Last summer, Chrysler recalled 895,000 SUVs to rectify a wiring problem that could cause the driver and front passenger sun visors to catch fire. Now, NHTSA is reopening its investigation, after eight vehicles repaired under the recall reportedly caught fire in the same manner the repair was supposed to prevent.
The original recall, from July of 2014, affected 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos, whose sun visor mounting screws could inadvertently rub up against the vanity mirror lamp wiring during adjustment at the factory, potentially leading to a short-circuit and possible fire. After 62 reports of short circuits, at least 38 fires, and three injuries, Chrysler launched a recall to install plastic spacers between the screws and the wiring. The automaker also shortened and rerouted the visor wiring three times between 2011 and 2012, though engineers never updated the wiring to include a fuse.
-Apparently, it wasn’t enough: The New York Times reports that NHTSA has been alerted to eight fires in Chrysler SUVs repaired under the recall, prompting a new investigation by the safety agency.
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Owners whose vehicles caught fire reported that their headliners erupted in flames, with the fire sometimes spreading to the front door panels and even the front two seats. At least one fire got so intense, it blew out the sunroof and shattered the glass. While NHTSA is investigating Chrysler’s 2014 recall on affected models, no new recalls have been announced at this time.
-from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1Ih1ptY
via Agya
