NHTSA Complaint #10155298 — 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 70 MPH, LIGHT LIT UP, I COULDN'T ACCELERATE, MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN, I BARELY MANAGED TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROAD WHILE DODGING TRAFFIC. IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN PARK, SHUT THE CAR OFF, TURNED CAR BACK ON, PUT INTO DRIVE, WOULDN'T BUDGE. MADE THE NOISE AS IF I WAS IN NEUTRAL WHILE PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR. I SHUT THE CAR OFF, PULLED OUT THE MANUAL, READ I COULD EXPERIENCE LOSS OF POWER, NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR, REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO BE REPAIRED. I CALLED THE 24 TOWING NUMBER, HAD THE JEEP TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I RECEIVED CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON APRIL 10, I WAS TOLD THIS ISSUE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL PROBLEM THAT I HAD REPAIRED IN FEBRUARY. AFTER FURTHER CONVERSATION ON TUESDAY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS GIVEN EXPLANATION THAT WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL IN FEBRUARY 2006, THERE WAS ALREADY DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, THEY HAD TO FLUSH THE ENGINE. THE POWER OUTAGE I EXPERIENCED ON THE INTERSTATE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL, AND IN ADDITION, THEY HAD TO FLUSH MY ENGINE AGAIN AND REPLACE A VALVE IN THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I EXPRESSED THAT I WASN'T COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHICH SUCH SAFETY ISSUES, THE SERVICE MAN ALSO AGREED IT WAS A SAFETY FACTOR. I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH CHRYSLER YESTERDAY, AND WAS TOLD THAT ONCE THIS PROBLEM OCCURS A 3RD TIME, I CAN THEN GO TO ARBITRATION, AND TAKE THE NEXT STEP, BUT THAT STEP WASN'T CLEAR. AFTER EXPRESSING MY DESIRE TO GET OUT OF MY LEASE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS, I WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DO THAT. THE 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO IS MY 3RD JEEP I HAVE DRIVEN, NO PRIOR VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS. AT THIS POINT, I AM SUPPOSED TO GO AND PICK UP MY VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT, IN THE HOPES THE NEXT TIME MY POWER SHUTS DOWN, I AM ALIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT. AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES, CHRYSLER CAN THEN TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN PURSUING FURTHER ACTION. *NM