I traveled to Santa Barbara about a week ago to drive the newly designed Dodge Ram, and spent a day behind the wheel of several different versions of the truck. First, we road tested the Ram on the freeway and on two-lane highways and then we headed to some rougher trails in the hills for a taste of its off-road capabilities. I drove a HEMI-equipped truck with an Airstream trailer behind it, paying close attention to the ride to see how the Ram's new coil spring rear suspension handled the weight (it did). One of the other trucks had a 1,000 pound load in the bed -- another good test for the suspension. I'm anxious to log some more time in the 2009 Ram, but I like what I've seen so far. Dodge put some thought into the new truck, making improvements to just about every system.

2009 Dodge Ram First Impressions
2009 Dodge Ram Photos
2009 Dodge Ram Facts

_{Photo © Dale Wickell}

Expect to see a few surface design changes on the 2009 Frontier, but no sheet metal updates to the truck's body. Nissan added a few safety features for 2009 and introduced some new trim level packages, like the Value trucks that come with groups of options and accessories that cost less than you'd spend adding them one by one. The PRO-4X Frontier is new this year -- a sportier version of the pickup, with tweaked off-road capabilities. The truck still comes as either a King Cab or a Crew Cab, with many configurations dependent on which body style and driveline you choose.

More 2009 Frontier

• Pictures of the 2009 Nissan Frontier

GM is recalling 944,000 vehicles equipped with the automaker's heated washer fluid system. A short on the circuit board that controls the heater may overheat the circuit ground wire and cause electrical components to malfunction, creating an odor, smoke or a possible fire. GM will correct the problem by having its dealers install a wiring harness equipped with an inline fuse. If there's a short circuit, the fuse will blow, shutting off power to the faulty area. GM will notify owners when parts are available.

Trucks Affected by the Recall

• 2007-2008 Chevy Silverado
• 2007-2008 GMC Sierra
• 2007-2008 Chevy Avalanche
• 2007-2008 Escalade EXT

Other Vehicles Affected

• 2008 Buick Enclave
• 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne
• 2006-2008 Cadillac DTS
• 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
• 2007-2008Chevy Suburban
• 2007-2008 Chevy Tahoe
• 2007-2008 GMC Acadia
• 2007-2008 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
• 2006-2008 HUMMER H2
• 2007-2008 2007-2008 Saturn Outlook

GM Recall #08048. For more information, call the NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236

Manufacturers didn't offer backup camera systems when my truck was new, but that doesn't mean I can't install one now. Several companies offer aftermarket cameras and monitors for trucks, including Rostra Precision Controls, which recently introduced a system for Silverado and Sierra pickups. A 3.5" monitor slips into the dash (taking the place of a coin holder) and a camera connected to it is mounted to the tailgate. A couple of extra jacks let you plug other electronics into the monitor (like a babycam or DVD player) but for safety, the system switches to the camera as soon as you shift into reverse.

_{Photo © Rostra}