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FCA issues recall for 300k Dodge Chargers over airbag sensor

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has issued another recall, this time for the Dodge Charger. The issue stems from an overly sensitive control module that could deploy the side-curtain airbag and seatbelt pretensioner if the door is kicked or slammed too hard. The recall affects certain Charger sedans from the 2011-2014 model years, specifically those manufactured between May 6, 2010, and June 5, 2014. All told, that amounts to an estimated 322,078 units, including 284,153 in the United States, another 13,169 in Canada, 2,484 in Mexico, and 22,272 overseas. Owners of those vehicles will be asked to bring their vehicles in to their local dealers to have the Occupant Restraint Control module recalibrated, and are being advised in the meantime to "exercise caution when closing doors." If this issue sounds familiar, that's because the automaker issued a similar recall for Ram trucks just last week, affecting over 667,000 four-door pickups in the United States alone. Following a further investigation into its passenger cars, FCA found a similar problem with the Charger, whose door design mandated specific calibration of the module in question for that model. The company says it is aware of three minor injuries potentially related to the issue, but no accidents. This campaign is just the latest in a string of recall-related issues to have emerged from Auburn Hills recently. The Ram truck recall was issued in tandem with another airbag-related recall for a further million pickups. Prior to that it called in another 1.4 million vehicles to update their infotainment system software due to a security issue. Another 350,000 Dodge Journeys were called in before that to have their engine covers secured. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to issue the company a massive hundred-million-dollar fine for failing to follow proper procedures related to safety and recall issues. Meanwhile, another NHTSA investigation that could have affected 4.7 million units was closed with no further action deemed necessary. And an appeal court judge in Georgia reduced the damages the company will be ordered to pay the family of a child who died in a fire in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Statement: Occupant Restraint Control Module August 1, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to recalibrate control modules on approximately 284,153 U.S.-market sedans to prevent inadvertent side-curtain air-bag and seatbelt pre-tensioner deployment.

Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Hot on the heels of Ford's earnings announcement for the year that was, Chrysler today reported a 2012 net income of $1.7 billion, up substantially from the comparatively minuscule $183 million profit earned in 2011 when it repaid its US government loans.
Chrysler's good year ended with an excellent fourth quarter that saw net income rise 68 percent from $225 million in 2011 to $378 million. Where are all those extra earnings coming from? Market share, which Chrysler saw increase to 11.4% last year on sales of 1.65 million vehicles. In fact, the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker out-paced the industry's market growth of 13 percent last year with sales up 21 percent for the year.
The company also revealed an updated product plan for its Chrysler Group and Fiat brands that looks all the way out to 2016. It's an updated version of the plan introduced in 2009 shortly after Fiat took control of the American automaker, and includes such new additions as an Alfa Romeo model, likely the 4C, to be introduced in the US this year, as well five more Alfa models by 2016. Likewise, Fiat will be growing by an additional seven models in the coming few years.

Chrysler recalls 350k vehicles over ignition switches

Chrysler has announced a recall covering 349,442 vehicles due to ignition switches that can either become stuck or move without warning. All of the affected vehicles are from the 2008 model year, and were built before May 12, 2008.
The automaker has learned that ignition keys on some vehicles "may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position during engine-startup," the company said in a statement. Additionally, "an ignition key may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position and may inadvertently move through the 'ON' position to 'ACCESSORY' or 'OFF.'"
Chrysler says it is unaware of any related injuries, and notes that while reduced braking, engine or steering power is possible in such instances, the airbags are not affected. The later stands in contrast to General Motors' recent rash of high-profile recalls, and it's an important distinction that Chrysler (understandably) felt necessary to call out in bold print in its press release.