NHTSA Complaint #10070838 — 1995 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

AFTER MY 1995 4WD JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IS DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL MILES, 15 OR MORE ON A HOT DAY, THE STEERING OF FRONT WHEELS BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AND THE FRONT WHEELS TRIES TO LOCK UP AND REFUSES TO TURN. GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD THE VEHICLE IS FINE. BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, THE RIGHT OR LEFT WHEEL WILL SLIDE AND THE VEHICLE REFUSES TO TURN. IT APPEARS THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL IS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE MAKES BAD NOISES AND THE WHOLE VEHICLE JERKS. AFTER THE VEHICLE SETS FOR A SHORT TIME, IT WILL STEER OK AS IF NOTHING IS WRONG. BUT, WHEN IT IS DRIVEN FOR 10 OR FIFTEEN MINUTES AGAIN, THE PROBLEM STARTS ALL OVER. THE DEALERS IN THIS AREA TELL ME THAT IT IS THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS, C/V JOINTS, OR THE TRANSFER CASE. THE DEALERS TELL ME THEY HAVE HAD MANY JEEPS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT PIN-POINTED THE PROBLEM ON ANY OF THEM. ONE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE DRIVE SHAFT REMOVED FROM THE TRANSFER CASE TO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AND THIS WILL CURE THE PROBLEM IN MOST CASES, BUT I WILL LOSE MY 4WD. MY QUESTION IS, WITH A PROBLEM LIKE THIS, WHY HASN'T JEEP CORRECTED IT. CAN ANYONE HELP ME DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND TELL ME HOW TO GET IT REPAIRED.