Auburn Hills, MI — December 09, 2015 — At least seven accidents may be due to a fault within Dodge Dart vehicles produced by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
The manufacturer is recalling thousands of autos internationally, with the majority in North America, in light of a defect that could negatively impact the braking system in these vehicles due to “oil migration.”
As the Associated Press describes, oil can “degrade” the braking systems, making it harder to bring the vehicle to a stop, although it reportedly does not affect “regular brake functions.” Two injuries may also have been traced to this fault. The remedy for this issue will require dealers to replace the vacuum tubes in affected vehicles as well as the vacuum pumps and other parts and needed.
The total amount of Darts involved in this recall exceeds 121,000, with approximately 105,458 in the United States. According to the Detroit News, drivers may hear a “pop or a sound consistent with a vacuum leak.” This action specifically affects Darts made for the 2013 and 2014 model years.
Earlier this year, Chrysler recalls for 23,629 vehicles were issued, 15 percent of which may have been subject to a transmission failure because of weak internal solder joints. That problem was reported on August 26, 2015 and traced to Darts manufactured between February 24, 2012 and June 16, 2015.
Since the transmission in these vehicles could shift to neutral without warning, drivers would be at risk of sudden disruption. This action called for dealers to replace the transmission control module to fix the situation.
