Dodge Caliber being probed for sticky pedal issue

[DainBramaged]

Chrysler Group's 2007 Dodge Caliber cars are under federal investigation for unintended acceleration caused by a sticky pedal -- the same type of problem that led to a large Toyota recall this year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating as many as 161,000 Calibers for an accelerator pedal that “can stick or bind and not return to the idle position when it is released.”

The safety agency has received five customer complaints but no reports of deaths, injuries or crashes.



Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100503/OEM/100509989/1251#ixzz0mtXQ9dRl

[FarCenter]

1. CTS pedals again

The AP reports that NHTSA’s investigation of the pedals manufactured by CTS that were behind Toyota’s recent unintended acceleration recall has widened to include 2007 model-year Dodge Calibers. Dodge built 161,000 Calibers in the 2007 model-year, but according to Chrysler Group complaints of sticking accelerators only cover about 10,000 vehicles built between March and April of 2006… even though all 2007 model-year vehicles were built with CTS pedals. So what’s the difference between vehicles made in that five-week period and the rest of the 2007 model-year? According to Chrysler spokesfolks:

We have data that is telling us that there were a certain amount of complaints during that time period

Though Chrysler claims to be cooperating with NHTSA’s investigation, it refused to reveal to the AP what other vehicles it may have built with the CTS pedals. NHTSA says it notified Chrysler of its investigation of Calibers on April 23, based on five complaints it received of gas pedal sticking on Calibers. According to the report:

Four of the Caliber drivers reported they found small parts of the gas pedal known as bushings on the driver side floor. Without the bushings, it is possible for the pedals to become stuck, according to NHTSA

Chrysler says all Calibers are equipped with brake override systems, designed to prevent unintended acceleration. More on this investigation as it breaks.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/toyota-recall-cts-sticky-pedal-investigation-snags-dodge-caliber/