Latest news with #DodgeDart
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Classic Chrysler Proves It's Tougher Than Modern Cars
Read the full story on Backfire News A classic Chrysler New Yorker that was rear-ended by a modern car demonstrated they don't make them like they used to. The owner took to social media to share the aftermath of the crash, which shows the front end of the newer vehicle demolished and the classic taking seemingly no the old Chrysler lost its rear license plate and the plastic holder. But the bumper and everything else on it looks just fine. But the other car, which is something like a Dodge Dart or Toyota Corolla – it's really hard to tell at this point – had its front end crumpled like an accordion. We know newer vehicles are designed with crumple zones, so the modern sedan did what it was supposed to. That keeps the energy from the impact reaching the people inside the vehicle, at least to a point, reducing the likelihood of injuries. But the owner of the Chrysler doesn't mention even a sore neck or back from the collision. Instead, the Facebook post about the crash reads as follows: 'So, how's your day going ? I was just driving home from company picnic… Cop said 'they don't make them like they used to..' when he saw the 'damage' on my 1973 Chrysler New Yorker : the license plate fell off.' People had plenty of jokey replies to the post about the Chrysler 'eating' the other vehicle or the modern car being the New Yorker's crumple zone. However, some believe the photos are some sort of 'setup' to make it look like the classic car wasn't damaged in the crash that creamed the other ride. We suppose they believe this is some conspiracy of the classic automobile industry or some such nonsense. But we know from experience the right modern trucks and SUVs would've held up similarly to the classic Chrysler. Part of it has to do with how the vehicle is constructed. If you know, you know. Images via Detroit's Forgotten Wheels/Facebook
The Drive
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Dear Dodge Dart Owners: My Bad
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Last week, I wrote what seemed like a mundane news story about the Dodge Dart. For those who missed it, the feds are opening an investigation into whether a previous transmission shifter bushing recall actually fixed the problem it was designed to address. Dry stuff, really, but it passed for news in a traditionally not-so-newsy week, and to liven things up a bit, I may have taken a shot or two at the now-discontinued FCA compact, and then signed off by dressing up our normal tip solicitation just a tad: 'Of the 299,000 supposedly still out there, there might be six or seven that aren't rotting away in somebody's alleyway. ' ' Got a Dodge Dart that actually runs? Let us know at tips@ ' Welp, contrary to my flippant remarks, there really are more than just a few running Darts left in the wild, and as it turns out, quite a few of their owners read The Drive . And in defiance of all conventional Internet wisdom—not only did many of you actually read all the way to the end, but you took that bit of rhetorical flourish to heart. Over the course of the holiday weekend, Dart owner after Dart owner deposited a fresh email in our inbox, and most (though not all) of them heaped praise on their cars. Seriously, where are you all hiding? And you're all just so darned nice —too nice to treat my playful sniping as an act of hostility. Here's a sampling of the notes we received: Here's Noah to kick things off: Hello! I just finished reading Byron Hurd's piece on the Dodge Dart's faulty shifter cable. Funny enough, I don't remember ever receiving a previous recall notice and I haven't had any issues. I do perform all the maintenance myself and my Dart runs like a champ! I will keep this in mind and keep a lookout for any recalls! Have a Happy Independence Day!!! Niclas, a fellow orange-car connoisseur writes: Boy do I have a Dodge Dart. One from 2016 and two from way back in the day(older than me). It a 2016 with about 130,000 miles on it. And thank goodness it's not a lame automatic. It's seen better days. But she gets me from point A to point B and sometimes to C. I actually drove 1000 miles to get it. It was the closest one. Had to be a Dodge. Had to be a manual and most of all it had to be ORANGE. Thanks Lawrence writes: I bought a 2013 Dodge Dart new, still driving it. It's been in the shop 3 times. 2 for recalls (TCM and shifter bushing) 3rd time for a wheel alignment(maintenance). The car currently has 109768 Kilometers. It has the 1.4 turbo motor with the DDCT transmission. I had to adjust the wastegate, which I believe there is a bulletin for it. The vehicle is amazing on fuel on the highway, almost 1000 k to a tank. I replaced the rear brake pads this spring as the backing plates was rusty due to our winters. So far it's been a great reliable vehicle. It also has the rare Laguna blue paint (see photo) Robert seems to know the secret to keeping his son's Dart on the road: I wanted to email in about my 2013 Dodge Dart. It still runs fine and I have 170,000 miles on it now. I've even passed it down to my son who's started driving this summer. Let me know if you have any questions. I did experience the shifter cable failure but fixed it on my own. Roy's experience has been flawless: Best car I've ever owned. In the last almost eight years I've owned it I have only had 1 engine code for a sensor and of course the recalls. Which never gave me any issues. I only got them done for the sake of it being a recall. Better than average gas mileage at 26 City and 30 plus highway mpg. I haven't even had to replace the brakes yet. Michael's hasn't, but he's getting by: I have a 2013 Dodge dart that is experiencing those problems but it hasn't gotten to the point where it has been rendered useless I actually like the car for the most part I got a 6-speed 2013 Dodge dart SE manual. But Stephanie loves her 2016, and also included a pic. Blue Dart owners roll deep! Hello, I hope you're doing well. I've had my dart for 6 years now and I still love it. I have put it in the shop a couple of times but not until the last 6 months, the fuel pump went out and my motor mounts had to be replaced. Granted I hit a curb going pretty fast and knocked out the shifting linkage on my own and had that repaired in 2021. When i put it in the shop though, they did say I must be one of the lucky ones since mines done good overall. 2016 Dodge Dart GT. And we have another orange Dart owner here, Howie, who took a chance on one and had it pay off: I have a 2014 dart gt, 2.4l with a 6 speed manual. Crazy fun to drive and its General Lee orange. My wife wants to put the 01 on the doors and a flag on the roof. Only put a clutch and starter in it. Third owner, bought it with 121000 and currently at 172000. I bought as a commuter car to keep miles off of my Silverado. The first Dodge I've ever owned and I'm 51. It's all quiet on the Mopar front at Celia's: I own a 2015 Dodge Dart & it's still running. Read the article about the recall. Chris echoes that sentiment: I have a Dodge dart. 2014. It has over 100,000 miles on it. I have had very few problems with it. And then there's Mike, who couldn't be happier: hello, I have owned a dart since 2014 bought new. I have 135000 miles on it and had 0 issues. it is the Gt and it's peppy, 30 mpg and still in great shape, only 1 small rust bubble on the door. I love driving it and wish they still made them. I commute to work 60 miles a day 1 way and still enjoy this car. just wanted to share. A reader going only by auto_erotica might be the single most dedicated Dart owner on the planet: purchased a 2013 Dodge Dart Limited with the 1.4L and six-speed manual in December 2013 – the first year of the reissue. Still have it, still runs, is my daily driver, and I still love it. Yeah, it's a Dodge – has Dodge problems all day long. The 1.4L is from the Fiat 500 and is seriously overclocked in the Dart. I got a fight with the dealer (John Elway in Greeley, CO) when it was around 30K miles because the engine felt 'off'. It ran, but I just felt like it was having an issue. Finally got the dealer to take it in and keep it for a few days….they kept it for about a month and replaced the engine. They were kind enough to give me a nice loaner car in the meantime. It's had several recalls for stupid stuff, including needing the clutch cylinder replaced; and I really hate those heckin' low-sidewall-profile tires. Those damned tires – get a leak, flat in a minute. Always the sidewall, always requires a replacement. I will NEVER have a car with those *tty low-profile sides again. Brake Calipers are tempermental. Electronics flake out – Cruise Control will randomly crash, requires an engine-off restart Boost gate error trips, especially in hot weather – I watched a Youtube video and opened the waste gate a bit – about half of what the video suggested. Indeed it did help. But I need to go ahead and open it like the video suggested to see if that fixes it 100%. Paid a garage to replace the timing belt because you have to disassemble the whole front-right-end of the car to get at it. That's pure bullshit. But I purchased a (used) 2010 Mazda CX-9 for my wife, and that maintenance nightmare is far worse. Learned my lesson there…. But it's fun to drive with the manual and the turbo. Their official MPG is a wet dream. I drove it like a dead grandma when it was new and it never got the 40+ highway they claim. In 2013, it had the best set of safety and convenience features of any car in its price range. Seat heaters, a heated steering wheel, giant-ass display for the backup camera, this was heckin' sweet! I will drive it 'til it drops dead. Then I will revive it and drive it some more. MOPAR = My Old Pig Ain't Runnin' is still true. By far, the most surprising note came from The Drive 's very own Adam Ismail. He no longer has a Dart (running or otherwise), but I asked him to share his story anyway. He writes: So, I was still in college and I was coming out of a two year Focus lease…this was 2014 I wanna say. My family was a Chrysler family, unfortunately, and my dad wanted me in something new. My parents never wasted money except on bad new cars. He was interested in the Dart because they were practically giving them away back then, which should have been a red flag. Ultimately I had a 2.4 auto—basically the GT in every way except no leather or sunroof. It honestly was a decent car for the money but it was so thirsty, and so heavy. And the suspension was easily the worst of any small car I've ever experienced. That guy who said he blew so many tires on his Dart, I fully believe him because the same thing happened to me. Astonishingly hard ride, and those heavy 18-inch stock wheels with zero sidewall didn't help things at all. After three years I sold it and got a Fiesta ST which was a great decision. Of course I'm grateful to my parents because they paid for the Dart and I was able to put that toward the first car I bought with my own money, but yeah, not the choice I would've made. Given that Dodge sold 300,000-some-odd Darts, it really shouldn't surprise me that so many of them are still on the road, nor that one of our very own staffers had a Dart story to share. Still, to say that we've been impressed by this response would be an understatement. Kudos to all of you, and thank you for your feedback! It was, top-to-bottom, absolutely delightful to read. Got a controversial compact and a strong opinion about it? Let us know at tips@ or contact the author directly at byron@
Auto Blog
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Feds Step In As Dodge Dart Safety Issue Returns
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Dodgy transmission still causing headaches for Dart owners While Japanese and even Korean brands have been able to weather the crossover storm and continue seeing demand for small sedans, American automakers have not. Models like the Ford Focus and Dodge Dart have vanished from local showrooms without replacements, but one of these is getting attention again. Discontinued in 2016, the Dodge Dart is the subject of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for a potentially dangerous transmission issue. Even worse, this problem was supposed to be remedied by Dodge years ago, but a fresh batch of complaints has forced the NHTSA to open a new investigation. 0:00 / 0:09 When will Toyota build an EV with its simulated manual transmission? Watch More Parked Darts At Risk Of Rolling Away 2016 Dodge Dart Limited 2016 Dodge Dart Limited 2016 Dodge Dart Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis) previously issued a recall in 2019 for Dodge Darts produced between the 2013 and 2016 model years. Only affecting models with the six-speed automatic transmission, this recall was for shifter cable bushings that could deteriorate and detach. Not only can this prevent the car from shifting into gear at any time, but it can appear as though the car is in Park when it's not. As a result, the driver could exit the vehicle and it could roll away or crash. The recall remedy (number 19V-293) was meant to remedy this issue, but the NHTSA has received 44 new complaints of worn, misadjusted shifter cables since then, along with more shifter cable detachments. It's now over to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) to review whether the original recall was effective and identify the root cause of these shifter cables failing. An estimated 299,000 models are potentially implicated in this investigation. No Injuries Or Fatalities, But Owners Should Be Cautious 2016 Dodge Dart — Source: Stellantis For now, the NHTSA lists no injuries or fatalities related to the transmission issue, but it's easy to see how dangerous it can be if a Dodge Dart rolls away. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. The latest investigation doesn't do much to bolster the rather poor reliability reputation of the Dart. Its most recent J.D. Power rating for quality and reliability is just 67 out of 100, nowhere close to the Toyota Corolla of the period (88/100). Over at Car Complaints, there are a host of transmission complaints, especially for the 2013 model. Based on owner feedback, the typical repair cost is $3,420 and issues are encountered at an overage mileage of under 44,000 miles. 2016 Dodge Dart — Source: Stellantis 'I have had nothing but trouble since I bought this car,' said one Dart owner from Kansas. 'It's now on its 4th transmission and I've only had it for a year and a half.' The same owner had only clocked 45,000 miles at the time of submitting this complaint, so transmission failure does seem to occur quickly in automatic Darts. For now, we'll have to wait to see the outcome of the NHTSA's latest investigation. At the end of the Dart's life, FCA said it and the Chrysler 200 were terrible investments. Now, nine years since the Dart went out of production, Dodge is still dealing with issues related to the underwhelming small sedan. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The news is catastrophic. Would it be so wrong to briefly escape into a beach read?
Welcome to the eve of the July 4 holiday, the official beginning of high summer. Los Angeles is reeling. The area is still recovering from devastating wildfires. Mayor Karen Bass this week accused the Trump administration of waging an 'all-out assault on Los Angeles.' Roving teams of federal immigration agents have cast a pall of fear across many of the region's communities. Would it be wrong to escape for a few hours into a beach read? Abby Jimenez, a best-selling author of romances like 'The Friend Zone' and 'Just For the Summer' who also owns a wildly successful bakery, believes an escapist romance book can be just the thing for troubled times. 'Romance is a safe space,' she said in an interview. 'No matter what happens in the story, you're going to wrap it up in the end.' 'The genre is so inclusive. There is sweet romance. Spicy romance. Christian romance. There are romance thrillers. Queer romances. And then you get your happy ever after.' Jimenez's latest book, 'Say You'll Remember Me,' came out this spring, just in time for beach read season. Though these days Jimenez lives in Minnesota, this book is partially set in Glendale, where she spent some of her childhood. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. What does a beach read mean to you? There are just some books that are suitable for the pool and the sand over others. You're not going to be crying on the rest of your vacation. What are your favorite California beach reads? In your book, the main character Samantha has a meet cute with sexy veterinarian Xavier over a kitten's bowel problems, and then immediately decamps from the Midwest to Southern California. Tell us about your book's connection to Southern California. It is a book about making memories and losing them. It's a long-distance relationship. Samantha's mother is suffering from early onset dementia. I grew up in the Glendale/Burbank Area, before moving to Palmdale. The house I wrote into the book is actually my grandfather's house in real life. I wrote it exactly as it is in real life. The car I wrote into the book, the 1966 Dodge Dart convertible, was my car growing up. Bob Lentz of Sylmar says: 'I climb on my roof in the foothills of Sylmar to watch the fireworks across the entire San Fernando Valley!' Jody Stefansson of Pasadena says: 'My family's favorite thing to do on the 4th of July is close all the curtains and blinds in our home, turn down the lights, play soothing classical music and comfort our dogs with cuddles and reassurance. We celebrate July 5th!' On July 3, 1971, Jim Morrison — the lead singer of the Los Angeles band the Doors — died in Paris of heart failure at 27 years old. A bust placed on his grave site to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his passing went missing nearly 40 years ago. As the Times reported in May, Paris police found the memorial bust 'by chance.' Essential California will be off tomorrow. Enjoy your Fourth of July. We'll be back bright and early Saturday. Izzy Nunes, audience engagement internDiamy Wang, homepage internKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Insider
‘Unexpected Direction' – Thousands of Stellantis Vehicles Recalled on Gear Safety Fears
Shares in auto giant Stellantis (STLA) steered in the right direction today despite a recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles over gear safety fears. Don't Miss TipRanks' Half-Year Sale Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. Cable Bushings The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said today it had opened a recall query into about 299,000 vehicles from Stellantis, whose brands include Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat, after receiving complaints about faulty shifter cable bushings. A bushing, usually made of rubber, connects the shifter cable to the transmission system, allowing the vehicle to change gears. If the bushing is damaged or missing, the vehicle could move in an unexpected and unhelpful direction. The NHTSA said Fiat Chrysler in April 2019 had issued a recall on certain Dodge Dart vehicles produced between February 2012 and October 2014 in order to replace the bushing. The updated part prevented deterioration from chemicals, oils, and solvents. However, the NHTSA received 44 consumer complaints alleging worn, misadjusted or detached shifter cables after the recall remedy was completed. Reputational Hit The NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation launched the latest investigation to evaluate whether the original recall fix was effective, determine what caused the bushing failures, and explore any other factors that could impact how the shifter cable functions. Only last week Stellantis said it was recalling 250,651 vehicles in the U.S., due to an improperly sealed side curtain air bag. Other recalls this year include 235,640 Ram ProMaster vans with faulty rearview camera systems, 33,777 Ram 1500 trucks with headlight failure issues and 10,396 Ram 1500 pickup trucks with tire pressure monitor errors. At a difficult time for the auto industry given tariff uncertainty and faltering consumer confidence, this spate of recalls is an unwelcome hit to brand reputation. Is STLA a Good Stock to Buy Now? On TipRanks, STLA has a Hold consensus based on 4 Buy, 10 Hold and 1 Sell ratings. Its highest price target is $15.33. STLA stock's consensus price target is $11.65 implying a 13.99% upside.
