NHTSA Complaint #10400919 — 2007 JEEP PATRIOT 4X4

AT AN OIL CHANGE AND INSPECTION IN EARLY DECEMBER 2010, THE JEEP DEALER TOLD ME MY FRONT TIE ROD ENDS AND CONTROL ARMS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS FINE. MY 2007 JEEP ONLY HAD 32K MILES ON IT, SO I FINALLY GOT THEM TO PAY PART OF THIS. TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE I DROVE MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIRS, THE CAR STARTED "JACK HAMMERING". IT WAS AS IF THE BRAKES WERE BEING PULSED ON AND OFF HARD. (MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE PEDAL AND I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH) THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME NEXT DAY THAT MY FRONT BRAKES WERE FRIED AND LOADED WITH RUST, AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I PAID THEM FOR THE REPAIRS. A WEEK LATER, THE "PULSING" RECURRED, AND THEN A REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP. I HAD TO GET THOSE ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS REPLACED TOO. MY PROBLEMS CONTINUED. I HAD JEEP LOOK AGAIN. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS INFREQUENT, BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE A LESSER PULSING SENSATION AND A DRAGGING SENSATION, LIKE PUSHING A SHOPPING CART WITH A BAD WHEEL. TWO DAYS AGO, I TOOK MY CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT TOLD ME MY NEW TIRES (LESS THAN 5K MILES) HAVE ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED BY THIS BRAKE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO POINTED OUT HOW EXTREMELY RUSTY THE AXLES AND AXLE NUTS ARE. SO RUSTY, YOU CAN'T TELL THEY ARE NUTS. I AM DRIVING AROUND NOW WONDERING IF MY WHEELS AND HUBS WILL FLY OFF THE CAR AT ANY MINUTE BECAUSE THERE IS NO METAL LEFT TO HOLD THEM ON. WHY WOULD THESE PARTS RUST SO BADLY, AND SO QUICKLY? WHY WOULD THE DEALER PUT BRAND NEW ROTORS AND CALIPERS ON SUCH SEVERELY RUSTED AXLES AND NUTS WITHOUT TELLING ME? DON'T THEY CARE IF I'M SAFE? I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT FROM RESEARCHING THIS, THAT OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE FAILURES OF CONTROL ARMS, BRAKES, ETC. DUE TO RUST. I ALSO FOUND OUT T JEEP IS NOT (HAS NEVER) NOTIFIED ME OF RECALLS. AREN'T THEY REQUIRED TO DO THAT? THEN AGAIN, THEY SOLD ME A BRAND NEW CAR WITHOUT THE FEDERALLY MANDATED MULRONEY STICKER, AND LIED TO ME ABOUT THE MPG. *TR