FCA Reportedly Gearing Up for Giant Tigershark Recall

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is considering a recall on roughly 1 million vehicles equipped with its 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder engine. That incorporates most of FCA’s smaller models, including a few defunct models like the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart.

Reporting from the Detroit Free Press suggests the 2.4-liter unit exceeded allowable emissions limits during testing. While the Tigershark MultiAir II is also featured in a class-action suit over claims that it burns too much oil, FCA said that matter is unrelated to the proposed recall.

“In connection with internal testing, we determined that approximately 1 million vehicles equipped with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine may have excess tailpipe emissions,” the automaker said in a recent regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

While the matter isn’t seen as a safety issue, the overlap with the oil consumption matter could be. Class-action lawsuits filed in Michigan and California bemoaning the Tigershark’s alleged oil burning incorporates models like the 2015–2016 Chrysler 200, 2013—2016 Dodge Dart, 2016—2020 Fiat 500X, 2017—2020 Jeep Compass, 2015—2020 Jeep Renegade and 2014—2020 Jeep Cherokee.

Other than the obvious oil issue, complaints include lackluster performance and the occasional stalling incident. Based upon shared powertrains, these models could very well be included in the recall hinted at in the SEC document.

From the Detroit Free Press:

“FCA has been working closely with EPA and CARB, and we continue to do so, on a group of vehicles equipped with Tigershark engines. As this population ages, some vehicles exceed in-use emission requirements, depending on drive cycle and mileage. We are conducting test programs to define a remedy, which also requires approval by the agencies. Affected customers will be advised when service becomes available, and will be provided free of charge. This is not a safety issue and there are no enforcement actions,” according to a company statement provided by spokesman Eric Mayne.

The EPA, through spokesperson Enesta Jones, responded to an email from the Free Press by saying that FCA is doing a voluntary recall based on in-use testing done by EPA. The agency released a report last year highlighting its increasing efforts to monitor vehicle emissions, noting that 86 recalls, affecting more than 4.9 million light-duty vehicles, were conducted in 2017.

Interested parties worried about their ride should check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls website or hit up the Mopar owner’s website to see if their automobile makes the cut. That said, practically everyone expects FCA to make an announcement in the coming weeks.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler]