NHTSA Complaint #10609035 — 2012 JEEP PATRIOT

I WAS DRIVING MY JEEP AND IT SEEMED TO SOUND REALLY LOUD, LIKE A MOTORCYCLE, AND WHEN I'D ACCELERATE IT WASN'T SMOOTH, IT'S ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING WAS STUCK. I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT SOME GROCERIES IN THE BACK, I NOTICED MY BUMPER LOOKED FUNNY AND I COULD NOT SEE THE TAIL PIPE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP (I HAD CALLED EARLIER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS NOISE, BEFORE I NOTICED THE BUMPER). HE TOLD ME TO COME IN AND THEY'D FIX IT. THE TAIL PIPE GOT LODGED UP IN MY BUMPER, BURNED A HOLE IN THE BUMPER, AND STARTED BURNING THE FRAME OF MY JEEP. IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND HAD I NOT NOTICED IT, WOULD HAVE STARTED ON FIRE. THE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS ONE TIME BEFORE WHEN SOMEONE HIT A SNOW BANK. WE HAVEN'T HAD SNOW IN MONTHS, AND THAT WEEKEND I DROVE MY JEEP TO MY MOM'S AND IT WAS PARKED ALL WEEKEND. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING, AND NO CAR COULD HIT ME THAT LOW TO LODGE THAT UP. I NOW CHECK EVERY TIME I GET IN THE CAR TO MAKE SURE I CAN SEE THE TAILPIPE SINCE I'M NOT SURE IF BUMPY ROADS CAN CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. *JS