NHTSA Complaint #10148404 — 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

WE PURCHASED A NEW $41,000. 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED. AFTER ONE SEASON THE HEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY HEAT, ONLY COLD AIR. WE WERE TRAVELING TO MICHIGAN WHEN WE DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM. MY WIFE WAS NOT HAPPY TRAVELING WITH A BLANKET OVER HER ENTIRE BODY FOR OUR 2500 MILES TRIP. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM THE FIRST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THERE HAS BEEN MANY ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM EACH YEAR SINCE 2002. THEY WERE TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH UT TAKING THE DASHBOARD APART, IT WOULD COST THEM TOO MUCH TO DO THAT., WE KEPT TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP(FOR THE SAME PROBLEM 10 TIMES. I HAVE A HISTORY REPORT OF ALL MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. FROM THE WINTER OF 2002 UP UNTIL THIS WINTER 2005 WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT. ITS WAS ALWAYS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE DEALER FINALLY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE MIXING DOORS OF THE HEATING SYSTEM, AND IT WILL COST $800 TO FIX. WE HAD BEEN CHARGED A $100 DEDUCTIBLE EACH TIME THE DEALER SAID IT WAS FIXED. NOW THAT THEY HAVE PUT US OFF ALL THIS TIME, OUR 5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. WE DIDN'T NEED HEAT IN OCTOBER, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS THE PROBLEM AGAIN THIS YEAR. WE ONLY USE THE HEAT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. WHEN WINTER COMES AROUND WE EXPECT A $40,000 CAR TO HAVE HEAT. I AM 52 YEARS OLD, OWNED MANY CARS, AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM LIKE I DO WITH THIS CAR. HOW CAN SOME MECHANISMS BREAK IN THAT SHORT OF TIME, YEAR AFTER YEAR UNLESS ITS A PRODUCE DEFECT OR THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW THE FIX THE PROBLEM PROPERLY? THE SALES PERSON SAID HE HAS SEEN OTHER GRAND CHEROKEES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK