Chrysler and Jeep Fire recall

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Is the skid plate a common aftermarket part?


It came on some Jeeps from the factory with the off-road suspension package. Our '96 had a skid plate under the tank from the factory. It had three skid plates as I recall...one under the front to protect the steering, one under the middle to protect the transmission/transfer case, and one under the rear to protect the gas tank.

In fact, here's how you upgrade your WJ with the Up Country package:

http://www.wjjeeps.com/upcountry.htm

Parts for the XJ may be similarly available.

 

[VNTS]

The NHTSA isnt calling it a defect since there isnt one, it met the standards at the time and the GRands actually have a lowere death rate by fire than many of the other SUV and cars at the time. I would stand up to them too, since it met standard and they have the data to back up their claim.

Note the event that triggered this was girl got plowed by a tractore trailer doing 65 mph at a stop light, nothing is going to prevent anything in that case!


Originally Posted By: caravanmike
don't forget chrysler has beat the nhtsa before:
The company previously refused a NHTSA request in 1996, when the agency asked it to recall 91,000 Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus cars for an alleged seat belt defect. NHTSA sued the company and won in federal court. But in 1998, an appeals court reversed the decision, saying NHTSA had unfairly held Chrysler to a new standard.

I think you will find a similiar ruling hear. Recall a 21 year old vehicle that passed all safety standards in the day?

 

[VNTS]

Except when made, they met the safety standard, or do you want to retro-actively make companies redsign 20-yr old vehichles to meet the latest standards?

also why isn the NHTSA going after similiar vehichles with igher death rates by fire in rear end collisions???

Seems they are picking arbitrary vehichles.



Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
IMO it is ridiculous after so long. These companies should have a legal "out" after a reasonable time.


Well, we are talking about GCs made through 2004, which is only nine years ago. And Libs made through 2007, which is only six years ago. To me, that's well within a reasonable time frame, and manufacturers have recalled vehicles before that had more age on them. If this issue involved Grands only up through 1998, then I'd agree that we're talking about vehicles that are too old. But vehicles manufactured and sold within the last decade...that's still new enough where a high percentage of these are on the road.

We had a '96 ZJ (part of the requested recall by NHTSA), but it had the Up Country package and had the skid plate in the back. If that skid plate is all that's required to protect the tanks, then it's fortunately an easy fix for the owners if Chrysler won't do it.

 

[VNTS]

My 69 ford F100 had the gas tank inside the cab behind the seat. If you got nailed in the side and the filler tube seperated the gas would spill everywhere, but again, I guess it met standard at the time.



Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
You can't back spec safety standards...otherwise you would only have cars that were 2 years old at any given time on the road. If they enforced that it would be the biggest cash for clunkers campaign on the planet...whoops I should not have said that...should not have said that...

Cirrus and Stratus...I am still trying to wrap my head around anything that car was good at....it was a convertible maybe..


+1. Model T gas tanks have a real safety problem. The tank under the cowl may catch fire reversing up hill backwards.
Lets have a recall and force Ford to fit a tank in the back, also those Acetylene lights are downright dangerous. Retrofit to 12v electrics.
This nanny state, do-gooders and crackpots have gone off the rails.

 

[zloveraz]

Good news Chrysler relented and issued the recall!!

2.7MM vehicles affected.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/18/us-autos-chrysler-recall-idUSBRE95H1AB20130618