01-30-2024, 12:32 PM
NHTSA closes 7-year probe of FCA over vehicle rollaways
<p>NHTSA closed a seven-year safety investigation of <a href="https://www.autonews.com/topic/fiat-chrysler-automobiles" target="_blank">Fiat Chrysler Automobiles</a> after finding no evidence that rollaway accidents were caused by design or manufacturing defects.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autonews.com/article/20161226/OEM11/312269968/fca-bedeviled-again-by-shifters" target="_blank">The investigation</a>, launched in December 2016, came after over two dozen vehicle rollaway incidents that resulted in eight injuries. The subjected vehicles were 2013-17 Ram 1500s and 2014-17 Dodge Durangos.</p>
<p>NHTSA closed the investigation Thursday after its Office of Defects Investigation found no evidence that "vehicle-based design or manufacturing defect was the cause of vehicle rollaway incidents on the subject vehicles."</p>
<p>FCA implemented a software change in 2018 that enabled vehicles to automatically shift the transmission into park when "an operator attempts to exit the vehicle without successfully achieving a Park position" with the rotary shifter.</p>
<p>That strategy was "effective in reducing the frequency of vehicle rollaway incidents in the subject vehicles," <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/search-safety-issues#investigation" target="_blank">NHTSA</a> said.</p>
<p>A Stellantis spokesperson said in an email that the automaker was "pleased that our update appears to have resonated with customers."</p>
<p>Stellantis was formed by the merger of <a href="https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/fiat-chrysler-and-psa-complete-merger-become-stellantis" target="_blank">FCA</a> and France's PSA Group in 2021.</p>
https://www.autonews.com/regulation-safe...ays-closed
<p>NHTSA closed a seven-year safety investigation of <a href="https://www.autonews.com/topic/fiat-chrysler-automobiles" target="_blank">Fiat Chrysler Automobiles</a> after finding no evidence that rollaway accidents were caused by design or manufacturing defects.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autonews.com/article/20161226/OEM11/312269968/fca-bedeviled-again-by-shifters" target="_blank">The investigation</a>, launched in December 2016, came after over two dozen vehicle rollaway incidents that resulted in eight injuries. The subjected vehicles were 2013-17 Ram 1500s and 2014-17 Dodge Durangos.</p>
<p>NHTSA closed the investigation Thursday after its Office of Defects Investigation found no evidence that "vehicle-based design or manufacturing defect was the cause of vehicle rollaway incidents on the subject vehicles."</p>
<p>FCA implemented a software change in 2018 that enabled vehicles to automatically shift the transmission into park when "an operator attempts to exit the vehicle without successfully achieving a Park position" with the rotary shifter.</p>
<p>That strategy was "effective in reducing the frequency of vehicle rollaway incidents in the subject vehicles," <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/search-safety-issues#investigation" target="_blank">NHTSA</a> said.</p>
<p>A Stellantis spokesperson said in an email that the automaker was "pleased that our update appears to have resonated with customers."</p>
<p>Stellantis was formed by the merger of <a href="https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/fiat-chrysler-and-psa-complete-merger-become-stellantis" target="_blank">FCA</a> and France's PSA Group in 2021.</p>
https://www.autonews.com/regulation-safe...ays-closed