Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has issued a global recall order for nearly 500,000 of its Wrangler SUVs due to a wear issue in the steering wheel assembly that could lead to a failed airbag deployment in the event of a crash.
A total 498,985 Wranglers are effected in the recall ranging from those manufactured between 2007 and 2010. At this time, it is not known how many of that number pertains to units sold in Australia. The bulk of the Wranglers with this potential fault are those sold in the United States, which comes to 392,464 units.
The recall surrounds the clockspring mechanism and its related components that could be worn or rendered ineffective due to an excessive exposure to dust and dirt, something off-road capable vehicles like the Wranglers are used to experiencing more than others.
Should the mechanism be sufficiently worn, it could eventually lead to the driver-side airbag failing to be triggered during a collision. The circuit would be broken from this dust and dirt causes excessive wear, leading to a sensor embedded into the clockspring mechanism illuminating the airbag warning light. Wrangler owners are advised to contact their dealers if that happens.
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