NHTSA: 5 Million Chrysler Vehicles Under Scrutiny for Stalling Problem
Earlier this month, Cars.com reported that Chrysler was recalling nearly 190,000 model-year 2011 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs due to a problem with the Totally Integrated Power Module that could cause the vehicles to stall suddenly. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it will formally review millions more Chrysler SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans starting with the 2007 model year due to complaints of problems associated with the same module. An Aug. 21 letter from advocacy group the Center for Auto Safety initiated the review, informing NHTSA of 63 complaints pertaining to problems allegedly caused by the module.
Recall Alert: 2011 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee
“The CAS alleges that TIPM failures have resulted in incidents of engine stall; airbag non-deployment; random horn, headlight, taillight, door lock, instrument panel and windshield wiper activity; failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration; and fires,” NHTSA said in a statement, also noting that the CAS petition also references a class-action lawsuit that has been filed regarding the alleged module failure.
NHTSA said a preliminary analysis of the complaints identified 51 reports alleging 17 engine stalls and 34 no-start incidents; there also were three reports of smoke or fire. None of the complaints alleged airbag failures or unintended acceleration, nor any crashes. However, CAS identified two dozen crashes from a NHTSA accident database that it believes may be related to TIPM failure.
Of the 63 complaints being considered in the review, 36 involve model-year 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs equipped with 3.6- or 5.7-liter engines, the same models recalled earlier this month. Other vehicles associated with the NHTSA review include:
- 2008-14 Chrysler Town and Country minivans
- 2008-12 Dodge Caravan minivans
- 2011-13 Dodge Durango SUVs
- 2008-14 Dodge Grand Caravans
- 2008-10 Dodge Journey crossovers
- 2007-12 Dodge Nitro crossovers
- 2009-12 Dodge Ram pickup trucks
- 2011-13 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs
- 2007-12 Jeep Liberty crossovers
- 2007-14 Jeep Wrangler SUVs
According to The Detroit News, NHTSA is reviewing nearly 5 million Chrysler SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans due to the stalling complaints. The federal auto-safety agency will decided whether to grant the petition and open a formal defect investigation, a step it must take before mandating a recall, the newspaper reported. Check out the rest of the story at The Detroit News.
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