Chrysler is globally recalling three model years and more than 900,000 vehicles from its popular sport utility vehicle lineup, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty, for faulty airbags.
According to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Chrysler, 919,545 total vehicles are affected from 2002 to 2004 and will require fixing a faulty module that could cause the airbags to inadvertently deploy.
If the module fails, front airbags or side curtain airbags could deploy inadvertently while the SUVs are being operated,
Of the vehicles recalled, 744,822 are in the United States; 49,430 in Canada; 21,828 in Mexico; and 103,465 outside North America, according to Chrysler. The recall total approximately involves about 50 percent Grand Cherokee and Liberty models.
NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation in October 2001 relating to complaints of inadvertent airbag deployments in Liberty SUVs. 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 in the United States.
Chrysler’s dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module without cost to owners. The recall is expected to begin in January, 2013