NHTSA Complaint #10050758 — 2003 JEEP LIBERTY

I HAVE A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. I AM HAVING A BALL JOINT PROBLEM WITH MY JEEP BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER SIMILAR TO THE DODGE. I PURCHASED MY JEEP (NEW) IN JANUARY OF 2003.I BEGAN HEARING A "SCRUBBING" NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE IN APPROX APRIL 2003. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER NEAR MAXWELL AFB, ALABAMA; THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE OF RECENT RAIN SOMETHING MAY HAVE BEEN WET/ MOIST. I CONTINUED WITH MY TRIP BACK TO DC. I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE THE NOISE ANYMORE. APPROX MIDDLE OCTOBER I HAD A FLAT TIRE (FRONT PASSENGER). IT WAS REPLACED BY AAA CONTRACTOR & FIXED BY A TIRE DEALER. WHEN I INQUIRED WHAT WENT WRONG, THEY DIDN'T/COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. ON OCTOBER 31, 2003 I TOOK MY TRUCK TO BE SERVICED AT A ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA JEEP DEALER FOR A 22,000 MILE SERVICE (PREVENTATIVE CARE). SO I DISHED OUT APPROX 270.00 FOR THIS SERVICE. TWO DAYS LATER I NOTICED A "SCRUBBING" NOISE AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS LOUDER AND WAS HORRIBLE! I VISITED THE VA JEEP DEALER FURIOUS THAT THEY JUST SERVICED MY TRUCK & I STARTED HEARING THE NOISE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY FRONT BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, IT JUST WAS A BAD PART AND IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RECEIVED A CALL THE NEXT DAY THAT THE PART WAS IN BUT WASN'T ABLE TO BRING IT IN UNTIL TWO APPROX WEEKS LATER. THE SERVICE TECH ASSURED MY THE TRUCK WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT TRY TO GET THE PART REPLACED SOON. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE TRUCK PULLING TO THE RIGHT & STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY SHAKING. THE DEALER DON'T PROVIDE LOANER CARS AND I WORK ON MILITARY BASE, I STILL COULDN'T GET TO WORK. AT THIS POINT I BLAMED THE DEALER FOR MY INCONVENIENCE. THEY PUT THE PART ON DECEMBER 10. THEY TOLD MY THAT IT WAS RECALLED SINCE THE LAST TIME I HAD BEEN IN. THE NOISE HAD STOPPED BUT NOT THE SHAKING OF THE WHEEL AND THE PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I RETURNED MY CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (DECEMBER 16). THEY PERFORMED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. TODAY IS DECEMBER 19 AND MY TRUCK IS STILL SHAKING AND PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I AM AVAILABLE FOR CONTACT IF NECESSARY.*AK