Stellantis (FCA US, LLC) is recalling approximately 11,650 units of its 2014 to 2019 Fiat 500 vehicles due to an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light. The TPMS warning light may not illuminate as intended, which means these vehicles do not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, “Tire Pressure Monitoring System.”
A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can cause the vehicle to be driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recall Chronology –
- February 11, 2019: Toluca Assembly Plant (TAP) was notified of the potential issue where TPMS sensor values could be programmed incorrectly during assembly. This was discovered on an FCA US LLC (“FCA US”) Engineering test vehicle.
- February 12, 2019: A review of plant production records indicated that one configuration placard calls out 38 PSI. The low tire pressure telltale should illuminate when the tire pressure drops to 28.5 PSI (a 25% drop in pressure) but may not come on until the pressure drops to the range of 28-27 PSI. While this range is below the FMVSS 138 25% requirement, it is still above the 20 PSI minimum activation pressure specified in Table 1.
- February 14, 2019: The FCA US Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (“TSRC”) organization was notified of the potential issue related to incorrect TPMS sensor values.
- February 28, 2019: FCA US Engineering completed a review of plant production records and identified all tire/wheel combinations with incorrect TPMS sensor values programmed into certain vehicles.
- April 4, 2019: FCA US determined, through the Vehicle Regulations Committee, to conduct a voluntary safety recall on the affected vehicles.
- May 3, 2019: FCA US petitioned the NHTSA for exemption from the notification and remedy requirements under 49 CFR Part 556.
- June 17, 2024: The petition denial was published in the Federal Register.
Remedy –
Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module free of charge. Owners are expected to be notified by mail starting on August 14, 2024.
Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403 using recall number 80B. They can also reach the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.safercar.gov.
