Chrysler Refuses US Request to Recall 2.7 million Jeeps

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I've never heard of an auto manufacturer taking on the NHTSA like this before but, based on what I've read, I can kind of see their reasons why. Apparently, since an investigation was announced three years ago, the NHTSA only found "44 Grand Cherokee crashes and 55 deaths since 1992 where fire was listed as the most harmful factor." And, of that, only "10 crashes and 13 deaths were most likely associated with rear-end crashes". Compared to how many of them are out there, this really isn't a whole lot. Even the NHTSA admits that "an initial review of crash data submitted by auto manufacturers showed that the Grand Cherokee did not have significantly more fires after crashes than other vehicles."

Anyway way, here's the article...

Chrysler refuses US request to recall vehicles
Chrysler refuses US safety agency's request to recall about 2.7 million SUVs

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DETROIT (AP) -- A defiant Chrysler is refusing to recall about 2.7 million Jeeps the government says are at risk of a fuel tank fire in a rear-end collision.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent Chrysler a letter asking that the company voluntarily recall Jeep Grand Cherokees from 1993 through 2004 and Jeep Libertys from 2002 through 2007.

Chrysler Group LLC said in a statement Tuesday that the Jeeps are safe and it "does not intend to recall the vehicles."

Such a refusal by an auto company is rare. It was unclear how NHTSA would respond. Messages were left for an agency spokeswoman.

The refusal may be a negotiating tactic. Chrysler also said in the statement that it will work with NHTSA to resolve the dispute.

NHTSA opened an investigation into the SUVs in August 2010 at the request of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C., advocacy group. The group contends that the SUVs' gas tanks are positioned below the rear bumper and behind the rear axle, making them susceptible to rupture and spill gasoline in a rear-end crash. In a rollover crash, a lack of proper shielding for the plastic tank could cause it to puncture, the group said.

Clarence Ditlow, the center's director, called the gas tank a "terrible design." He has repeatedly sent letters to the company seeking a recall.

Chrysler, which is majority owned by Italy's Fiat Spa, said its own analysis shows that there are fewer than one fire incident for every million years of vehicle operation.

"The rate is similar to comparable vehicles produced and sold during the time in question," the company said in the statement.

When the investigation was announced three years ago, NHTSA said it had found 44 Grand Cherokee crashes and 55 deaths since 1992 where fire was listed as the most harmful factor. Of those figures, 10 crashes and 13 deaths were most likely associated with rear-end crashes, the safety agency reported.

NHTSA also said at the time that an initial review of crash data submitted by auto manufacturers showed that the Grand Cherokee did not have significantly more fires after crashes than other vehicles.

Article can be found here: http://news.yahoo.com/chrysler-refuses-us-request-recall-170100433.html
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
good for Chrysler sticking up for themselfs on this one. facts are facts and numbers dont lie.
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
It's crazy if you ask me. Some of those rigs are almost 20 years old that they would want recalled. I understand a death is a death but 51 deaths from 2.7 million jeeps is a really low number.

It would almost be more cost effective to scrap the jeeps in question and get new ones.
 

in4low

New member
Lets see I own a 2003 Grand Cherokee and if I get rear ended at a high rate of speed and die from a ruptured fuel tank fire. Then what about if I get rear ended by someone at a high rate of speed while on my KTM dual sport motorcycle and die. Should KTM recall my motorcycle before that happens??? "GOD FORBID"
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
Funny. I've read where some people (not saying anyone here) virtually scream at Chrysler to issue a recall for fuel spilling out while getting gas. :idontknow:
 

Linebacker

Caught the Bug
Just after getting out of the Army in 1973 I worked for a Jeep dealer in Englewood, Colorado. For several years around that time the Wagoneer was equipped with, appropriately enough, a coffin shaped tank. Every once in a while the mounting straps would let go and if you were lucky enough to look in your rear view you could watch the tank chase you down the freeway.:eek: It was not an uncommon occurance. I sold a couple that did that. AMC at that time, would have us flatbed the tankless Wagoneer in to the dealership, properly install a new tank, and down the road it went. Everybody was happy again. Wow, what a difference 40 years makes!:yup:
 

SquareLJ

New member
Funny. I've read where some people (not saying anyone here) virtually scream at Chrysler to issue a recall for fuel spilling out while getting gas. :idontknow:

That's a little different. EVERY time I filled up my LJ at the pump, I would get doused in gas. It was/is extremely common on later model TJ's. Someone (outside Chrysler) came up with a solution to fix it, but it requires using the fuel filler hose from a Chevy Trailblazer and modifying it just to fit.


Low mounted gas tanks behind the rear axle aren't that uncommon. I don't know how well you can see it, but on my old '04 Mustang, the gas tank was lower then the body/frame and behind the rear axle. All '94 to '04 Mustangs were like that. So, I don't blame Chrysler for telling them to take a hike.

 

MurderedJK

Member
NHTSA tries to do this all the time to car manufactures. NHTSA tries to justify their existence and importance by the use of ridiculous statistics that never really prove an issue. There are so many vehicles on the roadway and yes, there are going to be some crazy stories but mostly isolated. Way to go Chrysler for not putting up with another Gov't agency trying to strong arm the companies that produce hundreds of thousands of jobs. :mad:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Looks like Chrysler isn't gonna budge...

Chrysler Not Budging on SUV Safety Showdown
In one of the biggest-ever showdowns between an automaker and government regulators, Chrysler today is set to file papers explaining its refusal to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs that are at risk of catching fire in rear-end collisions. The government says 51 people have suffered fiery deaths in Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty models with gas tanks mounted behind the rear axles.

But Chrysler is expected to stick to its contention that the SUVs are as safe as similar vehicles on the road. The Jeeps, it says, met all federal safety standards when they were built, some more than two decades ago. Car companies rarely clash publicly with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the agency that monitors auto safety.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2013/06/chrysler-not-budging-on-suv-safety-showdown/
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Good for them , I'm sure many other SUVs have the gas tank behind the rear axle. Smells fishy to me , the govt always has a hidden agenda!!


Sent from my JK

Ford mustangs are a great example of one. they have had them behind the axle all that way up to the redesign in '08
 

mrmet1983

New member
Ford mustangs are a great example of one. they have had them behind the axle all that way up to the redesign in '08

Funny you mention that cuz I traded in my 07 mustang gt for my 2013 JKUR and that's exactly what I was thinking about


Sent from my JK
 

Skirmish

New member
Looks like they budged.

"Chrysler agrees to recall 2.7 million Jeeps, ending a dispute with federal regulators." -- CNN
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Well, to clarify, this is the exact press release they sent me...

Chrysler Group LLC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have resolved their differences with respect to NHTSA’s request to recall 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Jeep Liberty vehicles.

As a result of the agreement, Chrysler Group will conduct a voluntary campaign with respect to the vehicles in question that, in addition to a visual inspection of the vehicle will, if necessary, provide an upgrade to the rear structure of the vehicle to better manage crash forces in low-speed impacts.

Chrysler Group’s analysis of the data confirms that these vehicles are not defective and are among the safest in the peer group. Nonetheless, Chrysler Group recognizes that this matter has raised concerns for its customers and wants to take further steps, in coordination with NHTSA, to provide additional measures to supplement the safety of its vehicles.

Chrysler Group regards safety as a paramount concern and does not compromise on the safety of our customers and their families.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Looks like those of you with a Grand Cherokee may be getting a trailer hitch :crazyeyes:

Why Chrysler Backtracked on Jeep Recalls

On the surface, it appears that Chrysler did an about-face involving safety recalls on more than 1 million Jeep SUVs. But behind the scenes, Chrysler negotiated a much better deal with the government than safety regulators asked for just two weeks ago.

Jeep logo: Credit ReutersIn early June, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officially asked the No. 3 Detroit automaker to recall up to 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty SUVs and install a modification that would address concerns about fuel lines that could contribute to a fire in rear-end crashes. Chrysler surprised industry analysts by refusing to initiate a recall, which seemed to set the stage for high-profile litigation. Yet now Chrysler says it will issue a recall after all.

There are three important differences, however, between what regulators asked for two weeks ago and what Chrysler is likely to end up doing:

1. Chrysler will make no admission of a defect. The June 3, 2013, letter that NHTSA sent to Chrysler claimed that regulators had made a “tentative assessment” that the vehicles in question “contain defects related to motor vehicle safety.” In its recall agreement, however, Chrysler does not acknowledge a defect with the vehicles, which could make it harder for anybody involved in a fire or crash to sue Chrysler for damages.

“Every automaker wants to limit legal liability,” says Jack Nerad of car-research site KBB.com. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes during recall negotiations to try to limit liability.”

NHTSA’s research linked 51 deaths since 1993 to fires in rear-impact collisions in the suspect Jeeps, a fatality rate the government said was more than twice the average for other SUVs. But Chrysler argued that the Jeeps in question met all safety standards, while pointing out that most of the fatalities and fires occurred in high-speed collisions that would have been highly destructive no matter what. The final recall will basically address the safety concern about fires without any finding of fault.

2. The recall will involve fewer vehicles than initially requested. Back in 2012, the government’s initial investigation focused on as many as 5.1 million Jeep vehicles. By early June that had narrowed to 2.7 million, and the final recall will involve only 1.56 million. Those vehicles include model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs. Owners will get a notice by email urging them to visit a local dealership.

The basic solution will be to install a Chrysler or Mopar trailer hitch, free of charge, on vehicles that don’t have one, which presumably will enhance structural integrity enough to mitigate concerns about fuel leaks.

In the June 3 letter, NHTSA also focused on model year 1999-2004 Grand Cherokees. Those won’t be subject to an official recall, however. Instead, they’ll be subject to a less severe customer-service action that will involve the free replacement of aftermarket hitches, on vehicles that have them, with a Chrysler or Mopar hitch.

3. Chrysler won’t develop any new components. The trailer-hitch solution allows Chrysler to use stock parts rather than crafting a whole new set of components, which can often be the costliest part of a recall. That could save Chrysler millions of dollars it needs to help develop and launch compelling new models.

Chrysler has still made an obvious concession by agreeing to recall nearly 1.6 million vehicles instead of fighting the action in court. Chrysler won a similar lawsuit in the 1990s, but it’s not in as strong a position these days. “I don’t think they anticipated the bad publicity,” says Michelle Krebs of car-research site Edmunds.com. “Chrysler doesn’t have the strength of brand that Ford (F) and Toyota (TM) do.”

It’s also possible that car shoppers heard something about a safety problem with the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and mistakenly assumed it involved the current model -- one of Chrysler’s biggest profit generators and most important vehicles -- rather than older ones. That would have made it even more urgent for Chrysler to resolve the controversy. Car buyers are usually pretty forgiving, but sometimes the slightest doubt is enough to drive them to the competition.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/why-chrysler-backtracked-jeep-recalls-185405054.html
 
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