P.M. BRIEFING : U.S. Won’t Probe Jeep Vehicles

The government today refused to conduct a formal safety investigation of Jeep CJ vehicles, rejecting consumer activists’ contention that design flaws make the vehicles prone to roll over.

“There is no reasonable likelihood that further investigation would lead the agency to determine that a safety-related defect exists in these vehicles,” said Jerry R. Curry, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency also found no evidence that the vehicles’ manufacturer, American Motors Corp., withheld documents from the government in a deliberate cover-up, Curry said. Chrysler Corp. acquired AMC in 1987.

The safety probe was requested by Public Citizen, the Center for Auto Safety and the Institute for Injury Reduction. Such investigations can lead to recalls.