Fiat Chrysler Recalls 703,000 Vehicles To Fix Ignition Switch Defect

Fiat Chrysler has announced a massive recall involving over 700,000 vehicles after it was found that they could be affected by an ignition switch issue. According to Tech Times, over 703,000 SUVs and minivans made by Fiat Chrysler are affected by the issue. In a statement issued by the company, they claimed that the exact number of vehicles thought to be affected by the ignition switch issue is 702,578.

Fiat Chrysler said that the recall order will ensure that the ignition switch issue, which causes the engine to turn off unexpectedly, will be fixed. The vehicles affected by this recall order include the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans that were made between 2008 to 2010. The problem also affects the Dodge Journey SUV made between 2009 and 2010, a Reuters report said. If you are the owner of any of these vehicles manufactured in the aforementioned timeline, it is likely that your vehicle would be recalled as well.

Until all 700,000 plus vehicles have had their defects fixed, Fiat Chrysler has advised users to use only the ignition key with the key ring used to start the vehicles. They have advised users to remove everything else attached to the key ring. In a letter to the NHTSA, Fiat Chrysler has also advised users to remove key fobs in the affected vehicles. In the letter, the company confirms that certain road conditions may lead to the ignition switch being moved from the “on” position to the “off” or “accessory” position. Perhaps the worst facet of this defect is that along with the engine, the defect also disables the airbags, brakes, and power steering operations — causing the driver to lose control at high speeds. This has been identified as a potential hazard that could cause accidents leading to injuries and deaths.

The company said that it expects to fix the fault by April for the vehicles made between 2008 and 2009. For 2010 models, the wait could last until August 2015. Strangely, Fiat Chrysler had issued another recall for the same reason back in 2011. However, that recall did not completely fix the problem. Back in 2014, General Motors also issued a similar recall involving over 2.6 million vehicles, reportedly costing the company over $600 million.

Is your vehicle affected by the Fiat Chrysler recall?

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons]