Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.1 million vehicles
Fiat Chrysler said Friday it’s recalling more than 1.1 million cars and mid- size SUVs worldwide because their gear shifters may confuse drivers and increase the risk of a rollaway accident.
The recall covers the 2012-2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and the 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. FCA is recalling 811,586 vehicles in the U.S., 52,144 vehicles in Canada, 16,805 in Mexico and 248,667 outside North America.
The vehicles have an electronic shift lever that moves forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from ‘drive’ to ‘park,’ drivers must push the lever forward three times.
The vehicles sound a chime and issue a dashboard warning if the driver’s door is opened when not in ‘park.’ But the push-button ignition doesn’t shut off the engine, increasing the risk of the vehicles rolling away after drivers have exited.
FCA said it’s aware of 41 injuries potentially related to the problem.