FCA recalls three cars over safety issues

It’s been a bad day for one leading car brand, which has announced three separate recalls for serious safety issues in different off-road wagons.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night edition.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED

A leading carmaker has recalled three SUVs for serious safety issues that in some cases could lead to a risk of “serious injury” or “death”.

Fiat-Chrysler Australia says its big Jeep Grand Cherokee has suspension flaws that could cause the front wheels to “lean outward” which “could lead to an accident and serious injury or death to the vehicle occupants and other road users”.

But that contradicts the original recall notice, which stated the upper control arm retaining bolts may have been damaged during vehicle assembly and that “this may cause the wheels to detach from the vehicle while driving, resulting in a loss of control”.

“A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of an accident, causing serious injuries or death to the driver and/or vehicle occupants or other road users,” the notice says.

An updated recall notice states that: “the upper control arm retaining bolts may have been damaged during vehicle assembly. This may cause the upper control arm to detach from the steering knuckle while driving, resulting in a loss of control”.

“A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of an accident, causing serious injuries or death to the driver and/or vehicle occupants or other road users.”

At least the big Jeep Grand Cherokee won’t burn your house down.

Jeep claims the Department of Infrastructure, which issued the recall notice, made an error with its original wording.

But the department denies making an error.

In a statement it says: “Recalls are not published on the Department’s website without agreement from the supplier that the wording accurately reflects the nature of the issue”.

The issue affects almost 3000 cars made between 2021 and 2023.

A larger recall of 10,160 cars involves smaller Jeep Cherokee models made between 2013 and 2015.

This problem centres around the potential for a short circuit in the car’s power tailgate system.

It sounds harmless, but Jeep warns that it “may result in a vehicle fire with the ignition turned on or off”.

The Cherokee has a problematic tailgate.

The recall notice states that “a vehicle fire could increase the risk of an accident, causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users, bystanders, and/or damage to property”.

The third recall involves a risk of crushing the fingers of people who put their hands through the sunroof opening.

Passengers should keep limbs inside the Tonale at all times.

FCA Australia says 202 examples of the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale – an Italian baby Jeep – have a sunroof that “can increase the risk of serious injury to vehicle occupants”.

As the recall states, “due to software settings, if a vehicle occupant places an obstruction such as a body part between the frame and glass when the sunroof is closing, it may not reverse until significant pressure is reached”.

That sounds painful.

FCA has been approached for comment.

Originally published as FCA recalls three cars over safety issues