5 Million Cars Recalled Across United States Over Bad Cruise Control

Fiat Chrysler said that it has recalled nearly 5 million vehicles that get stuck in cruise control.

In all, 4.8 million vehicles need to have their software upgraded because a glitch causes cruise control to stay engaged, the automaker said.

Although drivers can still tap the brake, or put the vehicle in neutral to cancel the car’s cruise control, the firm is issuing a recall for the faulty software.

The recall includes Chrysler sedans and coupes, Dodge SUVs, and some Ram pickup trucks.

According to CNN, there have been no reported injuries.

The recalled models include 2015-17 Chrysler 200 sedan, 2014-18 Chrysler 300 sedan, 2014-18 Dodge Charger sedan, 2014-18 Dodge Durango SUV, 2014-18 Dodge Journey crossover, 2014-18 Jeep Cherokee SUV, 2014-18 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, 2014-18 Ram 2500 pickup, 2014-18 Ram 3500 cab chassis, 2014-18 Ram 3500 pickup, 2014-18 Ram 4500/5500 cab chassis, 2014-19 Ram 1500 pickup, 2015-18 Dodge Challenger coupe, 2017-18 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, and 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

Fiat Chrysler is asking owners of the recalled vehicles to take them into dealerships for the upgrade, which is at no additional cost.

The firm said that drivers shouldn’t use their vehicle’s cruise control in the meantime.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it “strongly encourages vehicle owners to follow a warning” to stop using cruise control on the recalled vehicles until repaired, Reuters reported.

The recall covers more than 4.8 million vehicles in the United States and 490,000 in Canada, regulators said.

NHTSA said drivers could overpower the system by forcefully applying the brakes until the vehicle stopped. Fiat Chrysler also said the vehicle could be stopped by shifting into neutral and braking.

Fiat Chrysler shares went down 2 percent in afternoon trading in New York after the announcement.

Fiat Chrysler said that at times cruise control systems automatically initiate acceleration to help vehicles maintain driver-selected speeds, including when going uphill. If an acceleration occurs simultaneously with a short-circuit in a specific electrical network, a driver could be unable to deactivate the function.

Fiat Chrysler made the announcement going into the busy U.S. Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally kicks off the summer driving season in the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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