Chrysler Now Replacing Ignition Switches on 702,000 Cars

Eight months after submitting a recall for ignition switches that could cut the engines on 696,000 vehicles, Chrysler has concluded that it will replace the switches instead of trying to repair them, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2008–2010 Dodge Grand Caravan, Journey, and Chrysler Town & Country have ignition switches that may have poor detents and allow the key to be stuck between the accessory and run positions while the engine is running. If the key slips into the accessory position, the car will shut off and disable all power assists and the airbags, similar to the problem on millions of General Motors vehicles. Chrysler said it had been trying to redesign the detent ring and program new software but found that it would “take significantly longer" than simply replacing the switches outright. The company also said it had switched suppliers from Continental to Marquardt and expanded the total population to 702,578 cars.

Starting April 6, dealers will start replacing the switches (and the keys) for 2008–2009 models; owners of 2010 models will have to wait until August 3. Until then, the company recommends removing everything dangling off the keychain. This recall expands upon an initial recall in February 2011 that included only 250,000 models from 2010. Chrysler has received at least 55 owner complaints of stalling, 465 warranty claims, and two rear-end collisions related to the defect. Last month, Chrysler recalled 338,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee models for fuel-pump relays that could stall the engine. In January, Chrysler recalled 753,176 vehicles for airbags that could inadvertently deploy, along with identical recalls from Toyota and Honda. CarAndDriver