(Bloomberg) — It took more than two years for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV to make replacements for a defective nut that put drivers of Ram trucks in danger of losing control when their wheels locked up. Other Ram owners waited more than 15 months for a broken tie-rod fix.
Fiat Chrysler also dragged its feet on fixing faulty ignition switches and tire failures and has repaired only 6 percent of Jeep Grand Cherokees with exposed gas tanks that can catch on fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The examples were cited at an unusual hearing in Washington convened by the safety agency in response to what it says is the company's mishandling of recalls for more than 10 million vehicles to fix various flaws. NHTSA is considering punishments that could include fines or forcing Fiat Chrysler to buy back defective vehicles, said Mark Rosekind, head of the NHTSA. Criminal charges could also be sought.
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