NHTSA Complaint #10080820 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

I ORDERED MY JEEP LIBERTY 7/01 AND PICKED IT UP 9/01. THE MORNING OF 4/4/04 I WAS DRIVING HOME AND STARTED CRASHING INTO TREES. THE CAR WAS SPINNING, BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE ROAD - HIT 3 TREES, MAILBOXES AND A TELEPHONE POLE (HARD ENOUGH THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE LAST THING THAT I HIT, IT MOVED ENOUGH THAT IT TORE THE CABLES OUT OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE). ABOUT 50 FEET BEFORE THE 1ST TREE, WAS MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AND ABOUT 2 FEET OF THE AXLE (OR WHATEVER HOLDS THE RIM AND TIRE ON THE TRUCK). THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK FROM THE RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL TO 1/3 ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK IS UP INSIDE THE DASHBOARD, THE BACK DRIVER'S TIRE IS BLOWN OUT, THE SPARE TIRE ON THE BACK IS SMASHED, THE 2 PASSENGER SIDE DOORS ARE SMASHED AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK IS OFF THE FRAME. I TOLD THE TOW DRIVER AND POLICE ABOUT THE RECALL THAT I'D JUST GOTTEN THAT STATED THAT THE "A BALL JOINT THAT HAS SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH." I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED 4/6/04...THE ACCIDENT WAS 4/4/04. MY INJURIES: AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF BUT I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. I BROKE MY ARM (8 WEEKS IN CAST, 6 WEEKS IN A BRACE AND I'M STILL IN PHYSICAL THERAPY. STANDARD SEATBELT BRUISE THAT LASTED MORE THAN 3 WEEKS, AND THE ASSOCIATED PAIN. MY INSURANCE IS COVERING MY MEDICAL AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CAR (WITH FINANCING, IT PAID EXACTLY WHAT I OWED). SO, EVEN THOUGH JEEP KNEW ABOUT THE NEED FOR A RECALL IN OCTOBER 2003, I WASN'T NOTIFIED UNTIL MARCH 2004. IT WAS A CLEAR DRY NIGHT. I WAS AWAKE AND COHERENT, NOT SPEEDING OR DRINKING, AND PAYING ATTENTION WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL. IN FACT, IT'S [XXX] LUCKY THAT I WAS ONLY GOING 35-40. JEEP CLAIMS THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO ADMIT THAT THEY WERE AT FAULT. IF THEY'D SENT THE RECALL NOTICE IN A TIMELY MANNER, BACK IN 10-11/03, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED PRIOR TO ANOTHER WINTER OF SNOW AND SLEET AND CRAP GETTING INTO THAT JOINT TO CORRODE IT! *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM