NHTSA Complaint #10552793 — 2006 JEEP LIBERTY

MY COMPLAINT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT NHTSA! IN JUNE OF 2013, NHTSA PETITIONED CHRYSLER TO RECALL (RECALL NUMBER N46) JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES INCLUDING MODEL YEARS 2002 - 2007. ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE, MY 2006 JEEP LIBERTY IS INCLUDED. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A RISK OF FUEL TANK PUNCTURE, AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE IN THE CASE OF REAR-END COLLISION. CHRYSLER, AFTER INITIALLY REFUSING TO ISSUE THE RECALL, CAVED IN TO NHTSA PRESSURE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER TODAY, FIVE MONTHS AFTER THEY AGREED TO THE RECALL, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY ARE WAITING ON NHTSA REVIEWS AND APPROVAL OF CHRYSLER'S RECALL PROPOSAL TO INSTALL A TRAILER HITCH IN UNDER-EQUIPPED VEHICLES, IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE AND PREVENT GAS TANK PUNCTURES IN THE EVENT OF A LOW-SPEED REAR-END COLLISION. IT SEEMS COUNTER INTUITIVE THAT NHTSA WOULD PRESSURE A MANUFACTURER TO ISSUE A RECALL, AND THEN HOLD UP THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING AFFECTED VEHICLES WHEN THE MANUFACTURER FINALLY AGREES. IF THIS ALLEGED VEHICLE DEFECT ACTUALLY PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD, WHY ALLOW FIVE MONTHS TO PASS WITHOUT ACTION? *TR