When Will Fiat Chrysler Be Allowed to Sell 2017 EcoDiesel Jeeps and Rams? Possibly Not Until 2018 Models Roll Out

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Ram and Jeep fans looking to get into a new 1500 or Grand Cherokee with the highest possible fuel economy picked the wrong year to embark on their search. While owners of 2014-2016 Ram and Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel models wonder whether their vehicles are polluting as the EPA claims, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ 2017 EcoDiesels languish in legal limbo.

At first, the Environmental Protection Agency held up the certification of 2017 models as it slogged through a backlog of extra-stringent testing prompted by Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal. Then, in January, FCA’s hopes of getting 2017 EcoDiesels to dealers hit a brick wall. The automaker was accused of violating environmental regulations after the EPA discovered unannounced emissions control devices on the models — raising concerns of a possible VW-type defeat device scheme.

Then came a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice. So, when can diesel fans get their hands on a light-duty FCA oil burner? It could be a while.

In a court hearing Wednesday, a DOJ lawyer claimed the process of examining FCA’s proposed emissions fix could take “weeks or months.” The automaker filed another application for certification in May, just a few days before the DOJ lawsuit. In it, FCA detailed changes to emissions software it said would bring the vehicles into compliance, anticipating no impact on fuel economy or performance.

Both the EPA and California Air Resources Board would need to test vehicles equipped with the updated emissions control system before greenlighting an emissions certificate. Once that occurs, the same fix would be offered to owners of some 104,000 older models.

According to Reuters (via Automotive News), FCA has held six meetings or phone calls with regulators in the past three weeks.

While the company waits for bill of health from the EPA (and hopes to avoid billions in fines), there’s more bad PR to worry about. West Virginia University, the institution that discovered Volkswagen’s emissions cheating, plans to release a study on the 3.0-liter diesel models’ real-world emissions. After reviewing the study, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the models emit between eight to 25 times the legal amount of smog-producing emissions.

FCA quickly denied the claims, questioning the university’s testing procedure — and motivations.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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 7 comments
  • Dan R Dan R on Jun 15, 2017

    You would think that with all the emissions equipment that car tailpipes would be bare metal yet they are mostly sooty. Many Fords are clean but many Hondas are sooty as anecdotal evidence. Most cars would seem to pass lab tests but fail on the open road. Aren't these small turbocharged engines the worst offenders?

    • See 2 previous
    • JimZ JimZ on Jun 15, 2017

      it's direct injection. GDI engines can have poorer mixing of the fuel and air under certain operating conditions which leads to formation of particulate matter. Up until now, spark-ignition (gas) engines did not have defined limits to particulate emissions under Tier 2 regulations. Tier 3 implements them starting this year. reason being- with port injection, the fuel injector starts spraying fuel while the intake valve is still closed. the fuel hits the hot valve and evaporates. then when the valve opens, the turbulence of the air and fuel being pulled in to the cylinder thoroughly mixes them. with DI, the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. in certain cases when it's injected after the intake valve is closed, there may not be enough turbulence inside the cylinder to thoroughly mix the fuel into the air charge.

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Jun 15, 2017

    After WVU blew the whistle on VW, VW confessed almost immediately. In this case, I still don't trust WVU's claims because of the dispute about test methodology. FCA's wouldn't be so persistent with CARB and the EPA if they believed they were still out of compliance. For their parts, I blame VW for poisoning the diesel well with CARB and EPA. Now they mistrust everyone.

    • See 1 previous
    • Scoutdude Scoutdude on Jun 15, 2017

      @JimZ "FCA still has the undisclosed AECDs in their code which makes them suspect as it is." and this is of course why they are scrutinizing it so carefully and why the EPA isn't in a rush to approve the new submission that supposedly doesn't have undisclosed AECDs in it.

  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
  • JTiberius1701 Middle of April here in NE Ohio. And that can still be shaky. Also on my Fiesta ST, I use Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires for the winter and Bridgestone Potenza for my summer tires. No issues at all.
  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
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