NHTSA Complaint #11054602 — 2012 JEEP COMPASS

2012 JEEP COMPASS CHECK BALL ISSUE I HAVE A 2012 JEEP COMPASS WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT. DURING A FUEL STOP TWO WEEKS AGO, I DISCOVERED THE NOZZLE WOULD SHUT OFF AFTER FUELING FOR A FEW SECONDS. TO ENSURE IT WASN'T THE NOZZLE AT THE FUEL PUMP, I TRIED 3 OTHER PUMPS AT DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS. SO, I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET A DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC SAID THE CHECK BALL VALVE IN THE FUEL TANK IS STUCK AND THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE THIS ISSUE REPAIRED IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK. THE TOTAL COST WITH THE NEW FUEL TANK AND LABOR WILL BE $1,600. JUST TO HAVE A SECOND OPINION, I TOOK IT TO A WELL RESPECTED LOCAL MECHANIC IN MY TOWN AND HE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. I KNOW THE SMALLER JEEPS, LIKE THE COMPASS, HAVE HAD FUEL TANK RECALLS IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF VENTILATION ISSUES AND THE ROLL OVER VALVES. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON JEEP FORUMS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. SOME FOLKS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR RECALLS AND SOME WERE NOT. THE OTHER FUEL TANK ISSUE I READ ABOUT WAS THE ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH THE CHECK BALL BEING STUCK AND HAVING TO PAY FOR A NEW FUEL TANK. PERSONALLY, I THINK IT IS RIDICULOUS AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, THAT A PERSON HAS TO PAY TO HAVE AN ENTIRE NEW FUEL TANK INSTALLED BECAUSE A COMPANY IS MANUFACTURING VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS. SO, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DRIVE A HUNDRED MILES AND THE NEW FUEL TANK CHECK BALL GETS STUCK? DO I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE MECHANIC, PAY $1,600 AND HAVE THIS PERSON INSTALL A NEW TANK EVERY TIME THE CHECK BALL GETS STUCK? IT'S SENSELESS THAT THE CONSUMER HAS TO WORRY ABOUT A VEHICLE'S UNRELIABILITY BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURER'S FLAW AND THE COMPANY NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I CALLED JEEP CORPORATE AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME. I WANTED TO LET THE NHTSA KNOW THAT THE FCA CAR COMPANY IS CONTINUING TO SEND FLAWED PRODUCTS OUT THE DOORS OF THEIR FACTORIES AND IGNORING THE ISSUE.