NHTSA Complaint #10286064 — 2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

PURCHASED IN 2008 WITH 52,000 MILES ON IT. NOISE EMANATING FROM UNDER DASH, SEEMED LIKE A VACUUM UNIT LOOSING VACUUM AND THEN THE CREAKING OR CLOSING OF A DOOR CONSTANTLY AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL IT BEGAN PUTTING HOT AIR OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WITH COLD AIR OUT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE. THEN THE FAN STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. INSPECTED THE WIRING TO THE MOTOR AND FOUND IT TO BE OVERHEATED AND MELTED AT THE PLUG. PURCHASED A WIRING REPAIR KIT FROM CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM" WITH JEEPS! NOW I HAVE NO HEAT WHATSOEVER, BUT THE BLOWER (FAN) DOES WORK. 2004 JEEP GC LIMITED AIR CONDITIONING PROVIDES NO HEAT WITH HEAT SELECTED. THIS PROVIDES NO DEFROSTING FOR WINDSHIELD. THE FAN RELAY PRECIPITATED THIS PROBLEM. FAN RESISTOR WIRING PLUG APPEARED OVERHEATED AND MELTED AND BLEW THE SYSTEM FUSE 40 AMP RATED. THE FAN RESISTOR WAS REPLACED AT $100.00 THROUGH LOCAL PARTS SUPPLIER, CHRYSLER WANTED $300.00 FOR THE SAME PART! THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC WITH CHRYSLER JEEP PRODUCTS...AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, WHY ELSE WOULD THEY OFFER A REPAIR KIT FOR IT THE WIRING AND PLUG)? I HAVE READ OF HUNDREDS OF FOLK'S WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED NO HEAT ISSUES WITH A HEFTY REPAIR PRICE "OFFERED" BY CHRYSLER, WHEN IN FACT THEIR SYSTEM HAS ISSUES THAT THEY KNOW CAUSES FAILURE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OF THEIR PRODUCTS AND HAVE NOT OFFERED A FIX FOR IT OTHER THAN OFFERING TO FIX IT FOR AN EXCESS OF $1000 PER VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO MAKE CORRECTION OF A FAULTY SYSTEM AT THE LEAST, AND NOT FORCE CUSTOMERS TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THEIR FAULTY SYSTEM. CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A CONCERN FOR THEM WITHOUT FEDERAL MANDATE. *TR