NHTSA Investigation RQ08005

FUEL SPIT-BACK DURING REFUELING

IN ITS LETTER DATED JANUARY 6, 2009, CHRYSLER INFORMED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL EXPAND THE SCOPE OF RECALL 05V-034 TO INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 19,000 ADDITIONAL MY 2005 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES BUILT FROM 10/13/04 THROUGH 11/30/04 (REFER TO RECALL 09V-003).DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INLET CHECK VALVES AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY IF NECESSARY.IN MARCH 2005, CHRYSLER INITIATED A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 24,000 MY 2005 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES BUILT FROM 3/1/04 TO 10/12/04 (REFER TO RECALL 05V-034).THE RECALL WAS CONDUCTED TO REMEDY FUEL-SPIT BACK PROBLEMS CAUSED BY STUCK INLET CHECK VALVES IN THE FUEL TANK FILLER TUBES.AT THAT TIME, CHRYSLER STATED THAT THE SUPPLIER OF THE FUEL TANKS HAD IDENTIFIED AN EARLY OCTOBER 2004 MANUFACTURING CHANGE THAT SHOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.HOWEVER, HIGHER RATES OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR THE MY 2005 DURANGO VEHICLES BUILT FROM 10/13/04 TO 11/30/04 COMPARED WITH THE REMAINING MY 2005 DURANGO VEHICLES BUILT AFTER NOVEMBER 2004 INDICATE THE SPIT BACK PROBLEM CONTINUED IN THE FIELD FOR VEHICLES BUILT FROM MID-OCTOBER THROUGH THE END OF NOVEMBER.CHRYSLER REPORTED PROCESS MODIFICATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED ON 11/24/04 TO ADDRESS SPIT BACK PROBLEMS AND BELIEVES THESE PROCESS CHANGES WOULD HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED IN ALL VEHICLES BUILT AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT AS OF 11/30/04. BASED ON CHRYSLER'S EXPANDED RECALL, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.