Chrysler recalling 25,000 vehicles for potential gas pedal problem

(June 5, 2010) Chrysler Group is recalling more than 25,000 Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass vehicles to address the risk that accelerator pedals could become stuck and cause unintended acceleration, the automaker said Friday.

The recall comes five weeks after U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into potentially sticky accelerator pedals in Chrysler vehicles, based on five consumer complaints.

Chrysler said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that some of its 2007 model-year Caliber and Compass vehicles, manufactured between March and May of 2006, might have been equipped with faulty accelerator pedals.

CTS Corp. made the pedals involved in the recall. Elkhart, Ind.-based CTS is also the supplier of pedals involved in Toyota Motor Corp.'s January recall of more than 2 million vehicles.

Chrysler said the accelerator pedal for the Caliber and Compass vehicles is a "completely different" design and manufactured with different tooling than the pedals involved in Toyota's recall.

Chrysler also said its recalled vehicles are equipped with a brake override system, which allows the engine controller to reduce power and stop the car when both the brake and the accelerator are depressed.