NHTSA Complaint #10246590 — 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

IN THE FALL OF 2007, THE HEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE STOPPED WORKING. I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND THIS PROBLEM WAS SO COMMON THAT I EASILY FOUND PLENTY OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT WERE ABLE TO SELF-DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM USING THE JEEPS INTERNAL COMPUTER TO OUTPUT THE SYSTEM FAULTS. USING THE SAME METHOD TO ENTER THE AZC SELF-DIAGNOSTIC MODE, THE CLIMATE CONTROL DISPLAY OUTPUT THE SYSTEM FAULT CODES 52-54-56. SINCE MOST OF THE CONSUMERS I'VE RUN INTO WITH THIS PROBLEM GET THAT EXACT CODE, OR HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY A JEEP DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I ALREADY KNOW THAT IT WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $1000+ TO BE REPAIRED, THE MAJORITY OF IT BEING LABOR AS THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REMOVED. TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, DAIMLER-CHRYSLER RELEASED TSB 2400104 - NEW HVAC SUB-ASSEMBLY REPLACES BLEND OR RECIRC DOOR COMPONENTS. EACH NEW SUB-ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS. THE NEW SUB-ASSEMBLIES IMPROVE COMPONENT RELIABILITY. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE RESPECTIVE SUB-ASSEMBLY BE INSTALLED IF A BLEND AIR DOOR(S), A RECIRCULATION DOOR, A DOOR LINK, OR A SUB-ASSEMBLY HOUSING REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THESE NEW PARTS COST LESS THAN $200 ACCORDING TO THE BULLETIN, BUT I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER EXPECTS THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PICK UP THE TAB ON A DESIGN FLAW. ESPECIALLY A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS SO LABOR INTENSIVE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PARTS ARE LESS THAN $200, THE FINAL BILL WILL BE MORE THAN $1,000. A JOB SO CONSUMING THAT IT WOULDN'T BE WISE TO HAVE IT SERVICED BY ANYTHING BUT A JEEP SERVICE TECHNICIAN. NOT TO MENTION SOME REPAIR SHOPS WONT EVEN TAKE ON THE JOB DUE TO THE TIME AND POSSIBLE ACCOUNTABILITY OF SUCH A PROJECT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE; NOT ONLY BECAUSE YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO DEFROST BUT OF THE EFFECTS EXTREME COLD CAN HAVE ON A BODY TOO. THE NHTSB NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS WITH DAIMLER CHRYLSER. *TR