Multiple news sources have been reporting that thousands of vehicles manufactured by Chrysler could be affected by a issue linked to the design of the vehicles’ tanks, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Center for Auto Safety.

The company, however, has stated that the federal agency’s claims concerning the vehicles and the design of their gas tanks are unfounded. According to multiple reports, a spokesperson for Chrysler has claimed that the multiple accidents involving Jeep Grand Cherokees and Jeep Libertys from 1993 through 2004 year makes involved high speed crashes. According to the company, the fuel tank design used in the Jeep models that are now under investigation are widely accepted by the NHTSA and that a different design given the circumstances related to the crashes would not make a difference.

Chrysler says that it’s working with the federal agency to solve the claims posed by the Center for Auto Safety. According to the agency, Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles were involved in 201 fiery crashes that resulted in 285 fatalities. Also according to the claims reported by the Center for Auto Safety, Jeep Libertys were involved in 36 accidents that resulted in 53 fatalities.

The Washington public interest groups asked the NHTSA to investigate these accidents and issue a recall promptly. Both the agency and the company received letters from the Center for Auto Safety regarding the call for a wide recall announcement.

The Washington public interest group has estimated that Chrysler would have to invest $300 million in order to have steel skids installed in all vehicles affected by the possible recall. According to Chrysler, the NHTSA is apparently trying to hold Chrysler Group to standards regarding fuel tank integrity that aren’t even uphold by the agency.

According to the Center for Auto Safety, the risk of an auto fire is 20 times greater for Grand Cherokee owners than for Ford Explorer owners.

The last time an automaker challenged the federal agency was in 1996. Chrysler was also involved in a claim that was later dismissed in court. Withing the period between 1996 and 2013, no other automaker has ever defied the federal agency’s claims concerning potential defects that could lead to a recall.

If you would like to learn more about this investigation, click here for the full article. Stay on top of recall news in order to ensure that a problem linked to a vehicle you own is quickly identified and repaired before an accident occurs.