US agency says Fiat Chrysler under-reported roadway deaths

DETROIT (AP) — Fiat Chrysler is back in hot water with U.S. auto safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today the company failed to report some deaths, injuries and other information to the agency as required by law.

In a statement, NHTSA said its investigators found a discrepancy in reporting by Fiat Chrysler and notified the company in late July. FCA investigated and told the agency it found a lot of under-reporting.

"This represents a significant failure to meet a manufacturer's safety responsibilities," NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said in a statement.

Automakers are required to report vehicle-related deaths and injuries to NHTSA so it can look for trends, spot safety problems and seek recalls if necessary. Fiat Chrysler said it would cooperate with the government and make sure the problem doesn't happen again.

A preliminary inquiry by NHTSA found that the reporting failures resulted from numerous problems with the company's systems for gathering and reporting data, Rosekind said. He added that the agency will take "appropriate action" after further investigation into the scope and cause of the problems.