In a year that has featured reports of automobile recalls for a variety of reasons, ranging from defective airbags to engine fires, it is important to remind consumers that the size of a recall doesn’t always define the severity. Obviously, Ford’s six recalls in five months bring a great deal of concern to owners of the 2013 Fusion and Escape models, while Honda’s recent recall of more than 800,000 vehicles also affected drivers of at least three different models of popular automobiles. And while those recalls clearly affect more people than Lamborghini’s new recall of 144 Aventator vehicles, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t consumers who are equally worried about the quality and safety of their vehicles.
The same can be said for this week’s announcement by Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 734 2013 Dodge Durango midsize crossover vehicles are being recalled because they failed to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and specifically the regulation regarding “Tire Selection and Rims,” as the vehicle’s information misidentifies the vehicle’s allowable seating capacity. Basically, because of this incorrect label, these Durango models can be filled past capacity and the excess weight could increase the chances of injury to the driver and passengers in the case of an accident.
Chrysler will begin this recall in February 2013 by notifying drivers and providing them with a free replacement label. Otherwise, consumers and Durango owners can visit local dealerships and have the capacity labels replaced for free as well. For additional information, drivers can contact Chrysler at (800) 247-9753.
While this recall may seem rather insignificant, it does draw attention to the fact that many people are unaware of such safety standards when they’re purchasing a vehicle, as they may not know to check such things as a capacity label before making a decision. Additionally, as Ford displayed recently, these recalls based on safety warnings can actually be quite serious, as more than 154,000 newer model Fiestas were recalled because their airbags failed to meet safety standards. If the automobile manufacturers aren’t paying attention to the standards then the consumers must.