68 injuries in Fiat recall

The gearshift issue that prompted a recall of Fiat Chrysler has seen 68 injuries and 266 crashes reported in the US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says there have been no deaths linked to the recall, but acknowledged that the death of actor Anton Yelchin “may have been related to the alleged defect”. The recall, which includes 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee models and 2012-2014 Dodge Chargers, has seen Fiat recall 1.1 million vehicles worldwide. Of that number, 811,000 were in the US. Fiat hasn’t acknowledged a design flaw in the confusing gearshifts and says the rollaways have occurred because drivers think the vehicles have been placed in park before getting out, when they are in neutral. The NHTSA says there are 686 complaints linked to the recalls, adding that the gearshift controls have “an unfamiliar movement that does not provide the tactile or visual feedback that drivers are accustomed to receiving from conventional shifters”. While the recalled vehicles sound warning chimes and alert messages if the driver’s door is opened when the engine is running and ‘park’ is not selected on the gearshift, Fiat says it will enhance the warning system and install software that automatically places the transmission in ‘park’ if the driver fails to do so and opens the door. While Fiat initially said that its US dealers would install the fixes in the fourth quarter, it has now said it will speed up the recall, with the first fixes expected within days.