AUTOS

Chrysler Corp.’s $134.2-million class-action settlement of suits over defective rear-door latches on some its popular minivans is fair and reasonable and should be upheld, a federal appeals court ruled. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal judge in California properly found that the third-largest U.S. auto maker’s agreement to replace latches on minivans made between 1984 and 1995 and spend millions notifying consumers about the voluntary recall served to protect the public. Neither Chrysler officials nor attorneys for minivan owners were available for comment on the settlement.