NHTSA Complaint #10449058 — 2011 JEEP WRANGLER

WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD, I SHIFTED IN MY DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED TO THE REAR SEAT. THIS CAUSED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE SEAT BACK WITH THE RECLINER MECHANISM. THIS ALLOWED ME TO SIT UP IN A HIGHLY RECLINED POSITION (WHEREIN MY ARMS WERE STRETCHED TO THE MAXIMUM IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE REMAINDER OF MY TRIP). I DIDN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY. I REPORTED THIS SITUATION TO MY DEALER THE NEXT DAY (FEBRUARY 10) FOR CORRECTION (ALTHOUGH I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THIS SAME CONDITION AROUND APRIL OF 2011 AND WAS TOLD THAT NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND). THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THAT THE RECLINER MECHANISM WAS BROKEN AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I PUT SOMETHING BEHIND THE SEAT TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING BACK INTO THE REAR SEAT WHILE THE PART WAS ORDERED. I WAITED A WEEK (FEBRUARY 17) WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER, I VISITED THE LOCATION AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART HAD TO COME FROM THE SEAT VENDOR AND AN EXPRESS REQUEST WAS PLACED ON THE ORDER FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. TODAY (FEBRUARY 23) I WAS CONTACTED BY THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND INFORMED THAT THE AN ETA FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND FOR ME TO CONTACT CHRYSLER DIRECTLY FOR THEIR INTERVENTION. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY SITUATION WHERE THE SEAT COULD UN-EXPECTEDLY COLLAPSE AND THE DEALER NOT TAKING ANY OTHER ACTION FOR MY SAFETY, IT IS A STRONG CONCERN THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS AND HAVE A TERRIBLE RESULT. *TR