Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) systems trap exhaust gases and, as the name implies, recirculate them back into the engine. This helps cut down on Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) being released into the environment. The EGR cooler makes sure those hot exhuast gasses won't melt the engine's air intake by exchanging heat with engine coolant.
Since late October, Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) has received 119 customer assistance records, 6 field reports, and 1,478 warranty claims
filed about EGR cooler problems. An internal investigation showed that the coolers can crack due to "thermal fatique" which is usually how they fail considering they don't have any moving parts.
The cracks allow engine coolant to leak out and since coolant is flammable + exhaust gases are super heated, all it takes is one small spark to start a large engine fire.
FCA says the recalled SUVs began production in December 2012 and ended in January 2019. It would have been nice to see the automaker be more proactive with this problem considering they recalled 160,000 Ram 1500 trucks for the same EGR cooler leaks last fall.
]]>Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front lower control arms and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020.
The issue affects roughly 700 vehicles and is limited to the Cherokee Latitude and Limited.
]]>Take Canada, for example, where a new class-action has been filed asking Jeep's parent company to reimburse owners because they overpaid for their SUVs. And that's not hyperbole considering the suspension might not work for half of the year.
Jeep parent company, Fiat-Chrysler, hasn't had much to say about this problem despite knowing about it since 2013.
]]>The plaintiff also says you can forget about the oil indicator light ever, well, indicating there's a problem. At least not in time. Some reports say the light only kicks on after the engine has stalled out. Thanks for nothing.
]]>It’s almost as if FCA thought the were in control of the situation and then suddenly they weren’t 🤔
]]>Zakamarek says he took the Jeep to a local Jeep dealership where the service advisor said the warranty was no good because the Grand Cherokee SRT was manufactured to be registered in Canada, not the U.S.
It's a strange story but the moral here is if it smells, and talks like a scam, it’s probably an extended warranty offer from a third-party.
]]>The allegedly defective piece of plastic holds a short metal rod that is latched into two metal hooks located on the back of the headrest…
As for why the plastic allegedly breaks, the lawsuit blames it on the material of the plastic bracket that cracks due to constant tension and stress forces. Once the plastic bracket fails, the metal rod is torn from its position and causes the active head restraint headrest to deploy.
Nothing makes you feel “safe” while driving quite like the threat of random concussions.
The proposed class-action lawsuit includes all current and former Florida owners and lessees of Dodge Avengers and Jeep Cherokees equipped with active head restraint systems.
]]>The settlement is pending preliminary approval from the court.
]]>The bulk of the vehicles are in the US and include the 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler.
FCA has replaced nearly 4 million inflators in a series of recalls dating back to 2014. The defective part if responsible for at least 23 deaths and 300 injuries.
This post originally appeared on DodgeProblems.com
]]>The Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) 9-speed transmission class-action includes all consumers who purchased or leased a new 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee, 2015 Jeep Renegade, 2015 Chrysler 200 or 2015 ProMaster City. In addition, the consumer must still own the vehicle and it must have been purchased or leased in the U.S.
Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) agreed to the settlement before the case went to trial, and generally it’s good news. There are a lot of complicated eligibility requirements, however, and David Wood has the full run-down on CarComplaints.com.
]]>The lawsuit was filed by Mr. Smith's wife and three children who claimed the recall defect caused the Jeep Wrangler to catch fire, but Chrysler escaped the lawsuit when a district court ruled in favor of the automaker on all claims. The plaintiffs appealed to the Fifth Circuit which upheld the district court ruling.
The autopsy revealed that Mr. Smith’s carbon monoxide level was 18%. His family believes CO poisoning from a fire caused Mr. Smith to pass out and crash.
The courts, however, sided with FCA by calling the evidence circumstantial. And then, in a true Scrooge McDuck move, FCA submitted a bill of costs to the plaintiffs for $52,372.
]]>NHTSA says the petitioner provides a laundry list of problems with the frame welds, including problems with weld penetration, areas where the welds dripped or splashed, porous welds and areas of "excessive slag.”
This could be the start of a troubling trend. The popular SUV has already been recalled for an improperly welded steering shaft and Just last month track bar brackets separating from the frame.
]]>Before the bracket completely separates from the frame, a driver may hear noise from the front-end and notice the steering wheel is off-center. In addition, a “Service Electronic Stability Control” message may appear and the stability control light will illuminate.
The affected Wranglers are all from the 2018-2019 model years, and built between 05/07/2018 and 08/21/2018 at the Toledo assembly plant.
]]>According to the lawsuit, the EPA found the “principal effect of one or more of these AECDs was to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative one or more elements of design installed to comply with emissions standards under the Clean Air Act.
So much for that eco part, huh?
If you’re a 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ram 1500 owner, you’re probably not going to be happy if the EPA requires engine modifications to meet federal guidelines.
Just ask these VW owners how those sort of “fixes” work out.
This post originally appeared on RamProblems.com.
]]>The complex design has brought complex problems. And while multiple TSBs have made suggestions on how to fix the issues, it’s becoming abundantly clear that Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) has no idea what to do.
This class-action lawsuit has a few suggestions for the automaker, and it starts with taking responsibility for the defective design.
]]>Drivers will also notice a lack of steering response, although Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) doesn't believe the defect is responsible for any accidents. Yet.
]]>This included the 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, but it is broken down into zones. David Woods of CarComplaints.com has the full breakdown of who, what, and where.
]]>According to FCA, the plaintiffs must not be too worried about the problem because they continue to drive the vehicles they are allegedly so worried about. Chrysler says this is just one small example why there shouldn't be a class-action lawsuit of any kind about the Uconnect systems.
Someone is bringing sass to the courts.
FCA has been awfully defensive about this issue, and they have a reason. When hackers took control of a Jeep Cherokee back in 2015, it was a controlled experiment with access to the vehicle. There hasn’t been a nefarious hack and FCA even recalled 1.4 million vehicles to make sure it won’t happen.
Plus, they might feel a little singled out since they’re not the only automaker offering infotainment.
However, don’t sleep on this case. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of similar lawsuits in the future as cars become more connected.
]]>The lawsuit alleges sand can circulate through the cooling system and settle in the radiator … this causes sludge in the bottom of the radiator and reservoir that ruins the heating and cooling system … According to the plaintiffs, normal maintenance does nothing to fix the problem because the sand and sludge is in the bottom of the radiator where flushing doesn't work.
While details of the settlement haven’t been released, it appears to be good news for those three owners, but bad news for anyone else hoping for a warranty extension.
]]>Fiat Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling more than 62,000 vehicles because of fire extinguisher problems. The extinguishers were made by Kidde between May 5, 2008, to August 6, 2009.
Turns out those on-board extinguishers can become clogged, which is the last thing you need if your Jeep is on fire.
]]>The Liberty was involved in another AHR recall back in 2013.
]]>The plaintiffs say all the sand must be removed or destroyed during production of the cylinder head or other component engine parts will suffer serious problems … any residual sand that remains from the sand-casting process in the engine can circulate through the vehicle’s cooling system and settle in the heater core, radiator, and oil cooling systems.
Over time the leftover sand mixes with fluids to create a thick sludge. The lawsuit narrows in on sludge building up at the bottom of the radiator reservoir, knocking out heating and cooling systems.
This isn’t the first time a Jeep vehicle has been accused of sludge-related problems. Early models of the Liberty have some issues with engine-killing oil sludge.
]]>The problem is caused by a terminal crimping issue with 26-way connectors on the sensor cluster harness assemblies. The company says the star-shaped connector was not properly crimped and the problem wasn't caught at the factory because of a manual setting used for measurements.
Fiat-Chrysler beat ZF to the punch by announcing their recall for this problem at the end of last month.
]]>[FCA] was examining warranty data and opened an investigation that determined an insufficient crimp in a wire harness could cause a fault code in the solenoid. If that occurs, the vehicle will stop moving, something Chrysler says can temporally be fixed by stopping the vehicle and re-starting the engine.
The problem affects vehicles with a 9-speed ZF transmission (number 9HP48 or 948TE), this includes the 2015 Jeep Cherokee and Renegade, as well as the Chrysler 200, and Ram ProMaster City. FCA says certain 2014 Cherokees will be included as well. All affected vehicles were built before September 23rd, 2014.
]]>Software updates have been made to try and match the owner’s driving style, but it hasn’t removed the delayed shifts or lurching between gears.
The lawsuit only references the 2014 Cherokee, but it’s likely we’ll see other years from the 5th generation added if the case moves forward.
]]>The hack was possible because of the Harmon Kardon uConnect infotainment systems installed in the affected Jeeps and other vehicles. The plaintiffs claim the uConnect 3G systems in the vehicles should be physically disconnected from the controller area network bus. The CAN bus links together the electronics of the vehicle, including vital functions such as the braking system and transmission.
The plaintiffs say they wouldn’t have bought their vehicles if they knew about the threat. Great, now every time we buy a car we’re going to have to read all the legalese and not check the box that says I promise not to sue the automaker for shoddy code that allows remote access to my car’s vital systems, like the engine and stuff. Although I’m guessing it will be phrased a little differently.
]]>Now Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) is responding with a two-pronged approach.
Although calling it a "recall," owners won't have to worry about a trip to the dealership because the automaker will simply mail a USB drive to each owner. The automaker says a safety defect doesn't exist and the recall is ordered "out of an abundance of caution.”
This recall is dripping with reluctance from FCA. Their position is the hack was a controlled experiment where the researchers had access to the car beforehand. However, I think their position should change to “thank heavens this happened in a controlled experiment before someone got hurt”. To each their own, I guess.
The recalled vehicles include the 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee.
]]>Luckily, the hacking in this case was done by researchers in partnership with Wired.com. Their goal was to point out vulnerabilities in a Jeep Cherokee with an infotainment system.
And things got crazy, real fast.
While the driver was aware the Jeep would be hacked, he didn’t realize the true power of the hackers until silent panic filled his mind and body.
The whole story and accompanying video is worth your time.
It’s important to note the hackers had access to the car before the experiment began, so at least that’s one less thing to worry about. For now.
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