NHTSA Complaint #10425054 — 2008 JEEP COMPASS 4X4

I BOUGHT MY COMPASS NEW IN JUNE, 2008. I COMPLAINED ABOUT A CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT END THE 2ND DAY I HAD THE CAR. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER & THEY REPLACED THE R/F AXLE. IT STILL MADE THE SAME CRACKING NOISE. I TOOK IT BACK & THE DEALER SAID THE BOLTS ON THE CONTROL ARM WEREN'T TIGHTENED PROPERLY. STILL THE SAME NOISE, SO I WENT ON LINE LOOKING FOR ANY TSBS. I READ ABOUT FRONT END PROBLEMS WITH 2007 DODGE CALIBERS & 2007 JEEP COMPASSES & PATRIOTS PARTICULARLY WITH THE BALL JOINTS.TURNS OUT THAT UNDERSIZED BOLTS WERE INSTALLED IN THE CONTROL ARMS. BY NOW I FELT THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE & WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER & THE SERVICE TECH SAID LET'S TAKE A TEST DRIVE, I REFUSED & TOLD HIM TO DRIVE IT HIMSELF, AS I WASN'T GOING TO GET BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL UNTIL THEY SOLVED THE PROBLEM (REMINDING THEM OF THE LEMON LAW, AS THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME I WAS THERE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM). WHILE THE DEALER INSISTED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THE CARS LISTED IN THE TSB, THEY DID REPLACE THE CONTROL ARM BOLTS WITH NEW ONES & REPLACED THE STABILIZER LINKS. IN FEB. OF 2009 MY DAD PURCHASED A 2008 COMPASS & IT HAD THE SAME NOISE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER & THEY REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM BOLTS. SINCE THEN THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS OR NOISES, ALTHOUGH MY JEEP ONLY HAS 17K MILES. DO YOUR HOMEWORK & CHECK OUT TSBS. YOU JUST MIGHT SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEM. *TR