1998 Jeep Wrangler

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS SECURED AND UPON TAKING THE SEAT BELT OFF IT DID NOT RETRACT AT RANDOM. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT SHOULDER BELT TURNING LOOP BECAME STUCK BETWEEN THE DOOR FRAME AND THE SEAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DOOR TO CLOSE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY RETRACT THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE SEAT AND METAL FRAMING WAS ALSO WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:98V048000 (SEAT BELTS) DUE TO THE STATUTE OF THE TIME FRAME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THERE WAS ALSO A LEAK BEHIND THE DASHBOARD THAT HAD LEAKED INTO THE FLOOR MATS ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT IN COLDER WEATHER. HE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY PUSH THE BELT BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR TO GET IT TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITHOUT A BACK SEAT. THE DEALER PROMISED TO PLACE THE SEAT IN THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CONSUMER SIGNED THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, BUT THE CONSUMER PLEADED FOR TEN MONTHS, THEN THE BACK SEAT WAS INSTALLED, BUT WITHOUT SEAT BELTS. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT INSTALL THE SEAT BELTS. THE DEALER ASKED THE VEHICLE OWNER TO GO TO THE SALVAGE YARD AND CUT OFF THE SEAT BELTS FROM ANY VEHICLE AND INSTALL THEM HIMSELF. *AK *SCC *JB

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY JEEP WRANGLER 1998. THIS IS A PARTIAL LIST I SENT TO CHRYSLER: I BOUGHT MY JEEP WITH JUST 3600 MILES ON IT FROM A DEALER IN 1999. FROM DAY ONE I STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. MANY OF THEM I RETURNED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SOME THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX, OTHERS, AFTER MANY RETURN TRIPS, THEY WERE 'UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM'. 1. GAUGES WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING - I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 5 TIMES BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE AND FINALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. 2. THIS WAS ALSO TRUE OF THE BLINKERS THAT NOT ALWAYS WORKED - OR WORKED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 3. MY HAZARDS STILL DO NOT WORK EVERY TIME. 4. THE AIR CONDITIONER GOES OUT WHEN DRIVING,VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN IT IS HOT AND RAINING. 5. THE SOUND BAR HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY - FIRST IT WOULD ONLY COME IN SOME TIMES - NOW NEVER. 6. HEADERS ARE CRACKED - BAD. THEY HAVE BEEN WELDED SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN I WENT TO HAVE THEM WELDED IT WAS FOUND THEY WERE WELDED BEFORE MY PURCHASE - AT 3600 MIL! THEY ARE STILL CRACKED, WELDING DOES NOT HOLD. I CAN NOT GET ANYONE TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE EVEN EXHAUST SPECIALISTS SAY IT IS TOO CUMBERSOME. THE DEALER CHARGES WAY MORE THAN I HAVE CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF REPAIRS AND THE PRICE OF GAS - AT 12 MPG. 7. DRIVERS SEAT BELT LOCKS TIGHTLY WITH ANY AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES - IT HAS NOW GOTTEN TO THE POINT IT LOCKS JUST WHILE DRIVING. 8. WINDOWS - THE ZIPPERS BROKE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY - I PAID ALOT TO HAVE THESE REPLACED. THE BACK WINDOW NOW HAS A CUT IN IT AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH. 9. THE TOP HAS NEVER QUITE FIT RIGHT; IT HAS ALWAYS LEAKED AND BEEN EXTREMELY NOISY - MORE SO THAN ANYONE ELSE'S THAT I KNOW. IT HAS ALSO COME APART AT THE SEAMS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN OF ANY HELP. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS JUST FOR DIAGNOSTICS, EVEN WHEN I HAD THE BEST WARRANTY. I'VE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR MOLDING COMING OUT IMMEDIATELY, GRINDING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, GRINDING WHILE TRYING TO PUT IT IN REVERSE AND MORE. *NLM

1. THE TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED JUMPING IN AND OUT OF 3RD GEAR IN THE 32 TO 50 MPH RANGE. BUBBLES ARE PRESENT IN THE FLUID INDICATING A SEAL IS FAILING. REPAIR ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME IS OVER $1000. THIS FAILURE IN SNOWY DRIVING CONDITIONS CAUSES VEHICLE CONTROL PROBLEMS.2. PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTS INTERMITTENTLY. THE PASSENGER WILL LEAN FORWARD AND BACK MAY NOT NOTICE THE SEATBELT HAS NOT RETRACTED. THIS CAN CERTAINLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. 3. SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT IDLE. VEHICLE IDLE WILL JUMP FROM 1.5K TO 3K WITHOUT WARNING. OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. 4. ANTI-SWAY BAR LINK FAILURE. THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST INSIDIOUS FAILURE. THE STABILIZER BAR LINK BALL WILL CORRODE IN THE SOCKET AND CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE. THE RUBBER BOOT AROUND IT COVERS THE FAILURE. WHEN AN EMERGENCY TURN IS REQUIRED, THE JEEP WILL SWAY VIOLENTLY. I TALKED TO THE CHRYSLER PARTS ATTENDANT AND HE SAID HE SELLS ABOUT 12 A WEEK TO THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE FAILURE. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT NOTICE THIS, IT IS A TIME BOMB. THE PARTS ATTENDANT TOLD ME I WOULD BE BACK SOON TO REPLACE MORE. WHAT HE SAID IS TRUE.