NHTSA Complaint #11165433 — 1998 JEEP WRANGLER

I HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. I'VE OWNED MY JEEP FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. WE WERE CHANGING THE SHOCKS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOTICED SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S SEVERE. YEARS BEFORE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LAND RD AND HAD TO PRESS MY BRAKES HARDER THAN I USUALLY WOULD DUE TO A CAR PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT I BLEW A BRAKE LINE. I COULD NOT GET MY VEHICLE STOPPED. LUCKILY IT'S A 5 SPEED. I GEARED DOWN AS FAST AS I COULD AND MANAGED TO PULL IT OFF THE MAIN ROAD ONTO A HILL TO GET IT STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING MY VEHICLE I FOUND SEVERE DAMAGE. THE MOTORS MOUNTS ARE BARELY THERE. THE PART WHERE THE FRAME MOUNTS TO THE BODY IS ACTUALLY MISSING ONE DUE TO RUSTING COMPLETELY OUT. EVERY SINGLE BOLT AND NUT IS RUSTED. EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT JEEP POORLY DESIGNED THE FRAME WITH SIDE HOLES FOR WATER AND DIRT TO ENTER BUT DID NOT DESIGN IT WITH DRAINAGE HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. WATER AND DIRT ENTER AND NEVER LEAVE. IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.