Fiat Chrysler Faces $105 Million Fine for Lapses in Recalls

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is facing a record $105 million fine for recall lapses covering millions of vehicles, The Wall Street Journal reports.

According to the publication, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to fine Fiat Chrysler and assign an independent monitor to audit the company’s recall processes for an extended period as part of a sweeping settlement.

The government penalties target lapses spanning nearly two dozen recalls affecting more than 11 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles, including older Jeeps with rear gasoline tanks linked to numerous fatal fires.

The fines are tied to legal violations in an array of areas, including misleading and obstructing regulators; inadequate and lagging repairs; and failing to alert car owners to recalls in a timely manner, the WSJ said.

With 1.56 million recalled Jeeps linked to deadly fires, the agency has accused Fiat Chrysler of lagging in installing trailer hitches on the backs of vehicles for added protection in lower-speed collisions. Fiat Chrysler has said vehicle owners are often unwilling to get repairs despite many outreaches from the company.

The government penalties come days after regulators separately started probing Fiat Chrysler’s handling of recalled vehicles with possible cybersecurity flaws, after hackers commandeered controls of a moving Jeep. Those vehicles aren’t included in the settlement expected to be disclosed in the coming week.