NHTSA rules Wrangler doesn't need recall for fuel spillage problems
 

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Jeep

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 615 complaints so far about the 2007 and 2008 Jeep Wrangler over issues of fuel spillage. The complaints say that when the Wrangler is being refueled, there's nothing that stops the fuel from spilling over onto the ground, all over the car or even on the person doing the refueling once the tank is full. NHTSA received so many complaints that the agency opened up its own investigation in August, 2010 to look into the matter.

After more than seven months of testing, though, NHTSA hasn't uncovered an issue that would require a recall. That is, of course, exactly what Chrysler has said all along. The Auburn Hills-based automaker contends that the issue only presents itself when the plastic o-ring on the inlet check valve swells from being exposed to fuel with a concentration of ethanol greater than 10 percent.

In the end, the big question is how so many complaints made it to NHTSA's desk when this really isn't such a wide-spread problem. NHTSA claims that the buzz surrounding this issue came from the Internet, which could explain why the number of complaints was so high. The agency claims on its website that "ODI suspects that the NHTSA safety complaints submitted by subject vehicles owners may have been influenced by Internet-related publicity both before and during this investigation." Don't look at us. Follow the jump to read over the over NHTSA investigation results.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4x4

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[Source: NHTSA, MyFoxDC via The Car Connection]Continue reading NHTSA rules Wrangler doesn't need recall for fuel spillage problems

NHTSA rules Wrangler doesn't need recall for fuel spillage problems originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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