NHTSA Complaint #10201141 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

IN NOVEMBER OF 2006, I HAD A RECALL FIXED FOR THE "FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT" WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK 3 DAYS LATER HAVING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING AND HEARING A NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND DID A COMPLETE INSPECTION AND ASSURED ME THE NEW PARTS WERE SUFFICIENT. EVERY NOW AND THEN (NOT CONSTANT, BUT SCARCELY) WHEN I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL JUST A LITTLE, THE CAR WOULD TURN AS IF I HAD TURNED MY WHEEL ALL THE WAY. IT SCARED ME A FEW TIMES, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OFTEN AT ALL, SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. ON MAY 31, 2007, I WAS MERGING ONTO I-91 IN CONNECTICUT DRIVING ONLY 22 MILES PER HOUR, AND MY CAR DID THAT VERY THING. I WENT UP AND OVER THE CURB, UP THE EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO A STEEL CONNECTICUT STATE SIGN. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SIGN, I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO LOSE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED. HITTING THE SIGN SWUNG MY BACK END AROUND, WHERE I ROLLED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT AND TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR SUSTAINED OVER $7,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND HAS DAMAGED MY PERFECT DRIVING RECORD. NO OTHER CAR WAS INVOLVED AND NO ONE WAS HURT, INCLUDING MYSELF. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE, BUT I FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE PREVIOUS RECALL AND POSSIBLY A NEW RECALL SHOULD BE POSTED TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS DESPITE THE RECALL FROM LAST YEAR. *JB