NHTSA Complaint #10458798 — 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2011, I WAS THE SECOND OWNER. THE LEFT REAR PLASTIC BEHIND THE DOOR HANDLE WAS SEVERELY CRACKED, AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE DEALER REPLACED THIS ONE AND STATED THAT IT COST $500.00 PER DOOR TO REPLACE. THE TWO OF THE THREE REMAINING DOORS HAD HAIRLINE CRACKS AND WERE BARLEY NOTICEABLE. IN OCTOBER 2011 HAD A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT. WHEN THEY TRIED TO GET OUT THEY COULD NOT. I OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THOUGHT I HAD THE CHILD PROOF LOCKS ON. THERE WAS A BIG CHUNK OF PLASTIC MISSING BEHIND THE DOOR HANDLE ON THIS SIDE. IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL 04/31/2012 WHEN A LARGE PIECE OF PLASTIC FELL INSIDE THE DOOR FROM BEHIND THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE. THEN I STARTED READING ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE DOORS ON THE INTERNET. THE DOOR HANDLES WILL FALL OUT, BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE. NOW I HAVE 2 DOORS WITH BIG CHUNKS OF PLASTIC MISSING AND THE THIRD DOOR IS SEVERELY CRACKED. CALLED CHRYSLER, OPENED A CASE. THEY CALLED OFFERED TO FIX THEM FOR $500.00. THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WARRANTY, IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! IF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND YOU COULD NOT GET OUT YOU WOULD BE BURNED ALIVE. *TR