FIAT Chrysler is recalling over 566,000 trucks and SUVs , 68,000 of which are being recalled here in Canada.
In fact, the auto company announced two recalls this week. One is supposed to fix malfunctioning fuel heaters that can cause fires and the other targets a software glitch that can disable the electronic stability control.
The larger of the two recalls announced this week represents almost 382,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, as well as Ram 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs from 2010 to 2014. An estimated 59,432 of these are in Canada.
The trucks with 6.7-litre Cummins diesel engines are particularly susceptible since corrosion on a fuel heater terminal could cause overheating, fuel leaks and fire. An odour of diesel fuel could be a warning to owners that the issue is present.
Customers will be notified by letters starting in December. To mend the problem, dealers will install upgraded terminals and possibly replace fuel heater housings.
The second recall covers more than 184,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs from 2014 only – 8,871 of which are in Canada. The recall issue is that a debris cover over a circuit board in the steering column control module can disrupt communications and disable the stability control.
The problem came to light when dealers started getting reports from customers that electronic stability control warning lights were coming on.
Customers will be notified in December and technicians will upgrade software to fix the SUVs.
Chrysler is not aware of any injuries due to either of the issues.
FIAT Chrysler has issued 33 global recalls this year alone. However, it is not the only automaker plagued by recall issues. According to a report, companies have called back more than 52 million vehicles so far this year — a record-breaking number.
On the brighter side of things, FIAT Chrysler is also looking to spin off the Ferrari brand into a separate company to make it even more exclusive.
