Money FIAT/Chrysler to buy back 500,000 RAM trucks - Page 4

Eleazar · 07-26-2015, 05:23 PM

Fiat Chrysler to buy back 500,000 Ram pickups; biggest such action in US history
By TOM KRISHER Associated Press JULY 26, 2015 — 6:18PM

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler will buy back from customers more than 500,000 Ram pickup trucks in the biggest such action in U.S. history as part of a costly deal with U.S. safety regulators to settle legal problems in about two-dozen recalls.

The trucks, which are the company's top-selling vehicle, have defective steering parts that can cause drivers to lose control, and some previous repairs have been unsuccessful. So to get them off the roads, Fiat Chrysler agreed to the buyback, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners also have the option of getting them repaired, the agency said in documents released Sunday.

Also, owners of more than a million older Jeeps with vulnerable rear-mounted gas tanks will be able to trade in their vehicles for more than market value or be paid to get them repaired, the agency said in a statement. The Jeeps' fuel tanks are behind the rear axle and have little to shield them in a rear crash. They can rupture and spill gasoline, setting the vehicles on fire. At least 75 people have died in crash-related fires, although Fiat Chrysler maintains they are as safe as comparable vehicles from the same era.

Both the Jeep and Ram measures are part of a larger settlement between the government and the automaker that includes a record $105 million fine and the appointment of an independent recall monitor.

"Today's action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in the statement. The record civil fine, he said, puts automakers on notice that NHTSA will take action when recall laws aren't followed.

NHTSA has been involved in vehicle buybacks in the past, but never with this many vehicles. A buyback usually happens when a problem is so serious that it can't be fixed and the vehicles need to be removed from service. The buyback and the Jeep trade-ins likely will cost Fiat Chrysler hundreds of millions of dollars or more.

The agency's actions come less than a month after it held a rare public hearing to detail problems with 23 Fiat Chrysler recalls covering more than 11 million cars and trucks. It's another sign that NHTSA is taking a much tougher stance against automakers that don't obey auto safety laws.

The fine beats the old record of $70 million assessed against Honda Motor Co. for lapses in recalls of air bags made by Takata Corp.

At the July 2 hearing, NHTSA detailed a litany of shortfalls: failure to notify customers of recalls, delays in making and distributing repair parts and in some cases failing to come up with repairs that fix the problems. Some of the recalls date to 2013.

During the hearing, Fiat Chrysler did not dispute any of NHTSA's allegations. Scott Kunselman, the company's head of vehicle safety, said it is changing the way it manages safety to follow the industry's best practices. The safety system, he said, has been reorganized with added personnel. He now reports directly to CEO Sergio Marchionne. Previously the person in his position was three rungs down the organization chart from the chief executive, he said.

"We have learned from our mistakes and missteps," he said.

Tombstone RJ · 07-27-2015, 02:32 PM

Meh, no major car manufacturer is perfect. The best way to judge any company like this is what they do to fix the problem (after they admit there's a problem). I tip my cap to Chrysler for taking care of this problem.

Reerun_KC · 07-27-2015, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablo

Do you think about me when you're cranking Blake Shelton in that thing?

Everyday. I miss you.

**lewdog** · 07-27-2015, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Will drop the VIN in there in the morning and see what it says. If its on the list I will be pissed. I love this truck.

This truck has never seen a gravel road has it?

Fairplay · 07-27-2015, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superturtle

You're treated like a second class citizen if you drive anything but a Ford product in the Claycomo plant. Literally have to park in the back corners of the plant.

And driving Japanese cars there is a real no-no

Reerun_KC · 07-27-2015, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

This truck has never seen a gravel road has it?

Pavement Princess. Nickname my son gave it.

**lewdog** · 07-27-2015, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Pavement Princess. Nickname my son gave it.

I think you've mentioned this another time I called you out. Dead give away....no ****ing mud flaps! Get some ****ing flaps on that thing so my windshield doesn't take a beating on the freeway from your dumbass!

Reerun_KC · 07-27-2015, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

I think you've mentioned this another time I called you out. Dead give away....no ****ing mud flaps! Get some ****ing flaps on that thing so my windshield doesn't take a beating on the freeway from your dumbass!

Took them off cause the 33s rubbed on them when I turned.

Sorry. My best advice is stop following me around.

**lewdog** · 07-27-2015, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Took them off cause the 33s rubbed on them when I turned.

Sorry. My best advice is stop following me around.

I bolted up to around 90+ on my commute the other morning because two douches doing 70 in the middle lanes with their jacked up trucks had no mud flaps and I had to get around them quick because of it. I spot that shit from miles away and avoid at all costs.

AND **** YOU!

**BigMeatballDave** · 07-27-2015, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superturtle

You're treated like a second class citizen if you drive anything but a Ford product in the Claycomo plant. Literally have to park in the back corners of the plant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairplay

And driving Japanese cars there is a real no-no

Stupid. Honda, Nissan, Toyota, etc, are no less Domestic than GM and Ford.

Eleazar · 07-27-2015, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

I bolted up to around 90+ on my commute the other morning because two douches doing 70 in the middle lanes with their jacked up trucks had no mud flaps and I had to get around them quick because of it. I spot that shit from miles away and avoid at all costs.

AND **** YOU!

It really doesn't take much to set people off these days...

Sassy Squatch · 07-27-2015, 04:39 PM

It's not really that bad now but I've heard some horror stories. Cars being flipped, tires slashed, keyed just a about everything.

**Bugeater** · 07-27-2015, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

I bolted up to around 90+ on my commute the other morning because two douches doing 70 in the middle lanes with their jacked up trucks had no mud flaps and I had to get around them quick because of it. I spot that shit from miles away and avoid at all costs.

AND **** YOU!

Are your freeways really that big of a goddamn mess that you have to worry about trucks in the middle lanes? Here you have to watch out for the ones in the outside lanes, they drift onto the shoulder just a bit and the next thing you know your vehicle is getting sandblasted.

**lewdog** · 07-27-2015, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baconeater

Are your freeways really that big of a goddamn mess that you have to worry about trucks in the middle lanes? Here you have to watch out for the ones in the outside lanes, they drift onto the shoulder just a bit and the next thing you know your vehicle is getting sandblasted.

Not all the time. I drive a 4 lane freeway and it's usually moving quite well. However, some dumbasses will poke in the middle lanes or in the far left lane and it means you have to get behind some truck. Many without mud flaps. Phoenix has a huge construction industry with gravel trucks and mixers over the freeways all the time. So quite a few rocks and those with trucks and no mud flaps kick this shit up quite frequently. Driving a black car I get very angry. I never drive in the far right lane because of the drifting and sandblasting you mention.

**SAUTO** · 07-27-2015, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumppy

The 3/4 and 1 tons were having steering/suspension problems back in the late 90's. Driving above 40 mph and hit a bump in the road and the damn things would shudder/vibrate/shake the front suspension/steering so bad you could lose control. It happened to probably 10% to 20% of them. Everyone of the Service Bulletin repairs seemed more like bandaid than an actual repair.

THE DEATH WOBBLE!!!

stumppy · 07-27-2015, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

THE DEATH WOBBLE!!!

That was it man.

07-26-2015, 05:23 PM
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	FIAT/Chrysler to buy back 500,000 RAM trucks Fiat Chrysler to buy back 500,000 Ram pickups; biggest such action in US history By TOM KRISHER Associated Press JULY 26, 2015 — 6:18PM DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler will buy back from customers more than 500,000 Ram pickup trucks in the biggest such action in U.S. history as part of a costly deal with U.S. safety regulators to settle legal problems in about two-dozen recalls. The trucks, which are the company's top-selling vehicle, have defective steering parts that can cause drivers to lose control, and some previous repairs have been unsuccessful. So to get them off the roads, Fiat Chrysler agreed to the buyback, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners also have the option of getting them repaired, the agency said in documents released Sunday. Also, owners of more than a million older Jeeps with vulnerable rear-mounted gas tanks will be able to trade in their vehicles for more than market value or be paid to get them repaired, the agency said in a statement. The Jeeps' fuel tanks are behind the rear axle and have little to shield them in a rear crash. They can rupture and spill gasoline, setting the vehicles on fire. At least 75 people have died in crash-related fires, although Fiat Chrysler maintains they are as safe as comparable vehicles from the same era. Both the Jeep and Ram measures are part of a larger settlement between the government and the automaker that includes a record $105 million fine and the appointment of an independent recall monitor. "Today's action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in the statement. The record civil fine, he said, puts automakers on notice that NHTSA will take action when recall laws aren't followed. NHTSA has been involved in vehicle buybacks in the past, but never with this many vehicles. A buyback usually happens when a problem is so serious that it can't be fixed and the vehicles need to be removed from service. The buyback and the Jeep trade-ins likely will cost Fiat Chrysler hundreds of millions of dollars or more. The agency's actions come less than a month after it held a rare public hearing to detail problems with 23 Fiat Chrysler recalls covering more than 11 million cars and trucks. It's another sign that NHTSA is taking a much tougher stance against automakers that don't obey auto safety laws. The fine beats the old record of $70 million assessed against Honda Motor Co. for lapses in recalls of air bags made by Takata Corp. At the July 2 hearing, NHTSA detailed a litany of shortfalls: failure to notify customers of recalls, delays in making and distributing repair parts and in some cases failing to come up with repairs that fix the problems. Some of the recalls date to 2013. During the hearing, Fiat Chrysler did not dispute any of NHTSA's allegations. Scott Kunselman, the company's head of vehicle safety, said it is changing the way it manages safety to follow the industry's best practices. The safety system, he said, has been reorganized with added personnel. He now reports directly to CEO Sergio Marchionne. Previously the person in his position was three rungs down the organization chart from the chief executive, he said. "We have learned from our mistakes and missteps," he said.
Posts: 80,659

07-27-2015, 02:32 PM	#46
Tombstone RJ Broncos' Fan Extraordinaire! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denver Casino cash: $10012184	Meh, no major car manufacturer is perfect. The best way to judge any company like this is what they do to fix the problem (after they admit there's a problem). I tip my cap to Chrysler for taking care of this problem. __________________ ORANGE COLORED GLASSES ARE ALWAYS ON!
Posts: 6,151

07-27-2015, 04:39 PM	#56
Sassy Squatch The man you could post like. Join Date: Oct 2010 Casino cash: $-1420345	It's not really that bad now but I've heard some horror stories. Cars being flipped, tires slashed, keyed just a about everything.
Posts: 42,090