NHTSA Complaint #10538396 — 2011 JEEP COMPASS

WHILE STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR 6 MINUTES (WINDOWS DOWN), THE CAR TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO "H". ONCE I STARTED MOVING, THE GUAGE WENT TO HALF. WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS AND THEY WERE FINE. ON THE WAY TO WORK THE NEXT DAY WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR TEMP GUAGE WENT TO "H" AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT IN TO MY MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THE FAN MOTOR WAS NOT SPINNING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION HE NOTED THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE THAT OPERATES THE FAN WAS "FRIED" AND THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK SOMEHOW GOT LODGED IN THE FAN MOTOR. I REPLACED THE DIPSTICK AND COMPUTER MODULE ($1100) AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING AGAIN. OVERHEATING FOR NO REASON. WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER/JEEP ABOUT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, THEY SAID THAT ONLY THE ENGINE WAS COVERED, NOT THE COMPUTER MODULE THAT COULD SEIZE MY ENGINE. ACCORDING TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, 70 COMPUTER MODULES WERE REPLACED IN A WEEK! WHEN DOES THIS BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD? IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AND MY ENGINE SEIZED, I WOULD OF BEEN DEAD! *JS