NHTSA Complaint #10483778 — 2011 JEEP COMPASS

THE EXHAUST HANGER ALLOWED THE EXHAUST TO SHIFT UP INTO THE BUMPER CAUSING THE REAR BUMPER TO MELT/BURN. MY FAMILY'S LIVES WERE PUT IN DANGER AND MY BUMPER WAS RUINED BECAUSE OF THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT. [XXX], CEO OF TOWN & COUNTRY DEALERSHIPS IN OREGON SENT AN EMAIL TO WARN HIS CUSTOMERS OF THIS PROBLEM STATING THE FOLLOWING: "DEAR PATRIOT AND COMPASS OWNERS, .... SOMETHING OF CONCERN THAT WE FEEL WE SHOULD SHARE WITH YOU. THE ISSUE HAS TO DEAL WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE ON (NON LIMITED) MODELS. IN PARTICULAR THOSE MODELS THAT DO NOT HAVE CHROME TIP EXTENSION ON THE END OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. WE HAVE NOTICED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THAT IF BY CHANCE YOU SHOULD RUN OVER AN OBJECT, OR IF SOMETHING HITS THE PIPE OR MUFFLER, IT CAN CAUSE THE PIPE TO SHIFT UPWARD. IT POTENTIALLY MAY LOCK AND POSITION ITSELF APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES HIGHER THAN IT NORMALLY SHOULD. THIS MAY CAUSE THE EXHAUST TO HIT THE BACK OF THE PLASTIC BUMPER COVER AND CAUSE IT TO GET EXTREMELY HOT. IT MAY CAUSE THE BUMPER TO POTENTIALLY MELT AND BURN. THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF CASES NATIONWIDE; I BELIEVE LESS THAN 3 FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD ... PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT COME UP WITH AN OFFICIAL FIX... [XXX] AT THIS TIME CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL OR WARN CONSUMERS, CLEARLY PLACING THOSE JEEP OWNERS LIVES IN DANGER. CHRYSLER WILL NOT TAKE ACTION TO FIX THE FIRE HAZARD VEHICLES THEY ARE SELLING UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT MAKES THEM. VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE BY SEARCHING "JEEP COMPASS BUMPER MELTING" AND "JEEP PATRIOT BUMPER MELTING." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR