On Monday, July 27th, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have agreed to pay the largest fine ever from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for safety concerns that may lead to auto accidents. In addition to this, they're set to buy back approximately 500,000 vehicles and offer financial incentives for the repair of 1 million jeeps. According to the Detroit Free Press, Fiat Chrysler will pay up to $105 million in fines and penalties to the NHTSA. These penalties were issued on Sunday, July 26th, 2015, due to the auto company's lax attitude toward addressing safety issues in millions of its motor vehicles.
“Today’s action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement. “This civil penalty puts manufacturers on notice that the Department will act when they do not take their obligations to repair safety defects seriously.”
The NHTSA said it was concerned about Fiat Chrysler's slow completion rates on recalls, slow or inadequate notifications to consumers, faulty approaches to fixing safety problems, and improper actions by dealers. According to Click On Detroit, the RAM pickup trucks, which are the company's top-selling vehicle, have defective steering parts that can cause drivers to lose control and in many cases lead to car crashes. In order to get these cars off of the road, Fiat Chrsyler has agreed to buy them back. In addition to this, owners of more than a million Jeeps with vulnerable rear-mounted gas tanks will be able to trade in their vehicle for more than market value, or be paid to get them repaired. So far, at least 75 people have died from this issue in crash related fires and many more are likely to have been injured in Jeep defect accidents.
If you have been injured in a car crash involving a recall or defective car, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident attorneys specialize in all types of auto accident cases. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.