From Crain News Service and wire reports
DETROIT (June 14, 2013) — Chrysler Group L.L.C. is recalling about 37,000 Ram pickup trucks on two separate issues, neither of which has led to any accidents or injuries.
Also, on June 12, Chrysler said it is recalling about 14,800 of its 2013 Dodge Darts because the vehicles' engines may stall at cold temperatures.
The two recalls come a week after Chrysler said it refused a request from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall 2.7 million 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-2007 Libertys for an alleged fire risk caused by fuel tanks mounted behind the rear axle.
About 30,000 of the pickup trucks will be recalled to restore a dashboard warning light that alerts drivers if the tail lights are not working, the auto maker said June 12.
That issue affects model year 2013 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks.
Auto dealers will perform a software upgrade to reactivate the warning light on the trucks at no cost to owners, Chrysler said. The issue was discovered by Chrysler engineers performing routine testing, the company said.
The recall will affect about 17,400 model year 2013 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups in the U.S.; 11,500 in Canada; 470 in Mexico; and 775 in markets outside North America.
In a separate recall, model year 2012 Ram heavy duty 4500 and 5500 trucks should be repaired to fix an issue that can cause front axle damage, Chrysler said.
After two of the heavy duty trucks sustained front axle damage, Chrysler's engineers found that some trucks were subject to a condition that may cause the front prop shaft to bind or fracture, resulting in power loss, the company said.
Chrysler dealers will replace or repair the front axles at no cost to customers, Chrysler said.
The recall affects about 5,600 model year 2012 Ram 4500 and 5500 trucks in the U.S., and another 1,300 in Canada.
Dart recall
Meanwhile, Darts manufactured between March 1, 2012, and February 28, 2013, that are equipped with a 1.4-liter engine and dual-clutch transmission may stall at temperatures 20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, according to documents on NHTSA's website.
Chrysler said in a statement that it discovered the defect during internal testing. A vehicle stalled while driving shortly after startup, after it had been parked for eight hours in a climate chamber. The company later found that dealers had received similar complaints, but the company said it is unaware of any related injuries or accidents.
As a remedy, Chrysler dealers will be asked recalibrate the vehicles' powertrain control module at no charge to customers.
The recall affects approximately 12,900 Darts in the U.S., 1,900 in Canada, five in Mexico and 16 outside of North America.
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Reuters and reporters Adam Rubenfire and Larry Vellequette contributed to this report, which appeared on the website of Automotive News, a Detroit-based sister publication of Tire Business.