Washington ? Chrysler announced the recall of 1.6 million Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicles Thursday in response to a series of accidents in which the vehicles unexpectedly lurched into reverse, causing at least five deaths and more than 150 injuries.

A federal safety agency investigating the problem had received more than 700 complaints from owners of the popular SUVs, who reported that their Grand Cherokees could slip into reverse when the gearshift appeared to be in the “park” position. In most cases, the engine was running.

The broad recall covers Grand Cherokees produced from 1993 to 1998. The Chrysler Group a unit of DaimlerChrysler Corp. said its dealers will install an additional part in the floor shifter mechanism to prevent the problem, at no cost to consumers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the Grand Cherokee this summer.