Consumer
Groups Renew Push For Seat Belt Recall Reuters -
03/13/03 - A leading consumer group stepped up pressure Thursday for a voluntary
recall of seat belts on up to 16 million Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles amid
fresh assertions they can unlatch during crashes.
The demand from Public Citizen came as another lawsuit was filed in Texas over
claims that the third generation, or Gen3, model buckle in Chrysler vehicles is
defective.
Consumer groups and lawyers claim that belt failures are linked to 14 deaths and
19 serious injuries.
Public Citizen joined the Washington-based Center for Auto Safety in calling for
a recall of Gen3 belts installed across Chrysler's product line since 1994.
Vehicles include the Dakota pickup, the Durango sport utility and minivans.
The Center for Auto Safety urged Chrysler to recall the belts and replace them
with its next generation.
But Chrysler could not immediately confirm that it had received any consumer
complaints and said it does not plan to issue a recall.
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