CAS on Monday delivered a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requesting that it order the recall of the Pacifica minivans to fix the stalling problem, according to Consumer Reports.

Over 50 complaints have been filed to date with the NHTSA by Pacifica owners claiming their minivans stalled, in many cases when the vehicles were traveling in excess of 40 miles per hour.

“We’re continuing to monitor our vehicles and collect data,” said Eric Mayne, a spokesman for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), which owns Chrysler. “This is ongoing.”

FCA says it is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to the issue, and that the airbags and seat belts were never compromised during any of the incidents. Owners of Pacificas that stalled were also able to restart their minivans immediately after the stalling without the condition recurring, the automaker claims.

“Even if it doesn’t result in safety features being disabled, stalling in moving traffic when you don’t expect it has inherent risk,” said Jen Stockburger, director of operations at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center in Connecticut. “And the loss of power systems like brakes and steering that accompanies a vehicle stall makes getting out of the way difficult.”

NHTSA says it is in the process of considering the petition, and will take appropriate action when the agency reaches a conclusion. A technical review must be conducted first, the results of which will determine whether a public hearing is necessary.

If NHTSA ultimately approves the petition, it would then launch an investigation into the alleged stalling defect. That investigation could then lead to a recall.

Source: ABC News

Posted by Ray Simon

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