U.S. to hit Fiat Chrysler with record $105 mil fine

I thought it was about Takata airbags.

I'm all for safety but the US has also become addicted to shaking down large companies for millions in fines after the fact, rather than clearly setting out regulation beforehand.

The U.S. government will hit Fiat Chrysler with a record $105 million fine this week for violating laws in a series of vehicle safety recalls, a person briefed on the matter said.

Where are all the posters saying the NHTSA just fines Japanese car companies to help the U.S. ones? So much for that nonsense. And this fine is small compared to what the cost of the recall/re-purchase will be.

Since when is Fiat an American company?

It's not. Fiat-Chrysler is.

Fiat Chrysler main shareholder is Exor S.p.A, an Italian investment group owned by the Agnelli family, holds a 44.31% voting interest in FCA, and 29.19% ownership position, so id say its mostly an Italian company now.

I blame the "insular" Japanese culture for this.

Fiat Chrysler main shareholder is Exor S.p.A, an Italian investment group owned by the Agnelli family, holds a 44.31% voting interest in FCA, and 29.19% ownership position, so id say its mostly an Italian company now

Uh, duh, guys, we are talking about Chrylser autos here, not Fiats. And Chrysler is an American car company with roots going back almost as far as Ford Motor. And when auto sales are reported, Chrysler is still reported as a "domestic" company, one of the "Big Three".

FCA is mainly an Italian company. Anyway when America fines an American company is basically useless, since the government later can use the money to save that company. See what happened with GM. Pathetic.

Chrysler no longer exists. It's part of Fiat now.

Jerseyboy: No one refers to them as the "Big Three" anymore.

And FYI, even though I have never said the NHTSA only fines Japanese car companies, during Toyota's "sudden acceleration" fiasco back in 2010, the NHTSA was also under fire for not doing their jobs. It was actually Congress who put on a big political circus and summoned Toyota's President for a public flogging (as opposed to an official trial or court hearing), which coincidentally, is what they did to Honda and Takata recently too, but never conducted such an "event" for GM who hid their faulty ignitions for over a decade that set fire to cars and caused 124 deaths, and THAT'S where I personally don't see the consistency in treatment (from Congress, not the NHTSA).... but, I guess we'll see as this case unfolds, won't we?

Some of the Jeeps have been exploding and burning alive all in the vehicle. The placing of a hitch is not a good repair. They should be bought back and scrapped! I worry so much for my sister in law. Her Grand Cherokee can not even enter 4 wheel drive and Chrysler refuses to fix it.

This is good news for John McCain.

FCA is mainly an Italian company.

Actually, FCA is a Netherland's registered company, with its headquarters in London.

Chrysler no longer exists.

Really, I bet the thousands of Chrysler dealers would be interested to know that, as well as hundreds of thousands of folks who bought Chrysler brand cars last year. So, too, probably would be "Reid Bigland, President and Chief Executive Officer. Dodge Brand, Chrysler Group LLC; President and Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Canada Inc.; Head of U.S. Sales, Chrysler Group LLC."

Jerseyboy: No one refers to them as the "Big Three" anymore

So I guess USA Today had it wrong just two days ago when their headline read "Report: Detroit's Big 3 automakers drive U.S. economy"

Guys, I was in the car business for over twenty years working on projects for numerous major brands, both in the U.S. and Japan. You need to pick another fight to fight. One maybe you actually have some recent knowledge of.

Actually, FCA is a Netherland's registered company, with its headquarters in London. this is only for taxation purposes, the main shareholder is Italian, and Fiat being an Italian company originally the founder being Giovanni Agnelli, also the main shareholder is Exor S.p.A, an Italian investment group owned by the same Agnelli family. yep id say its still an Italian company at heart.

Actually, FCA is a Netherland's registered company, with its headquarters in London. this is only for taxation purposes, the main shareholder is Italian, and Fiat being an Italian company originally the founder being Giovanni Agnelli, also the main shareholder is Exor S.p.A, an Italian investment group owned by the same Agnelli family. yep id say its still an Italian company at heart.

@wtfjapan: exactly.

Actually, FCA is a Netherland's registered company, with its headquarters in London. this is only for taxation purposes, the main shareholder is Italian, and Fiat being an Italian company originally the founder being Giovanni Agnelli, also the main shareholder is Exor S.p.A, an Italian investment group owned by the same Agnelli family. yep id say its still an Italian company at heart.

@wtfjapan: exactly.

Thanks for the laugh. First off, Fiat's purchase of Chrysler was engineered by the U.S. and Canadian governments to save U.S. and Canadian jobs, after the Obama administration poured BILLIONS of U.S. taxpayers' money into Chrysler's bailout. (The U.S. does not usually spend money to help foreign firms). The fact that it is "owned" by an Italian firm is not the issue with regards to the punishment levied by the NHTSA, as we are talking about domestically built vehicles. Second, if you polled 100 U.S. citizens, about 90% would say that Chrysler is still an American car company, which, for all intents and purposes, it is.

@jerseyboy: it's funny how you are confirming what I always say. When the US fines an American company is pure nonsense since they use the money to save that company later. I repeat, it's pathetic. Anyway FCA is manly Italian now, don't care the opinion of your average American dude.

jerseyboyJul. 28, 2015 - 11:27AM JST

So I guess USA Today had it wrong just two days ago when their headline read "Report: Detroit's Big 3 automakers drive U.S. economy"

Yeah... DETROIT'S Big Three. My point is that "The Big 3" USED TO describe GM, Ford, and Chrysler ON A GLOBAL SCALE, whereas now they are not, and they are generally referred to as "The Detroit 3", or "Detroit's Big 3". Totally different. You were making a point that Chrysler is still American because they are referred to as "The Big 3". Technically, you're wrong, but apart from the Italian owners, you're right about Chrysler being an American company for the most part. Although, it was probably less "American" when it was Daimler-Chrysler.

And btw, I've also been in the auto industry for a while, but I choose not to make demeaning comments like yourself.

Ah, so they fined them because they are an Italian company.

First off, Fiat's purchase of Chrysler was engineered by the U.S. and Canadian governments to save U.S. and Canadian jobs, after the Obama administration poured BILLIONS of U.S. taxpayers' money into Chrysler's bailout. (The U.S. does not usually spend money to help foreign firms). well it seems crazy that the US would fine FCA 105million when theyre actually only taking back the money they bailed them out with. also being partly an American company if the fine put them into a difficult position that they may go bankrupty again would the US bail them out again!? It seems to me the Fiat made the deal of a lifetime, with the Chrysler connection and the many American job associated with it theyd have a security net as the US wont let American automakers fail even if theyre main shareholders arnt American!?

But wtf, how did Chrysler's "foreign" or "non-foreign" status play into the fine? I believe you were one of the people saying that Japanese companies are hit with fines only because they are Japanese? Can you walk us through how that plays out with Chrysler?

I believe you were one of the people saying that Japanese companies are hit with fines only because they are Japanese? actually I never said that at all, if anything im annoyed that Japanese companies dont get fined enough when they get caught out at home eg Olympus, Toshiba. I just find it pathetic that a government will fine a particular company that theyve just bailed out to the tune of $billions. having said that I was also a bit annoyed that Toyota got hammered by US regulators, but when GM is having its own problem with ignition switches which have actually claimed more lives than Toyota, they get court protection again stating the new GM shouldnt be at fault for the old GM, now thats double standards

Can you explain the extent of your analysis? I'm assuming you've done the work to make such a broad claim.