Feds investigate Chrysler over recall of more than 1 million trucks
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Federal safety regulators have opened a probe into Chrysler Group’s recall of nearly one million Dodge Ram pickup trucks.
Last November, the car company issued the recall for approximately 1.2 million light- and heavy-duty Ram Pickup trucks, citing a potential chassis problem that could affect steering. Reuters reported on Monday that the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it will investigate whether Chrysler acted too slowly in recalling the trucks, as well as whether or not Chrysler adequately communicated with the agency over possible problems with replacement parts. Chrysler Group is a wholly owned U.S.-based subsidiary of the Italian automobile company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
“We have concerns with the administration and execution of these safety recalls and accordingly have opened an investigation to collect further information from Chrysler about the details of administration and execution of these campaigns and the logic that supports the strategies used,” NHTSA said in an Oct. 21 letter to the automaker. According to Reuters, NHTSA officials chose to open the probe after receiving more than 1,000 complaints from consumers about getting replacement parts from Chrysler.
Chrysler, for its part, has acknowledged the probe and said that it would cooperate with the agency. “Customers have been advised in accordance with the regulations governing recalls,” Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said in an email statement. “We are continually replenishing our supply of replacement parts. Chrysler Group regrets any inconvenience our customers may have experienced.”
On Oct. 20, NHTSA issued a rare alert about a separate issue in which the owners of 4.7 million vehicles with a particular brand of defective airbags were told to have their vehicles inspected immediately. Chrysler was also implicated in that recall, along with Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Ford and General Motors.
