NHTSA Complaint #10557364 — 2005 JEEP WRANGLER

I TRACED A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE TO THE OIL PUMP DRIVE ASSEMBLY. AS THE ENGINE WARMED UP THE NOISE SUBSIDED BUT CONTINUES TO OCCUR.ON LINE RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 05-06 WRANGLERS DUE TO A DESIGN CHANGE FROM 04 TO 05 MODEL YEARS WHERE A BUSHING AT THE TOP OF THE CAM POSITION SENSOR/OIL PUMP DRIVE THAT SEIZES DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION AND CAUSES THE DRIVE GEAR ON THE OIL PUMP SHAFT TO SELF DESTRUCT TAKING WITH IT THE CAMSHAFT DRIVE GEAR WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE.DODGE ISSUED THE E05 MAR 2005 CAMPAIGN-ENGINE OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR/CAM REPLACEMENT. LETTERS WERE SENT TO DEALERS TO REPLACE THE DRIVE GEARS AND CAMS DAMAGED BY THIS PROBLEM. THE NOTIFICATION APPLIES TO THE 4.0 L ENGINE BUILT FROM OCT 20, 2004 TO FEB 1, 2005. MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT MY JEEP HAS AN OCT 9, 2004 BUILD DATE AND IS THEREFORE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE PICTURES I SHOWED HIM OF THE DAMAGE TO THE GEARS IN MY ENGINE. THE DEALER SUGGESTED I TRY CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY REFERRED ME TO NHTSA TO SEEK A RESOLUTION. SO AFTER INVESTING OVER $12,000 DOLLARS A MONTH AGO TO PURCHASE WHAT I EXPECTED WOULD BE A RELIABLE WINTER VEHICLE I INSTEAD HAVE A VEHICLE THAT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IT CAN'T BE TRUSTED ON THE ROAD AND I CAN'T RISK USING IT AND FACING A $4,000.00 ENGINE REBUILD IF IT SEIZES. I NEED SOME HELP. *TR