Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.25 million trucks over software error
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it would recall more than 1.25 million pickup trucks worldwide to address a software error linked to reports of one crash death and two injuries.
The erroneous code could temporarily disable the side air bag and deployment seat of belt pretensioners – which reduce seat belt slack during impacts – during a vehicle rollover spurred by a significant underbody impact, such as striking onroad debris or driving off-road, the Italian-American automaker said.
The company will reprogram computer modules in the affected vehicles to address this error.
An FCA spokesman said the likelihood of an incident was very low because a sequence of events was needed to cause an incident.
There is no definitive proof the error was involved in two accidents, one of which resulted in a fatality, but the automaker was conducting the recall proactively, he said.
The spokesman declined to say whether the code was produced inhouse or by an FCA supplier, saying “we do not discuss supplier relationships.”
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it would recall more than 1.25 million pickup trucks worldwide to address a software error linked to reports of one crash death and two injuries.
The erroneous code could temporarily disable the side air bag and deployment seat of belt pretensioners – which reduce seat belt slack during impacts – during a vehicle rollover spurred by a significant underbody impact, such as striking onroad debris or driving off-road, the Italian-American automaker said.
The company will reprogram computer modules in the affected vehicles to address this error.
“we do not discuss supplier relationships.”
An FCA spokesman said the likelihood of an incident was very low because a sequence of events was needed to cause an incident.
There is no definitive proof the error was involved in two accidents, one of which resulted in a fatality, but the automaker was conducting the recall proactively, he said.
The spokesman declined to say whether the code was produced inhouse or by an FCA supplier, saying “we do not discuss supplier relationships.”
Fiat Chrysler has been working to move faster to address vehicle issues after being fined twice in 2015 by the NHTSA.
In December 2015, the company was fined $70 million for failing to report vehicle crash deaths and injuries since 2003.
In July 2015, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a $105 million settlement with NHTSA for mishandling nearly two dozen recall campaigns involving 11 million vehicles.
It agreed to a three-year consent agreement and monitoring by former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.
Questions & Answers
Q.What specifically causes the safety systems to fail in the affected vehicles?
What specifically causes the safety systems to fail in the affected vehicles?
The erroneous software code could temporarily disable the side air bag and seat belt pretensioners. This occurs during a vehicle rollover triggered by a significant underbody impact, such as hitting debris or driving off-road.
Q.Has it been proven that the software error caused the reported death and injuries?
Has it been proven that the software error caused the reported death and injuries?
No, there is no definitive proof that the error was involved in the two accidents reported. However, the automaker is conducting the recall proactively despite this.
Q.Why is Fiat Chrysler being proactive with this recall, even without definitive proof of the error's involvement?
Why is Fiat Chrysler being proactive with this recall, even without definitive proof of the error's involvement?
Fiat Chrysler has been working to address vehicle issues faster after being fined twice in 2015 by the NHTSA. This includes previous fines for failing to report crash deaths and mishandling recall campaigns.
Q.What is Fiat Chrysler's plan to fix this software error in the recalled trucks?
What is Fiat Chrysler's plan to fix this software error in the recalled trucks?
The company plans to reprogram computer modules in all affected vehicles to address the identified software error. This will prevent the temporary disabling of safety features during certain incidents.
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