NHTSA Complaint #10558103 — 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE

AS WITH MANY OTHER XJ OWNERS, MY CYLINDER HEAD IS CRACKED DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE 0331 HEAD. I BOUGHT THE JEEP ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, AND ABOUT A YEAR AGO COOLANT STARTED LEAKING INTO THE OIL. I TALKED WITH SEVERAL MECHANIC FRIENDS AND THE HEAD FLEET MECHANIC AT WORK TOLD ME THE CRACKED HEAD IS EXTREMELY COMMON. I WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED, AND IT SITS AS A GIANT PAPERWEIGHT IN MY GARAGE AS I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH 122000 MILES AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT OFF ROAD, MODIFIED IT, OR TRAVELED MORE THAN 60 MILES IN A DAY. IT HAS NEVER OVERHEATED UNTIL THE HEAD CRACKED. NOW I AM LOOKING AT AN ENORMOUS BILL THAT MY FAMILY CANNOT AFFORD. I FAIL TO SEE HOW SO MANY VEHICLES CAN BE AFFECTED AND THERE IS STILL NO RECALL. *TR