SEPTEMBER 2011 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 Chrysler vehicles, including 200 and Town and Country models, Dodge vehicles, including Charger, Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey models and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured from August 31, 2011, through September 13, 2011, that are equipped with 3.6L engines. These engines may experience connecting rod bearing failure due to debris inside the engine block. Connecting rod failure may lead to engine seizure which may increase the risk of a crash. Chrysler will notify owners and replace the engine free of charge. This is Chrysler safety recall L33. The safety recall is expected to begin during October 2011.   11V-487

NEWS:   Feds probe Chrysler minivan headlight failures

YAHOO NEWS -- September 12,  2011 – Federal safety regulators have opened an investigation into Dodge and Chrysler minivans from the 2005 model year because the headlights can fail without warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website that 622,817 Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans could be affected by the problem.

The agency says more than 1,500 owners have complained to Chrysler or the government. Two crashes and one minor injury were reported to Chrysler. In addition, 14,208 warranty claims that may be related to the problem have been reported by Chrysler.

Documents filed on the agency's website say that the headlights can go out while the vans are moving, but the bright lights are always available. Investigators are looking at headlamp switches as a possible cause.

NHTSA said that toggling the headlight switch back and forth usually can turn the lights back on, according to complaints filed with the agency. Chrysler also has received complaints of dimming or flickering headlights. The number of complaints is declining, according to the company's data.

The records say that one driver reported to Chrysler that they hit a deer when the lights went out, while another drove into a ditch.

NHTSA said it will analyze consumer complaints and Chrysler's technical information.

"Additional testing will be conducted to evaluate possible root causes of the alleged defect and will include analysis of suspect components collected from the field," the agency said.

NHTSA opened the investigation on Tuesday, it said in documents posted on the website during the weekend.

An investigation could lead to a recall, although it doesn't always mean that one will be ordered.

MORE RECALL INFO:   

• Chrysler Town and Country
• Dodge Caravan

NEWS:   Chrysler recalls nearly 300,000 minivans

YAHOO NEWS -- August 4,  2011 – Chrysler is recalling nearly 300,000 minivans for a possible heating and air conditioning problem that could inadvertently trigger the air bag, the second related recall in nine months.

Chrysler, run by Italy's Fiat SpA, said in a letter to regulators on Wednesday that certain 2008 Grand Voyager, Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles were affected by the recall.

The automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said condensation from the heating and air conditioner could leak onto a sensor module. This could lead to activation of a warning light and inadvertent deployment of the air bag.

Dealers in North America will replace the component free of charge.

There was a recall last November to replace a heating and cooling drain tube in those model vehicles to eliminate potential condensation.

MORE RECALL INFO:   

• Chrysler Grand Voyager
• Chrysler Town and Country
• Dodge Grand Caravan

AUGUST 2011 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008 Chrysler Grand Voyager, Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles manufactured from June 24, 2007, through July 30, 2008. These vehicles may experience a heating and air conditioner (HVAC) condensate leak from the HVAC drain grommet onto the occupant restraint control (ORC) module, which can lead to the illumination of the airbag warning light and a potential inadvertent airbag deployment without warning. An inadvertent airbag deployment could result in injury to the seat occupant in front of the deploying airbag and/or a vehicle crash. Dealers will replace the affected air bag module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during September 2011.  11V-394

NEWS:   Chrysler recalls 11,351 vehicles to fix steering

YAHOO NEWS -- June 17,  2011 – Chrysler Group LLC is recalling 11,351 cars, minivans and other models because a manufacturing problem can cause the steering to fail.

Chrysler told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it doesn't know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. The recall affects 11 of the 20 models Chrysler has on sale for the 2011 model year.

NHTSA said on its website Thursday that a missing or incorrectly installed rivet could cause a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Recalled vehicles include the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan and convertible and Town and Country minivan; the Dodge Avenger midsize sedan, Caliber compact car, Caravan minivan, Journey crossover vehicle and Nitro SUV; and the Jeep Compass wagon and Patriot, Liberty and Wrangler SUVs.

The vehicles were built from mid-April to the middle of May.

Dealers will check to make sure the rivet was installed correctly and make repairs free of charge. The company plans to begin notifying dealers and owners in July, according to the documents.

Chrysler began investigating after it discovered that a steering column rivet was missing in some of the vehicles. The company inspected 14,000 steering columns and found seven with missing or misaligned rivets.

The problem was traced to the improper identification of rejected components by new employees on one shift at a factory near Toledo, Ohio, according to documents filed with NHTSA.

There are no known customer complaints about the problem, the documents said.

MORE RECALL INFO:   

• Chrysler 200
• Chrysler Town and Country
• Dodge Avenger
• Dodge Caliber
• Dodge Caravan
• Dodge Journey
• Dodge Nitro
• Jeep Compass
• Jeep Patriot
• Jeep Liberty
• Jeep Wrangler

JUNE 2011 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 Dodge Journey, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 Convertible, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Dodge Grand Caravan And Chrysler Town & Country Vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been built with a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet. A missing or incorrectly installed rivet could compromise the ability of the steering column to support the occupant loads in the event of a frontal crash, decreasing the effectiveness of the frontal impact safety system. As a result, the condition may increase the potential for injury in a frontal crash. Dealers will inspect for rivet presence and alignment and repair the steering column pivot as required, free of charge. The safety recall began on July 4, 2011.   11V-315

MARCH 2011 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2010 Dodge Journey, Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country vehicles manufacturer from August 3, 2009, through June 17, 2010. Some vehicles may experience inadvertent ignition key displacement from the run to accessory position while driving causing the engine to shut off. Engine shut off while driving could increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the win modules free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2011.  11V-139

NEWS:   Chrysler recalling 250,000 vehicles over engine stalling

DETROIT NEWS -- March 3,  2011 – Chrysler Group LLC said it is recalling nearly 250,000 minivans and crossovers over engine stalling linked to two crashes.

The company said it is calling back 248,437 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.   A sudden loss of engine power makes a crash more likely, the company said.

Chrysler told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it believes that 3 percent of the recalled vehicles have the problem.

Chrysler said it's reviewed 32 customer complaints and 465 warranty claims of the issue. Two rear-end collisions arising from the condition have been reported.

Harsh roadway conditions can cause the key to move and can shut down engine power, Chrysler said.

The suspect part was produced by Continental in Mexico.

Chrysler will start notifying owners and dealers in April and will replace the part that houses the ignition key

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Chrysler Town & Country
• Dodge Caravan

NEWS:   Chrysler recalls 367,000 vans for airbag risk

YAHOO NEWS -- December 15,  2010 –  Chrysler Group LLC is recalling over 367,000 minivans because of the risk that a water leak in the air conditioning system could trigger the airbags, risking injury to passengers.

Chrysler said it had received reports of five minor injuries related to the problem.

Four of the injuries happened last summer, the automaker said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall affects 367,350 2008 model year Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

The recall is the latest safety setback for the No. 3 U.S. automaker. Chrysler said on Wednesday that it would recall just over 76,000 Dodge Ram trucks to fix a brake-related defect.

Chrysler said it had become aware of complaints that water was leaking into the carpet of the vehicles in 2008 and determined then that some of them were built with an improperly installed part in the heating and cooling system.

"At the time, Chrysler had no reason to believe that this moisture had any safety consequences," the automaker said.

Chrysler said it only realized that the leak was a safety threat after it investigated a spike in complaints about airbags inflating without warning in the vehicles between July and September of this year.

The automaker, which is now operating under the management control of Fiat SpA, said it determined that water was leaking from the floor of the minivans into the system that controls the airbags.

Chrysler said it would begin notifying owners of the recall in February. Owners of the minivans are eligible to have a grommet in the air conditioning drainage system replaced at no cost.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Chrysler Town & Country
• Dodge Caravan

DECEMBER 2010 - Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles. These vehicles may experience a water leak at the heating and air conditioner (HVAC) drain grommet which can lead to illumination of airbag warning light and a potential inadvertent airbag deployment. An inadvertent airbag deployment could result in injury to the seat occupant in front of the deploying airbag and/or a vehicle crash. Dealers will replace the HVAC drain grommet free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during February 2011. 10V-611

JUNE 2010 -- Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country passenger vehicles manufactured from February through September 2007. Some of the vehiclesmay have been built with an improperly routed wire harness that may have a condition where the lower sliding door hinge bracket can make contact and wear through the wire insulation. A short circuit could occur inside the sliding door, overheating the latch, possibly resulting in a fire. Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during July 2010.  Chrysler's recall campaign number is K14. 10V-235

NEWS:    Chrysler to recall about 600,000 Jeeps, minivans

YAHOO NEWS – June 7, 2010 – Chrysler Group LLC is recalling nearly 600,000 minivans and Jeep Wranglers because of brake or wiring problems that could become safety issues, the company and federal regulators said Monday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website the automaker is recalling 288,968 Jeep Wranglers from the 2006 through 2010 model years due to a potential brake fluid leak.

It also is recalling 284,831 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans from the 2008 and 2009 model years because a wiring problem can cause a fire inside the sliding doors.

Neither problem has caused any crashes or injuries, Chrysler said in a statement.

On the Jeeps, the front inner fender liners can rub against the brake fluid tubes and cause a leak. NHTSA says the leak could result in partial loss of brakes.

The minivans can have improperly placed wires that can come in contact with sliding door hinges, and the hinges can wear through the insulation and in rare cases cause a fire inside the door, Chrysler and NHTSA said.

Chrysler will notify owners and dealers about the repairs, which will be made free of charge. The recall is expected to start later this month.

The Wranglers affected by the recall were made from May 15, 2006 through Aug. 9, 2010, according to NHTSA. The minivans were made from February 2007 through September 2007.

MORE RECALL INFO:

• Jeep Wrangler
• Dodge Grand Caravan
• Chrysler Town & Country

NEWS:  Chrysler to recall 355,000 minivans for Air Bags

YAHOO NEWS -- February 26, 2010 – Chrysler Group LLC on Wednesday asked the owners of more than 355,000 of its popular minivans to take them to dealers in a few months to replace crash sensors that help to control the air bags.

The sensors can crack and fail in 2005 and 2006 Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan models, Chrysler said in a statement. It is asking owners to wait until June to contact dealers because it needs time to distribute repair parts.

The automaker is calling the move a "safety improvement campaign" and says it is not a recall. But National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokeswoman .. says the agency considers it a recall and is monitoring repairs to make sure they are carried out.

Chrysler said that in some weather conditions, the front crash sensors can crack, causing water to enter. The company says the sensors help the air-bag control computer decide the speed and manner to deploy the safety devices. Sensors to be replaced are not the main airbag control sensor, the company said.

The automaker says it is not aware of any complaints, injuries or property damage from the problem.

MORE RECALL INFO:

• Chrysler Town & Country
• Dodge Caravan

FEBRUARY 2009 --  Chrysler is recalling 6,138 my 2009 town and country and dodge grand caravan vehicles. Unused electrical connectors for the blind spot detection system may become corroded and could short circuit, which can cause a variety of conditions. If the fuse for this circuit does not blow, the connectors could overheat and potentially catch fire. Dealers will seal the power circuit at the subject connector and replace the fuse for this circuit if necessary free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2009. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.  09V-046

NEWS:  Chrysler Group to Recall Minivans to Fix Air Bags

WASHINGTON (AP) (Yahoo News) - May 11, 2007 -- DaimlerChrysler is recalling its 2005 Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans to fix faulty air bags that may not deploy because of corrosion on the sensors.

The recall involves more than 400,000 vehicles sold or registered in states that use large amounts of road salt, the company said Friday. About 270,000 of the vehicles are covered by the recall campaign and another 133,000 with extended warranties are included......

DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that brass brushings on the sensors could corrode and crack on the front air bags, allowing water to enter the sensor.

States covered by the recall include: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas and Alaska.

NEWS:  Chrysler Recalls 268,800 Vehicles

AUBURN HILLS, Mich (Yahoo News). - DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group is recalling 268,800 vehicles from the 2005-2006 model years to replace a faulty front windshield wiper motor, the company said Monday.

The wiper motor armature shaft on the vehicles, which include the Dodge Durango, Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country, can break and disable the wipers, Chrysler said.