Chrysler Launches Recalls of Nearly 842,000 Units

Chrysler Group LLC has announced five recalls to repair flaws in 841,800 cars, minivans, SUVs and commercial trucks it sold worldwide.

The largest campaign will replace a faulty microprocessor in the active head restraint systems built into 490,000 Chrysler 200 and Sebring cars, Dodge Avenger cars and Nitro SUVs and Jeep Liberty SUVs. About 90% of the vehicles are in the U.S.

Chrysler says the defective chip came from a source that entered the supply chain after Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami created a global shortage of microcontrollers.

A second recall will reprogram airbag software that incorrectly inflates side curtain airbags on the side opposite the point of impact. The fix covers 281,500 of Ram Cargo Van and Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans, nearly 80% of which were sold in the U.S.

In a third campaign, Chrysler dealers will reprogram electronic stability control software in 69,000 four-wheel-drive Ram 1500 pickup trucks. Two other small recalls involve switching an axle bolt in about 1,100 commercial trucks and replacing an incorrectly programmed airbag module about 200 of the company's minivans.