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.

NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY EXHAUST RATTLING AROUND, SO I GOT UNDER VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE BRACKETS FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALLOWING THE ARMS TO DROP, AND ON THIS PARTICULAR SIDE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ATTACHED TO THIS CONTROL ARM. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAD A SIMILAR RECALL ON THE TRUCK FRAMES FOR RUST PERFORATION, AND THAT JEEP HAD ONE ON THE LIBERTY FOR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING AND BREAKING. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND MY PERSONAL JEEP IS NOT THE FIRST ONE I HAVE SEEN WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I ALSO GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ITS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES AS WELL. *TR

REAR DRIVE SHAFT SHEARED IN TWO AT A WELD JOINT LOCATED BETWEEN THE SHAFT MAIN TUBE BODY AND UNIVERSAL JOINT PART. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN IMPROPER WELD SEAM (WELD ON APPARENTLY A THIRD OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SHAFT TUBE APPEARS NOT TO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED). I DON'T KNOW IF THE WELDING PROCESS WAS DONE MANUALLY OR BY MACHINE AND IF BY MACHINE HOW MANY OTHER SHAFTS ARE SIMILARLY AFFECTED. I WILL MAIL A MORE COMPLETE COPY OF A WRITE-UP OF THE INCIDENT AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHS (I SENT CHRYSLER. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP ON THE INCIDENT (OTHER THAN A VOICE MAIL ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM ME AND THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER. THAT HAS BEEN CLOSE TO 5 MONTHS OF NO RESPONSE.

WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AND THE FRAME WILL FAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH JEEP WRANGLERS OF MULTIPLE YEARS DUE TO THE FACT THERE WERE NEVER DRAIN HOLES PROVIDING DRAINAGE FOR THE WATER, ALSO LACK OF ANY RUST COATING TO THE INSIDE OF FRAME. IN PENN. YOU CAN NOT SELL A CAR WITH FRAME DAMAGE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.I FEEL THAT JEEP SHOULD HELP WITH THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE FRAME. *TR

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS TIMES THAT MY GAUGES JUST STOP WORKING AND THEN ONE DAY I WENT TO DRIVE IT AND I HAD NO TURN SIGNALS OR BRAKE LIGHTS. IT IS IN THE MECHANIC SHOP AS WE SPEAK. THEY HAVE FOUND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH HAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND ALL THE WIRES HAVE FUSED TOGETHER. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT IT DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE. NOW THE OTHER PROBLEM IS FINDING THE PART MY MECHANIC HAS TRIED EVERYWHERE TO FIN IT. SO NOW MY JEEP IS JUST SITTING IN THE SHOP GOING ON THREE DAYS NOW UNTIL A PART CAN BE FOUND. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS AS I SEE ON HERE AND OTHER SITES THAT IT IS DANGEROUS AND MANY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES?? *TR

DEATH WOBBLE, FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHER FREEWAY SPEEDS. VERY FEARFUL TO DRIVE ON OTHER THAN STREETS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST 2 YEARS. PURCHASED JEEP USED 5 YEARS AGO BUT ONLY STARTED TO HAVE WOBBLE LAST 2 YEARS SINCE IM RETIRED AND DON'T DRIVE LONG DISTANCES VERY OFTEN AND NOT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THAT REQUIRES ME TO USE FREEWAYS. *TR