Photo: GM/Chrysler/image edited by autoevolution
Just as General Motors' recall tally surpassed the 20 million vehicle mark, another heavyweight manufacturer from Detroit is facing an investigation over potential ignition switch glitches. Chrysler is its name and the suspected models come in the form of the 2008 – 2010 model year Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Journey and Dodge Grand Caravan.
Spurred by the GM vehicle safety and non-compliance disaster that's responsible for tens of deaths and hundreds of crashes connected to various faults, the bigwigs over at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration went into overdrive and started to sniff potential hazards coming from Chrysler's way. The agency hasn't started this investigation blindly.
Several reports have been forwarded to the NHTSA, all of them stating that the aformentioned models are prone to 'accidentally' switch from the 'run' ignition key position to 'accesory' while the vehicle is being driven. Seems like a carbon copy of what happened at first to General Motors, doesn't it? Even though some Chrysler cars were recalled over the same defect in 2010, serviced vehicles continued to act strange, spurring affected owners to notify the NHTSA a second time.
According to the agency, the culprit is a spring that rotates the ignition key from the 'start' position back to 'run' after the engined is turned on by the driver. Some unhappy owners stated that the switch can over travel, leaving the key stuck between the 'run' and 'accesory' positions. Anyway you look at it, this matter is indeed worthy of investigation because people lives are at risk. Fortunately, both the NHTSA and Chrysler aren't yet aware of any crashes or injuries related to this fault.
"While in this intermediate position, harsh roadway conditions or driver interaction with the ignition key can cause the switch to move to the ACC position which may disable the frontal air bags in a crash where deployment is warranted," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underlines in its most recent investigation notice.
Several reports have been forwarded to the NHTSA, all of them stating that the aformentioned models are prone to 'accidentally' switch from the 'run' ignition key position to 'accesory' while the vehicle is being driven. Seems like a carbon copy of what happened at first to General Motors, doesn't it? Even though some Chrysler cars were recalled over the same defect in 2010, serviced vehicles continued to act strange, spurring affected owners to notify the NHTSA a second time.
According to the agency, the culprit is a spring that rotates the ignition key from the 'start' position back to 'run' after the engined is turned on by the driver. Some unhappy owners stated that the switch can over travel, leaving the key stuck between the 'run' and 'accesory' positions. Anyway you look at it, this matter is indeed worthy of investigation because people lives are at risk. Fortunately, both the NHTSA and Chrysler aren't yet aware of any crashes or injuries related to this fault.
"While in this intermediate position, harsh roadway conditions or driver interaction with the ignition key can cause the switch to move to the ACC position which may disable the frontal air bags in a crash where deployment is warranted," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underlines in its most recent investigation notice.
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