CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, MINOR ATF LEAK, & HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED. ATF WAS HEAVILY CONTAMINATED BY PARTICULATE MATTER GENERATED BY MECHANICAL WASTE. NO LEAK WAS INITIALLY FOUND UPON INSPECTION, HOWEVER ONE WAS VISIBLY APPARENT AFTER INSPECTION AS ATF SPRAYED FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ACROSS BOTH ENDS OF TH…
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CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, MINOR ATF LEAK, & HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED. ATF WAS HEAVILY CONTAMINATED BY PARTICULATE MATTER GENERATED BY MECHANICAL WASTE. NO LEAK WAS INITIALLY FOUND UPON INSPECTION, HOWEVER ONE WAS VISIBLY APPARENT AFTER INSPECTION AS ATF SPRAYED FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ACROSS BOTH ENDS OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AFTER TURNING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND ONTO A MAIN ROAD. ATF BEGAN TO BURN OFF OF VEHICLE CREATING A THICK SMOKE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE AND THEY AVOIDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER PUT HER HAZARDS ON WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD CONSUMER PRESSED ON GAS. HIGH RPMS WERE NOTED THEN AND THE WEEKS PRIOR. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO PARK ON A SLOPED RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO INTO GEAR AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS THE ONLY THING PREVENTING IT FROM ROLLING BACK DOWN. APPROXIMATELY 4.5 QUARTS OF ATF LEAKED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT AWAITS A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION AFTER DIAGNOSIS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THIS AND OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN NOTED, AND IN PREVIOUS INSTANCES, CHRYSLER HAS BLAMED TRIM OPTIONS (CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS A 4 CYL 2.5 L 3 SPEED AUTOMATIC RIO GRANDE EDITION 4WD) AS THE REASON FOR SUCH ISSUES- - - - - -HOWEVER, JEEP ALSO ADVERTISED A "LIFETIME GUARANTEE" RELATING TO TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE. FORUM USERS OFFER 60K MILES AS AN ACCEPTABLE DEFINITION OF "LIFETIME" HOWEVER THIS CONSUMER BELIEVES SUCH CLAIMS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED TO BE LITERAL AND REPAIR OR REIMBURSE FOR THOSE COVERED REPAIRS UNDER THEIR GUARANTEE. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 101K.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE PARKING BRAKE CAN SELF-RELEASE WITHOUT WARNING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY WITH A STRONGER PAWL RETURN SPRING. OWNER NOTIFICATON BEGAN SEPTEMBER 30, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3
EA01003 · Parking Brake Resulting In Rollaway
Opened Jan 11, 2001 · Closed Mar 25, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
EA99014 · Brake Roter Disc/hud Separation
Opened Jun 28, 1999 · Closed Mar 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE95049 · Rear Axle Shaft Separation
Opened Aug 17, 1995 · Closed Jan 26, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED TO EXAMINE THE FAILURE MODE AND THE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY POSED BY ALLEGATIONS OF REAR AXLE SEPARATIONS.THE REAR AXLE SHAFT AND HOUSING DESIGN IS TYPICAL OF THOSE IN WHICH THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE IS CARRIED ON THE AXLE HOUSING.THE LEFT AND RIGHT AXLE SHAFTS, SUPPORTED BY ROLLER BEARINGS, ARE SITUATED INSIDE THE AXLE HOUSING.THE INBOARD SPLINED END OF THE AXLE SHAFT RECEIVES POWER TRANSMITTED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY, PROVIDING TORQUE TO THE REAR WHEELS.THE ALLEGATIONS ARE THAT THE AXLE SHAFT FAILS, RESULTING IN THE SEPARATION OF A WHEEL AND AXLE HUB ASSEMBLY OR THE ENTIRE AXLE SHAFT AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE AXLE SHAFT FAILURE.AS IDENTIFIED BY CHRYSLER, THE SUBJECT REAR AXLES ARE DANA 35C AND 35CM MODELS, WHICH HAVE BEEN USED ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES SINCE THE 1990 MODEL YEAR.A SAFETY DEFECT TREND WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT AXLE SHAFTS HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.SEE HARD COPY RESUME FOR FULL TEXT OF SUMMARY.
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