NHTSA Complaint #10628200 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLOWLY REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN I HEARD A REALLY LOUD NOISE AND MY VEHICLE JOLT. I STOPPED AND PLACED THE VEHICLE ON PARK, I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND CHECK THE OUTSIDE AND UNDER THE VEHICLE AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM. HOWEVER, WHEN I AGAIN PUT THE CAR ON DRIVE, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND MY VEHICLE JOLTED. I PROCEEDED TO VERY SLOWLY PARK THE CAR AGAIN AND TURN OFF. WHEN THE TOW TRUCKER DRIVER ARRIVED AND LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE, HE SAID THAT THE BALL JOINT HAD SOMEHOW HAD SEPARATED OR BROKEN OFF FROM ITS CONNECTION. HE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO TOW IT, HE WOULD HAVE TO SLOWLY MOVE IT ONTO HIS TRUCK AND IN DOING SO THE TIRE WILL COME OFF ALL TOGETHER WHICH WOULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. AS HE SAID, THE JEEP TITLED FORWARD AND CRACKED AND BROKE THE FRONT END PLASTIC TIRE COVER. I PROCEEDED TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOUSE, THEN RESEARCHED RECALLS ON JEEPS AND FOUND OUT THAT MY CAR HAD A RECALLS ON IT. I THEN GOT MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALER IN DOWNEY CA, WHERE WE WHERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE RECALLS BUT WOULD NOT FIX THE DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. [XXX] THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE, SAID THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP SOONER TO GET FIX, I LET HIM KNOW THAT YES I WOULD HAVE IF I HAD KNOWN IT HAD A RECALL. THE DAMAGED THAT HAPPEN TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE BALL JOINT RECALL AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED AND FIX BY THE CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALERSHIP WITHOUT CHARGE. IF THE BALL JOINT ISSUE WOULD OF HAPPENED WHILE IN THE STREET OR THE FREEWAY, MYSELF AND OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT WILLING TO COVER THE FULL DAMAGE OF MY VEHICLE WHEN IN REALITY IT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR