NHTSA Complaint #11013292 — 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

OUR 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IS NOT SAFE. JEEP'S 2016 GRAND CHEROKEE BROCHURE BOOK (PUBLICATION 73-383-2605 151M/11/15) STATES THE FOLLOWING ON PAGE NUMBER 7: "8.4-INCH TOUCHSCREEN. THE UCONNECT 8.4 NAV RADIO KEEPS YOU ENTERTAINED AND ON COURSE. VOICE ACTIVATION LETS YOU SAFELY CONTROL IT ALL WHILE YOUR HANDS STAY ON THE WHEEL - CHANGE RADIO STATIONS, CONTROL CABIN TEMPS AND MUCH MORE." MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THIS SAFETY FEATURE, ON 10-12-2016 MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED OUR 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SUMMIT; HOWEVER, THE 8.4 NAV RADIO U CONNECT DOES NOT WORK WITH THE IPHONE AS STATED IN THE AFOREMENTIONED JEEP BROCHURE WHILE YOUR HANDS STAY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. SUPPOSEDLY, WHILE KEEPING YOUR HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, THE DRIVER SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE VOICE RECOGNITION TO COMMAND USE OF THE PHONE, TEXTING, NAVIGATION, ETC. HOWEVER USING VOICE RECOGNITION WHILE IN MOTION OR SITTING STILL, ALMOST ALL VOICE COMMANDS BECOME FAILED ATTEMPTS, WHICH IS DISTRACTING AND IS NOT SAFE WHILE DRIVING. I (JOHN M. KING) REPORTED THIS TO JEEP CORPORATE; AND, THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE OUR JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE CHECKED AT OURISMAN JEEP, 2406 CRAIN HWY, BOWIE, MD 20716 (301-249-4227), WHICH WAS COMPLETED ON 8-3-2017 (INVOICE # CHCS109503); OURISMAN JEEP DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE'S SYSTEMS AND CONCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: "U CONNECT NAV WORKING AS DESIGNED." WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, I (JOHN M. KING) DEMONSTRATED A 100% FAILURE RATE OF THE 8.4 NAV U CONNECT'S VOICE COMMAND'S TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL (SERVICE ADVISOR & SERVICE TECHNICIAN); AMAZINGLY, THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL CONFIRMED TO ME A 100% FAILURE RATE IS THE DEFINITION FOR "FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED." THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL ALSO STATED THEY RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE OWNERS WITH IPHONES. AGAIN, OUR 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IS NOT SAFE.