Chrysler has agreed to a US Government request to recall 2.7 million of its Jeeps due to fears that the models concerned were at special risk from fuel tank fires. Chrysler’s compliance with the request comes as just as the company had initially refused the request citing insufficient evidence, but then later changed its decision claiming that it had resolved differences with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or ‘NHTSA’.
Written by Chris White
Chrysler has agreed to recall all Jeep Grand Cherokees manufactured between 1993 and 2004 and all Jeep Libertys manufactured between 2002 and 2007, claiming that although the vehicles were not being classed as defective, safety was still the company’s “paramount concern”.
Chrysler’s agreement with ‘NHTSA’ means that Chrysler dealers will inspect the vehicles and if necessary provide an upgrade to meet the US Government’s new safety requirements. The NHTSA’s reasoning for requesting that Chrysler recall all the vehicles affected is that these particular models have fuel tanks which are fitted from the rear of the vehicle and could therefore leak fuel in the event that the vehicle is impacted from behind.
Although Chrysler has not agreed to classify the models affected as defect models, NHTSA has claimed that the location of the fuel tanks and their proximity to the road meant that the vehicles were in fact by their standards defective, citing alleged evidence 37 incidents of rear impact crashes resulting in deadly fires.
On Tuesday Chrysler representatives issued a statement saying: “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 recognises that this matter has raised concerns for its customers and wants to take further steps in co-ordination with NHTSA, to provide additional measures to supplement the safety of its vehicles.”
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