DETROIT – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold a public hearing July 2 to determine whether automaker Fiat Chrysler has failed to remedy safety defects and issue required notices in 20 recalls.
During the July 2 hearing, witnesses from the NHTSA, the automaker, and the public will be able to present evidence on Fiat Chrysler's performance in each recall. If the NHTSA determines, based on the hearing and other evidence, that the company has failed its legal obligations under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, the agency could order actions designed to improve the company's performance, including the buy-back or replacement of affected vehicles.
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"Any auto defect that compromises the safety of our driving public is unacceptable," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a news release. "Auto manufacturers are obligated to effectively remedy safety defects when they are discovered, and if they fail in that responsibility, we are obligated to act."
Also Monday, the agency ordered Fiat Chrysler to provide information on the pace of repairs of several recalls.
The agency has been feuding with the company over the recall of 1.56 million older Jeeps with gas tanks positioned behind the rear axles, making them susceptible to fires.
According to a U.S. Department of Transportation news release, in recent months the NHTSA has identified problems and expressed concerns with the administration, execution, and pace of vehicles being remedied across a number of Fiat Chrysler automobiles. In addition, the agency has received consumer complaints involving parts availability issues, lack of notification, difficulty obtaining service appointments, and misinformation from dealers.
"It is not enough to identify defects. Manufacturers have to fix them," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. "Significant questions have been raised as to whether this company is meeting its obligations to protect the drivers from safety defects, and today we are launching a process to ensure that those obligations are met."