NHTSA Complaint #11031784 — 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I OWN A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SUMMIT 4X4 SUV WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED AND MARKETED BY FCA UA LLC AS BEING A RECREATIONAL TOWING (I.E. BEHIND MOTORHOME) COMPLIANT VEHICLE. WHEN TOWING OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE BEHIND MY MOTORHOME AT LOW SPEEDS I HAVE EXPERIENCED PERIODS OF THE VIOLENT LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE FORM OF UNCONTROLLED STEERING OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS WHICH POSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO BOTH THE VEHICLE, MOTORHOME AND PUBLIC SAFETY. IN SUCH EVENTS, I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STOP IN TRAFFIC, INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND MOTORHOME, THEN PULL OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE FURTHER INSPECTION CAN BE UNDERTAKEN. THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE HAVE OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY PREPARED FOR TOWING AND FOLLOWING THE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE FCA VEHICLE OPERATOR/OWNER'S MANUAL PAGES 593-601. FCA HAS ADVISED THAT IS HAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE IN THE FORM OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO SUPPORT FURTHER INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING AND ISSUANCES OF A SOLUTION FOR SUCH VEHICLE OWNERS. NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS WHO OWN AND RECREATIONALLY TOW THE SAME VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE STATED PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED PROPERLY BY FCA US LLC. EVIDENCE OF SUCH CAN BE FOUND ON-LINE PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC-FORUMS SUCH AS THE FAMILY-MOTOR-COACH ASSOCIATION (FMCA) AND IRV2 FORUMS. FCA US LLC HAS PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED A SIMILAR PROBLEM RELATING TO UNCONTROLLED TOWING WITH THEIR JEEP CHEROKEE MODEL BUT TO DATE, PRESENT NO EVIDENCE TO OWNERS OF THE GRAND CHEROKEE MODEL OF HAVING RESEARCHED AND DEVELOPED A FIX FOR THE UNSAFE CONDITION. AT PRESENT, FCA US LLC IS TELLING GRAND CHEROKEE OWNERS TO TOW THEIR VEHICLES ON TRAILERS (ALL FOUR WHEELS OFF GROUND) DUE TO THE SERIOUS CONDITION OF UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING WHICH IS UNFAIR TO THOSE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED SUCH VEHICLES ON THE BASIS OF THEM BEING FLAT TOWABLE COMPLIANT.