NHTSA Complaint #11240539 — 2018 JEEP WRANGLER

THE REDESIGN OF THE 2018 JEEP WRANGLER (JL) INCLUDES AN UNSAFE DESIGN OF THE FREEDOM TOP. WHEN THE FRONT FREEDOM PANELS ARE REMOVED, THE EDGES OF THE BACK PANEL EXTEND ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE SOUND BAR AND ARE NOT FINISHED WITH ANY TRIM, WHICH LEAVES A SHARP EXPOSED FIBERGLASS EDGE TO DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE FRONT FREEDOM PANELS REMOVED IN THE MANNER INSTRUCTED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND BY MOPAR VIA THEIR YOUTUBE TUTORIALS. WHEN HE EXTENDED HIS HAND UPWARD TO REACH FOR HIS HAT, THE EXPOSED EDGE OF THE BACK PANEL OF THE FREEDOM TOP CUT HIS HAND DEEPLY ENOUGH TO SEVER A NERVE AND AN ARTERY, REQUIRING EMERGENCY CARE AND SURGERY. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE NEWER 2019 MODEL APPEARS TO HAVE ADDED PLASTIC TRIM TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THIS UNREASONABLY UNSAFE CONDITION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR ALL OF THE 2018 JL MODELS AS WELL. *DT *DT*JB *DT *TR *DT *DT *TR