The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a formal recall query into approximately 299,000 Stellantis vehicles due to a serious safety risk involving potential failure of shifter cable bushings. This investigation was officially announced on July 2, 2025.
What Is the Problem?
The shifter cable bushing connects the transmission shifter cable to the transmission itself. In affected vehicles, this bushing can degrade, detach, or fail prematurely. If the bushing fails, the transmission may not engage the intended gear even though the gear selector appears to be in the correct position. This can result in:
- Unintended vehicle movement
- Vehicles rolling away if not properly secured
- Increased risk of crash or injury
Why Is the NHTSA Investigating?
In 2019, Stellantis (then Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) recalled Dodge Dart vehicles from model years 2013–2016 to address this issue. However, 44 new complaints have surfaced, indicating failures in vehicles that already received the previous repair. This prompted the NHTSA to reopen the case and evaluate whether the prior solution was sufficient.
Affected Vehicles
- Estimated 299,000 vehicles across various Stellantis brands
- Includes but is not limited to Dodge Dart and other models covered by the 2019 recall
- The investigation may expand as more data becomes available
Safety Risks
Owners may unknowingly leave their vehicles in a gear other than Park, believing it is securely parked. This can cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly, posing a serious risk to occupants, pedestrians, and property.
What You Should Do Now
- Check your VIN on the NHTSA recall lookup tool to see if your vehicle is included in this investigation.
- Stay alert for notifications from Stellantis, as further recall or service actions may be announced.
- Manually verify Park engagement before exiting your vehicle, and consider using the parking brake as an extra precaution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a recall query?
A recall query is an investigation opened by NHTSA to review the adequacy of a previous recall repair and determine if a new or expanded recall is needed.
Does this affect vehicles already repaired under the 2019 recall?
Yes. Complaints indicate that some vehicles which received the original repair may still be experiencing shifter cable bushing failures.
How many complaints have been filed?
As of now, 44 complaints have been reported to NHTSA related to this issue.
Should I stop driving my vehicle?
You do not need to stop driving immediately. However, you should check your VIN, follow Stellantis instructions carefully, and take precautions when parking.
Will repairs be free?
If a new recall is issued, repairs are typically covered by the manufacturer at no cost to the owner.
Call to Action
Protect yourself and your vehicle.
Visit VinCheckPro.com and run a recall page to stay updated on this investigation, check your VIN, and learn about other active recalls.
Date of investigation opening: July 2, 2025
