Earlier this week, Chrysler voluntarily recalled more than 712,000 vehicles due to faulty airbag deployment, malfunctioning head restraints and faulty warning lamp activation. Those issues with safety features led the automaker to initiate four separate recall actions that affect Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles.
The broadest of the four recalls affects about 442,000 vehicles. The company has recalled Chrysler Sebrings, Dodge Avengers and Chrysler 200 sedans as well as its Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro SUVs manufactured in the 2011-2013 model years. Chrysler attributes the recall to a faulty microcontroller that is designed to reduce the risk of neck injuries that result from rear-impact collisions. When functioning properly, the microcontroller forces the head restraint to automatically move forward during a collision, which can help reduce neck injuries. Chrysler says it is not aware of any injuries that have resulted from the microcontroller failure.
Additionally, Chrysler has recalled about 224,000 minivans due to malfunctioning airbag control software. That recall impacts its Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Ram Cargo van lines that were produced in the 2013 model year. A glitch in the airbag software could cause the side airbags to deploy on the opposite side of the vehicle as an impact from a collision. Chrysler says it is aware of one injury that has resulted from the software failure. Chrysler has also recalled an additional 184 of its 2013 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans produced in the 2013 model year due to a secondary programming issue with the airbag control module that could compromise airbag deployment.
Chrysler has also recalled nearly 46,000 of its 2013 Ram 1500 pickup trucks. This recall has resulted from an electronic issue within the vehicle’s four-wheel drive system that causes false activation of a warning lamp indicating that a safety feature has been disabled. This issue sometimes surfaces when the transfer case position is altered right before the vehicle’s ignition is turned off. Chrysler says no accidents or injuries have resulted from this.
The recalls issued earlier this week follow an additional Chrysler recall of about 2.7 million Jeep SUVs. That was recently issued due to issues with the fuel system, which, the company said, could cause fires.
According to Chrysler, owners of vehicles impacted by the recalls will be notified. For more information, call Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
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