Filed under: Maintenance, Minivans/MPVs, SUVs, Recalls/TSBs, Chrysler, LLC., Daimler, Dodge
Chrysler recalling 269,000 vehicles over wiper defect
DaimlerChrysler announced Monday that it will reach out to nearly 269,000 Dodge and Chrysler owners and ask them to
return their vehicles to the nearest mothership dealership. The automaker is recalling Dodge Durangos,
Caravans and Grand Caravans, along with Chrysler's Town & Country to inspect and/or change-out a defective
windshield wiper armature. The manufacturer has notified NHTSA of this voluntary recall, which includes models
from 2005 and 2006 model years.
[Source: Reuters via MSNBC]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gardiner Westbound 8:26AM (3/21/2006)
Automakers have been putting electric windshield wipers in cars for over fifty years, prior to that they were vacuum powered, and Chrysler still hasnt got the hang of it. Or, exactly how cheap are Chrysler parts?
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Mike 9:18AM (3/21/2006)
are you just a DC hater? Are you so blinded by your hatred for DC products that it is out of the question that perhaps it has nothing to do with DC itself, but rather the parts supplier delivered a bad batch?
wow, no, that wouldn't happen, DC makes bad products, not the manufacturer of the part being recalled.
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Puff Chippy 10:00AM (3/21/2006)
Amen. If this were Toyota everyone would be all "isn't that great they're voluntarily fixing these free of charge, how responsible of them" but because it's Dodge/Chrysler all the America haters will be whining and screaming about how this is just one more example of why American cars suck. Losers.
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freestufftimes.com 10:14AM (3/21/2006)
I'm surprised this doesn't apply to Dakotas too, since its a similar platform as the durango.
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Richard Warren 11:49AM (3/21/2006)
Yep, you get tired of the BS that's for sure. Fact is Chrysler did not design or make the wiper motor, it came from an outside vendor, just like nearly everyone else.
And #3 you hit it right on the head, Toyota or anyone else Asian "Proactive" recalls are just fine. European or Domestic, "it's a bad thing, can't make a car" or insert other BS here.
Not only that, this is a "voluntary recall"
Would have been nice if Toyota had "recalled" it's sludge problems in a voluntary way instead of forcing owners to sue.
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RossL 12:17PM (3/21/2006)
Sheesh. You guys are way too thin-skinned. Anyone who knows anything about cars is aware that the a large proportion of the parts come from OEMs. Of course, they also know that, from the consumer's standpoint, the car manufacturer is responsible for the quality of those parts ("the buck stops here"). That's as it should be, particularly since OEMs face constant pressure from car manufacturers to lower their prices.
Sure, post #1 was a gratuitous swipe. But does that really justify declaring war on Japan?
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Jaimie B 12:22PM (3/21/2006)
Cannot even get something as simple as wipers right. How embarassing.
Oh well, at least they're part imported so let's forgive them on this one.
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VOZ 12:32PM (3/21/2006)
The dakota and the durango are no longer the same platform. Or have not notice the diffrents lol. The durango has been change to a full size SUV the dakota is still a mid size truck. Very diffrent. But you know when toyota has a recall they never make it a large news. Why? Because they try to make people belevie that there procducts are perfect with no defects lol. Yeah riiight.
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Jaimie B 12:38PM (3/21/2006)
"Sure, post #1 was a gratuitous swipe. But does that really justify declaring war on Japan?"
Declaring war on Japan actually happens quite often here on Autoblog by the same few people. I notice this happens when:
1) Something negative is reported about a domestic manufacturer. Based on the sorry financial state of the domestic companies (not to mention pathetic quality issues), this type of justifiably negative publicity is common these days.
2) Something positive is reported about a Japanese manufacturer. Again, based on the countless number of awards and recognition by owners and media, there's quite a bit of these type of articles these days.
These Jap-bashers are such an insecure bunch aren't they. It's as if they're in denial about the impending collapse of GM/Ford.
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Frank 12:44PM (3/21/2006)
#6 I don't think anyone is declaring war on Japan, but rather, the attitude of some of the commentors here. There is at the very least a percieved double standard of the reaction to a recall by a domestic or foreign based manufacturer. I think that it is a real double standard. The other posters are right too, it's a supplier that made the part.
Years a ago I noticed that Ford, Mazda, VW, and one or two other Japanese makes all had recalls at the same time. The problem was the same - the airbags. I knew what that meant - the airbag supplier to each of those makes was the same and they screwed something up. So based on the logic of number 1 post I should think that those companies (including Mazda and the other Japanese companies) are made with "cheap" parts, but Chrysler which did not have any recalls at this time for their airbags (which of course were from a different supplier) was a "great" car. This is simply not logical. I knew it was not the fault of the auto makers for that airbag recall - they all got burned by the supplier... and I don't blame Chrysler for this recall but applaud them for doing the right thing.
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Richard Warren 1:16PM (3/21/2006)
No one is declaring war on Japan or the Japanese, or their product here. The comments go back to #1 and the instant BS that the domestics can't do anything right.
Well, I'm here to tell you once again that the domestics (and I still consider Chrysler, domestic) continue as a group to out build, outsell and consumers out buy imports every year. So sorry to say they do know how to build product and product that people want. It might just be product YOU or I may not want at the moment.
These are machines, assembled by humans, as well as the parts that suppliers sell them, design flaws happen, products break, and not one damn car made is perfect, even the one at the top of the lists.
To simply slur the domestics just because you don't like a car or maker is just plain dumb.
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Alex 1:25PM (3/21/2006)
I am a Dodge Durango Owner, and am very satisfied with my SUV.
What bothers me most, is that fact that these Domestic haters, love to post their comments.
Don't you people haven't anything better to do then look for domestic cars to trash?
Get a life!
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ETMC 1:38PM (3/21/2006)
If you want to blame a nationality, let's perhaps focus our kool-aid-fueled brawls upon the French company that supplied a vast majority of the systems in these vehicles.
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Finished.Law.School 1:50PM (3/21/2006)
Anyone know who the wiper manufacturer is? It isn't Chrysler...
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whofan 4:38PM (3/21/2006)
Double standards is right.
Just look at the GM topics if anything good is said people bounce on it with the typical Toyota is great retoric.
Its ok for Chrysler to have minor adjustments. Toyota has been having their share lately.
Does this mean either car is bad? I think not.
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Tom 5:11PM (3/21/2006)
Was there ever a massive GM recall for their wiper problem? I still see many GM cars with the wipers parked upright.
I've heard many stories---it's not a safety defect because the wipers still work. I don't agree because when they park on the windshield, they do affect vision. I've also heard that after a certain model year, the problem was corrected. I believe the year was 2003. I see 2006 models with the same problem, so I don't think the problem has truly been fixed.
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RamSport47 6:37PM (3/21/2006)
it's probably the same wiper motor as their beloved Hondas and Toyotas that are assembled here use, only Chrysler had the nuts to do a voluntary recall. Oh, 269,000 is NOT a massive recall, but toyota recalling over a million last year is
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BrianP 12:31AM (4/13/2006)
even thought DC didnt manufacture the parts,why didnt they test or inspect the outsourced junk.lets just throw a vehicle together and assume that it will work,duh.and yes i have an american car
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