In the past year, Chrysler Group LLC, automobile maker of the Jeep series, has recalled nearly 5 million vehicles due to defective design and parts.
During the past year, there have been 11 separate recalls by Chrysler. The affected vehicles include 2002-2010 Grand Cherokees, 2006-2010 Commanders, 2010-2013 Jeep Compass SUVs, 2010-2013 Patriot SUV models, Jeep Liberty SUVs from 2002-2007, Jeep Wranglers, RAM 1500 trucks, Dodge Charger, Dart, Nitro and Challenger cars, 2011-2012, Chrysler 300 models, 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees, and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs.
The first of these recalls occurred in June 2012. This recall affected 137,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs for a problematic rear lower control arm. The arm could rust and fracture over time. The fracture would cause the vehicle to lose rear suspension stability, which increases the likelihood of a skid or crash. This was a follow-up recall from March 2012 where Chrysler recalled 210,000 Jeep Liberty models for the same problem. This recall was in response finding that earlier iterations of the vehicle had the same defect.
Click here to read the full recall: Jeep Liberty June 2012
In November 2012, Chrysler recalled nearly one million for their vehicles due to airbag problems. Circuits within the airbag control module could fail due to “electrical overstress” and cause the front or side curtain airbags to deploy without warning on 2002-2003 Liberty models and 2002-2004 Grand Cherokee models. NHTSA had been investigating the Liberty models since October 2011 and has received 126 cases of inadvertent airbag deployment, resulting in 59 “minor injuries.”
In April, Chrysler Group announced an astonishing six recalls that affected over 247,000 RAM trucks, Jeep SUVs and Dodge Cars. The recall problems include faulty gas tank hoses, broken drive shafts and air bag warning lights that illuminate when there is no problem.
Click here to read the USA today article: 6 Chrysler Recalls: Airbag Lights, Brakes, Fuel Tubes
Last month, Chrysler recalled over 290,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Jeep Commanders that could inadvertently shift into neutral. Chrysler traced the problem to a cracked circuit board that was sending faulty signals when the car was started, which would cause the vehicle to roll away.
Chrysler announced on June 6 that it was recalling about 630,000 newer SUVs for transmission and airbag defects. The 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot may deploy the side airbags too late in a crash, or not at all, due to a software error. This recall affected 181,131 Wranglers equipped with automatic transmissions. A tube carrying fluid for the power-steering system can be in “hard contact” with the transmission oil cooler tube, which was switched from steel to a softer aluminum starting in the 2012 model year, Chrysler said.
Finally, on June 18, 2013, after initially rebuking and refusing to comply with a NHTSA recommendation to recall 2.7 million 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs, Chrysler decided to heed the warnings by NHTSA and recall the vehicles. NHTSA reported that these vehicles were involved in 37 rear-end accidents that resulted in fires and 51 fatalities. These vehicles had defective fuel tank design and placement.
Americans rely on their car manufactures to provide a safe well-designed vehicle. Sadly, that is not often the case. The Auto Defect Attorneys at the Brandi Law Firm has successfully represented many people injured from defective Toyotas, Fords, Chrysler, GM products and numerous other manufacturers and suppliers. Often times, people involved in accidents do not examine the issues of defective vehicle design nor whether the car was truly crashworthy – does it contain the appropriate crash protection. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto crash, our attorneys at the Brandi Law Firm are available to consult with you. Please contact our office at 800-481-1615 or email us.