Chrysler turned to the courts in an attempt to recoup the millions of dollars it spent on a recall and the costs of injuries related to faulty seat heaters supplied by Magna International, according to today’s reports. The heaters, which could reportedly burn occupants or start fires, were installed in the automaker’s Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans built for the 1999 and 2000 model years, and repaired under a recall in 2005.
In April of 2004, Chrysler wrote to the NHTSA, saying it received 221 complaints regarding the seats, 26 of which claimed minor injuries and 33 fires, as per an Automotive News report. Five of the complaints turned into lawsuits. A Chrysler spokesperson said it had only one reported case of injuries, but four law firms found over a dozen between the minivans and SUV. The amounts of money the lawsuits seek were not disclosed, and some were settled before going to trial.
The vans’ front-seat heater elements, modules and related wiring were replaced in about in 161,500 units over two recalls in 2005, though Chrysler wouldn’t put a figure on the costs involved, saying only it was in the millions. The lawsuit alleges seat heaters failed due to wiring problems or solder failure, or a combination of both.
In related news, Chrysler is being sued over similar problems with seat heaters in 2003 and 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee s, although these were supplied by Johnson Controls Inc. but it’s not known if there will be court proceedings in this case. Chrysler voluntarily replaced the seats but denied it was a safety problem.
