Recall Lessons Learned By Fiat Chrysler, Fined $105 Million By NHTSA

fca1Back when GM was hit hard with recalls, the wave of memes flooded social media from both the Blue Oval and Pentastar camps. But if there’s one thing we all should have learned by now is that no auto manufacturer is immune from penalties, fines, or recalls when it comes to their products.

jeep2Chrysler parent company, Fiat, is learning that lesson all too hard lately after the U. S. Government has hit them with a fine of $105,000,000 for safety recall violations over the past couple of years, some as far back as 2013. This has topped the previous record of $70,000,000 that Honda Motor Co. was hit with over recalls regarding the Takata air bag recalls.

These vehicle safety recalls are serious matters to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which will reveal the information on Monday, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal. The report stated that in order to get unsafe, recalled vehicles off the road, FCA will be required to buy back a number of vehicles from consumers.

jeep1

A burned-out jeep from 2012 after a rear collision that killed a four year old boy. Photo: Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP/Associated Press

Many older model Jeeps which had the gas tank behind the rear axle were vulnerable to leaks or damage from a rear end collision. FCA says they will not buy those vehicles back as they claim they were safer than many other vehicles at that time, but they will be making payments to over 1.5 million owners. FCA will notify owners to bring their vehicle in to have a trailer hitch installed to help protect the fuel thank in case of future rear end collisions.

NHTSA has filed their actions after a public hearing less than a month ago regarding problems with recalls on more then 11 million cars and trucks. FCA’s failure to notify customers of recalls, as well as their delay in manufacturing and distributing parts for these recalls, has NHTSA taking action. Fiat Chrysler did not dispute any of the allegations filed by NHTSA, and some changes in the company’s reporting structure are taking place to make sure these matters are acted upon in a timely manner.

Administrator for NHTSA, Mark Rosekind, had stated that punishment for FCA was eminent. “There’s a pattern that’s been going on for some time,” he told the media. FCA’s head of vehicle safety, Scott Kunselman, will now report directly to CEO Sergio Marchionne, moving up from the prior chain of command for issues such as this. Kunselman was reported to have stated that they are learning from their mistakes.

How will the Bow Tie and Blue Oval crowd respond to this in the coming months? We’re pretty sure we’ll all see it on social media, where many Chevrolet owners have had their fill from meme after meme mocking the recalls of the past year. What’s that old saying? “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t cast stones?” But we’re pretty sure those proverbial stones will still be cast, because that’s how it has always been.

About the author

Michael Harding

Michael is a Power Automedia contributor and automotive enthusiast who doesn’t discriminate. Although Mopar is in his blood, he loves any car that looks great and drives even faster.
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