NHTSA Complaint #11055947 — 2017 JEEP WRANGLER

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN AUGUST OF 2017. THE VEHICLE IS THE WRANGLER UNLIMITED (4 DOOR) SAHARA PACKAGE. THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES LED HEADLIGHTS. ON DECEMBER 16TH I DROVE THE VEHICLE THROUGH FALLING SNOW AT NIGHT. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY IN A REMOTE AREA TRAVELING WITH TRAFFIC AT REDUCED SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES I NOTICED MY VISIBILITY DIMINISHING. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CLEAR OF SNOW. HOWEVER, OBJECTS IN FRONT OF ME WERE BECOMING HARDER TO SEE. I TURNED THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF TO SEE IF IT MADE A DIFFERENCE. IT DID NOT. I FELT I COULD SAFELY FOLLOW THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME UNTIL I COULD FIND A SAFE AREA TO PULL OVER. WE WERE APPROACHING A SMALL CITY WITH STREET LIGHTS WHICH MADE TRAVELING SAFER. I PULLED OFF AN EXIT TO ASSESS THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE. BOTH HEADLIGHTS WERE COVERED IN SNOW. SINCE THE JEEPS LIGHTS ARE RECESSES A BIT, THE SNOW FILLED THE POCKETS COMPLETELY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME DRIVING (SINCE 1984) THAT I HAD TO CLEAR SNOW FROM THE HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING. I LIVE IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND SO SNOW IN THE WINTER IS A COMMON EVENT. WHAT I DEDUCED WAS THAT THE LED LIGHTS WERE NOT GENERATING ANY HEAT. THIS WAS THE LIKELY REASON FOR THE SNOW BUILD UP. THIS FLAW IS EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS. WHEN I NEEDED THE LIGHTS TO WORK THEIR BEST, THEY FAILED. COLD WEATHER AND DARKNESS ARE PREVALENT THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT SEEMS I CAN ANTICIPATE MANY INSTANCES OF DRIVING AS MY LIGHTS BECOME LESS AND LESS USEFUL AND THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH DRIVING. I FIND THIS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. THIS SITUATION WAS FORESEEABLE AND PREVENTABLE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT AFTERMARKET HEATED LED LIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE. SO, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE JEEP. I FEEL THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD WITH LED HEADLIGHTS THAT PERFORM AS THESE DID. THE JEEP IS ADVERTISED AS A WINTER VEHICLE.