NHTSA Complaint #10075167 — 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

1) MY 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED WITH 59,000 MILES BEGAN MAKING AN UNUSUAL SOUND WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE SOUND WAS CONSTANT AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, MICKEY'S GOODYEAR OF ROMEOVILLE, IL. *AK 2) THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DETEMINED TO BE FAILURE OF THE AXLE BEARINGS AND DIFFERENTIAL GEAR BEARINGS. THE FAILURE OF THIS TYPE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE LOW MILAGE OF THE VEHICLE. AN INTERNET SEARCH USING GOOGLE WILL YIELD HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS OF SIMILAR MAKE AND MODEL. THE SELLING DEALER AND CHRYSLER CORPORATION DENY THAT THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CAN BE A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION IF THE FAILED PARTS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR DRIVETRAIN TO LOCKUP. 3) THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON TO REPLACE BOTH AXLE SHAFTS AND ALL ASSOCIATED BEARINGS AT A REPLACEMENT COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2000.00 PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF ALL FAILED COMPONENTS. A REQUEST TO RETAIN ALL OLD PARTS. I HAVE REQUESTED 100% REIMBURSEMENT FROM CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND I AM ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE HOW WIDESPREAD THIS PROBLEM IS.