Chrysler Recalls 184,000 SUVs For Same Airbag Issues Responsible For Ford Vehicles Recall

It certainly hasn’t been the best year for vehicle airbags. In the spring Honda, Toyota and other vehicle manufactures recalled millions of cars because the safety devices were found to be defective. And now we’re learning that the same short-circuit responsible for the recall of hundreds-of-thousands of Ford vehicles last month has been found in nearly 184,000 Chrysler-produced SUVs, prompting yet another safety recall.

Chrysler announced the recall of 184,000 model year 2014 Dodge Durgano and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles after being notified that an electrical issue could prevent the SUVs’ airbags from deploying properly.

According to a notice [PDF] posted with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Robert Bosch LLC, the company behind the potentially defective airbag control modules in the recalled Ford vehicles, says similar components were used in some 2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles.

The problem involves an internal electrical short-circuit in the airbag control module that could cause the airbags and other passenger restraint systems to fail in the event of a crash.

Bosch tells NHTSA in the notice that while the hardware components sold to Chrysler are different than those used in the recalled Ford vehicles, they use a similar application of coating that could contribute to the issue.

Officials with Chrysler say they are unaware of any related injuries or crashes related to the issue. Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified and dealers will replace the control module.

Tuesday’s recall comes less than a month after Ford recalled model year 2013 to 2014 Ford C-MAX, Fusion, Escape and Lincoln MKZ for the same electrical glitch.

Statement: Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Module [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

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