A number of all-wheel drive Chrysler Group cars, including the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Ram 1500 equipped with a V6 engine and the 8-speed ZF 8HP45 automatic transmissions are being recalled because the company has detected that the transmission output shaft may fracture.
"Output shafts installed in some model-year 2013 vehicles were shaped using a two-stage forging method employed during early production," said the automaker in a statement. "The resulting components may be subject to fracture in rare circumstances."
Chrysler explained that, while it is unaware of any associated injuries or accidents, the transmission output shaft fracture could result in a loss of power on the move, and allow the car to roll when placed in 'Park' if the parking brake is not applied before exiting the vehicle.
The company said it has addressed the issue on newer transmission by replacing the two-stage forging method with a single-stage forging process.
As for the affected models, including 4,194 cars in the U.S., 1,424 in Canada and 45 outside the NAFTA region, the automaker will inspect and replace the transmissions, as necessary, free of charge, with the recall to begin in in January 2014.
