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NHTSA Back On Chrysler for Slow Response to Jeep Recall Fix [Update]

Chrysler made headlines last year when it refused to recall the 1993 to 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the 2002 to 2007 Jeep Liberty at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Chrysler eventually gave in and devised an acceptable recall for the close to 2.5 million SUVs, but now more than a year later, no vehicles have been repaired.
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee 1 photo
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Automotive News is reporting that NHTSA now wants to know what the delay is and why it has taken so long remedy the potentially deadly problem. The whole issue stems from the location of the fuel tanks on both of these SUVs, which makes it possible for the tank to be ruptured and gasoline to leak in the event of a rear-end collision. Adding a trailer hitch was determined to adequately prevent fuel leaks, and NHTSA even tested Chrysler’s remedy, which was found to reduce the of fuel tank ruptures.

Although the recall was issued on June 19, 2013, NHTSA says that Chrysler “waited until December 6, 2013 to select a hitch supplier and did not issue a purchase order to the hitch supplier until January 29, 2014.” As of April, Chrysler said that the hitches won’t be available to dealers until August.

The recall consists of the inspection of all affected vehicles (even those equipped with factory and aftermarket hitches), and if a vehicle isn’t equipped with a hitch or if a problem is detected with the existing hitch, then a new Chrysler-developed hitch will be installed. NHTSA claims that at the pace Chrysler is currently operating, it will take years to produce the necessary parts and perform the recalls.

Interestingly, the article also spoke with Doug Betts, Chrysler’s head of quality who openly stated that this situation would have been handled differently if it had taken place this year – likely referring to the record number of recalls this year including the General Motors unintended ignition key rotation recall, which has sparked Congressional hearings with GM executives.

This article has been updated to include an official response from Chrysler, which can be found in the following press release.
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press release
 

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