Three years ago, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall some three million Chrysler Jeep Cherokees from model years 1993-2004, after the group’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System revealed that the vehicles have “a fatal crash-fire occurrence rate that is about four times higher than S.U.V.’s made by other companies.”
Specifically, the group’s petition says, “the plastic fuel tank on 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees is not adequately protected from a rear impact because it is behind the rear axle. The Grand Cherokee underwent a redesign in 2005, which involved putting the fuel tank in a safer location.
Yesterday, NHTSA expanded its probe into the fires by adding Liberty and older Cherokee models to the probe.
If you or a loved one is involved in a crash where there is a vehicle fire, you should preserve the vehicle. Do not sell it to an insurance company as a part of a settlement. The vehicle may be important evidence that will help determine the cause of these fires and make sure that future vehicles will be safer.
Specifically, the group’s petition says, “the plastic fuel tank on 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees is not adequately protected from a rear impact because it is behind the rear axle. The Grand Cherokee underwent a redesign in 2005, which involved putting the fuel tank in a safer location.
Yesterday, NHTSA expanded its probe into the fires by adding Liberty and older Cherokee models to the probe.
If you or a loved one is involved in a crash where there is a vehicle fire, you should preserve the vehicle. Do not sell it to an insurance company as a part of a settlement. The vehicle may be important evidence that will help determine the cause of these fires and make sure that future vehicles will be safer.
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