The Chrysler Group LLC and Mazda North American Operations have issued vehicle recalls due to problems relating to the vehicles' tire pressure monitoring systems.
Chrysler is voluntarily recalling an estimated 33,443 light trucks in two separate campaigns. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Chrysler is recalling an estimated 23,053 model year 2014 Ram ProMaster full-size vans because the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) may fail to learn the locations of the individual sensors while the vehicle is being driven.
As a result, the low tire pressure warning light will illuminate, despite the tire pressures being within specification. Should one of the tires lose air pressure, the driver would not be notified of the change in air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
If the TPMS light illuminates because the sensors cannot be located, it could mask an actual low tire pressure condition, possibly resulting in tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the TPMS module with new software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in this month. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P62.
The second Chrysler campaign will reconfigure a TPMS module to disable a test mode that was inadvertently left on following shipment from the supplier. When installed in a vehicle, a TPMS module configured this way may not get accurate tire-pressure readings, which could result in a false warning. Affected are an estimated 10,390 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country minivans from model-year 2014. All are in the U.S. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.
Mazda also reports that certain Mazda6 vehicles built from Oct. 25, 2012, through Oct. 10, 2014, do not comply with the detection requirement specified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for TPMS illumination.
A TPMS warning light must illuminate a low tire pressure warning within 20 minutes of the tire’s air pressure in one or more of the vehicle’s tires, up to a total of four tires, if the tire pressure falls to 25% below the recommended/specified tire pressure. Gradual deflation tests showed the subject Mazda6 vehicles did not satisfy the detection requirement under a specific test condition.
On the affected vehicles, dealers will reprogram the ABS module to correct the TPMS light illumination specification. Owners of affected vehicles have been notified by mail. Mazda encourages customers to bring their vehicles in as soon as possible for this repair.
Approximately 100,000 Mazda6 vehicles are affected.
