NHTSA Complaint #10167299 — 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

AFTER EXPERIENCING THE FIRST FLAT TIRE IN 8 YEARS, WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE WHEEL AND HAD TO USE THE LUG WRENCH PROVIDED WITH THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE WRENCH WAS APPLIED AND A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE WAS NEEDED TO LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS. AFTER COMPLETING THE TIRE CHANGE WE WENT TO REPLACE THE LUG WRENCH AND NOTED THAT IT WOULD NO LONGER FOLD. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION WE SAW THAT THE HOLE WHERE THE SOCKET CONNECTS TO THE HANDLE HAD STRETCHED BECAUSE OF THE FORCE APPLIED TO LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS. WE ARE THANKFUL THAT THE WRENCH DID NOT BREAK WHILE FORCE WAS BEING APPLIED. A SUDDEN BREAK AT THAT POINT WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY. WE DID CHECK THE OWNER''S MANUAL TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY WARNING ABOUT THE OBVIOUS STRENGTH LIMITATIONS OF THE LUG WRENCH TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE BUT FOUND NONE. IT APPEARS THAT EITHER THERE WAS A DEFECT IN OUR LUG WRENCH ( THE NUMBER STAMPED ON IT WAS 7K09 2) OR THERE WAS A FAILURE ON YOUR PART TO WARN THE CONSUMER ABOUT THE INHERENT DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE LUG WRENCH. *NM