P.M. BRIEFING : Group Seeks Inquiry of Chrysler

A Washington consumer group petitioned the federal government today to investigate and possibly recall about 5.5 million 1981-89 Chrysler cars and minivans with automatic transaxles that may fail to hold when placed in the park position.

The Center for Auto Safety, in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the affected Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vehicles have transaxles with steering column-mounted shift levers.

Models the group is asking NHTSA to investigate include 1981-89 Dodge Aries/Plymouth Reliants, 1982-87 Dodge 400/Chrysler LeBarons and 1983-88 Dodge 600/Plymouth Caravelle/Chrysler E-Class and New Yorkers. About 1.64 million 1984-89 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans are also included in the petition.

The group said it is aware of 73 accidents, including 20 injuries and two deaths, that may be related to the defective transaxles.