Chrysler refuses to recall 2.7 million Jeep SUVs

[Capt Worley PE]

Way to go Chrysler!

In a rare rebuff of the U.S. government, Chrysler Group is refusing a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration request for a recall of 2.7 million SUVs.

The government agency says the gas tank design used in 1993 to 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002 to 2007 Jeep Libertys is unsafe.It is the first time since 1996 that an automaker has fully challenged a recall demand from the safety agency.

That case, also involving Chrysler, was over the seat belt system on 91,000 cars. Chrysler -- which was an independent U.S. company at the time -- won a federal court decision on that dispute two years later.



Chrysler -- now controlled by the Italian carmaker Fiat after the 2009 U.S. government-sponsored bailout -- said it has been working with the agency over concerns over the vehicles in the current dispute since 2010.

Chrysler says that the design of the gas tank cited by NHTSA -- placed behind the rear axle -- is a commonly accepted design used in many other vehicles. It also says that the fatal accidents that occurred involving the vehicles were almost all high-speed, high-energy accidents in which a different design would have made no difference.

For example, it said one accident involved a tractor-trailer truck traveling 65 miles per hour that hit a stationary Grand Cherokee.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/04/autos/chrysler-recall-refusal/index.html

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Nevermind...

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/chrysler-backs-down-agrees-recall-2-7-million-older-model-6C10363045#business/chrysler-agrees-recall-2-7-million-older-model-jeeps-6C10363045?ocid=msnhp&pos=1

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Saw that on the CNN home page. Refusing to recall the vehicles sounded like a good idea when the discussions were private between NHTSA and Chrysler, but once that refusal became public, the option suddenly became a PR nightmare.

 

[Road Guy]

They will just stick it to the future customers...,,,

 

[Flyer_PE]

I heard that the proposed fix is to install a trailer hitch in those vehicles that don't already have one. Our Jeep already has a class III hitch so looks like we won't have to take it in for anything.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I heard that 'upgrading the rear structure" consisted of adding a trailer hitch!

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2013/06/chrysler-to-provide-trailer-hitches-to-late-model-jeeps/

Are the writers at Jp magazine is charge of design now?

 

[csb]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would be happy if we all rolled around in bubbles. I don't argue that they have some good recommendations, but it's got to be nice to be the folks who say, "You really should do X," and not have to worry about logistics or funding.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

NHTSA is one of those agencies that needs to go away.

I do enjoy reading their accident reports.

 

[Lumber Jim]

A couple of years back, NHTSA was accused of becoming too "cozy" with manufacturer by some silly politicians and therefore have been looking for opportunities to show that they are nobody's friend. The honest truth is that they never were but now have to assert it...