FCA Announces Strategy To Buyback Vehicles And Incentivize Repairs

We reported previously FCA announced the recall and repurchase of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Now more details have been released about just how they plan to undertake this initiative. FCA has announced they will either incentivize consumers to get their recall or buyback work completed.

If a consumer with a vehicle falls within the recall parameters that needs repair, they can receive a $100 Visa gift card for compliance with the factory recall. If a consumer wants to trade-in their vehicle there are incentives of up to $2000. FCA is also offering to buyback select vehicles at market value and then 10% on top of that. FCA is slated to release the value for some owners of their recalled trucks and SUVs as early as September 7. “It is imperative that all vehicles implicated by recalls are inspected and serviced, as required,” explained Scott Kunselman, FCA Senior Vice President Safety and Regulatory Compliance. “Remedies are available, we are servicing vehicles, and we encourage affected customers to contact their dealers.”

The announcement of recall repairs and buyback incentives is part of a recall initiative announced by FCA after the NHTSA issued the automaker a record $105 million fine as part of a consent order. The NHTSA found fault with how FCA handled 23 million different recalls covering 11 million vehicles. In a statement on the matter, U.S. Transportation secretary Anthony Foxx explained, “Today’s action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward. This civil penalty puts manufacturers on notice that the Department will act when they do not take their obligations to repair safety defects seriously.”

There are approximately 175,000 not repaired vehicles that are still eligible to be bought back by FCA. The following vehicles are part of the buyback program:

-2008-12 Dodge Ram/Ram 2500 4×2 Cab Chassis

-2008-12 Dodge Ram/Ram 4500 and 5500

-2009-12 Dodge Ram/Ram 1500

-2009-11 Dodge Dakota

-2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango

-2008 Dodge Ram/Ram Mega Cab 4×4

-2008-12 Dodge Ram/Ram 2500 and 3500 4×4