FCA US is recalling more than 441,000 2011-2015 Dodge Charger vehicles built with an original equipment spare tire. Also affected by the campaign are an estimated 19,229 cars in Canada; 4,969 in Mexico and 38,947 outside the NAFTA region.
In a NHTSA filing about the safety defect, FCA said some of the above vehicles may have a spare tire jack that could bend the body-side sill assembly during jack operation if wheel chocks are not used. No similar damage was detected on Dodge Challenger or Chrysler 300 vehicles built off the same architecture.“Bending of the body-side sill during spare tire jack use may cause the vehicle to become unstable,” FCA told NHTSA. FCA said it is aware of three hand injuries potentially related to this issue.
FCA US will ultimately provide all involved vehicle owners with approved wheel chocks later this year.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Statement by FCA US: FCA continues to refine its recall processes and procedures. To identify potential defects and respond in a timely fashion, the Company has more than doubled the complement of professionals assigned to its vehicle-safety organization. Further, this week marks the roll out of “Recall Central,” a new Internet portal that consolidates campaign information so dealers may better assist customers – a key link in the recall-completion chain. FCA US is working with NHTSA and the industry to increase recall completion rates by encouraging customers to heed recall notices and improving the customer-service experience.