Yahoo Autos Fiat Chrysler Recalls 298,000 Dodge Dart Sedans for Broken Shifter Cables
The recall affects the entire run of 2013 through 2016 Dart sedans in the U.S., except for the few cars that were equipped with a manual transmission.
The problem is so frequent that it has occurred in eight of every 1000 warranty claims for the Dart, Fiat Chrysler said.
The recall begins after Memorial Day, although thousands of owners have already had the defect fixed under warranty or paid for out-of-warranty repairs.
Fiat Chrysler is recalling every automatic-transmission Dodge Dart in the United States to fix a transmission shifter cable that can break and render the gear selector useless, according to a company statement and a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A total of 298,439 Dart sedans are affected from the 2013–2016 model years. A bushing on the shifter cable can wear out and cause the cable to separate from the six-speed automatic transmission in any gear, the filing said. The only indication that this is happening is the shift lever itself, which will feel unusually light to the touch when moving between gear positions. This means the transmission may not be in park even when the shift lever indicates that it is, which could let the car roll away. Essentially, the defect compromises any number of critical driving situations where the transmission won't respond to the selected gear.
FCA said it discovered the issue in October through an automated software analysis of repair claims. The automaker then inspected damaged bushings from owner vehicles and reviewed more claims for the next several months. Through March 29, FCA said it knows of at least 10,206 reports of broken shifter cables, including among warranty and paid service visits at Dodge dealers. The problem is so frequent that it has occurred in eight of every 1000 warranty claims for the Dart, according to the filing. FCA said it has no knowledge of any accidents or injuries resulting from the defect.
Starting May 31, dealers will start replacing the shifter cable bushing with a "more robust" part. Dart owners who paid for this repair previously should contact FCA for reimbursement, which will be detailed in a forthcoming letter sent by U.S. mail. In August 2015, FCA recalled a smaller number of Dart models for automatic transmissions that could shift into neutral without warning. In December 2015, FCA recalled more Dart sedans for loss of power brakes. The first-year 2013 Dart has been recalled five previous times.
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