Recently, Chrysler had to go through a procedure that any auto manufacturer dreads deeply – recalling their vehicles from the market. Due to safety issues, countless SUVs had to be recalled in a procedure that’s still ongoing. According to the company, a major setback in the recall process has been the difficulty in getting in touch with the owners of all vehicles, as very few of them have reported to dealerships with the issue that’s caused the recall.
Readers might remember that a potential safety flaw was identified in some of Chrysler’s Jeep SUV models, requiring a trailer hitch assembly to be installed in order to make the vehicles safe for the road. According to reports, while the SUVs should perform fine in most circumstances, low-speed collisions in the rear end of the vehicle could potentially put the driver at a greater risk than intended, and above what is allowed by safety regulations.
However, Chrysler weren’t so immediately eager to accept the request for a recall, and they tried to resist the decision for a good while. In the end, in 2013, the company finally admitted the flaws in the design of their SUVs and initiated a recall procedure which is still ongoing. According to experts, authorities have been growing more and more uneasy with the company’s slow-paced handling of the recall, and as a result, Chrysler are now pushing for the recall to be completed faster, being pressured from above.
Meanwhile, the company has actually been enjoying good sales in their Jeep brand last month, as the Jeep Cherokee saw a 66.6% increase in sales compared to last year’s November. At the same time, the Jeep Patriot had a 47% increase, still remarkably good. Last but definitely not least, the Chrysler 200 sedan registered an amazing 155% increase in sales, and as a whole, Chrysler performed 29.6% better this November, compared to 2013.
It seems that the negative press around their recalls hasn’t done much to impair the company’s success on the market, and if anything, they’re moving upwards in their sales figures. The company’s stock hags been performing moderately successfully as well, closing at a 3% increase, with a value of $13.09. That’s also a pretty significant increase since October, when the company’s shares were first put up on the public market at an initial price of $9. Since then, the company has been careful about their public relations – at least more than usual – and their shares have reflected that attitude quite noticeably, registering a consistent increase over the next two months, and continuing today. Although, according to some experts, this trend might not continue for much longer if the company doesn’t handle its recall problems properly.