NHTSA Complaint #10303167 — 2005 JEEP LIBERTY

I HAVE A 2005 JEEP LIBERTY CRD DIESEL. I BOUGHT IT USED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO AT 56,000 MI. FROM A PRIVATE OWNER. IT NOW HAS 86,000 MI. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING A WEEK AGO. THE CAR STARTS AND RUNS FOR 30 SECONDS AND STALLS. THEN YOU CANNOT RESTART IT. THE STARTER SPINS THE ENGINE BUT IT WONT START. IF YOU OPEN THE HOOD AND PUMP THE HAND PUMP ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL FILTER, WHICH IS MOUNTED ON THE LEFT FIRE WALL, THE CAR WILL EVENTUALLY START AND RUN. YESTERDAY, AS I WAS PUMPING THE FUEL FILTER HAND PUMP I NOTICED A DROP OF FUEL COME FROM THE CONNECTOR FOR THE FUEL HEATER ON THE SPIN ON FILTER HEAD. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AS IT HAD BEFORE WHEN I PUMPED THE HAND PUMP. AS I WALKED AROUND TO SHUT THE HOOD I COULD SEE THE FUEL DRIBBLING OUT BETWEEN THE WIRES OF THE FUEL HEATER PLUG ON THE HEAD OF THE SPIN ON FILTER. HALFWAY HOME I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF DIESEL FUEL, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE LEAK WAS GETTING WORSE BECAUSE THE PLUG WAS SOAKED IN FUEL AND RUNNING THRU THE HEATER PLUG DOWN THE FIREWALL. THE DEALER (TYSON MOTORS OF JOLIET IL) DENIES THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM AND SAID I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I HAVE GONE TO WEB SITES AND THERE ARE SCORES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THEIR VEHICLE. MANY HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. SO FAR I AM TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL. I GUESS THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE DEAD YET. *TR