NHTSA Complaint #11075224 — 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

OVER A PERIOD OF ONE WEEK, BOTH OF THE TUBULAR SIDE STEPS BROKE OFF MY JEEP. IN ONE CASE, I WAS STANDING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TUBULAR SIDE STEP IN ORDER TO REACH A WINDSHIELD WIPER. WITH NO WARNING, THE ENTIRE TUBE DISLODGED FROM ALL THREE BRACKETS AND FELL TO THE GROUND WITH ME FALLING TOO. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE PICKING UP A CUSTOMER AT HIS HOTEL, HE USED THE PASSENGER SIDE TUBULAR SIDE STEP TO HELP HIM ENTER THE CAR. AGAIN, WITH NO WARNING THE TUBE BROKE OFF AND FELL TO THE GROUND. MY CUSTOMER WAS INJURED PRETTY BADLY AS HIS SHIN WAS CUT OPEN BY ONE OF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR THE TUBULAR SIDE STEP. UPON INSPECTION OF BOTH TUBES, IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE TUBES ARE VERY LIGHT WALL AND CORRODED AWAY IN THE VICINITY OF EACH FASTENER, ALLOWING THE FASTENERS TO PULL RIGHT THROUGH THE TUBE WALL. WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING. NEITHER TUBE SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF BEING LOOSE. THE FASTENERS WERE (STILL ARE) TIGHTLY SECURED TO THE MOUNTING BRACKETS. WITH THIS TYPE OF "NO WARNING" FAILURE, ONE CAN IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A JEEP IS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A TUBULAR SIDE STEP FALLS OFF. I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. FYI - MY LOCAL JEEP DEALER EXPRESSED THEIR CONDOLENCES, BUT STATED THAT ON A 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT WOULD NOT BE JEEP'S ISSUE IF IT CORRODED AND FELL OFF. I SUGGESTED THAT THE TUBULAR SIDE STEP FALLING OFF COULD HAVE THE SAME DEVASTATING EFFECT AS A BUMPER FALLING OFF. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD ENGAGE THE DEALER IN MORE FREQUENT MULTI-POINT INSPECTIONS. YET, THEY CONFIRMED THAT CHECKING THE SIDE STEPS IS NOT ON THE MULTI-POINT LIST. I'M MAKING YOU AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE I COULDN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I DIDN'T REPORT IT AND LATER HEARD OF A DEATH OR INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANOTHER JEEP OWNER OR TO AN INNOCENT VICTIM.