Another Chrysler recall — what it is and what to do

By Bruce Brown July 23, 2016

2015 Jeep Renegade — Andrew Hard/Digital Trends

Do you own one of these recalled cars? Most car manufacturers need to issue recalls now and then, but it seems that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is getting more than its share. The most recent recall is for 410,000 vehicles with potential problems with wiring harnesses, according to SlashGear. The result of the issue can be a sudden loss of propulsion. Thankfully, no crashes or injuries related to the crash have been reported.

The models involved in the recall are the 2015 model year Chrysler 200, Jeep Renegade, and Ram Promaster City vans. In addition, FCA is recalling some 2014 and 2015 Jeep Cherokees. Most of the vehicles are in North America, with 323,000 in the U.S. and 35,000 in Canada. That leaves 52,000 additional vehicles around the rest of the world.

The problem involves electronics related to the wiring and system software. Both will be addressed when you take your vehicle to the dealer. The wiring harness will be replaced and the software updated. No timing has been announced for the recall repairs — typically, a manufacturer doesn’t notify owners until it is ready to repair or replace the involved components. There won’t be any charge for the service, of course.

If you have one of the recalled cars, SUVs, or vans and experience a loss of propulsion, the first thing to do is to get to a safe place to stop. Turn off the engine and then turn it back on again and you should be fine.

When turning off electronics, it’s generally a good idea to let things settle for a few seconds before restarting. This can be compared to resetting the CMOS in your laptop by powering off, removing the AC cable, or taking out the battery. It also applies to unplugging a confused cable modem. So pull over where you can do it safely, switch off the ignition, count to ten, and restart.

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Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…

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