Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said Friday it’s recalling 811,586 midsize SUVs and full-size cars in the US because of confusing electronic gear shifters that can lead to drivers exiting vehicles they think are in park but are not.
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said Friday it will recall an estimated 811,586 mid-size SUVs and full-size cars in the U.S.to add a warning and mechanical safeguard aimed at preventing drivers from leaving their vehicles in the wrong gear. This update is included as standard with FCA products going forward, beginning with the 2015 Charger and 300, and a mid-year update to the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Another 52,144 vehicles in Canada, 16,805 vehicles in Mexico and 248,667 outside North America will also be recalled.
The Problem: Gear selection is conveyed to the driver by multiple sets of indicator lights, but not gear-selector position, “and unless due care is taken, drivers may draw erroneous conclusions about the status of their vehicles”, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said in a statement.
Fiat Chrysler said it will fix the vehicles to keep them stationary under certain circumstances, even when the driver fails to put them in park mode.
The OEM acknowledged it is aware of 41 injuries that are potentially related.
The company said the recall is “to reduce the effect of potential driver error by enhancing warnings and transmission shift strategy”.
The cars in question already alert the driver through chimes and alert messages if the driver door is opened while the vehicle is not in park, but apparently, this was not enough to warn some drivers.
The recall covers the 2012-2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and the 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV.
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“Affected customers will be notified when service becomes available”.
