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Chrysler Statement In Response to District Judge Order to Recall 1995 Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus

4 February 1998

Chrysler Statement In Response to District Judge Order to Recall 1995 Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus

    DETROIT, Feb. 4 -- Statement of Sue Cischke, Executive
Director, Vehicle Safety of Chrysler Corporation :

    Chrysler Corporation is disappointed and perplexed by District Judge Emmet
Sullivan's ruling today requesting a recall of 91,000 1995 Dodge Stratus and
Chrysler Cirrus vehicles.  In Chrysler's view, this has never been a safety
compliance issue, but rather involves legal interpretation, and we intend to
appeal.
    This ruling is contradictory throughout.  On the one hand, Judge Sullivan
confirms that NHTSA did not provide the industry with adequate notice of the
agency's interpretation.  He also says that Chrysler was not in violation of
the Safety Act, yet he is saying that the government can retroactively compel
a company to conduct a recall based on an interpretation that did not exist
when it manufactured the vehicle.
    In the meantime, one fact remains constant.  There has not been a single
incident of rear seat belt anchor failure or injury on these vehicles.
    In fact, Chrysler earlier demonstrated that the entire vehicle could be
lifted or supported by the seat belt anchor alone, further indicating that
there is no one at risk and no possibility of failure.

SOURCE  Chrysler Corporation