NHTSA Complaint #10781484 — 2000 JEEP WRANGLER

THE FRAME OF MY JEEP WRANGLER TJ MODEL HAS ROTTED COMPLETELY THROUGH. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 15 YEARS OLD. I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK ON CITY STREETS WHEN MY SKID PLATE THAT HOLDS MY TRANSFER CASE COMPLETELY PULLED OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE LEAVING A LOT OF STRESS ON MY TRANSFER CASE. AFTER I GOT IT HOME, I WOULD NOT DRIVE IT FOR FEAR OF PERSONAL INJURY OR FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE JEEP. LUCKILY FOR ME I DIDN'T. AFTER SITTING FOR I NOTICED I HAD A SEVERE LEAN TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AREA WHERE THE CONTOL ARMS ARE ATTATCHED TO THE FRAME ALSO PULLED OFF. THAT PART OF THE FRAME ONLY HAD 1/2 INCH OF MATERIAL LEFT ON THE TOP EDGE. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT THIS TIME, I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. WHEN I BOUGHT A NEW FRAME AND HAD IT REPLACED I INSPECTED MY OLD ONE. THERE WERE HOLES AND VERY THIN AREAS FROM THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS TO THE REAR BUMPER. IT LOOKED LIKE WATER AND DEBRIS COULD GET IN THE SIDE OF THE FRAME BUT HAD NOWHERE TO GO ONCE IT WAS INSIDE. THIS CAUSED THE FRAME TO ROT FROM THE INSIDE OUT LEAVING ME WITH NO WARNING OF ANY DAMAGE UNTIL IT STARTED TO FALL APART.