Chrysler recalls 895,000 SUVs due to fire risk

Chrysler recalls 895,000 SUVs due to fire risk

Due to a wiring problem in the vanity mirror of 2011-2014 Jeep Cherokee's and Dodge Durango's, Chrysler has announced that they are recalling almost 895,000 vehicles.

Chrysler has announced that they are recalling almost 895,000 because of a wiring problem in the vanity mirror that may cause a fire.

The announcement comes via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, and it was made after an investigation by the agency into the carmakers SUVs.

The recall covers the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango made between 2011 and 2014. This amounts to almost 651,000 vehicles in the United States, 45,700 in Canada, 23,000 in Mexico and 175,000 outside North America.

According to Chrysler, the fire risk is caused by a sun visor screw that could go through a wire in the vanity light, which could then cause a short circuit and eventually a fire. Not only that, but the problem was apparently originally discovered at the Detroit assembly plant back in 2011 after car owners complained about “sun visor thermal damage.”

After the discovery, federal regulators began an investigation in August 2013. The investigation was intensified last January after the NHTSA received 41 complaints about the problem and 38 reports of fires, including three with injuries. A number of these fires were serious and some even spread to the vehicles seats and door panels.

In a March 19 letter, Chrysler reported to the agency that they had concluded that the problem was limited and resulted in little damage. They even said that they had not received any reports of injury and that “There is no unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.”

The agency pushed the case, however, and Chrysler agreed to recall the vehicles in question.

This news comes amidst other car recalls involving companies like Ford, Honda, and General Motors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is involved in all of these recalls.

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