US Regulators Demand Chrysler's Explanation For Delay In Jeep Recalls

(RTTNews) - U.S. auto safety regulators Wednesday ordered Chrysler Group LLC to produce information regarding the delay in fixing about 1.56 million Jeeps recalled due to risk of fuel-tank fires.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a letter, issued a 'special order' demanding Chrysler to detail the reasons for the delay in recalls. Chrysler has been ordered to respond to NHTSA's special order by July 16.

"For many owners, a recall remedy deferred by parts availability easily becomes a defect remedy denied," Keving Vincent, chief counsel of NHTSA, said in a letter addressed to Chrysler.

In June last year, Chrysler agreed for a voluntary recall of 1.56 million 2002 to 2007 model Jeep Liberty small crossovers and 1993 to 1998 model Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs to lower risk of fuel leaks in low-speed crashes.

Chrysler had agreed to fix the Jeeps by installing a trailer hitch free of charge to mitigate risk of fuel tank fires in the event of low-speed rear-end crashes.

However, the regulator blamed Chrysler for waiting until December 6 to select a hitch supplier and for not issuing a purchase order until January 29. The first run of hitches were produced on May 14.

Regulators pointed out that by going at the current rate it will take Chrysler at least about five years to fix all of the affected Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty.

"Due to concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed remedy, particularly in light of the safety risks posed by rear-impact fuel leaks and fires, NHTSA decided to take the unusual step of conducting its own test program to assess the performance of the hitch in mitigating the risk of fuel leaks and fire in rear crashes," NHTSA said in the letter.

NHTSA conducted the testing between August 2013 to January, which involved eight rear impact crashes. In mid-January NHTSA informed Chrysler that it accepted the trailer hitch installation remedy.