NHTSA Complaint #10552857 — 2006 JEEP COMMANDER

MY WIFE REPORTED A STRANGE THUMPING SOUND FROM UNDER THE CAR. SHE SAID IT BEGAN AFTER DROPPING CHILDREN AT SCHOOL AND GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP AT THE SCHOOL. SOMETHING SHE DOES EVERY DAY. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE DRIVER SIDE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE WAS INTERFERING WITH THE REAR UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE DRIVESHAFT. THE CABLE WAS KINKED AND BEING CUT BY THE ROTATION OF THE DRIVESHAFT. THERE WAS ALSO ABRASION OF THE GAS TANK SPLASH GUARD. I HAVE NO DOUBT IF THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CABLE WOULD BE CUT IN HALF AND POSSIBLY WRAP AROUND THE DRIVESHAFT CAUSING THE DRIVER SIDE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO APPLY AND LOCK-UP THE WHEEL RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER. THE GAS TANK COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN PUNCTURED IF THE CABLE WAS PULLED BY THE DRIVESHAFT. SOMEHOW THE NORMAL ACTION OF THE VEHICLES SUSPENSION WAS ABLE TO PLACE THIS CABLE IN CONTACT WITH THE DRIVESHAFT. THE ROTATION OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT CAUGHT THE CABLE PULLING IT INTO THE ROTATING SHAFT. I CONSIDER THIS A CLASS 1 DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED WITH A MODEL RECALL. NORMALLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE IS ROUTED OFF TO THE SIDE AND NOT DIRECTLY OVER THE DIFFERENTIAL. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? CHRYSLER NEEDS TO DEVISE A SUPPLEMENTAL ATTACHING POINT THAT WILL ENSURE THE CABLES ARE NOT ABLE TO CONTACT THE DRIVESHAFT EVEN UNDER EXTREME OFF ROAD DRIVING. I HAVE A FULL SET OF PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I HAVE ORDERED A NEW CABLE BUT THE PART NUMBER IS ON BACK ORDER. THIS INDICATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WHEN THE PART CANNOT BE STOCKED DUE TO HIGH DEMAND. THIS CABLE SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT QUESTION. NHTSA IS THERE FOR THE PUBLIC. IT EXISTS ON PUBLIC TAXES. IT IS NOT THERE TO SHIELD CORPORATE MISTAKES AND SHORT CUTS. I FEEL THAT NHTSA IS NOT OPERATING WITHIN THE PUBLIC TRUST IF IT ALLOWS DEFECTS TO BE IGNORED. *TR