NHTSA Complaint #10180615 — 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

TOOK JEEP TO DEALER ON JAN 22 07 FOR ABS LIGHT CHECK. WAS NOTIFIED MY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR FOR SECONDARY DETENT SYSTEM RECALL BO2. DEALER SERVICED DETENT RECALL MALFUNCTION. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT GO DOWN TO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, IT WAS BEING BLOCKED BY AN INTERNAL OBSTACLE UNDER THE SHIFT COUNCIL. TOOK CAR IN NEXT DAY AROUND 11:30 AM AND SERVICE WRITER WANTED TO KEEP CAR OVERNIGHT. SET APPOINTMENT WITH HIM TO BRING IT IN NEXT DAY JAN 24 07. DEALER ADVISED ME THAT MY SHIFTING BEZEL WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $95.00. I ADVISED DEALER THAT SHIFTER WORKED FINE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO FIX WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY BROKE. DEALER REPLIED THAT IT WAS BROKE BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN AND WORKING ON THE COUNCIL CAUSED THINGS TO SHIFT AND THUS CAUSED THE OBSTACLE. I ARRIVED AT THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT IN MY CAR THAT IT WOULD STILL BE WORKING FINE., DEALER AGREED WITH ME BUT WANTS $95.00 TO FIX IT.,.I DECLINED THE OFFER. TOOK CAR HOME AND REMOVED SHIFTING COUNCIL TO FIND THAT RED SHIFT MARKER WAS NO LONGER CENTERED AROUND THE SHIFT LEVER AND A RUBBER WASHER WAS NO LONGER CENTERED AROUND THE SHIFTER. PULLING THE SHIFTER BACK TOWARDS DRIVE CAUSED THE SHIFTER TO BE STUCK AT DRIVE BECAUSE THE RED SHIFT MARKER BEZEL WOULD NOT ALLOW SHIFTER TO GO ANY FURTHER AND THUS BLOCKED SHIFTER FROM GOING FROM 1ST OR 2ND GEARS. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN THIS CONDITION THE SHIFTER WOULD POP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN A ROAD BUMP WAS HIT AND THUS I WOULD LOOSE POWER, THUS AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. UPON PICKING MY CAR UP ON JAN 22 07 AROUND 5 PM I WAS NOT ADVISED THAT MY SHIFTER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY OR THAT I WAS DRIVING OFF IN A VEHICLE THAT NOW HAD AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. *JB