Fiat Brazil Refuses to Recall Stilo - Fined $1.2 Million

Safety automotive recalls have become a sensitive issue these days, but his doesn’t stop some automakers from ignoring these problems. One example would be Fiat Brazil, which has been fined $1.2 million by the country’s Ministry of Justice for not initiating a Stilo recall campaign, as Businessweek reports.

The problem that affects the Fiat Stilo in Brazil has been linked to eight deaths that occurred since 2004: the car’s back wheels might fall off due to malfunctioning components. A total of 30 accidents related to this issue have been recorded in the last six years.

A National Transit Department official said that the process was related to "malfunctioning components that secure the wheels to the car." The Justice Ministry’s spokesman, Renato Oliviera, said that owners first reported the problem back in 2004 and that the manufacturer received an official recall request two years later.

"Fiat was asked to recall the Stilos in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 but the company, claiming there was nothing wrong with the wheels, refused to issue the recall, which is why we have fined Fiat," the official explained, motivating the sanctioning decision.

Fiat responded by saying it will recall the affected Stilos, failing to provide exact data about the campaign. In addition to that, the manufacturer claims that the recall will be initiated due to the recent official measures and not because the cars have a problem.

The automotive producer might face further sanctioning, as the governmental investigation continues.