NHTSA Complaint #10645002 — 2007 JEEP LIBERTY

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS JEEP WROTE THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A TRAILER HITCH TO ENHANCE SAFETY FROM REAR END COLLISIONS, TO PREVENT THE GAS TANK FROM BLOWING UP. WHEN I TOOL THE LIBERTY IN FOR THE RECALL, ALL THEY PUT ON WAS THE HOLDER FOR THE BALL HITCH. THEY DID NOT PUT ON THE TRAILER HITCH ITSELF. THEY PROVIDED A POORLY COPIED LETTER WHICH INCLUDED THIS PARAGRAPH: "DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TOW WITH THE CAMPAIGN-INSTALLED TRAILER HITCH ASSEMBLY. YOUR VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CHRYSLER OEM TRAILER TOW PACKAGE AND THIS CAMPAIGN-HITCH ASSEMBLY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE NECESSARY WIRING HARNESSES AND/OR OTHER HEAVY DUTY COMPONENTS FOR TOWING." I BELIEVE THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE BY CHRYSLER TO ITS CUSTOMERS AND THE NHTSB, SAYING, "YOU CAN MAKE ME DO X, AND WE WILL AGREE, BUT THEN WE WON'T DO X, WE'LL DO X MINUS A AND B". IF IT ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH FOR A SIMPLE TOW, HOW IS IT GOING TO PROTECT ME IN A COLLISION? AND HOW IS PROMISING A TRAILER HITCH, BUT INSTALLING ONLY THE WEAKEST PART OF A TRAILER HITCH, COMPLY WITH THEIR EARLIER WRITTEN PROMISES? I HAVE VOICED THESE CONCERNS TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND TO THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE MANAGING THE RECALL, AND THEY HAVE BEEN DISMISSIVE OF MY QUESTIONS...UPDATED 11/17/14 *BF *TR *JS