NHTSA Complaint #10442773 — 2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

STEERING LOSING POWER WHEN TURNING RIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY A WHINE AND SOUNDS OF PRESSURE LOSS. NO LEAKS IN POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSES, NO LEAKS IN GEAR BOX (GEAR BOX WAS DRY), NO LEAKS IN ANY OTHER RELEVANT PARTS WITHIN THE STEERING SYSTEM. PROBLEM WAS INVESTIGATED BY AAA AND PEPBOYS. POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND FLUSHED ON 6-JAN-12. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING PROBLEM IS STILL PERSISTING, AND IS WORSE NOW WITH A NEW PUMP AND CLEAN PUMP SYSTEM. PEPBOYS NATIONAL RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN THE GEARBOX, SPACER CLIP MOVING OUT OF POSITION WHEN TURNING RIGHT CUTTING OFF POWER TO THE STEERING SYSTEM, AND MOVING BACK INTO POSITION WHEN TURNING LEFT RESTORING POWER TO THE STEERING SYSTEM. CHRYSLER HAS A TSB REPORTED MARCH 4, 2003 FOR THIS EXACT FAILURE. CHRYSLER CLAIMS THIS VEHICLE'S VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S TSB, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V079000. CASE HAS BEEN OPENED WITH CHRYSLER - CASE #: 21743619. I CANNOT STEER THIS VEHICLE AT ALL WITHOUT THE ASSIST OF POWER STEERING. EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF LOSING POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING A CRASH, FLIPPING, AND POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. *TR