Press Release

NHTSA Urges Owners to Heed Chrysler Hatch latch Recall

11/18/96

NHTSA Concerned About Chrysler Hatch Latch Replacement Rates
in Older Vehicles


WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- While reporting good progress
overall on the repair campaign under which 1984-1995 Chrysler minivans
can receive a stronger, safer rear liftgate latch, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that the response
rate by owners of the oldest models continues to be very low.

NHTSA Administrator Ricardo Martinez, M.D., said that the repair
campaign began in September 1995 on a phased-in basis. The completion
rate for the later-model year vehicles is high -- 62 percent of the
1993-95 models with the remote latch release feature and 60 percent of
the 1993-95 models with a manual latch release have had new latches
installed. However, NHTSA is concerned that only about 26 percent of
the 1984-89 minivans without the remote release feature and 14 percent
of the 1984-89 minivans with the remote release feature have had new
latches installed.

"Automobile safety on our roads is our highest priority, and we
strongly urge minivan owners to obtain the stronger, safer rear latch
from their dealers as soon as possible," Dr. Martinez said.

At the insistence of NHTSA, Chrysler made a commitment to undertake a
number of measures to encourage owners to bring the vehicles to their
dealers for repairs. This included follow-up owner notification
letters, phone calls and advertising. These activities will continue
in an effort to boost the completion rate for the older vehicles.

An electronic version of this document can be obtained via the World
Wide Web at: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/index.html.