NHTSA Complaint #11594441 — 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

The headrest restraint in the driver's seat spontaneously deployed hitting the back of my head while I was driving. It is available for inspection. The deployment was startling/surprising - quite a distraction - my impulse was to turn around to see what hit me - it wasn't readily apparent until I re-oriented my body in the seat and found my headrest had moved forward making it uncomfortable to drive. A web search indicated other Jeep/Durango owners have experienced this - some are attempting to "reset" the headrest on their own. A call to Chrysler/Jeep customer care confirmed that the warranty on this item had been extended to 14 Mar 2023 - no recall. I was not notified to my knowledge. They declined to help me. The vehicle has not been inspected. There were no leading indications of a failure, nor is there an indication currently, other than the headrest is split open and it is uncomfortable to drive. Why has a safety device that has obviously failed in multiple cases and was known to the manufacturer not become a recall?! This is irresponsible! The dealer indicated there is no means to repair this - a replacement headrest. In light of the cost of "repair" it is no wonder owners are trying to fix this on their own.