Recall Alert: 2002-2004 Jeep

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Recall: Occupant Restraint Control Module

November 9, 2012 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -

Chrysler Group LLC will recall older-model 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles to address a potential for inadvertent air bag and/or pretensioner deployment.

A thorough investigation by Chrysler Group and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered flawed occupant restraint control modules, leading to this action.

“A design change to a supplied component was linked to a small number of inadvertent air bag deployments, and in keeping with the best interests of our customers, we initiated a recall campaign,” says David Dillon, Chrysler Group’s Head of Product Investigations and Campaigns.

Chrysler Group is unaware of any accidents stemming from these incidents, which involved less than three one-hundredths of one percent (0.03 percent) of the subject vehicles.

Affected vehicles will be fitted with a filter that restores the control module’s intended function – to accommodate proper deployment of air bags and pretensioners.

Pretensioners tighten seatbelts before an impact.

The repair will be made at no cost to customers.

The campaign covers 744,822 vehicles in the U.S. Affected customers will be notified directly.

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Chrysler recalls about 745,000 Jeeps for airbag issue

Chrysler Group LLC is recalling almost 745,000 Jeep sport utility vehicles in the United States to fix a part that could cause the airbags to inadvertently deploy.

Chrysler, controlled by Italy's Fiat SpA, is recalling 744,822 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs from model years 2002 through 2004 because a part in the vehicles' airbag control module may fail, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A failure of that module could cause the front airbags, side curtain airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the SUVs are being operated, increasing the risk of injury or accident, according to NHTSA documents.

In October 2011, NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation relating to complaints of inadvertent airbag deployments in Liberty SUVs, according to the documents. In January 2012, the probe was upgraded to an engineering analysis to include the Grand Cherokee SUVs.

The probe found 215 cases of inadvertent airbag deployments that resulted in 81 minor injuries involving both SUVs, according to the documents. There were no crashes found to have been caused by inadvertent airbag deployment.

Chrysler's dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to begin in January.

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