— You will soon be able to legally buy a new 2017 Ram 1500 diesel truck or Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel SUV after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) gave Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) the green light to sell the vehicles.
Automakers must go through a certification process showing their vehicles meet federal emissions standards and part of the process requires automakers to explain and disclose any software that may alter how vehicles emit air pollution.
However, Chrysler still needs to receive permission to use the modified software on 2014-2016 models, and questions still remain about how this latest action will impact a federal lawsuit.
From the beginning, Chrysler denied there were any legal issues with the trucks and SUVs because the devices were never installed to fool customers or regulators.
Correction: The original story included information that implied the 2017 models weren't certified for sale due to problems with 2014-2016 models. Chrysler emphasizes actions taken concerning the 2017 models are separate from the 2014-2016 models. The editor regrets the error.
