Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.33 million vehicles over fire, air bag risks
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Fiat Chrysler said on Friday it is recalling 1.33 million vehicles worldwide in two separate campaigns for potential fire risks and inadvertent airbag deployments.
The Italian-American automaker said it is recalling about 770,000 sport utility vehicles because of a wiring issue that may lead to inadvertent deployment of the driver-side air bag and is linked to reports of five related minor injuries, but no crashes.
The company said wiring could chafe against pieces of steering-wheel trim, potentially causing a short-circuit and ultimately leading to an inadvertent air bag deployment. The issue could also cause unintended windshield wiper operation or inoperable switches.
The recall covers 538,000 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles in North America and 233,000 2011-2015 Fiat Freemont crossovers sold elsewhere. Dealers will inspect and replace the wiring, as needed and equip it with additional protective covering.
The automaker is also recalling 565,000 vehicles to replace their alternators because of fire risks. The company said hot ambient temperatures could lead to premature diode wear, may result in a burning odor or smoke, could impact the anti-lock braking system or lead to engine stalls.
The company said it is aware of two potentially related accidents but no injuries.
The recall covers 2011-2014 model year Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger cars and Dodge Durango SUVs and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.
In October, Fiat Chrysler recalled about 86,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs from the 2007-2013 model years and 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans for the same alternator issue. Fiat Chrysler said at the time one minor injury was related to the recall.
Dealers will replace the alternators.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific vehicle models are affected by the air bag deployment recall?
Which specific vehicle models are affected by the air bag deployment recall?
The recall for potential inadvertent air bag deployment covers 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles in North America. Also, 2011-2015 Fiat Freemont crossovers sold elsewhere are included in this specific campaign.
Q.What is the primary cause of the potential fire risk in the second recall campaign?
What is the primary cause of the potential fire risk in the second recall campaign?
The primary cause is premature diode wear in the alternators, which can be accelerated by hot ambient temperatures. This issue may lead to a burning odour, smoke, or impact the anti-lock braking system.
Q.What actions will dealers take to resolve the wiring issue causing potential air bag deployment?
What actions will dealers take to resolve the wiring issue causing potential air bag deployment?
Dealers will inspect the wiring for issues and replace it as needed. They will also equip the wiring with additional protective covering to prevent future chafing against steering-wheel trim pieces.
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