(VitalNews.org) – More than 354,000 Jeep cars have been recalled globally over a potentially hazardous issue with their rear coil springs.
Stellantis, the automotive giant that owns 16 popular car brands, including Jeep, Dodge, and Maserati, has issued a warning that the springs may detach while the car is being driven and could cause the vehicle to crash. The company believes that the problem may stem from the springs being incorrectly fitted during the manufacturing process in May 2023, and as such any Jeep cars made after May 2023 will not be affected.
Despite the large number of vehicles due to be recalled, Stellantis has estimated that only 13% of those vehicles will suffer from this particular fault. Many types of Jeep are not at risk, as the company has identified that the incorrect installation affected only the 2021-2023 model Jeep Grand Cherokees. Any car with rear air suspension will not be impacted, and all affected owners should receive a letter informing them of the recall by July 2023 at the latest. Any car owner who would like to know if their vehicle has been recalled can check their vehicle identification number on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
This recall comes as Stellantis finds itself hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines to pay over air quality problems caused by the same Detroit plant where its faulty Jeep Grand Cherokees were made. Following a complaint about the Mack assembly plant, the automotive giant was issued its sixth odor violation by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy since September 2021.
The assembly plant has been judged to exceed volatile organic compound emissions as well as to have caused solvent and paint odors that negatively affected nearby residents. One of the fines recently issued was for $284,000, and the company has received stark warnings from regulators that they could find themselves embroiled in a civil lawsuit if they don’t make adequate changes at the Mack assembly plant.
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