NHTSA Complaint #10162491 — 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

THERE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE A/C BLEND DOORS FROM 1998 THROUGH 2005. THERE IS A TSB ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS NOT WARRANTY COVERED AFTER THE ORIGINAL 36000 MILE WARRANTY. PER THE TSB, THE BLEND DOOR ASSEMBLY IS POORLY DESIGNED IN THAT THERE IS NOT RANGE OF TRAVEL STOP ON THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, CAUSING THE PLASTIC SHAFT TO ABSORB ALL THE MOTOR TORQUE, EVENTUALLY BREAKING THE SHAFT. THE PROBLEM IS THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WHICH SHOULD BE RECALLED. I HAD TO SPEND 900 DOLLARS TO GET MINE FIXED BECAUSE THE LABOR REQUIRED TO PULL THE DASH. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE PER THE TSB, AND IS FAIRLY COMMON. I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES FOR REPAIR. IF THE BLEND DOOR BREAKS, THERE IS COLD AIR ONLY, NO HEAT, MAKING WINTER DRIVING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO NO DEFROST. *JB