Chrysler Group announced that it has issued a recall for 780,000 minivans to replace power window switches.
If moisture comes into contact with these switches, they can short-circuit and overheat or catch fire, according to USA Today reported.
Eric Mayne, spokesperson for Chrysler, said 36 incidents have been reported involving fires and overheating after the switch became wet from rain, beverage spills and other circumstances. The company has not reported any injuries or accidents caused by the issue.
Customers affected by the malfunctioning switches would be contacted and advised on when they can schedule repairs, Nitrobahn reported. Until then, customers can visit dealers after May 14 to have the switches disconnected in order to remove the risk of them overheating.
Chrysler said the vehicles involved in the recall include Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country from model years 2010 through 2014. The company estimated that 644,850 of the vehicles were sold in the U.S., 8,009 are in Mexico, close to 106,980 are in Canada, while nearly 20,638 are outside North America.
Minivans with power window vents for passengers in the third row of seats are subject to the recall. The third row, unlike the first two, has a power-operated flap that is used for cooling down passengers. The switch is operated by the driver, USA Today reported.
The company said officials discovered the problem after studying warranty repair data. Moisture can also come into contact with the switch through snow and car washes.
Chrysler is also recalling 500 Fiat electric cars to replace the power inverter module, Nitrobahn reported. The recall was issue to stop a slow coolant leak onto electrical components that can cause a short circuit or power loss while a person is driving. Five incidents of power loss have been reported, but no injuries or accidents related to the issue have been reported.
The vehicles affected by the leak issue were all sold in the U.S., and were from model years 2010 through 2014. Customers will be contacted to schedule repairs.
