NHTSA Complaint #11162936 — 2017 JEEP CHEROKEE

WAS GETTING A "SERVICE SHIFTER" MESSAGE ON DASH AND BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP WHOM REPLACED THE SHIFTER MECHANISM UNDER WARRANTY ON JULY 11, 2018 AT 37,891 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS OUR FAULT FOR LEAVING A CUP IN THE CUP HOLDER WHICH CAN SHORT OUT THE SHIFTER MECHANISM (SEEMS LIKE A BAD DESIGN IF YOU CANNOT USE A CUP HOLDER) NOW THE PROBLEM HAS COME UP AGAIN ON DECEMBER 21, 2018 WITH 54,230 MILES, MAKING THIS COMPONENT OUT OF WARRANTY. A CUP WAS NEVER LEFT IN THE CUP HOLDER AND WAS ONLY USED WHEN SOMEONE WAS IN THE CAR. I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A SHIFTER EVERY 6 MONTHS AS LONG AS I OWN THE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS SYSTEM AND DUE TO THE NATURE OF IT BEING TIED TO THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CAR, IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY HIGH SAFETY CONCERN. THE FIRST TIME IT STARTED HAPPENING, IT OCCURRED FROM SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND THEN ON TO OPERATE. THIS ISSUE BECAME WORSE AS TIME WENT ON. THIS LATEST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE BEFORE DRIVING. TURNED OFF CAR AND TURNED BACK ON AND IT DID NOT DISPLAY THE ERROR MESSAGE. I AM SURE THIS WILL OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY AS THE DAYS PASS SINCE I AM WRITING THIS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.