When Chrysler owners told ConsumerWatch they were “filled with fear” every time they filled their tank, we began investigating a known fuel tank defect that caused some Chrysler cars to stall in traffic.
Public records revealed that the car maker assured NHTSA it would address the issue months earlier, and that it would pay to fix the potentially dangerous defect in each of the affected cars. However, the company never notified Chrysler owners, dealers or corporate customer service representatives about the defect or the promised service campaign.
As a result, many Chrysler owners continued to unknowingly drive the potentially dangerous vehicles. Drivers who knew about the problem were forced to pay for the costly repair themselves.
The objective of the story was to inform drivers of the potentially dangerous defect and of their right to require Chrysler to pay for the repair. Following this investigation, Chrysler immediately launched a service campaign notifying drivers and dealers of the defect and informing them that the car maker would pay for the repair.