NHTSA Complaint #10903387 — 2015 JEEP CHEROKEE

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 50MPH WITH MY TRAILHAWK EDITION JEEP, THE ROOF RAIL BAR RIPPED OUT OF THE ROOF OF THE CAR SENDING MY KAYAK RACK AND 35 POUND KAYAK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. CHRYSLER/JEEP STATES THEY ARE NOT LED TO BELIEVE THE INCIDENT WAS A MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY. LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST. THE JEEP DEALERSHIP TRIED TO TELL ME THEY FOUND DOCUMENTATION THAT THE RAILS ARE NOT TO BE USED UNLESS THEY HAVE A MANUFACTURED CROSSBAR WITH A MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF 150 POUNDS. MY KAYAK RACK HAS A CROSSBAR AND THE WEIGHT OF THE RACK WAS MAYBE 15 POUNDS AND THE KAYAK ITSELF WAS 35 POUNDS. THERE WAS NO WHERE IN MY OWNERS MANUAL THAT STATES I CANNOT USE MY ROOF RAILS. ONLY A SAFETY STATEMENT SAYING NOTHING SHOULD BE SCREWED INTO MY ROOF FOR AIRBAG AND SAFETY PURPOSES. EVEN WITH MANUFACTURED CROSSBARS THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SCREW INTO MY ROOF SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HELD MY ROOF RAIL INTO THE ROOF. THE ROOF IS VERY THIN AND THERE ARE CLEAR HOLES WHERE THE BAR COMPLETELY RIPPED OUT OF THE ROOF. IF THERE WAS A VEHICLE BEHIND ME PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY HURT. CHRYSLER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO DO A REPORT ON THE VEHICLE THEY SENT ME A ONE PARAGRAPH LETTER STATING THEY DECLINE ANY ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INCIDENT. SAFETY CONCERNS FOR OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD AND OTHER JEEP OWNERS WAS NOT ADDRESSED. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I WAS ON A BACK ROAD GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR WITH NO WIND GUSTS OR ANY REASON FOR THIS TO OCCUR. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 7 AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THE EIGHTH I HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP. I AM ATTACHING PHOTOS OF THE KAYAK SAFELY MOUNTED ON THE KAYAK RACK THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND THE DAMAGES TO MY CAR.