NHTSA Complaint #10183864 — 1990 EAGLE TALON

IN 1998 LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP IN THE SOUTHTOWNE AUTOMALL IN SANDY UT PERFORMED THE RECALL REGARDING THE TRANSFER CASE. THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE TRANSFER CASE JUST LOOK FOR LEAKS. THEY SAID THE TRANSFER CASE WAS LOW ON FLUID AND FILLED IT BACK UP. I REQUESTED A NEW TRANSFER CASE BUT THEY DECLINED. THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE RECALL NOR WHAT CONSTITUTED HAVING THE TRANSFER CASE OR YOKE CHANGED. FOUR YEARS AND 30K MILES LATER ON 3/21/02 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY TRANSFER CASE FAILED GOING 65 MPH. THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND THE CAR CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. IT SCARED ME TO DEATH. I BARELY GOT MY CAR OFF OF THE FREEWAY. I WAS STILL SO CLOSE TO TRAFFIC THAT PEOPLE WERE HONKING AND FLIPPING ME OFF. EVEN WITH MY CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE BRAKE NOT ON THE CAR WOULD NOT BUDGE (EVENTUALLY IT COOLED DOWN AND WOULD MOVE). I TOWED MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP EXPECTING TO HAVE THEM FIX IT. AFTER MUCH FIGHTING THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS PUT IN A NEW TRANSFER CASE AND YOKE. WHEN THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL IN MY TRANSMISSION BROKE, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BROKE, AND BOTH REAR AXLES BROKE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS MY FAULT THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED BECAUSE THE CAR HAD A K&N AIR FILTER AND AN NON-FACTORY EXHAUST. I HAD NOT PUT MUCH THOUGHT INTO THIS UNTIL RECENTLY A FRIEND WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CAR HAD A TRANSFER CASE FAIL. HE HAD THE SAME SCENARIO, WHEN HIS VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED THEY SAID THE TRANSFER CASE WAS LOW ON FLUID AND THEY SIMPLY FILLED IT UP WITHOUT CHANGING ANY PARTS. I BELIEF IT IS NOT A MATTER OF IT THESE TRANSFER CASES FAIL BUT A MATTER OF WHEN. SINCE MY CAR IS OLDER I AM EXPECTING NEWER VERSIONS OF THIS CAR, UP TO 1999 TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHERE A DEALERSHIP SIMPLY ADDED FLUID INSTEAD OF CHANGING PARTS (TRANSFER CASE YOKE AND SEAL).*JB