NHTSA Complaint #10150579 — 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED (WJ), ELECTRICAL WIRES MELTING AT BLOWER MOTOR CONTROLLER FOR HEATER /AC INTERIOR FAN. FIRE HAZARD AS THIS CIRCUIT IS HOT EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF. POOR CONTACT BETWEEN THE WIRE FEMALE SPADE CONNECTOR AND THE BLOWER MOTOR CONTROLLER MALE SPADE TERMINAL CAUSED EXCESSIVE HEAT WHICH RESULTED IN THE WIRES BEING CHARRED AND THE BLOWER MOTOR CONTROLLER HOUSING MELTING. DEVICE IS LOCATED UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ACCORDING TO DEALER, DAIMLER CHRYSLER CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM BUT I EXPERIENCED IT ON MY VEHICLE AND BECAME ALARMED WHEN I READ ABOUT CAR FIRES RESULTING FROM THIS SAME DEFECT ON MYCARSTATS.COM. MY VEHICLE SERIAL NUMBER IS [XXX]. I ORDERED AND REPLACED THE MELTED BLOWER MOTOR AND CRIMPED THE FEMALE CONNECTOR TIGHTER TO MAKE A TIGHTER CONNECTION WITH THE MALE TERMINAL AFTER BEING NOTIFIED BY THE JEEP DEALER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED AND THAT NO TSB EXISTED FOR THIS DEFECT. WHILE MY CAR DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE, THIS IS CLEARLY A FIRE HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)