NHTSA Complaint #10695290 — 2009 JEEP WRANGLER

BROUGHT MY JEEP TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE CRANK CASE AND TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGED. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT WAS IN DIRE STRAIGHT. THERE ARE 16 BOLTS; 8 AT EACH END THAT KEEP THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE. 1 WAS COMPLETELY MISSING, 12 WERE BROKEN (IN MULTIPLE PLACES ON MULTIPLE BOLTS) AND 3 BOLTS WERE ALL THAT WAS KEEPING THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE AND THEY WERE ALL ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF THE SHAFT. THE SHOP INSISTED THAT I SEE IT FIRST HAND AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. I WAS COMPLETELY HORRIFIED, THERE IS NO TELLING HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN THAT WAY. I AM NOT HARD ON MY VEHICLE, I DON'T HOT ROD, OFF ROAD OR GO MUDDING. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM AND THE JEEP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T DISCOVER ANYTHING DURING THEIR "UMPTEEN" VEHICLE POINT INSPECTION. THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THAT THE FACTORY TORQUED THE BOLTS TOO HARD OR USED DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR BOTH. THE COMPLACENCY IN QUALITY CONTROL IS DISTURBING; MY LIFE MATTERS AND THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THAT PART DECIDED TO LET GO. *TR