NHTSA Complaint #10430888 — 2007 JEEP COMPASS 4X4

LAST SUMMER, I HAD TO HAVE MY FRONT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED AT 65,000 MILES. AT THAT TIME I HAD NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, I STARTED GETTING VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL UPON BRAKING AND I ALSO WAS TOLD I HAD UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALER; THEY ALLIGNED IT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING VIBRATION MAY BE CAUSED BY BAD BALL JOINTS. THE STEERING PROBLEM DIDN'T ENTIRELY GO AWAY AFTER THE ALLIGNMENT; IT STEADILY GOT WORSE. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO AN INDPEPENDENT MECHANIC YESTERDAY AND THEY TOLD ME I NEED NEW BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS IN THE FRONT. I ALSO NEED ONE NEW ROTOR AND THE OTHER ROTOR TURNED. (THIS IS AFTER I HAD NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND THE ROTORS WERE FINE AT THAT TIME). I WAS QUOTED $663.56 FOR THIS WORK THAT INCLUDED ANOTHER ALLIGNMENT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 50,000 MILE TIRES ONCE AT $600.00 AND TWO MORE TIMES ON THE FRONT AT ABOUT $350.00 EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 107,000 MILES ON IT TODAY. MY COMPLAINTS ARE 1). I DRIVE WITH A TWO YEAR OLD IN THE CAR FREQUENTLY. THIS IS A BLATANT SAFETY RISK THAT JEEP IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL. AND 2)., THE MONEY THAT I'VE HAD TO SPEND ON THIS CAR-REPLACING FRONT BRAKE PADS, NEW ROTORS, BALL JOINTS, CONTROL ARMS, TIE ROD ENDS AND TIRES IS RIDICULOUS. I DON'T HAVE MUCH FAITH IN THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEY DIDN'T IDENITIFY THE BALL JOINT PROBLEM WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE. I MAY NEVER BUY ANOTHER JEEP PRODUCT AND I WILL CERTAINLY TELL ANYONE THAT ASKS THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. *TR