NHTSA Complaint #10234174 — 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I RAN INTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SIMPLE HEATING PROBLEM WITH MY 1999 GRAND CHEROKEE. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MY CAR SIMPLY STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR. AFTER GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SPENDING NEARLY $600 TO HAVE SOME SORT OF SOLENOID REPLACED, I REALIZE AFTER PULLING OUT OF THE LOT THAT ONLY MY PASSENGER SIDE WILL BLOW HOT AIR. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BLEND DOORS, AND WILL LIKELY COST BETWEEN $1,000 AND $1,500 TO FIX. THE REPAIR REQUIRES A COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY OF THE DASH AND STEERING COLUMN (AROUND 10-12 HOURS FOR A FULL REPAIR, ACCORDING TO THE SHOP). I BEGAN TO LOOK AROUND ONLINE TO SEE WHAT ELSE COULD BE DONE. TO MY SURPRISE, NEARLY EVERY JEEP MESSAGE BOARD WAS FLOODED WITH POSTS ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE ENGINEERING OF THE PART VIRTUALLY ENSURES THAT IT WILL FAIL; THE CALIBRATION PHASE (EVERY 20 OR SO START-UPS) FORCES THE PLASTIC PART TO ITS LIMITS AND EVENTUALLY BREAKS. EVERY DEALERSHIP OR AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT I CONTACTED SAID THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY 1999 AND NEWER GRAND CHEROKEE HAS, OR WILL HAVE, THIS PROBLEM. THE ISSUE ISN'T PAYING FOR CAR REPAIR; EVERY CAR HAS PROBLEMS THAT WE AS CONSUMERS WILL NEED PAY TO GET FIXED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ENGINEERING OF THIS PART CAUSES IT TO FAIL, AND NOW I'M STUCK NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD IN THE WINTER, OR NOW IN SPRINGTIME WHEN IT RAINS. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS HAS ALREADY, OR WILL CAUSE IN THE FUTURE, ACCIDENTS FROM PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE. MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, WOULD RATHER DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD WHILE WIPING THE WINDSHIELD WITH A RAG... THAN PAY $1,500 TO GET IT FIXED. FOR MANY PEOPLE, SPENDING THAT $1,500 ISN'T EVEN AN OPTION. *TR