Chrysler is bowing to demands from U.S. safety regulators and will add about 179,000 vehicles to a recall for air bags that could explode with too much force.
The latest expansion covers the Ram pickup from the 2003 to 2005 model years, as well as the 2004 and 2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Chrysler 300 and 2005 Dodge Magnum. It brings Chrysler into compliance with demands from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for passenger air bags. The latest expansion brings the total number of Chrysler vehicles recalled for air bags to about 618,000. So far, 10 automakers have recalled about 11 million vehicles in the U.S. and about 18 million globally for similar problems.
Chrysler maintains that its passenger air bags are safe but says it's adding to the recall as a precaution. NHTSA demanded the expansion in a Nov. 25 letter to Chrysler. The action announced Thursday may not get the company out of hot water with government safety regulators. Chrysler still is refusing NHTSA demands to do a national recall of Takata driver's side air bag inflators. So far Honda and Mazda have agreed to the national recall.
IN-DEPTH
- Mazda Expanding Takata Air Bag Recall in U.S.
- Lawmakers Chide Takata for Limited Air Bag Recall
- Honda to Expand Air Bag Recall Nationwide
-- The Associated Press
