NHTSA Complaint #11527648 — 2021 JEEP CHEROKEE

PTU in 2021 Jeep Cherokee with 50k miles went out causing a loss in power to the wheels while crossing a highway. Dealership put a new PTU and drive shaft in but said it was defective but they could turn off the Jeeps ability to transfer power from front to back until they got a new part. This caused my safety features such as front collision to be turned off. I assume they pulled a fuse for the transfer between front and rear meaning the new PTU was more than just not communicating with the electronics like the dealership said but was an actual defective unit. The last time it went out it also tore up a drive shaft. The replacement unit in the Jeep has always had a grinding sound and began to have what felt like transmission slip. I also started losing power and when the engine is turned off sometimes it won’t start even though it has power in the battery and the start turns. It is broke down again and going into the shop because the Jeep is still having drive issues along with new electrical ones and I am in danger of it losing power or transmission when crossing a highway. The dealer did tell me that many of the new PTUs are defective. I am surprised a dealership when send a customer back out in a vehicle they knew wouldn’t be safe and had a failed part.