Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is recalling over 5.3 million vehicles in North America due a defect that could avoid drivers from deactivating cruise control, the company stated, cautioning owners not to make use of the function until they get software upgraded.
The automaker stated no injuries or crashes are associated with the large recall campaign but informed it had one report of a U.S. driver of a 2017 Dodge Journey rental car that was not able to deactivate the cruise control.
Fiat Chrysler, which in 2015 was hit with charges from U.S. regulators amounting $175 million for safety lapses, did not stated how much the recalls would cost.
The recall addresses what Fiat Chrysler referred as “extremely rare” series of events that could result in drivers being unable to cancel cruise control, a electronic device that permits a vehicle to maintain a constant speed without driver intervention.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated on Friday it “strongly encourages vehicle owners to follow a warning” to stop using cruise control on the recalled vehicles until fixed.
The recall covers over 4.8 million vehicles in the United States and about 490,000 in Canada, regulators stated.
NHTSA stated drivers could overpower the system by forcefully using the brakes until the vehicle stopped. Fiat Chrysler also informed the automobile could be stopped by shifting into neutral and braking.
