Chrysler recalling salt-belt Libertys

Chrysler will conduct a voluntary safety recall of some 2004 – 2005 Jeep Liberty models that may experience excessive corrosion on the rear lower control arms. This could lead to a weakening of the component potentially leading to a fracture that would decrease rear suspension stability.

Approximately 267,353 Jeep Liberty models (209,746 U.S. and 24,727 Canada) produced from July 3, 2003 through July 14, 2005 are affected.

“The excessive corrosion is a result of extended exposure to road salt, which is why the campaign is limited to vehicles originally sold or currently registered in salt belt states as defined by the NHSTA,” said David Dillon, Head of Product Investigation and Campaigns, Chrysler Group LLC.

Chrysler Group LLC is not is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue.

Chrysler recalling Charger squads for headlamp fix

Chrysler is recalling 9,688 2011-2012 Dodge Charger police cars to repair a problem with the headlamp system. According to a statement, the company will change and relocate the ABS/ESC fuse and replace the headlamp jumper harness. Some police vehicles were built with front headlamps that could experience a loss of low beam operation as a result of an overheated bulb harness connector, while other may experience a loss of ABS/ESC as a result of an overheated Power Distribution Module.

“The conditions tend to occur when police vehicles are exposed to severe police duty vehicle cycles for an extended period of time including, long durations of high speed, evasive driving when used as training vehicles for police forces and extended idling,” said David Dillon, Head of Product Investigation and Campaigns. “We will continue to monitor the retail fleet for any occurence of this condition beyond police vehicles.”

The recall affects Dodge Charger models produced between July 5, 2010, and December 20, 2011.

The company is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

Chrysler opens WCM Academy

Chrysler today dedicated its new World-Class Manufacturing (WCM) Academy in the UAW-Chrysler Technology Training Center on Nine Mile Road in Warren, Michigan.

During a ceremony attended by Scott Garberding, Chrysler’s Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, General Holiefield, head of the UAW’s Chrysler Department, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Warren Mayor Jim Fouts, the ribbon was cut to officially open the new training center, which occupies about 25,000-square-feet of the training center.

The Academy’s mission is to transfer WCM skills and knowledge to more than 1,200 participants each year to create a rich culture of continuous improvement and learning. Another 1,300 people will visit the Academy for tours and meetings.

WCM is a methodology that Fiat began developing, implementing and refining in 2005 with the purpose of reducing waste, increasing productivity and restoring dignity to the employees. As a result of the collaboration with Fiat and the sharing of knowledge, WCM has become the driving force behind the improvements in all of Chrysler Group’s manufacturing plants.

“When Chrysler was developing its survival plan in partnership with Fiat in 2009, one of the key elements of turning the Company around was the implementation of World Class Manufacturing,” said Garberding. “Now, after two and a half years, our Chrysler Group manufacturing facilities are some of the most productive and efficient in the industry, and several are positioned to achieve Bronze status, a significant milestone on the WCM journey, within the next six months.

“The results that have been achieved in our plants could not have been realized without the support of our UAW partners,” said Garberding. “From the leadership to the shop floor, everyone has become an advocate of WCM and understands that it is critical to maintaining Chrysler Group’s competitiveness into the future. It’s this knowledge and expertise that we want to make available to everyone within the organization through this new academy.”

“WCM has engaged and empowered our UAW-represented workforce by challenging them to become more involved in driving change within our plants,” said Holiefield. “Our employees understand that WCM is the foundation of Chrysler Group’s continued success and the WCM Academy provides the opportunity for continued growth and development. By embracing WCM, we can secure manufacturing jobs and additional investment in our plants.”

Town & Country, Challenger and Jeep brand win Polk awards

Chrysler received three Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards for the 2011 model year. The Chrysler Town & Country won the “Minivan” category for an eleventh consecutive time, the Dodge Challenger took the “Sports Car” segment for the second year in a row and the entire Jeep Brand took the “Most Improved Loyalty to Make” award.

“Achieving loyalty honors across the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands is evidence of Chrysler Group’s organizational commitment to both owner loyalty and product excellence,” said Brad Smith, director of Polk’s Loyalty Management Practice. “Consumers have many options when they return to market and it’s clear that Chrysler Group is committed to retaining their owner base.”

The awards recognize manufacturers for superior owner loyalty performance, which is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle returns to market and purchases or leases another new vehicle of the same model or make. The 2011 awards are based on an analysis of 5.5 million return-to-market events during the 2011 model year.

“We’re very happy to accept these Loyalty Awards from Polk, especially considering that they’re a direct reflection of customer satisfaction,” said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President – Quality, Chrysler Group LLC. “We have gone to great lengths in recent years to improve our line-up with better performing, higher quality vehicles—and to take better care of our customers after the sale. These awards help validate those efforts.”