NHTSA Complaint #10615450 — 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

DRIVING HOME FOLLOWING AND AS I WAS SLOWING FOR A CURVE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA NEAR HOME THE SEAT GAVE WAY. I CHECKED AS BEST I COULD AND NOTICED SOME RUST AREAS ON THE CARPET, BOLTS, HOLDING THE SEAT FRAME & THE FRAME ITSELF (THERE WAS NO INTERIOR WATER LEAKS IN THE VEHICLE). THE SEAT HAS CONTINUED TO GIVE & BREAK. I CHECKED TO SEE IF A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE OR A SAFETY BULLETIN BEEN ISSUED AND FOUND IT HAD NOT, BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAD MADE INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS, MANY WITH MUCH SADDER CONSEQUENCES WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED ON INTERSTATES AND SUPERHIGHWAYS, WAS SIZABLE AND QUITE HONESTLY FRIGHTENING. AS I READ THESE AND SAW THAT AFTER THESE OTHER PERSONS SUFFERING THIS SAME OBVIOUSLY MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAD GONE TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS WITH THE DEALERS OFFERING TO REPAIR IT AT THE VEHICLE OWNERS EXPENSE ($700-$1200) AND FOR A TECHNICIAN TO CHECK THE SEAT AND BRACKET COULD COST A MINIMUM OF $60-$90/HR. I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY READILY AVAILABLE ESPECIALLY TO PAY FOR A MANUFACTURER'S ERROR THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF FOR MORE THAN A DECADE! MY SOLUTION HAS BEEN TO LIMIT MY DRIVING TO GOING BACK AND FORTH TO WORK M-F (RUNNING BASIC ERRANDS DURING THESE DRIVES) WITH MY STAYING HOME ON WEEKENDS, AND ONLY MAKING TRIPS TO VISIT FAMILY THAT LIVE WITHIN 45 MILES EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS. LAST YEAR, I DROVE THIS, MY ONLY VEHICLE AT MY HOME, AROUND 3,300 MILES. THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE, I FEEL, HAS SUFFERED AS I HAVE BECOME RESTRICTED IN THE ABILITY TO SAFELY TRAVEL! I FEEL IT A TRAVESTY THAT THE CHRYSLER MOTOR COMPANY HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND HAS FAILED TO CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR VEHICLES TO DO THE RIGHT AND PROPER THING, RECALL AND REPLACE THESE MATERIALS. I GUESS IF IT DOESN'T EXPLODE IT DOESN'T MATTER! PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG, I DO LOVE MY JEEP, BUT NOT CORPORATE NEGLIGENCE! *TR