NHTSA Complaint #10454042 — 1998 JEEP WRANGLER

RUST HAS EATEN COMPLETELY THROUGH JEEP FRAME IN REAR SUPPORT AREA THROUGH ABOUT MIDWAY OF THE DOOR SECTION. THIS IS NOT MINOR SURFACE RUST, BUT LARGE GAPING HOLES THAT I CAN PUT MY WHOLE HAND INSIDE OF. THE JEEP WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1998 AND HAS NEVER BEEN OFFROAD. IT HAS VERY LOW HIGHWAY MILEAGE AND IS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WINTERS ARE MILD, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ROAD SALT USED DURING THE WINTERS HERE. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I HAD RECENTLY TAKEN IT TO A FABRICATION SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED, AND AFTER EXAMINATION THE SHOP OWNER SAID THERE IS NO SOLID METAL LEFT IN THE FRAME FOR A REPAIR TO BE POSSIBLE. HE SAID THERE ARE NO DRAIN HOLES ON BOTTOM OF THE JEEP FRAME, BUT ONLY HOLES THAT THE MANUFACTURER PUT ON THE SIDE OF THE FRAME. HE SAID, AS A RESULT ROAD GRIME ENTERED THE FRAME FROM THESE MANUFACTURED SIDE HOLES, GOT TRAPPED INSIDE THE FRAME AND CAUSED IT TO RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE SAID THAT IS WHY I HAD NOT DETECTED THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST PROBLEM BEFORE NOW. THE SHOP OWNER PUT HIS HAND INSIDE THE FRAME AND PULLED OUT A HANDFUL OF MOIST ROAD GRIME AND LOOSE RUST FLAKES TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THE PROBLEM. THE SHOP OWNER WENT ON TO INFORM ME THAT MY JEEP IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IN STARK CONTRAST, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY OF THE JEEP HAS ABSOLUTELY NO RUST AT ALL. *TR