Since this is SEMA, Nevada, and the US of A, it’s a no-brainer that there will be trucks and SUVs galore. So the monsters from Detroit will have their heyday. No big surprise there.

As far as trucks and SUVs are concerned, I’m a Toyota fan. I love the Hilux and the Land Cruiser. I hate the Escalade, the Explorer, and that darned Ford F150 (I once saw an F150 hit a scrawny wooden bench and the bumper came right off). In any case, the Jeep is still an okay brand for me, especially with the Wrangler. The Jeep Wrangler has always been the no-frills all-business vehicle for the good ol’ outdoors.

Featured in SEMA is the Jeep Wrangler JT. While no debut, the Jeep JT is a fresh addition to the sleek and shiny fray of trucks and SUVs even if it looks so unrefined and brutish being a two-door utility truck with not much in terms of luxury. I like it. There can be times when brute force is better than finesse.

Chrysler issued a recall of 300,000 SUVs to address a potential braking problem when driving uphill. The recall covers 2006-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Commander, 2007 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and 2007 Dodge Nitro SUVs.

Chrsyler apparently received 20 complaints that vehicles experienced braking delays when drivers stepped on them to stop after coasting uphill. To address the issue, the computer connected to the ABS need to be reprogrammed. A crash has already been reported though no one was seriously harmed.

Apart from these recalls, Chrysler will also put the word out on 72,333 Dodge Avenger sedans and Chrysler Sebring convertibles from the 2008 model year that suffer from problems involving the front door latches and locks.

Earlier this week, Honda also issued a recall of 182,756 Civics due to a faulty wheel bearing O-ring causing it to leak and will cause a wheel to fall off “possibly resulting in a crash,” says Honda. Yeah, a wheel falling off may “possibly” cause it to crash. Now that takes a genius to figure out. Consolation for Civic owners though, Honda will notify owners by mail and replace any damaged parts for free.

Source: Detroit News (Chrysler and Honda)