NHTSA May Reopen Probe into Jeep Fuel Tank Fires

The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the agency may reopen the investigation it closed last year into fuel tank fires in Jeep SUVs made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.

Administrator Mark Rosekind tells reporters the agency is considering "every avenue" to address lingering claims that the fuel tanks in some 2.7 million affected Jeeps are more prone to bursting in a rear-end crash than the tanks in other vehicles.

FCA initially refused to recall the vehicles, which include 2002-2007 Liberty and 1993-2004 Grand Cherokee models, declaring the SUVs compliant with federal safety standards and statistically no more prone to fuel tank fires than other such vehicles.

FCA later agreed to recall 1.56 million of the Jeeps and install trailer hitches to help fortify the tanks. It also agreed to do the same under a less rigorous service action covering 1999-2004 Grand Cherokees.

But the company incurred NHTSA's ire by not beginning either program for a year. Since then the company reports it has installed the hitches on 388,000 vehicles, or 14% of the original target group.

FCA points out the agency concluded last year the Jeeps "do not pose an unreasonable risk to safety" and says no events since then should change that conclusion.