NHTSA Probes Massive Jeep Recall Over Faulty Rear Coil Spring Repairs

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Monday opened a probe into the recall of 331,401 Jeep vehicles due to improperly installed rear coil springs.

A rear coil spring helps the vehicle support its weight and absorb road shocks. If installed incorrectly, it may detach while the vehicle is moving and increase the risk of a crash and injury.

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The U.S. auto safety regulator said the recall in June 2023 covered certain 2022–2023 Grand Cherokee models built by Stellantis’ Fiat Chrysler Automobiles U.S. subsidiary.

As a remedy, dealers inspected the affected vehicles and repaired the rear coil assemblies when needed, at no cost to owners.

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However, following completion of the remedy, NHTSA received 20 consumer complaints involving detached springs.

NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation opened the latest probe to assess the effectiveness of the original recall repair and determine why coil springs continued to detach after the fix.

(Reporting by Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)