Fiat Chrysler Ordered To Buy Back Thousands Of Cars — What Do Car Owners Do Now?

If you own a Dodge or Jeep, you’re probably wondering just what to do with the news that Fiat Chrysler has been ordered to buy thousands of vehicles in a record settlement agreement.

So far, there aren’t many details available to affected car owners, who’ll just have to play a game of “wait-and-see” as the particulars are hammered out. Evidently, Fiat Chrysler will be contacting car owners soon.

But first, a bit of background. According to NBC News, the buy back of Dodge Ram pickups and other vehicles is part of a deal with safety regulators. Fiat Chrysler has been accused of misconduct in 23 recalls that cover 11 million vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was concerned that the automaker didn’t tell customers about recalls, delayed giving out repair parts, or failing to fix the problems altogether, and didn’t follow up with recalls to make sure customers took action.

“Merely identifying defects is not enough,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told the Associated Press. “Manufacturers that fail in their duty to fix these defects will pay a price.”

And now, Fiat Chrysler will pay a civil fine of up to $105 million. Then there’s the buy back. Depending on how many car owners opt in, it could cost the company $956 million.

But what does that mean for you?

Firstly, both Dodge Rams and older Jeeps are affected. The trucks apparently have defective steering parts, which may cause drivers to lose control (one person has reportedly died as a result). Fiat Chrysler has been ordered to repair the problem, or buy the vehicle. As for the Jeeps, they have rear-mounted gas tanks that can be ruptured in a rear crash, causing a fire (75 people have died in such incidents). Owners can trade them in or be paid by the company to have them fixed.

Dodge Ram owners could get a pretty penny, too. A 2010 Dodge Ram is worth about $20,000 in a dealer trade-in; Fiat Chrysler must buy back these models for the purchase price, minus depreciation. Jeep owners could get $100 to repair, or $1,000 toward the purchase of another Fiat Chrysler car. Once the automaker purchases the defective cars, they can sell them back after they’re fixed up.

People who’ve already fixed their cars as part of the recall cannot take advantage of the buy back program, AL.com reported.

To find out if yours qualifies, use the car’s vehicle identification number etched into the window on the driver’s side corner, and enter it into the Safe Car database. If your vehicle has an unrepaired recall under campaign numbers 13V-038, 13V-252, 13V-527 or 13V-529, then it’s eligible for these offers.

A list of the affected vehicles can be found here, and recalls can be looked up here.

[Photo Courtesy of Daniel Acker / Getty Images]