NHTSA Complaint #10195573 — 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE

I HAD SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE JEEP. I PURCHASED THE JEEP ON JULY 26, 2000 NEW. I TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF THE VEHICLE, HAVE IT CHECKED AND OIL CHANGED EVERY 2500 MILES. BEFORE THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY WAS UP I HAD A TOTAL OF 15,000 MILES ON IT. I COMPLAINED OF IT SHIMMYING AND GRINDING SOUND IN THE BACK, BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A THING WRONG. IN FEBRUARY HAVING ABOUT $18,000 MILES ON IT THAT I NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP - $900.00 WORTH. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN DOWN HILL. I HAVE COMPLAINED SINCE DAY ONE THAT MY VEHICLE SHIMMIES OUT OF CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY, AND NO ONE COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG, JUST PUT NEW CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS ON IT AND, STEERING PINION, TIGHT STEERING, AND A HOST OF OTHER SUCH REMEDIES, TO NO AVAIL. THIS PAST WEEKEND, I WAS ALMOST IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 94, AS I DID GO OUT OF TOWN, AFTER THE ABOVE WAS FIXED, BUT APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T HELP AS MY VEHICLE SHOOK ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN. I PUT ON MY BREAKS IMMEDIATELY AND HAD TO GO TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I STOPPED, SAT FOR A WHILE, AND THEN DROVE OFF, AND IT WAS OKAY FOR A WHILE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, A DRIVER FROM BEHIND ALMOST HIT ME WHEN I HAD TO PUT MY BREAKS ON TO TRY TO CONTROL IT SOME. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED BACK WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED YEARS AGO. I WROTE DAIMLER CHRYSLER A LETTER REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THE COMPANY DIDN'T EVEN RESPOND. IN THE MEANTIME, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, I WANT TO TRADE IT IN, BUT FEEL I WAS SOLD A REAL LEMON AND SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THE HASSLES, REPAIR COSTS, ETC. OF WHAT I WAS HOPING WOULD NOT HAPPEN WHEN BUYING A NEW VEHICLE, AND THE WAY I TAKE CARE OF IT. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER BRAND NEW ONE, BUT DO FEEL THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE CALLED THIS VEHICLE BACK FROM THE ONSET, AS IT HAS BEEN A LEMON, OF WHICH I HAVE EXPRESSED MANY TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. *AK