Chrysler Recalls Vehicles for Improper Brake Pedal Operation

Chrysler Group LLC has recalled over 18,690 model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 1, 2011 through October 1, 2012

According to Chrysler Group LLC, under certain breaking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel.  Chrysler admits that this may cause the driver not to push the brake pedal as intended, lengthening the distance needed to stop and increasing the risk of a crash.  

To see the two (4) documents associated with this recall, click here and scroll down to the accessible PDF files.

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration ("NHTSA"), Chrysler Group LLC will notify vehicle owners directly, and its authorized dealers will update the ABS module software free of charge.  Owners may also contact Chrysler Group LLC direct at 1-800-853-1403.  

Do you have a 2012-2013 Dodge Durango or Jeep Grand Cherokee that experienced a brake problem, but is still not fixed?  If the vehicle was purchased or repaired in Ohio or Kentucky, then you can call Burdge Law Office on our Toll Free Hotline, 1.888.331.6422, to see if we can help you out of your "lemon" vehicle.

Beth Wells

www.OhioLemonLaw.com

www.KentuckyLemonLaw.com

www.BurdgeLaw.com

Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons, 10 Years Running

Chrysler Reconsiders NHTSA Request to Recall Vehicles

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013, just hours before its deadline to reconsider NHTSA's recall request, Chrysler agreed to recall 1.56 million 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs.  

After 2 years of research, NHTSA recently requested that Chrysler recall 2.7 million vehicles, due to an alleged safety defect relating to the placement of the fuel tank on the vehicles.  According to NHTSA, the design of the vehicles is defective because the fuel tanks are mounted behind the rear axle which could lead to the rupture of the fuel tank and an increased risk of fire during severe rear end collisions.  In response, Chrysler claimed that the vehicles in question are safe and not any more unsafe than any other vehicle of that era. 

2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee

NHTSA originally requested a recall of 2.7 vehicles, 1993-2004 model year Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 model year Jeep Liberties.  However, in a deal apparently struck in a phone conversation between Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and NHTSA administrator David Strickland, Chrysler is only being required to recall about 1.56 million vehicles.  So which vehicles were excluded from the recall?  About 1.1 million 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees, which are a different design that the earlier models.  And the deal gets better for Chrysler-- they don't even have to say in their recall that the vehicles are defective and they need only say that the modifications being made are effective for "low-speed impacts", not high speed ones.  

But the 1.1 million 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees will not completely be left out.  Instead, Chrysler has agreed to perform a "customer service action" for these vehicles.  They will get similar treatment as the recalled vehicles, but Chrysler will not have to include them in its recall numbers.


Has Chrysler finally "seen the light"?  Not likely.  Chrysler seems to have an unshakable attitude that it never builds vehicles wrong.  So why the change in position?  By striking this deal, Chrysler will avoid the bad publicity brought on by public hearings and their ongoing battle with NHTSA.  And, the move apparently was not too late, because according to Kelley Blue Book, "shopper interest has been unaffected" by Chrysler's standoff with NHTSA.


Own a Jeep Grand Cherokee or Jeep Liberty included in the recall?  Click here for more information from NHTSA on the upcoming recall.

Beth Wells

www.BurdgeLaw.com

Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons, 9 Years Running

Chrysler refuses to recall 2.7 million vehicles that the Federal Government has labeled unsafe

Chrysler refuses to recall 2.7 million vehicles that the Federal Government has labeled unsafe
 

After over 2 years of research and data sharing with Chrysler, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has requested that Chrysler recall all 1993-2004 model year Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 model year Jeep Liberties, a total of approximately 2.7 million vehicles, due to an alleged safety defect relating to the placement of the fuel tank on the vehicles.


On June 4, 2013, in a rare, defiant response, Chrysler refused to recall the vehicles.

According to NHTSA, the design of the vehicles is defective because the fuel tanks are mounted behind the rear axle, which could lead to the rapture of the fuel tank, and an increased risk of fire during severe rear-end collisions. NHTSA claims that this defective design has resulted in 51 deaths, which is at a much higher rate of incidence than similar vehicles of that same era.

In response, Chrysler claims that the vehicles in question are safe, that they met the fuel safety standards when they were manufactured, and that they still meet the current fuel safety standards today. According to Chrysler, NHTSA’s analysis is incomplete, NHTSA uses unrepresented comparisons, and the vast majority of accidents in question involved "high energy crashes" where the injuries would have been sustained regardless of the location of the fuel tank.

So what will happen next?  NHTSA will wait until June 18, 2013 to see if Chrysler reconsiders.  If Chrysler continues to defy NHTSA’s request, NHTSA will hold a public hearing and then decide whether to issue an involuntary recall within 30-60 days.  If Chrysler still refuses, then NHTSA can request the Department of Justice to sue Chrysler on its behalf to force the recall.

Will Chrysler give in without a fight? Not likely. Although recalls like this are typically dealt with behind closed doors, and NHTSA’s authority to protect the lives of motorists is rarely questioned, Chrysler has a history of questioning NHTSA’s conclusions. In fact, in 1997, the Department of Justice sued Chrysler to force recall of 91,000 defective seatbelt anchors in Dodge Cirrus and Stratus sedans. Chrysler was forced to recall the seatbelt anchors and pay a $800,000 fine. A year later an appellate court overturned the ruling, but Chrysler had already replaced the seatbelt anchors.

So, whether it is fueled by the steep cost of instituting the recall of 2.7 million vehicles, or a strong belief that the vehicles in question are not defective, you can be sure that Chrysler is in for a fight.

Beth Wells

www.BurdgeLaw.com

Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons, 9 Years Running