NHTSA Complaint #10553077 — 2013 JEEP WRANGLER

ON A 2013 JEEP WRANGLER WHEN THE TAILGATE WAS OPENED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE THE TAILGATE BROKE THROUGH THE TAILGATE STOPPER THAT CONNECTS THE VEHICLE BODY TO THE TAILGATE AND BENT THE HINGES THAT HOLD THE TAILGATE. JEEP DEALER SAID THE CAUSE WAS OUR NEGLIGENCE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW JEEP. NEGLIGENCE--YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING. WE SIMPLY OPENED THE TAILGATE AND THE HINGES ARE SO POORLY DESIGNED THEY DID HOT PREVENT THE TAILGATE FROM BENDING THE HINGES. DEALER SIMPLY REPLACED THE TAILGATE STOP AT OUR EXPENSE BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE HINGES. THREE MONTHS LATER WE OPENED THE TAILGATE IN OUR GARAGE AND THE TAILGATE STOPPER BROKE AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACE THE TAILGATE STOP, THE PLASTIC HINGE COVERS AND THE HINGES AGAIN AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT DOCUMENTED NUMEROUS TIMES ON JEEP FORUMS AND YET JEEP WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE A POOR DESIGN OF THE TAILGATE HINGES AND DO THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. *TR