Jeep Grand Cherokees Crash tests - Article Example

Jeep Grand Cherokee Crash Tests - By Harish Das A review by an auto safety group s that the Jeep Grand Cherokee(1993-2004) was susceptible to fires if involved in a rear collision, This has been corroborated by the Center for Auto Safety which suggests that the Grand Cherokee’s fuel system is more dangerous in rear impact collisions than other competing vehicles of the time. Approximately three million Grand Cherokees, had been built by Chrysler during this period, however Mr. Micheal Palese (Chrysler spokesman) states that the vehicle has a good safety record and does not have any fire problems in a rear impact collision.

Chrysler changed the placement of the fuel tank in the Grand Cherokee in 2005, where it was moved from next to the rear bumper to a position ahead of the rear axle. This design change as per Chrysler was not due to fire concerns but to accommodate the spare tyre. As per Clarence Ditlow, (executive director of the Center for Auto Safety) rear impact crash tests of the Grand Cherokee carried out on the 1995, 1996 and 1999 models showed gasoline leaks that could endanger the occupants of the Grand Cherokee as well as the striking vehicle.

The Center conducted similar tests with a 1995 Ford Explorer which maintained an intact fuel system. Based on a request by the Center for Auto Safety, The federal safety agency carried out a preliminary investigation of the 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees. As per the Center for Auto Safety, it had found 172 fatal fire crashes between 1992 and 2008 that caused 254 deaths. In one of the accidents in 1999, the driver of a vehicle that had struck the rear of a Grand Cherokee died while the occupants were severely burned.

In another case in 2006, a 4 year old girl (Cassidy Jarmon) sitting in a child seat in the second row was severely burned in a Jeep Cherokee rear impact crash. While Cassidy survived the crash she died of burns and smoke inhalation two days later. The Police investigations claim that the cause of the fire was due to a punctured gas tank caused by the Jeeps trailer hitch, Chrysler stated that the Grand Cherokee was hit at a speed that was higher than the federal requirements and that the Grand Cherokee was as safe as any of its competitors in terms of rear impact accidents.

While the safety agency granted the Center for Auto Safety’s petition, However its preliminary review did not find the Grand Cherokee to be over susceptible to post-crash fires, The center maintains that there are two serious problems with the Grand Cherokee, 1) The gas tank of the Grand Cherokee is located behind the axle, below the bumper in what is called the crush zone. A consultant of the center (Carl Nash former N.H.T.S.A) said that the gas tank position makes it very vulnerable to being punctured in a rear impact collision. 2) The Fuel filler pipe in the Grand Cherokee was positioned so that it can rip away in a rear impact, allowing gasoline to escape from the tank.

In documents filed with N.H.T.S.A., Chrysler insisted the Grand Cherokee design was safe and did not pose any unreasonable risk in a rear impact collision. Chrysler claimed that a recall on the Grand Cherokee was not warranted However Mr Allan Kam (director of Highway Traffic Safety Associates, Bethesda, Md) states that Automakers have a legal responsibility to make vehicles safe and even if an automaker meets a minimum safety standard, it can still be required to recall a vehicle. When the Grand Cherokee was introduced, safety standards stated that a vehicle could leak a tiny amount of gasoline after a 30 m.p.h rear impact; however specialists say that the speed was too low.

In September 2006 the safety agency increased the speed to 50 m.p.h on similar concerns. The Center for Auto Safety also states that in certain cases of rear impact collisions in Grand Cherokee’s, people died as they could not escape due to jammed doors. The center’s report to the N.H.T.S.A said that, the optional off-road package that included a skid plate seemed to make a difference in crash tests as Grand Cherokees tested with the package did not suffer from a punctured gas tank on rear impact collisions, however the problem of the fuel filler hoses ripping loose either from the gas tank or from the fender causing a spray of gasoline substitute during tests still remained.

In another test where the filler hose pulled out of the fender but no leakage of gasoline was noticed when the Grand Cherokee was upright, however when rolled over on its side gasoline leaked out. In another test conducted on a 1996 Grand Cherokee without a skid plate, the gas tank was punctured in a 40. m.p.h collision, causing a fuel leakage. According to Mr. Arndt, this problem could resolved by protecting the gas tank with a skid plate and installing a device to prevent gasoline leakage in case of the filler pipe being ripped free.

Chrysler may have to recall the Grand Cherokee if Mr. Ditlow’s plea successful, As per federal regulations, Chrysler would not have to pay for repairs that are older than 10 years, however they would have to inform all vehicle owners about the recall. I chose this particular write-up as it showcases the fact that large corporate like Chrysler in this case wilfully turn a blind eye towards ethics & human safety, wilfully disregarding the safety standards set in place in favour of profit. It is through the hard work of organisations like the Center for Auto Safety that these cover-ups can be brought to light.

References: 1) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/automobiles/19FIRES.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hpw