NHTSA Complaint #10209503 — 2008 JEEP WRANGLER

ON NOVEMBER 19, 2007 AS I WAS REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A RESTAURANT, I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND QUICKLY NOTICED A RED DOT LIGHT ABOVE MY FUEL GAUGE. I HAD TO PULL MY PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO AVOID ROLLING ANY FURTHER. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO START MY CAR AGAIN. INITIALLY, SEVERAL LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE MOTOR SEEMED TO RESPOND TO TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. HOWEVER, AFTER EACH ATTEMPT, THE ENGINE CUT OFF AFTER A FEW QUICK SECONDS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AT ALL TO TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST A MILE DOWN THE ROAD FROM JUST PICKING UP MY JEEP FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT HAD BEEN SERVICED FOR THE PAST 8 DAYS FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I HAD LITERALLY JUST PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING TOLD THAT THE ISSUE WAS FINALLY RESOLVED. THE ACTUAL RECEIPT FROM THE SERVICE SHOP SHOWS THAT 0.2 HOURS WERE SPENT ON FIXING THE ISSUE WHICH INVOLVED THE WCM MODULE. THE 8 DAYS WHERE IT SAT AT THE DEALERSHIP CONSISTED OF 2 DAYS OF NO DIAGNOSIS, ESSENTIALLY JUST SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP; 1 DAY WHEN THE WCM MODULE WAS ORDERED AFTER DIAGNOSIS; AND THE REST OF THE TIME SPENT WAITING FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE AND PLACED ON THE CAR. THE FIRST STALL OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIENDS IN THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO JUST MOVE THE KIDS INTO THE HOUSE WITH NO REAL SAFETY INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THIS SECOND INCIDENT LED TO ME ROLLING INTO PARKING LOT TRAFFIC AND TOWARDS THE RESTAURANT SIDEWALK AND BUILDING. THE PARKING SPACE WAS AT AN INCLINE WHICH ALLOWED THE STALLED OUT CAR TO GAIN MOMENTUM AS IT ROLLED BACKWARD. FORTUNATELY SINCE THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT I QUICKLY REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE PARKING BRAKE. HOWEVER I DID WIND UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT BLOCKING TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE LOT. *TR