NHTSA Complaint #10340779 — 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

I OWN A 2005 PT CRUISER. TWO MONTHS AGO, THE WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. MECHANIC IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS A FAULTY INTERMITTENT WIPER SWITCH THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND HAD TO BE ORDERED THROUGH CHRYSLER. THE VEHICLE IN UNSAFE TO OPERATE WITHOUT WIPERS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN FLORIDA WHERE IT IS NOW RAINY SEASON AND IT RAINS NEARLY EVERY DAY. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT GET THE PART DESPITE MANY CALLS TO CHRYSLER, AND WE CONTACTED EVERY DEALER/JUNKYARD IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TRYING TO GET EITHER A NEW OR AFTERMARKET PART WITH NO LUCK. WE NOW HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO WORK, AND IF WE DO DRIVE TO WORK, WE GET STUCK OFTEN SITTING BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IF/WHEN IT RAINS BECAUSE WE CANNOT DRIVE WITHOUT WIPERS. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATE A FEW DAYS AGO AFTER GETTING THE RUNAROUND FROM DEALERS FOR TWO MONTHS, AND LEARNED THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED BACKORDERS FOR THIS VERY SAME PART ALL WITH OWNERS WHOSE WIPERS DON'T FUNCTION! ! THIS IS A HEALTH, SAFETY AND HAZARDOUS ISSUES, PARTICULARLY FOR CUSTOMERS IN TROPIC CLIMATE IN SOUTHEASTERN U.S. WHERE RAINY SEASON LASTS FOUR MONTHS! THE PART NUMBER IS 5019-710AA. HOW CAN CHRYSLER BE ALLOWED TO DENY OWNERS THE ABILITY TO FULLY ENJOY THEIR CARS BY FAILING TO PROVIDE PARTS FOR A LATE MODEL CAR? THIS CAR HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES ON IT, AND I NEED IT TO DRIVE 54 MILES TO WORK EACH DAY, AND CAN NO LONGER GET TO WORK BECAUSE CHRYSLER CANNOT GET AND WON'T MAKE THE PART, AND HAS STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO GET ME A LOANER CAR UNTIL THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO FILL MY ORDER AND THE BACKORDER FOR THIS WIPER PART FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHER CONSUMERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE CHRYSLERS THAT CAN'T BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T USE THE WIPERS! *TR