NHTSA Complaint #10282539 — 2001 JEEP LAREDO

I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FELT LIKE IT WAS TIPPING. I ALSO NOTICED A NOISE AND MOVEMENT WHEN I GOT INTO THE SEAT OR TURNED A CORNER WHILE DRIVING. I REMOVED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT MOUNTING POINT HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE FLOOR MOUNTED TRACKS. I REMOVED THE TRACKS FROM THE SEAT FRAME AND FOUND WHERE A WEDGE SHAPED PIECE OF THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN AWAY AT THE MOUNTING HOLE ALLOWING THE SEAT TO ROCK. I FOUND NUMEROUS CRACKS IN THE SEAT FRAME RADIATING OUT FROM THAT SAME MOUNTING HOLE. I ALSO FOUND A CRACK THE TOP OF THE SEAT FRAME POSSIBLY CAUSED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. TO REPAIR THE FAILURE I WELDED THE WEDGE SHAPED PIECE BACK TO THE FRAME. I ALSO WELDED THE CRACKS RADIATING OUT FROM THAT MOUNTING HOLE. I NOTICED THAT THE MOUNTING HOLES AT ALL FOUR POINTS WERE MUCH LARGER THAN THE MOUNTING STUDS ON THE FLOOR MOUNTED TRACKS. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FLARED NUTS USED TO MOUNT THE FRAME TO THE TRACKS DIDN'T SEEM WIDE ENOUGH TO ADEQUATELY COVER HOLES AND PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO PREVENT FAILURE. I REMOUNTED THE FRAME ON THE TRACKS USING LARGE WASHERS UNDER THE ORIGINAL FLARED NUTS TO SPREAD THE STRESS OVER MORE OF THE FRAME SURFACE. DURING THE ORIGINAL INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE OTHER FRONT MOUNTING POINT HAD STARTED TO DISTORT AROUND THE NUT. I FLATTENED THAT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL SHAPE WITH A HAMMER. MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT IF THAT OTHER MOUNTING POINT HAD FAILED DURING A REAR END COLLISION IT COULD HAVE ALLOWED THE SEAT TO PITCH BACK OR BECOME COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FLOOR MOUNTED TRACKS WITH RESULTING INJURIES. IF IT HAD BECOME DETACHED DURING NORMAL OPERATION IT COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR