NEWS:  U.S. probes old Jeep Grand Cherokees for fire risk

YAHOO NEWS -- August 24, 2010 – U.S. safety regulators have opened a preliminary investigation of about 3 million older Jeep Grand Cherokees with fuel tanks that may present a fire risk in a crash, the regulators' website showed on Tuesday.

The investigation was opened on Monday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The action is short of a recall, and a Chrysler spokesman said owners of the 1993-2004 model year vehicles should take no action at this time.

Chrysler said it was cooperating fully with NHTSA on the investigation. It said the Jeep Grand Cherokees from those model years "meet or exceed" federal safety standards.

The Center for Auto Safety last October petitioned NHTSA to open an investigation into the vehicles, saying NHTSA records show that from 1992 to 2008 the SUVs were involved in 172 fatal fire crashes with 254 deaths.

The petition did not say how many, if any, of the deaths were related to the fuel tanks.

The preliminary investigation comes as automakers face tougher scrutiny by safety regulators following Toyota Motor Corp's massive recalls starting in fall 2009.

The Center for Auto Safety, founded by Consumers Union and Ralph Nader in 1970, asked regulators to open an investigation in October 2009, contending that the Grand Cherokee fuel tank storage system was defective and posed a hazard in a crash.

The Grand Cherokee's plastic fuel tank from those model years was behind the rear axle, extended below the rear bumper and had inadequate shielding, leaving it vulnerable to rupturing or leaking in a crash, the center said.

Chrysler put the fuel tank in front of the rear axle and shielded it in the 2005 model year, the center said.

In response to the center's petition, federal safety investigators performed a preliminary examination of data that isolated 10 crashes with 13 fatalities most likely associated with the defect the center described, NHTSA said.

A preliminary review of data supplied to federal regulators did not find the Grand Cherokee "over-represented for post-crash fires," NHTSA said.

"Further review and investigation into these incidents is needed to determine the existence of any relationship between the alleged defect and each fire or leak," NHTSA said.

MORE RECALL INFO:    Jeep Grand Cherokee  

JUNE 2010 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2007 Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass passenger vehicles manufactured from March 7 through May 19, 2006. The pivot bushings in vehicles with oversizedaccelerator pedal bearing pockets may become dislodged and potentially cause the accelerator pedal tobind or stick. Should the pedal bind or become stuck, it can be overcome by smart brakes which override the accelerator pedal in certain conditions. Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will inspect andreplace all affected accelerator pedal assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on June 29, 2010.   Chrysler's recall campaign number is K11. 10V-234

JUNE 2010 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2010 Jeep Wrangler left and right hand drive passenger vehicles manufactured from May 15, 2006 through April 22, 2010. There may be contact between the right and left front inner fender liners and the right front and left rear brake tubes which could cause wear of the tubes causing a brake fluid leak. A brake fluid leak can cause partial loss of service brakes at the affected wheel increasing the risk of a crash. Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during July 2010.  Chrysler's recall campaign number is K13. 10V-236

YAHOO NEWS -- July 9, 2010 – The government says Chrysler is recalling about 22,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks to fix brake tubes that could lead to the loss of brake fluid.

Chrysler says its recall affects certain 2010 Dodge Nitro, Dodge Ram, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Wranglers that could have defective brake tubes. The problem could lead to the loss of brake fluid, making it difficult to brake and posing the threat of a crash.

Chrysler says owners should be notified in August.

MORE RECALL INFO:

• Dodge Nitro
• Dodge Ram Trucks
• Jeep Liberty
• Jeep Wrangler

YAHOO NEWS – June 7, 2010 – Chrysler Group LLC is recalling nearly 600,000 minivans and Jeep Wranglers because of brake or wiring problems that could become safety issues, the company and federal regulators said Monday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website the automaker is recalling 288,968 Jeep Wranglers from the 2006 through 2010 model years due to a potential brake fluid leak.

It also is recalling 284,831 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans from the 2008 and 2009 model years because a wiring problem can cause a fire inside the sliding doors.

Neither problem has caused any crashes or injuries, Chrysler said in a statement.

On the Jeeps, the front inner fender liners can rub against the brake fluid tubes and cause a leak. NHTSA says the leak could result in partial loss of brakes.

The minivans can have improperly placed wires that can come in contact with sliding door hinges, and the hinges can wear through the insulation and in rare cases cause a fire inside the door, Chrysler and NHTSA said.

Chrysler will notify owners and dealers about the repairs, which will be made free of charge. The recall is expected to start later this month.

The Wranglers affected by the recall were made from May 15, 2006 through Aug. 9, 2010, according to NHTSA. The minivans were made from February 2007 through September 2007.

MORE RECALL INFO:

• Jeep Wrangler
• Dodge Grand Caravan
• Chrysler Town & Country

NEWS:   Chrysler recalls Dodge Caliber over sticky pedals

YAHOO NEWS -- June 5, 2010 – Chrysler is recalling nearly 35,000 Dodge Calibers in the United States and around the world to fix a potential problem with sticky gas pedals, the same issue that has affected millions of Toyotas.

Chrysler Group LLC said it will recall about 25,000 Calibers in the U.S. from the 2007 model year and a limited number of 2007 Jeep Compass SUVs to inspect vehicles built between March and May of 2006. The remaining vehicles are in Mexico, Canada and elsewhere.

The pedals were made by CTS Corp., the Elkhart, Ind., company that manufactured pedals involved in the recall of more than 2 million Toyotas earlier this year. Chrysler told NHTSA the pedals were "a completely different design" and made "with different tooling" than the pedals involved in Toyota's recall.

NHTSA opened an investigation into the Chrysler pedals in April. The auto company noted that the small SUVs have "smart brake" technology allowing the brake to override the gas pedal and safely bring the vehicle to a stop. Chrysler said it did not consider the problem a safety defect but decided to conduct a safety recall anyway.

The automaker said it was unaware of any reports of accidents, injuries or property damage related to the pedals. In documents filed with NHTSA, Chrysler estimated that 30 percent of the vehicles covered by the recall may need to have the pedal assembly replaced.

Chrysler dealers will inspect the recalled vehicles and replace affected pedals with a new pedal unit at no charge to customers.

MORE RECALL INFO:   Dodge Caliber     Jeep Compass  

NEWS:  2010 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Models Recalled

ConsumerAffairs.com -- May 17, 2010  --  Chrysler Group LLC is recalling about 40,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models from the 2010 year. The vehicles may have a defective ignition switch that would allow the key to be removed prior to placing the shifter in the "park" position. This could lead to unintended vehicle movement.

The affected models are:

• 2010 Chrysler 300
• 2010 Dodge Challenger
• 2010 Dodge Charger
• 2010 Dodge Ram
• 2010 Jeep Commander
• 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Dealers will inspect the ignition module and replace defective units free of charge when the recall begins in July 2010.

MORE RECALL INFO

(Yahoo News) –-Jan 19, 2010 -- Chrysler Group LLC will recall 24,177 vehicles due to a potential defect in a brake system that could result in sudden brake failure, the automaker said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall applies to 2010 model-year Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Nitro, and Jeep Liberty, Commander and Grand Cherokee SUVs, as well as 2009-2010 model year Dodge Ram trucks.

In some of the vehicles, the clip retention tab on the brake pedal pin was improperly formed, or not installed, during the manufacturing process, Chrysler said. That could result in brake failure without warning and could cause a crash, the company said. Chrysler said it was unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue. Chrysler said the safety recall is expected to begin during the month of January.

MORE RECALL INFO

NOVEMBER 2009 -- Chrysler is recalling certain Model Year 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee passenger vehicles manufactured from October 22 through November 12, 2009. The passenger side airbag may not properly deploy through the instrument panel tear seam. The airbag may not properly protect the passenger in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will replace the top cover of the instrument panel free of charge. The campaign is expected to begin in December 2009.  Chrysler's campaign number is J33. 09V-454

APRIL 2009 --  Chrysler is recalling 102,354 MY 2001-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles with heated seats and with Chrysler recall No. 06V-197 completed (03-04 MY) or seat heater elements service replacement (01-02 MY). The front seat electric heater elements could overheat. Overheating could potentially cause a fire or injury. Dealers will replace the front seat heater elements free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.  09V-117

APRIL 2009 --  Chrysler is recalling 4,336 MY 2009 Dodge Journey, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Commander and Wrangler  vehicles. Wiring may be reversed on the steering column control module driver airbag squib connector. The driver's airbag may not deploy as intended. In the event of a crash, the driver's airbag may not properly inflate and may not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries. Dealers will inspect the driver's airbag squib wires and replace the steering column control module free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2009. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. 09V-118

APRIL 2009 --  Chrysler is recalling 42,469 MY 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in salt belt States of Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia , Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The front suspension upper control arm ball joint may experience a loss of lubrication which could lead to corrosion, accelerated wear, and possible separation while driving. Failure of the ball joint could result in a loss of steering capability, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the front upper control arm assemblies free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. 09V-119

SEPTEMBER 2008 -- Chrysler is recalling 712 MY 2009 Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Avenger, Journey, Jeep Patriot, and Compass vehicles. A new adhesive used in the power train control module (PCM) manufacturing process can cause the printed circuit board to break. This can cause the engine to stall and cause a crash without warning. Dealers will replace the PCM free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during November 2008.

SEPTEMBER 2008 -- Chrysler is recalling 3,663 MY 2007-2008 Dodge Nitro and MY 2008 Jeep Liberty vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The park brake lever clutch drum may distort and reduce the effectiveness of the park brake system. This could allow the vehicle to move inadvertently and cause a crash without warning. Dealers will replace the park brake lever assembly free of charge. The parking brakes were manufactured in Canada. The recall began on October 27, 2008.  08V525

SEPTEMBER 2008 -- Chrysler is recalling 494 MY 2008 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The windshield and/or fixed rear quarter glass may have been assembled using incorrect urethane adhesive. This could affect glass retention. If the glass separates while driving, it could strike another vehicle or injure a pedestrian. Dealers will replace the windshield and/or fixed rear quarter glass free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during October 2008.  08V455

MAY 2008 -  Chrysler is recalling 24,461 MY 2006 Jeep Commander vehicles equipped with 4.7L V8 engines. The powertrain control module (PCM) was programmed with software that may allow the engine to stall under certain operating conditions. This could cause a crash without warning. Dealers will reprogram the PCM software in all 4.7L engine-equipped MY 2006 Jeep Commanders built prior to January 11, 2006. The recall began on May 19, 2008.  This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA07-007, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 08V203

MAY 2008 - Chrysler is recalling 1,585 MY 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler vehicles, right hand drive only. Some vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the steering intermediate shaft and rear brake tubes. Prolonged brake tube contact could wear a hole in the tube and cause a partial brake system loss. This could cause a crash without warning. Dealers will install a revised brake tube clip to retain the tubes, inspect the brake tubes for damage due to potential contact with the steering intermediate shaft, and replace the brake tubes if necessary. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. 08V-202

FEBRUARY 2008 -  Chrysler is recalling 1,338 MY 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander vehicles. The front control module may have been incorrectly manufactured. This could cause the engine to stall while driving or not to start and/or cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative. Engine stalling or inoperative wipers could cause a crash without warning. Dealers will inspect the module and replace it if necessary. The recall began on February 18, 2008.    08V059

NOVEMBER 2007 -- DaimlerChrysler is recalling 28,755 MY 2007-2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander sport utility vehicles. Front brake calipers in a certain lot may have been manufactured from gray iron instead of ductile iron as designed and could fracture without warning. This would increase the vehicle's stopping distance and could cause a crash. Dealers will inspect the front brake calipers to see if they fall into this lot and, if so, will replace them. The recall is expected to begin during October 2007. 07V-415

SEPTEMBER 2007 -- DaimlerChrysler is recalling 296,550 MY 2007 Dodge Nitro, Jeep Wrangler, and MY 2006-2007 Grand Cherokee and Commander sport utility vehicles. The software programmed into the ABS electronic control module may allow a momentary delay in braking when coasting up a hill during certain conditions. This could cause a crash without warning. Dealers will reprogram the ABS electronic control module with new software that prevents this condition. The recall is expected to begin during October 2007. 07V-434

NEWS:   Chrysler Expands Jeep Commander Stalling Recall

Transmission software will be reprogrammed

ConsumerAffairs.com -- May 7, 2008 -- Chrysler is expanding the recall of Jeep Commander SUVs to repair engine stalling that has endangered scores of Jeep owners.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the automaker has now recalled 24,461 2006 Jeep Commanders to reprogram automatic transmission software in Jeeps equipped with the 4.7 liter engine.

Jeep owners can contact Chrysler about the stalling problems at 1-800-853-1403 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

MORE RECALL INFORMATION: 

• Jeep Commander

• Jeep Grand Cherokee

NEWS:  Chrysler recalls 369,000 vehicles for problems

DETROIT (Yahoo-Reuters) - Automaker Chrysler LLC said on Friday it is recalling almost 369,000 vehicles for problems with brake systems and door latches and locks.   Chrysler, ... said it is recalling 296,550 sport utility vehicles for the brake-related problem. 

The vehicles affected include Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Commander SUVs for the 2006 and 2007 model years and the 2007 Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro.  Chrysler said a glitch in an electronic control unit could cause a delay in braking when the vehicles are driving uphill. The automaker has had about 20 reports of such problems, ......

It's a very rare occurrence," ......."But we have had reports of drivers experiencing problems when they take their foot off the accelerator."  When drivers in one of the affected vehicles stop accelerating up a hill, that can trigger a momentary loss of braking power for a second or two,....

The automaker said it was aware of one accident that could have been caused by the problem. Owners of the SUVs affected by the recall will be notified this month and repair work will be done at no charge, Chrysler said.  The automaker,..... also said it is recalling about 72,333 2008 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger sedans because of a potential problem with a cable connected to the front door latches in the vehicles.