Ken Gratton•21 Jun 2013
NEWS
Chrysler NHTSA dispute resolved, with a hitch?
Negotiated settlement with NHTSA sees Chrysler offer towbar fix for Jeeps – with no admission of liabilityChrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have broken a deadlock over claims made by the American safety body that the Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee (pictured) can catch fire in nose-to-tail collisions.
The car company issued a press release yesterday announcing an agreement forged between Chrysler and NHTSA, stipulating that Chrysler will "conduct a voluntary campaign" to inspect the vehicles concerned and upgrade "the rear structure of the vehicle to better manage crash forces in low-speed impacts."
American industry journal Automotive News has reported that Chrysler is offering to install a tow bar to provide that ready-made reinforcement. The report also indicates the campaign may involve as many as 1.56 million vehicles.
In Chrysler's own press release the company remains adamant that the vehicles affected are "among the safest in the peer group." That was one of the sticking points ironed out under the agreement: Chrysler is not required to admit any liability for rear-end impacts involving Jeeps.
According to Automotive News, NHTSA has "commended" Chrysler's change of heart, but will not let the matter drop there, promising to continue studying the various cases directed to the safety authority. The article also reported concerns voiced by other car manufacturers that the Chrysler case marks an unfortunate precedent. It possibly lends NHTSA sufficient leverage to insist American car companies accept retrospective liability for injuries and fatalities sustained in their cars, despite those cars complying with all statutory safety regulations in place during the vehicle design phase.
Chrysler Australia has agreed to follow the lead of its parent – and will offer the same remedy, once that is made official. Director of Corporate Affairs for Chrysler Australia, Karla Leach, has told motoring.com.au that the local arm expects to be informed of the technical details within the next 24 hours.
"Because the recall was based around rear collision, it looks like there's some sort of reinforcement to the rear of the car, but it hasn't been actually detailed in our technical advice that it's a towbar," she explained.
To date, Jeeps have been subject to four recalls in Australia this year. Patriot and Compass have been recalled twice; once for a software patch to ensure seatbelt pretensioners and side-curtain airbags both deploy in low-speed rolls, and once for a fuel delivery system flaw leading to unexpected stalling. Both recalls were issued this month.
Last month the Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee were both recalled for a circuit-board problem that resulted in the automatic transmission shifting to neutral unexpectedly during start-up, allowing each vehicle to roll back on any hill. Back in January Cherokee and Grand Cherokee were both recalled for a problem in an airbag control module, running the risk of inadvertent airbag deployment.
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Written byKen Gratton
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