Jeep Fined $150M in Fuel Tank Fiasco
Fiat Chrysler has been ordered to pay $150 million for the death of a four-year-old.
The child died in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee during in a crash in 2012. The Grand Cherokee had a rear fuel tank that wasn’t part of the 1.56-million unit recall Jeep carried out because the tanks were especially prone to igniting after a rear impact collision. The trial took place in Decatur County, Georgia and was nearly two weeks long with the jury saying that Chrysler acted with “reckless and wanton disregard,” ordering the company to pay 99 percent of the damages. Responsible for the remaining one percent of the damages is the driver of the vehicle that rear-ended the Grand Cherokee.
SEE ALSO: NHTSA Ends Investigation into Jeep Gas Tank Fires
In 2013, Chrysler announced a recall on 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs while it conducted a “customer satisfaction campaign” for the 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees. At first, Chrysler denied there was a safety issue but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had linked over 50 deaths to fuel-tank issues.
[Source: Automotive News]
Discuss this story at our Jeep forum
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation
Howz dat saying go? Fuel Tank Fire Fiasco gets you Fined while Fracas Fiasco gets you Fired
Chrysler should be culpable in this case. Jeeps didn't meet the safety standards at the time and now Chrysler is trying to avoid any responsibility. Chrysler tried to evade responsibility for any Jeep over 10 years old when this first came up and then their solution was half-assed.