US government investigates Stellantis over stalling PHEV minivans

US government investigates Stellantis over stalling PHEV minivans

July 31, 2022 Bojan Popic

Auburn Hills, MI – July 31, 2022 – The U.S. government auto safety regulator is investigating incidents with Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) PHEV minivans that may stall while driving, even at highway speeds, increasing the risk of a crash and injury. 

If this investigation leads to a recall, it could affect an estimated 21,348 minivans, including the following: 

  • 2019 – 2021 Chrysler Pacifica  
  • 2019 – 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Investigation summary  

The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on July 22, 2022, following 40 complaints about vehicles stalling while in motion. 

According to the complaints, the PHEV minivans would lose power while traveling at speeds higher than 25 miles per hour (mph). In some cases, a charging system failure message would appear on the dashboard. Based on initial findings, the malfunction was related to a transmission issue.

Risks

If a vehicle stalls while driving, it could be hit from behind by oncoming traffic, especially on the highway. In addition, it may be difficult for passengers to get out of the vehicle safely in such situations.   

Other Chrysler Pacifica recalls 

Earlier this year, in February, Chrysler Plug-In hybrid vehicles were recalled over a fire risk, with vehicles suddenly bursting into flames. Apart from that, there was another fire-related recall affecting these minivans in June 2020.  

Is your vehicle part of a recall?

This investigation into the Chrysler stalling issue may eventually lead to a recall, possibly affecting over 20,000 minivans. To do a Chrysler recall check for your vehicle, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicUS government investigates Stellantis over stalling PHEV minivans
Stellantis recalls Jeep Grand Cherokee L SUVs with unsecured child car seats

Stellantis recalls Jeep Grand Cherokee L SUVs with unsecured child car seats

April 8, 2022 Bojan Popic ,

Auburn Hills, MI – April 8, 2022 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Jeep brand, is recalling 4,586 2021–2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L SUVs whose second-row seats may fail to hold the child seat securely during a collision, increasing the risk of an injury. 

Recall summary  

These SUVs have rear seats with anchorage points for a child seat tether welded onto the back of their frames. Due to a supplier error, one or more welds in the recalled vehicles may be missing. This may cause the tether anchorage to snap off if the load is high enough. 

The components in question are frames for the rear seat back, with part numbers 68545265AA or 68545267AA for the left-hand side and 68545266AA for the right-hand one.

Recall risks

The child seat may become loose in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of an injury. 

Other Jeep and Chrysler recalls

Apart from this one, there are several previous Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls owners should be aware of. In December 2021, the 2021 model-year was among the 36,929 cars recalled due to faulty headlights. A month prior, close to 100,000  cars – including the 2021 model-year – were recalled because their airbags may fail to deploy, as reported.

The last Jeep frame recall took place in September 2018 when over 18,000 Jeep Wrangler SUVs were recalled due to improperly welded suspension brackets that could have snapped, causing steering issues.

The repair

Dealers will inspect the rear seat assemblies and replace the frame if needed free of charge. Notifications to vehicle owners will be sent on May 13, 2022.

Safety tips

Even though the manufacturer does not explicitly state it, parents should be able to use the seat belt retractors to secure the child seat while the issue is being fixed.  For more information on different ways to secure the seat, please see the “Recall summary” section of this Volvo recall article.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This Jeep child seat recall affects almost 5,000 vehicles. To do a Stellantis recall check and see if yours is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicStellantis recalls Jeep Grand Cherokee L SUVs with unsecured child car seats
Stellantis recalls Ram trucks that may catch fire

Stellantis recalls Ram trucks that may catch fire

April 8, 2021 Bojan Popic , ,

Auburn Hills, MI – April 26, 2022  – Chrysler has remedied issues with 12,919 vehicles including the 2021 RAM 2500 that was dealing with electrical issues caused by a short on a relay. Additionally, 193 of these models have been categorized as unreachable and 24 have been removed from the recall. All these 2021 Ram 2500 models with these electrical issues were remedied in three groups during 2021.

Auburn Hills, MI – April 8, 2021 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Dodge brand, is recalling 19,214 vehicles with a faulty relay, or a switch, inside the engine compartment that may cause fire. This recall includes the following Ram pickup trucks :

  • 2021 Ram 2500
  • 2021 Ram 3500 
  • 2021 Ram 4500 
  • 2021 Ram 5500

Recall summary  

The recalled cars are equipped with Cummings 6.7L diesel engines that have an electric heater that warms up the air coming into the engine and helps it reach running temperatures faster. The operation of this heater is controlled by a so-called solid state relay, which is an electric switch that turns electrical power on and off. This switch may be defective and can short circuit, which may lead to fire in the engine compartment.  This may occur regardless of whether the ignition is on or off.

The defect is caused by a supplier error.

Risks

A fire can be a serious safety concern if it happens while driving. Potential hazards range from failure to stop and evacuate the vehicle in time to increased risks of collision. In addition, a burning vehicle on the road is a threat to other drivers and their passengers. 

Safety tips

Chrysler does not explicitly say this, but in the case of other recent recalls because of an increased fire risk, manufacturers like Hyundai have recommended to park recalled vehicles outside and away from structures, such as houses and garages.

For tips on what to do if your vehicle catches fire, please read this article about a Hyundai recall.

Other Chrysler recalls

In November, over 19,000 Ram 1500 and Ram 2500 pickup trucks were part of a recall due to the driver-side mirror issue, where the mirror glass detached from the backing plate and no longer showed a reflection of what was behind.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will install a protective barrier around the relay. If it short-circuits, the barrier will act as a thermoresistant capsule, which will contain the spread of heat and prevent the fire. The repairs are free of charge. The recall begins on April 30.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This Ram recall includes over 19,000 pickups. To see if your Ram is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicStellantis recalls Ram trucks that may catch fire
Stellantis recalls Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators for burnt-out clutch

Stellantis recalls Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators for burnt-out clutch

February 11, 2021 Rebecca Rand , ,

Auburn Hills, MI – February 18,  2022 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), has remedied 26,389 vehicles including the 2020 Jeep Wranglers with clutch pressure plate issues that might overheat in certain conditions. In addition to this, 849 of these models have been categorized as unreachable and 380 have been removed from the recall. All these 2018-2021 Jeep Wranglers that had these Clutch Pressure Plate issues were remedied during 2021.   

Auburn Hills, MI – February 11,  2021 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Jeep brand, is recalling 42,887 Jeeps because a part of the clutch may overheat and fracture, creating the risk of a fire. The recall includes the following manual transmission vehicles:

  • 2018 Jeep Wranglers
  • 2019 Jeep Wranglers
  • 2020 Jeep Wranglers
  • 2021 Jeep Wranglers
  • 2020 Jeep Gladiators
  • 2021 Jeep Gladiators

Recall summary  

The recall concerns the clutch, specifically the clutch pressure plate, which temporarily stops the “transmission of engine power” to allow the driver to switch gears. Due to excessive friction because of a design error, the plate may overheat. The heat may fracture the pressure plate and the resulting hot debris could land on flammable parts of the car, causing a fire.

Prior recall

All vehicles that were part of a similar Jeep recall in 2020 are included in this latest recall. In this recall, Jeep blamed the problem on “air in the hydraulic system,” and the repair involved rerouting the vehicles’ wiring. Testing performed for this recall showed that with excess friction, the clutch could reach 2,012 degrees Fahrenheit, plenty hot to ignite other parts of the car. It is not clear whether this latest recall supersedes the first one.

Recent Jeep recalls

In December of 2021, 2,903 2021 Jeep Wranglers were recalled due to faulty odometers that may fail to display the distance traveled.

A Jeep recall in 2019 of 2011-2018 Wranglers concerned a weak seat belt mount which could fracture and separate from the seat, rendering the belt useless. 

‘The entire vehicle was burned to ashes’

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received numerous complaints describing burning clutch smells, fractured clutch pressure plates and clutch-related fires in vehicles included in the 2020 and 2021 recalls.

Many drivers reported a “burning clutch smell.” This odor may be a sign that the clutch pressure plate is about to fail, according to Chrysler’s report to NHTSA.

Other complaints illustrate the worst-case scenario. “While my 16-year-old daughter and I were driving on the FL 528/Beachline Expressway, the entire clutch pressure plate assembly exploded off my vehicle,” said one Florida driver’s report. “Fluids drained and ignited. The entire vehicle was burned to ashes.”

Despite the dramatic nature of the accident, no injuries have been reported thus far in connection with the latest recall.

Safety concerns

Chrysler acknowledged that a fractured clutch pressure plate could also generate road debris, creating a hazard for other drivers on the road.

Vehicle fires increase drivers’ and passengers’ risk of injury or death. You can read more about what to do if you smell something burning while driving in this article about a 2020 Audi recall.

Repair

Chrysler will add software to affected Jeeps that will reduce the engine torque – essentially how hard the engine works – if the clutch starts getting too hot. Owners who have already paid to repair their clutch pressure plate may be eligible for reimbursement. Recall notification letters will be sent to owners on March 21.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 42,000 vehicles are included in this Chrysler recall. To see if your Jeep is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandStellantis recalls Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators for burnt-out clutch
Jeep Grand Cherokees recalled for engine cooler issue

Jeep Grand Cherokees recalled for engine cooler issue

December 14, 2020 Ken Boyd , ,

Auburn Hills, MI – December 14, 2020 – Fiat Chrysler (NYSE:FCAU) has recalled 28,884 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles with 3.0L EcoDiesel engines and an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler. The cooler may crack and release coolant that may cause an engine fire. The recall includes 2014-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.

Recall summary  

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler is a car part designed to absorb heat to reduce emissions from an engine. Due to a supplier error, the recalled vehicles are prone to “thermal fatigue,” which may cause coolers in them to crack.

Vaporized coolant can then flow through the crack and into the EGR system while the engine is running. There it may interact with hydrocarbons and air in an area called the intake manifold, which forms part of the engine. This may lead to an engine fire.

This is not the first time Chrysler’s cars are having issues with EGR coolers. In 2019, Chrysler recalled a number of Ram 1500 trucks for the same EGR cooler issue. This past August a number of owners filed a class action lawsuit, alleging that the manufacturer “botched” the recall, not making enough parts available for replacement.

Risks 

Vehicle fires are not uncommon. It is estimated that 212,500 vehicle fires occurred in 2018, causing 560 deaths, 1,500 injuries and $1.9 billion in property damage. If the EGR cooler issues cause a fire, the driver will receive very little warning. If you suspect that there is a fire in your engine compartment, pull over, turn off the vehicle, move all occupants out and away from it and call 911.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will replace the EGR cooler. They will also inspect the intake manifold and replace that as well if necessary. The repair is free of charge. This Jeep Grand Cherokee recall is expected to begin on December 31, 2020.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 28,000 vehicles are included in this Jeep Cherokee recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ken BoydJeep Grand Cherokees recalled for engine cooler issue
Chrysler Ram trucks recalled for driver side mirror issue

Chrysler Ram trucks recalled for driver side mirror issue

November 17, 2020 Rebecca Rand , ,

Pleasanton, CA – November 17, 2020 – Fiat Chrysler (NYSE:FCAU) has recalled 19,075 Ram trucks, due to an issue with the driver side mirror. The mirror glass may detach from the backing plate such that it may no longer show a reflection of what’s behind. The recall includes 2020 Ram 2500 and Ram 1500 luxury heavy-duty pickup trucks.

Recall summary  

The backing plate holds the mirror glass in place. In recalled trucks, the mirror glass was not adhered to the backing plate properly, due to a manufacturing error. This limits the visibility for the driver and may result in a crash.

Recalled trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, “Rear Visibility.” Specifically, the “mirrors must be mounted according to certain specifications, and must provide the driver with a specified minimum field of view.”

Risks 

Side rear view mirrors are critically important for safe driving, particularly if an object is blocking the rear window view. They help drivers enter traffic and safely change lanes. If these mirrors are not functioning properly, the driver may not see other vehicles, pedestrians or physical objects. All of these conditions increase the risk of an accident.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to replace the glass in the driver side mirror. The recall begins on November 27 and the repair is free of charge. The estimated repair time is 30 minutes, but plan for additional time for check in and check out.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?Over 19,000 vehicles are included in this Ram truck recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandChrysler Ram trucks recalled for driver side mirror issue
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