1992 Jeep Cherokee

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT CALLED MOPAR AND THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER; BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY MOPAR TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRED 21 YEARS AGO BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION UNTIL THE RECALL WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 65. WHEN I GOT TO 60 I NOTICED MY SUV BEGAN TO SHAKE. HITTING A BUMP MOST OF THE TIME STARTS THE PROBLEM. IT VIBRATED SO MUCH AND SO LOUDLY THAT I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 55. I TOOK IT TO THE FIRST MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE "STEERING STABILIZER" IT DID COST ABOUT $150-$300 TO FIX. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY BUT IT WASN'T CHEAP. IT WORKED FOR AWHILE. I HAVE GONE TO SEVERAL OTHER CAR SERVICE COMPANIES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PERMANENTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM. I'M AFRAID I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE AT THE MOMENT IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHEN THIS STARTED BUT IF I GO OVER 60 THERE IS A 90% CHANCE OF IT HAPPENING. IF I GO OVER 60 AND HIT A BUMP THERE IS A 100% CHANCE OF THIS HAPPENING.

DOUGLAS TIRE 215/75R15, 1200 MILES ON TIRES ALL AT 55 TO 60 MPH. I HAD THEM BALANCED AND AT SLOW SPEED THEY WERE SMOOTH. THE FOLLOWING DAY I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 TO 70 MPH AND I COULD HEAR A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE AND THE CAR SHOOK. AT HIGH SPEEDS THE TIRES MUST TAKE ON A DIFFERENT SHAPE. WALMART REFUSED ANY CONCESSION SO I'M CONFINED TO SLOW DRIVING UNTIL I CAN AFFORD ANOTHER SET OF TIRES; ANOTHER BRAND THAT IS. MY TIRE LINE IS XTRA-TRAC II (ROMAN NUMERAL 2). YOU DON'T GIVE ME THE OPTION TO SELECT THAT LINE. I CANNOT TELL WHILE DRIVING WHICH TIRE OR HOW MANY TIRES ARE BECOMING DEFORMED WHILE DRIVING. PARKED, THEY ALL LOOK GOOD. *KB

DEAR SIR/MADAM: I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION MATTERS RELATED TO A CERTAIN SAFETY DEFECT WHICH I BELIEVE RESULTED IN CAR CRASHES CAUSED BY THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF DAIMLER/CHRYSLER'S, CHRYSLER GROUP VEHICLES. DAIMLER/CHRYSLER IS MY FORMER EMPLOYER AND I WORKED THERE AS AN ENGINEER. DURING MY TENURE THERE, I WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE GROUP THAT NOW HAS AS ITS MEMBERS, THE CORPORATIONS EXPERT WITNESS DEFENDING THE CORPORATION IN LAW SUITS RELATED TO THESE CRASHES. THIS SAME GROUP WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND RELEASING THE CONTROLS WHICH ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT IN TIME I WAS PART OF THE TEAM AT DAILMER/CHRYSLER THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS REGARDING CRASHES CAUSED BY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. ACCORDINGLY, I BELIEVE THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME VERY GOOD IF NOT EXCLUSIVE INSIDE INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT THESE CAR CRASHES ARE THE RESULT OF DAILMER/CHRYSLERS FLAGRANT NEGLIGENCE IN DEVELOPING THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE CRASHES. IF MY ASSISTANCE IN INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO YOU, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I AM WILLING TO HELP IN WHATEVER CAPACITY I CAN. IT IS WRONG THAT DAILMER/CHRYSLER BUILT AND SOLD VEHICLES WHICH MAY HURT IF NOT KILL SOMEONE. REGARDLESS OF YOUR DISPOSITION OF THIS MATTER, IF POSSIBLE, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE A REPLY ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 18, 2003 OUTLINING YOU INTENDED COURSE OF ACTION TO MY CONCERN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOON. *NLM

MY CAR HAS BEEN STEADILY LOSING OIL FOR THE LAST MONTH AND I AFTER I CAME BACK FROM LUNCH AT WORK ONE DAY, WHICH WAS LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY WORK, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS SMOKING SO I PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR A HALF AN HOUR THEN WENT DIRECTLY TO THE GAS STATION WHERE HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPAIRED, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND IF HE TOOK IT APART IT WOULD END UP COSTING MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH. SINCE WE JUST PAID THE CAR OFF, I WAS HOPING THE DEALER WOULD REPLACE THE CRACKED MANIFOLD. IT HAS BEEN STEADILY LOSING OIL AND I HAVE TO PUT OIL IN ALMOST EVERY OTHER WEEK NOW, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM UNTIL RECENTLY. ALSO AT TIMES THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH DOES NOT WORK AS THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE MY CAR WILL NOT START AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL IT WILL START. *LA