Probe Reveals 266 Crashes And 68 Injuries Caused By Chrysler Gear Shifters

A government investigation into confusing gear shifters like the one in the SUV that crushed and killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin found 266 crashes that injured 68 people.

The numbers are in documents posted Tuesday on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. The agency closed the investigation last Friday after Fiat Chrysler agreed to recall 1.1 million vehicles.

Investigators also found 686 consumer complaints about the shifters and said that Fiat Chrysler received negative customer feedback shortly after the vehicles went on sale. The company also appeared to violate basic design guidelines for vehicle controls with the shifters, according to the agency.

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MDarringer - 6/29/2016 3:31:17 PM

0 Boost

Heaven forbid you bump the damned thing! The design could not possibly be more unsafe if they tried. I seriously do not know why manufacturers reinvent the wheel.

The 2016 Fusion has a stick for controlling the automatic. The 2017 has a knob. The knob isn't intuitive like the stick. Not an improvement.

carloslassiter - 6/29/2016 10:20:56 PM

+2 Boost

At least the dysfunctional electric blinker signal on my BMW has never run me over in the driveway.