Chrysler recalls 250,000 vehicles in US for sudden engine shut-off
05 Mar 2011
Chrysler Group LLC, the US automaker run by Fiat SpA, today said it is calling back 248,437 of its 2010 Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles built between August 2009 and June over concerns that some ignition keys may inadvertently move while driving, causing the vehicle to shut off.
The suspect part was produced by Continental in Mexico.
The recall is linked to two recent crashes, which occurred due to a sudden loss of engine power, the company said, adding that it has reviewed 32 customer complaints and 465 warranty claims pertaining to the issue.
Chrysler told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it believes that 3 per cent of the recalled vehicles have the problem.
Chrysler will start notifying owners and dealers in April and will replace the part that houses the ignition key.
The Chrysler Group had 15 campaigns covering 589,000 vehicles in 2009, and in 2010 it called back 1.5 million vehicles in 13 campaigns.