NHTSA Complaint #10390517 — 2006 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I AM NOT SURE HOW, BUT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR PANEL CRACKED AND DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF LEAVING BACK SEAT PASSENGERS VULNERABLE (A CHILD RIDES BACK THERE). IN ADDITION, THERE IS A LARGE CRACK IN THE PANEL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AS WELL. I HAVE 70,500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WITH A SERVICE CONTRACT OF 7 YEARS/85,000 MILES MAXIMUM CARE STILL IN EFFECT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP (HALL CHRYSLER JEEP IN VIRGINIA BEACH) AND WAS QUOTED $475 FOR A BACK ORDERED DOOR PANEL (WHICH TO REPLACE BOTH DOORS COMES TO $950...UNACCEPTABLE!) I REFUSED TO ORDER THE UNIT SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY MY SERVICE CONTRACT. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC AND WAS TOLD THAT "HANDLES AND PLASTIC PARTS ARE NOT COVERED"...THE HANDLE ISN'T BROKEN, THE PANEL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A GENUINE SAFETY CONCERN AND URGE THE NHTSA TO ENFORCE A RECALL FROM JEEP. IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, MY PASSENGERS WOULD BE TRAPPED!! IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT JEEP WOULD SELL SUCH A HIGH-END VEHICLE WITH THIS KIND OF SAFETY DEFECT. OF UTMOST CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT AN EXTENDED, MAXIMUM CARE SERVICE CONTRACT WOULD NOT COVER THIS ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW OTHER COMPLAINANTS WITH THIS ISSUE HAD THEIR CASES RESOLVED. UPDATED 05/12/11 UPDATED 06/28/11 *TR