Fiat Chrysler Recalls 2 Million Vehicles; 3 Fatalities Cited

Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 2 million cars worldwide, including 1.4 million in the United States, to fix a problem with air bags and seat belts that has been linked to three deaths and five injuries, according to media reports.

Fiat Chrysler said Thursday the air bags might not properly deploy and the seat belts might not sufficiently tighten in crashes. The problem is with a computerized component known as the “occupant resistant control module” designed to work in tandem with a wire harness and detect frontal impacts. The faulty components are no longer used, the Auburn Hills-based automaker said.

Fiat Chrysler did not make details available about the fatalities linked to the defect.

About 1.4 million of the nearly 2 million vehicles being recalled were sold in the United States. The recall covers another 142,959 in Canada, 81,901 in Mexico and 284,051 outside North America.

Affected U.S. vehicles include:

• 2010 Chrysler Sebring
• 2011-14 Chrysler 200
• 2010-12 Dodge Caliber
• 2010-14 Dodge Avenger
• 2010-14 Jeep Patriot and Compass

The automaker hasn’t said when repairs will begin, but details are being finalized, spokesman Eric Mayne said.

“We’re finalizing the remedy and customers will be advised when they may schedule service,” he said.

In an emailed statement to The Detroit News, Kelley Blue Book Executive Editorial Director Jack Nerad said owners of the affected automobiles should move quickly to get the repairs.

“A recall of 1.4 million vehicles for a defect that could potentially be life-threatening is a serious event,” Nerad told the newspaper. “Although problems are only likely to occur in very specific circumstances, the danger is real enough that all vehicles affected by the recall should be inspected and fixed. Delay in getting the proper alterations made could have disastrous consequences, since three fatalities have already resulted from this defect.”

The problem isn’t related to the huge recall of almost 70 million Takata air bag inflators used by 17 carmakers, including Fiat Chrysler, the company said.

Fiat Chrysler’s recall comes about a week after General Motors issued a massive recall for a similar problem. GM, the world’s No. 3 automaker, called back 4.3 million vehicles worldwide over an air bag defect that has been linked to one death and three injuries.

In “rare cases,” GM said, in-vehicle computers can default to the test mode and front air bags won’t inflate in a crash. Seat belts may also malfunction because of the software problem.

Image: Photo of 2010 Chrysler Sebring, one of the vehicles included in a 1.9 million-vehicle recall, by formulanone via Flickr Commons