NHTSA Complaint #10125541 — 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE

1996 JEEP CHEROKE WHILE DRIVING WITH BLOWER ON (AIR) , STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING AND MELTING THE PLASTIC HOUSING. CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT HEAVY DUTY ENOUGH TO HANDLE BLOWER MOTOR CURRENT AND THE WIRES IN THE HARNESS BURNED AND MELTED. WIRES AND SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND 1 YEAR LATER SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN CAUSING THE INTERIOR TO FILL WITH SMOKE WHILE DRIVING AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO BURN UP AGAIN. A MECHANIC AT A DEALER TOLD ME THIS WAS A NOT UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT JEEP MODEL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CHRYSLER VAN USED THE SAME SWITCH AND HARNESS AND THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THEM BUT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE ABOUT THE JEEP CHEROKEE !!