Ditlow says these changes are virtually impossible for consumers to make on their own, that Chrysler needs to design and manufacture these new parts. Also he contends that the vehicles need a new check valve system to shut off the flow of gasoline if the filler hose is yanked out of the tank in a crash. He said the vehicles need a longer filler hose to provide extra flexibility that's the hose that runs from the gas pump to the vehicle's fuel tank. It is optional equipment, manufactured by Chrysler.īut Ditlow believes there are other safety problems with the fuel tank as well. Ditlow says the most practical fix for owners is "having a steel skid plate installed in a vehicle." That is a steel cover that can be bolted over the tank to offer extra protection. His group first petitioned the government more than three years ago, asking for a Jeep recall. So what's a consumer to do? Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, says for Jeep owners, "there is no easy solution to this."
That makes it vulnerable to rupture when the vehicle is hit from behind.Ĭhrysler is refusing to recall the SUV's, saying that government's analysis is incomplete, and that the vehicles are safe and have no defect.
It is situated behind the rear axle, and slightly below the bumper. The problem, according to the government, is the location of the fuel tank. NHTSA, in initial findings, says at least 51 people have died in the vehicles involving rear-impact crashes and fires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants Chrysler to recall the Jeep Grand Cherokee, model years 1993 to 2004, and Jeep Liberty, model years 2002 to 2007. June 5, 2013— - With the government and Chrysler in a tug of war over the safety of older-model Jeeps, the nearly three million consumers who are driving them are left in limbo, wondering if the vehicle they depend on is safe to drive.
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