2002 Jeep Laredo

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LAREDO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. SHE PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE HEADLIGHTS AND NOTICED A FILM ON THE LIGHT COVERS DUE TO CONDENSATION. SHE CALLED TWO DEALERS TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. ONE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE DEFECT; HOWEVER, THEY BOTH STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER FROM WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEY BOTH ADVISED HER TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING BECAUSE NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/17/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/25/08. *JB

STEERING COLUMN BROKE, STEERING BOX AND HOSE LEAK---SQUEAKING NOISE OCCUR WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL, WHEELS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN MAKING TURNS, AND VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENS WHEN TURNING---VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF THIS DATE- CHRYSLER DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE--- THIS IS A SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED AS A PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL--NOTED BY EXPERIENCED MECHANICS. *TR

TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 0600 HRS ON 03 JAN 2008 WITH A BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURE (AROUND 8 DEGREES F) AND HAD SNOW FLURRIED THE NIGHT BEFORE (NO MORE THAN AN INCH ACCUMULATED). AN 18-WHEELER DRIVING CENTER LANE OF A 3-LANE WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED (65 MPH LIMIT, TRUCK DRIVER ~40 MPH). I WAS ALSO IN THIS LANE CRUISING AT 65 MPH AND ALL THOUGH IT VISIBILITY WAS ONLY LIMITED DUE TO DARKNESS (NO SNOW, ETC.), I DID NO NOTICE, NOR DID MY PASSENGER, THE SEMI IN FRONT OF US. DEPTH PERCEPTION CAME IN REALIZATION ~100 FEET AWAY FROM THE REAR-END OF THE SEMI. AT THAT MOMENT I MANEUVERED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND ATTEMPTED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE FISHTAILING VEHICLE. OVER-CORRECTING CAUSED THE VEHICLE (AFTER FISHTAILING BACK AND FOURTH 5 TIMES) TO STRIKE THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF THE SEMI-TRUCK. ON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED ($10,000+ IN REPAIR COSTS); LUCKILY THE PASSENGER AND I HAD OUR SAFETY BELTS ON WHICH RESULTED IN NO SERIOUS INJURIES. NOTHING HAS YET BEEN DONE WITH THE VEHICLE, IT IS SITTING IN A SHOP RIGHT NOW WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO PROGRESS THE CLAIM. POLICE REPORT STATED A 'NO FAULT' ON EITHER DRIVER DUE TO TEMPERATURE/WEATHER CONDITIONS. POINT ON CONTACT ON VEHICLE (JEEP) WAS RIGHT FRONT WHICH DESTROYED RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE, COMPUTER, BATTERY, FUSES, RIGHT SHOCK COLLAPSED, FRAME IS BENT AND RIGHT FRONT SIDE SHEET METAL IS SHEARED BACK ALONG WITH HOOD DETACHMENT. AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH (AFTER BRAKING & MANEUVERING), WOULDN'T YOU OR ANYONE ELSE EXPECT THE AIRBAGS, A FEATURE AND COST FACTOR OF THE CAR, BE FUNCTIONAL AND WORK PROPERLY? *TR

HELLO AND THANKS FOR LISTENING, I PURCHASED A 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED WITH 47,000 MILES ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND AT AROUND 55,000 MILES THE PASSENGER HEAT AND DEFROST QUIT WORKING WHILE THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTINUED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THAT WAS SO UNTIL I WENT TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO FIND THAT THE PASSENGER "BLEND AIR DOOR" WAS SHOWING "TOO LARGE OF TRAVEL" BY THE DEALERSHIP COMPUTER. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THE DOOR THAT AIDS IN DIRECTING THE HEAT TO THE DESIGNATED VENTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS BROKEN. ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE WAS GIVEN TO BE $737 AND THAT WAS IF I SCHEDULED REPAIR WITHIN ONE MONTH. TWO WEEKS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAT AND DEFROST QUIT WORKING ALONG WITH THE RECIRCULATION VENT THAT INHIBITS OUTSIDE AIR IN THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT PRESENT TIME DUE TO THE INABILITY TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS. AFTER TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM I FIND THIS TO BE A PROBLEM DUE TO POOR DESIGN IN THE GRAND CHEROKEE IN THE YEARS 1999-2004. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING FAILURE OF THESE PARTS WAS SO COMMON THAT MANY MODELS WERE REPAIRED WITH THE SAME FACTORY PARTS AND FAILED AFTER BEING REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIPS. THEN IN 2007 THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION ACKNOWLEDGED ONLY TO THE DEALERSHIPS THAT THESE PARTS WERE BEING REPLACED WITH NEWER DESIGNS DUE TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGNS WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THIS TYPE VENTILATION SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS THE ENGINEERING OF THE SYSTEM WAS SURE TO BE A PROBLEM FOR OWNERS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE CHRYSLER/JEEP RECALL THESE SYSTEMS AND REPAIR WITH THE UPGRADED PARTS BEFORE SOMEONE KILLS INNOCENT PEOPLE DUE TO ACCIDENTS RELATED TO FOGGY WINDSHIELDS. SOME PEOPLE CANNOT JUST PARK THEIR CAR DUE TO THIS FACTORY DEFECT.....THANKS....GLENN *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW FAILED FOR NO REASON, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE WINDOW ALL OF THE SUDDEN FELL ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY. THIS WAS DONE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. SO FAR, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REPLACE THE PART. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS THE WINDOW REGULATOR, AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE IN MANY JEEPS. *TR

2002 GRAND JEEP CHEROKEE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A SAFETY RECALL F25-ELECTRIC RADIATOR FAN WHICH HAD CAUSED THE JEEP TO OVERHEAT. DEALER IS STATING THAT THE FAN LOCKED UP CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO OVERHEAT. FURTHERMORE, STATING THAT THE ENGINE IS INOPERABLE WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RECALL. DEALER ESTIMATED $8,000 CHARGE TO FIX ENGINE, BUT WILL ONLY COVER THE FAN BLADE UNDER THE SAFETY RECALL. *TR

POOR DESIGN OF POWER WINDOW REGULATOR/MOTOR ASSEMBLY HAS LED TO MY LF WINDOW TO BREAK. I HAVE REVIEWED MANY RESOURCES ONLINE, AND FOUND THAT THESE JEEPS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FAILURE OF THIS DEVICE CAUSED A MAJOR DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LIKE MOST OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. JEEP/CHRYSLER NEEDS TO STOP PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK FOR SUCH A RIDICULOUS PROBLEM. *TR