FCA Awaits NHTSA's Wrath After Recall Hearings

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Yesterday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration took the unusual step of hauling a single automaker to the Capitol to scold Fiat Chrysler for delays in recalls and repairs. The hearing is ahead of anticipated fines NHTSA may deal later this month, possibly as high as $700 million.

Attention was focused on Jeep Liberties and Grand Cherokees with rear-mounted gas tanks that could leak fuel if struck in a high-speed rear collision and potentially catch fire. Also of importance is the rate at which Jeep notified its owners of the recall.

FCA’s Senior Vice President for Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance Scott Kunselman said at the hearing that FCA “could have done better in carrying out the campaigns.”


Owners of Grand Cherokees and Liberty SUVs had trailer hitches installed on their cars that could protect in low- to moderate-speed impact collisions. Eric Mayne, a spokesman for FCA, said that NHTSA tested the trailer hitches and found them to perform similarly to their peers.

A Massachusetts father testified at the hearing, saying his 17-year-old son was killed when the Grand Cherokee he was driving was struck and ignited. The issue has been linked to more than 50 deaths.

A second recall was recently issued for faulty wiring that could disable airbags.

NHTSA “tentatively concluded” FCA didn’t address the recalls in time, or adequately. Despite issuing a recall in June 2013, NHTSA said only 23 percent of the cars had been fixed by the end of April. FCA said that figure is now around 33 percent.


Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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 21 comments
  • 50merc 50merc on Jul 03, 2015

    So only a third of the recalled FCA cars have been fixed. Has GM done even that well with the defective ignition switch debacle?

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    • APaGttH APaGttH on Jul 03, 2015

      @hubcap Pfffft, how can you bring up Takata Claymore mines in dashboards when the real discussion is GM ignition switches!

  • Danio3834 Danio3834 on Jul 03, 2015

    "NHTSA said only 23 percent of the cars had been fixed by the end of April. FCA said that figure is now around 33 percent." With vehicles of this age, high completion rates are difficult and 100% is impossible. The vehicles have changed hands so many times that it's hard to notify owners, plus many have been totalled or scrapped at the end of their useful lives. A 100% repair completion rate won't ever happen with this one, so keep that in perspective.

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    • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Jul 06, 2015

      at the end of their useful lives Which for one of those GC's was a long time ago.

  • Phil in Englewood Phil in Englewood on Jul 05, 2015

    So this is the Jeep Pinto and Grand Pinto we're talking about? GM is very clever - a giant fireball in the rear is the perfect distraction from a defective ignition switch. Gee, every day I find new incentives for me to run out and buy a shiny new GM car. Forward!

    • See 5 previous
    • DenverMike DenverMike on Jul 06, 2015

      @DenverMike By now, getting rear ended at 25 mph is not a big deal. As a passenger, I had it happen to me, and while it didn't feel good, no one came close to being injured. Except a 25 mph impact could easily burn people to death if a car is at just the right height to slide past the bumper and cream the tank.

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