NHTSA Complaint #11704248 — 2019 JEEP CHEROKEE

My vehicle is under an open safety recall 01C involving the PTU system, and there has been no remedy available for nearly a year. This defect caused a dangerous and sudden loss of acceleration while I was driving, and the manufacturer has still provided no fix, and no support through the dealership. The incident occurred when I was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green,I pressed the gas and the vehicle immediately made a loud grinding/shaking noise, shuddered violently, and lost all propulsion. The car would barely move. I was extremely lucky that there was a parking lot directly next to the intersection, and with the tiny amount of movement left,I was able to coast into it. If this failure had happened anywhere else—on a highway, in the middle of an intersection, or without a place to pull off—I could have been rear-ended or caused a collision. My safety was put at immediate risk due to this recall defect. I contacted the dealership, but they stated they could not repair the vehicle because Jeep/Stellantis had not released a remedy, parts, or service procedure for the recall. I was told multiple times that there was nothing they could do until Jeep provided a fix. After the breakdown, an independent shop confirmed the PTU failure, since the dealer still had no ability to repair it. All failed components and documentation are available for inspection. I lost use of my vehicle and was forced to take safety into my own hands. When I submitted reimbursement documentation to Jeep Customer Care, they denied it because the repair was not done at a certified dealer and did not use MOPAR parts—even though no certified repair or MOPAR parts exist for this recall. This leaves me without a safe vehicle, without a remedy, and without support. I am requesting NHTSA intervention due to the ongoing safety risk and the manufacturer’s failure to provide a timely fix and proper reimbursement for their admitted issue with the vehicle.