Chrysler announces massive recall

Chrysler Group said last week it was recalling approximately 1.2 million trucks for three safety concerns.

The campaigns target an estimated 453,000 vehicles with steering-system tie rods that may have been misaligned during assembly or steering-system service.

Chrysler Group said it would cast the net “wider than necessary” to identify those vehicles that require repair. Any found to have suspect tie-rod assemblies will have those components replaced at no cost to customers, the company noted in a press release.

One recall will inspect an estimated 842,400 model-year 2003 to 2008 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks to find approximately 116,000 repaired with tie-rod assemblies that could become misaligned.

“This condition could lead to component fracture and steering loss.”

Two additional campaigns are being conducted to capture those vehicles known to have tie-rod assemblies linked to previous recalls. They comprise 294,000 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups, chassis cabs and 2008 Ram 1500 4×4 Mega Cabs; plus 43,500 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 4500 and 5500 4×4 chassis cabs.

There has been six accidents and two injuries involving model-year 2008-2012 2500 and 3500 trucks and one additional accident with no injuries involving the remaining models.

Affected customers will be notified by mail next month with instructions for making service appointments. Work could begin as early as January.

Customers who own affected 4500 and 5500 models may bring their vehicles to Chrysler Group dealers for interim service because replacement parts may not be available until late 2014.

Approximately 968,000 vehicles of the total number affected are in the U.S.; 157,000 are in Canada; 37,100 in Mexico and 18,000 are outside the NAFTA region.