NHTSA Complaint #10137688 — 2005 JEEP WRANGLER

BOUGHT NEW 2005 JEEP WRANGLER X 8/3/05 TOOK ON TRIP AND SOON WAS OVERWHELMED WITH BUTANE/EXHAUST SMELL IF WINDOWS OR VENT WAS OPEN; EVENTUALLY CAME LEAKING THROUGH AC. SMELL BAD ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU NAUSEOUS WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME NUMB NOSE/LIPS AND BURNING EYES FOR TWO HOURS AFTER DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS FLUFFED, I.E., COULD HAVE BEEN A PLASTIC BAG, ONLY SMELL WAS NEW CAR SMELL, ETC., THEY EVEN CLAIMED TO HAVE DRIVEN IT WITH WINDOWS DOWN. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE SO I SENT MY HUSBAND THERE AND SERVICE MANAGER EXPERIENCED THE BURNING EYES AND NAUSEA DURING RIDE. CALLED JEEP AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DISCUSS ANY SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS, REFERRED ME TO DEALERS. 2ND FIX ATTEMPT 9/15/05 @1344 MILES RESULTED IN "NO FAULT CODES IN SYSTEM, PERFORMED FUEL SYSTEM MONITOR TEST READING NOT IN SPECS, EXCESSIVE FUEL THROUGH SYSTEM." CHANGED SOFTWARE, WROTE "ROAD TESTED VEHICLE, HAS SLIGHT RESIDUE ODOR. CAT CONVERTER BAFFLES HAVE SOME INTERIOR FUEL COATING THAT WILL NEED TO BE BURNED OFF. WILL TAKE ABOUT 500 MILES OF DRIVING TO BURN ALL COATING FROM INSIDE OF EXHAUST SYSTEM." I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT "50 MILES". THEY ALSO HAD TO REPAINT THE SPIDERWEB /DEFECT PAINT TO THE TUNE OF $454. BACK IN 9/22/05 @ 1508 MILES AS PAINT WAS DETERIORATING ALL OVER. SENT FOR FULL REPAINT QUOTE ($3353- HAVE TO WAIT FOR JEEP ZONE MGR OK) MPG HAS DECLINED FROM 19 TO 17 AFTER 2ND SERVICE VISIT. TODAY 9/26/05, THE 3RD TRIP IN ON SMELL AFTER AGREEING TO TRY A SHORT TRIP. SAME RESULT/SYMPTOMS; I NEVER WILL GET THE HARD TOP OFF. TOLD SERVICE DO NOT RETURN IT UNTIL THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, SEALS, EXHAUST, WHATEVER, NO LONGER SMELLS. NOW THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STICKS IN THE SPARE TIRE/WAS INOPERABLE, APPARENTLY MANUFACTURER PUT ON THE WRONG BLADE VIA SERVICE. ALSO WAS TOLD THAT I WAS THE ONLY WRANGLER X WITH THE EXHAUST/BUTANE SMELL PROBLEM BUT SEE ANOTHER AS EARLY AS 3/10/05. I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXCUSE I'LL HEAR ON THIS THE 3RD ATTEMPT, BUT WONDER IF SMELL IS CARBON MONOXIDE RELATED. *NM