NHTSA probes Jeep recall over faulty rear coil spring repairs

Dec 15 (Reuters) – The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on ⁠Monday opened a probe into the recall of 331,401 Jeep ⁠vehicles due to improperly installed rear coil springs.

A rear coil spring helps the vehicle support ⁠its weight and absorb road shocks. If ‍installed incorrectly, it may detach while the ‌vehicle is moving and increase the risk of a crash and injury.

The U.S. auto safety ​regulator said the recall ⁠in ‌June 2023 covered certain 2022–2023 Grand Cherokee models built by ‌Stellantis’ Fiat Chrysler Automobiles U.S. subsidiary.

As ⁠a remedy, dealers inspected the affected vehicles and repaired the rear coil assemblies when needed, at no cost to owners.

However, following ⁠completion of the remedy, NHTSA ‍received 20 consumer complaints involving detached springs.

NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation opened the latest probe to ‌assess ‌the effectiveness of ​the original recall repair and determine why coil springs continued to detach after the ‌fix.

(Reporting by Apratim Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)