NHTSA Complaint #10563446 — 2014 JEEP CHEROKEE

I PURCHASED MY NEW JEEP CHEROKEE ON 2/2/2014. FROM VERY SOON AFTER I BEGAN DRIVING IT, I WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS AN UNUSUALLY HIGH AMOUNT OF NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN THE CAR WAS GOING MORE THAN 30 MPH OR SO; IT SOUNDED AS IF THE CAR HAD A PROPELLER. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY (I RESIDE ABOUT 35 MILES AWAY). AT FIRST, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION NOISE, BUT IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DIAGNOSED AS A BAD WHEEL BEARING. AFTER A NEW BEARING WAS SHIPPED OVERNIGHT FROM DETROIT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BEARING ON THE OTHER FRONT WHEEL WAS ALSO BAD AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. I AM CONTACTING NHTSA BECAUSE BAD BEARINGS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS SUGGESTS TO ME THAT THERE IS MORE THAN COINCIDENCE INVOLVED, AND THAT OTHER NEW CHEROKEES MIGHT BE SIMILARLY AFFECTED IF A WHOLE PRODUCTION RUN OF DEFECTIVE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. I AM AWARE THAT BAD WHEEL BEARINGS, IF IGNORED, CAN EVENTUALLY LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, BEARING SEIZURE, AND LOSS OF WHEELS AND/OR VEHICLE CONTROL. *TR