsize sedan segment, it’s also brought back sales.

2015 marks 10 years since launch of Ford’s then all-new midsize sedan, and three years since Fusion’s radical redesign that reset expectations for aggressive styling in a historically staid segment of family vehicles.

Long dominated by Japanese offerings, Ford Fusion has been chipping away at sales and market share in the midsize sedan segment – largely on the strength of its styling.

In 2012, the last model year for the first-generation model, Ford sold 241,263 Fusions compared with Honda’s 331,872 Accords. Through June 2015, that gap closed considerably – Ford selling 178,263 Fusions to Honda’s 190,242 Accords.

“Fusion is achieving growth in all the right places, especially in California, the largest midsize sedan market in the country, followed by Texas,” said Erich Merkle, Ford sales analyst. “Since its introduction, Fusion – in style-conscious California – has grown at almost six times the rate of the overall segment.”

Fusion sales almost tripled in California since launch, while the midsize sedan segment grew 29 percent.  

Texas is the next largest contributor to Fusion sales growth. There, the car’s sales have increased at twice the rate of the overall segment – representing 14 percent of Fusion retail sales growth in the United States based on registration data.

In its short life, Fusion has accumulated multiple awards, including Motor Trend 2010 Car of the Year, J.D. Power and Associates Most Dependable Midsize Car and Best Car for the Money in the 2012 U.S. News and World Report, among many others.