On Friday, June 5, 2015, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it is currently investigating 20,000 new Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs for problems with automatic braking systems. According to the Detroit News, this investigation is taking place due to nine reports of problems with the safety feature in the 2014 SUVs, that's designed to prevent rear-end auto accidents. The NHTSA says Jeep owners have reported issues of random alerts from the braking system, followed by improper automatic breaking. This means that Michigan drivers may find themselves driving and the car may stop on its own in certain circumstances.
"28% of all car crashes are rear-end collisions" - NHTSA
So far, no reports have involved car accidents. Two complaints from owners are related to rapid increase in break force and anti-lock braking system activation. According to one Jeep SUV owner, in his complaint to the NHTSA, he said that the SUV keeps giving him a message to “clean the lens” but says that lens is not dirty or obstructed. The NHTSA says that they see a repeating pattern with Fiat Chrysler and issues like failing to respond fast enough to safety issues, recall enough vehicles, and notify owners in a timely fashion.
In 2012, the NHTSA conducted a study and reported that around 28% of all car crashes are rear-end collisions. The forward collision warning feature on vehicles can be extremely beneficial. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that forward collision warning can prevent 879 fatal crashes annually for passenger vehicles, and 115 fatal crashes annually for large trucks.
If you have been injured in a car crash, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident lawyers are available to help you with questions and specialize in insurance problems, medical expenses, and pain and suffering benefits as allowed by Michigan law. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.