After leasing his 2013 Fiat 500 Electric in January 2014, the owner began experiencing repeated problems with his car. He had been taking the vehicle back in since February 2015 and had given his Fiat Chrysler (FCA) dealership five chances to try and repair his Fiat. His 500E had been out of service for over 32 days within the first 18,000 miles and the problems were still not fixed. Continue reading
Chrysler will be asking a small number of 2015 Dodge Challenger owners to return to their dealers to repair a problem affecting the airbag system. Due to a manufacturing error, the driver side air bag inflated curtain (SABIC) may have a loose or missing rear mounting bolt. The missing bolt could alter the deployment of the bag, increasing the risk of injury during a side impact or roll over crash. Continue reading
In October 2014, the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an audit query to investigate the delays of recall campaigns 13V-528 and 13V-529, after owners complained about difficulty obtaining service appointments and part availability issues. The NHTSA experienced additional concerns with the administration, execution, and pace of an additional 22 safety recalls as a result of complaints from vehicle owners involving part availability issues, lack of notification, and misinformation from dealers. Continue reading
Chrysler will be notifying owners of certain 2014-2015 Ram 4500 and 2014-2015 Ram 5500 trucks, equipped with 6.4L Hemi engines, about a safety problem that could result in unexpected tire failure. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the affected vehicles may have a maximum governed speed of 106 mph but are equipped with tires that are only rated for 87 mph. Operating the vehicle at speeds above the maximum tire speed rating could result in tire failure and increased chance of an accident. Continue reading
In April 2015, Fiat’s Vehicle Safety And Regulatory Compliance deportment began an investigation into certain 2013-2015 Fiat 500 battery electric vehicles after receiving warranty reports of loss of driving power. A review of the problem found that rapid operation of the cruise control speed adjustment switch or accelerator pedal application, while in cruise control, may set a diagnostic trouble code in the Elective Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU). This code will will force the vehicle into safe mode and automatically shift the vehicle into neutral. Once the fault code is set, a key cycle is required to allow the vehicle to shift out of neutral. Continue reading
According to reports filed with the NHTSA, an investigation has been opened to examine the effectiveness of a recall repair affecting certain 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.
On July 1st, 2014 Chrysler issued safety recall 14V-391 (Recall #9) to remedy a wiring related fire hazard in which an electrical short in the vanity lamp wiring in the sun visors could overheat and ignite. The Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) has received 8 reports of fires occurring after the remedy was installed. Some occupants report smoke, sometimes followed by flames, coming from the headliner. If the investigation leads to a recall, approximately 661,888 SUVs could be affected.
After three warranty complaints and an investigation into unexpected door openings or failure to close events on the door, Dodge has issued a defect notice for certain 2013-2014 Dodge Viper vehicles. According to the investigation report, the manufacturer of the door switches replaced the two part epoxy potting with a hot melt adhesive. This change allowed moisture to seep past the potting, shorting the switch. A driver or passenger door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion (even at low speeds), could increase the possibility of a crash and injury. Continue reading
A petition from the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has resulted in a defect investigation into failing Totally Integrated Power Module’s (TIPM) in certain Chrysler SUVs, trucks, and vans. 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. The petition includes a list of 70 complaints received by CAS that are allegedly related to Chrysler TIPM failures. Continue reading
