NHTSA Complaint #11074568 — 2015 JEEP CHEROKEE

WHILE FLAT-TOWING OUR JEEP CHEROKEE BEHIND OUR MOTORHOME DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 60MPH, WE WENT OVER A MINOR BUMP IN THE ROAD, AND THE JEEP STARTED TO VIOLENTLY WOBBLE/SHAKE (VISIBLE IN REAR CAMERA OF THE RV) WHICH WAS SHAKING/TORQUING THE ENTIRE RV BACK AND FORTH UNCONTROLLABLY. WE HAD TO SLOW & COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY IN ORDER FOR THE WOBBLING TO STOP. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER OF HIGHWAY, TO FIND THE CORNER OF THE BUMPER RIPPED OFF, AND THE TOW ANCHOR BENT SIDEWAYS (FROM THE WHIPPING ACTION OF THE JEEP). WE UNHOOKED THE JEEP (NO LONGER TOWABLE) AND DROVE OFF THE HIGHWAY AND DIRECTLY TO A JEEP DEALER. THE JEEP DEALER ASSESSED THE DAMAGE FROM THE WOBBLE (TORN FRONT BUMPER, BENT TOW CONNECTOR, AND CRACKED FRONT SUB FRAME). WE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THIS WOBBLE TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE TO JEEP; CERTAIN MODEL YEARS (2014-2015 JEEP CHEROKEES) HAVE THIS ISSUE WHEN BEING FLAT-TOWED; APPARENTLY SOMETIMES WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP, THE THE FLAT-TOWED VEHICLE DOESN'T CONSISTENTLY TRACK IN LINE WITH THE MOTORHOME, DUE TO LACK OF POWER TO THE JEEP'S ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. FCA RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THEY WILL 'PROVIDE A COMPLIMENTARY JUMPER WIRE HARNESS AND SWITCH TO ENSURE THE VEHICLE'S EPS SYSTEM HAS POWER TO FUNCTION WHILE IT IS BEING FLAT-TOWED. THESE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN ENGINEERED AND VALIDATED BY FCA US LLC AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL CUSTOMERS THROUGH MOPAR, AS EARLY AS JANUARY 29. IN ADDITION, ALL CHEROKEE OWNERS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY BY FCA US AND PROVIDED WITH UPDATED INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLAT-TOWING. THESE INSTRUCTIONS SUPERSEDE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE'S ONLINE OWNERS MANUAL WILL BE UPDATED.' WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT NOTIFICATION & THEREFORE DIDN'T HAVE THIS PROPER PART TO PREVENT THIS WOBBLE. NOW JEEP IS REFUSING TO HELP PAY FOR THE DAMAGE INCURRED TO OUR VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.