FCA CEO Defends Safety of Jeep Gas Tanks

By Detroit Steel - March 25, 2015

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There’s one huge takeaway in all the controversy surrounding the millions of Jeeps recalled for possible gas tank fires: Sergio Marchionne seems to be standing firmly behind the safety of the SUVs.

A Detroit News source obtained a 171-page deposition given in January, with regards to the Georgia case of a 4-year-old boy who was killed in a Jeep fire. In the deposition, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO said older Jeeps, which have gas tanks located behind the rear axle, are no more susceptible to fires than other SUVs.

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“Our analysis of that data suggested these were defect-free vehicles, and that they performed exactly as the rest of the comparative class performed in the marketplace at the time. Our analysis suggests very clearly that this is not a defect,” Marchionne said, as highlighted in the Detroit News report.

The Jeep fires have been the subject of much concern after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked Chrysler to recall 2.7 million 1992-98 Grand Cherokees and 2002-07 Jeep Libertys due to the potential fire risks in a crash.

The Georgia case, which helped drive the recall, involves four-year-old Remington Walden, who was strapped into the back seat of a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee when the SUV was hit by a pickup and caught on fire, according to a WSBTV.com report.
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In another case involving a 2003 Liberty in Detroit, the gas tank is being looked at to see if it might have led to a fire that killed a 23-year-old mom-to-be who died after her Jeep was struck from behind and burst into flames.

Exactly whether or not Jeep will be held liable for either of the cases remains to be seen.