NHTSA Complaint #703576 — 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE

THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT ON WAY OUT OF TOWN. WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT FROM BEHIND THE JEEP. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND USED OUR PHONE TO CALL FOR HELP. WE WERE TOLD FROM A MECHANIC THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT. WE WAITED FOR THE JEEP TO COOL OFF, THEN ADDED WATER TO THE RADIATOR. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE AT 35 MPH UNTIL WE FOUND A SERVICE STATION TO PULL OVER AT. AT THAT TIME THE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT IT WAS INDEED THE WATER PUMP AND THERE WAS NO MORE THAT COULD BE DONE THAT DAY (SATURDAY-5:00P.M.). WE GOT OUR VEHICLE TOWED BACK HOME TO LAFAYETTE, LA. THE NEXT MORNING AND AT THAT TIME THE TOWING/SERVICE TECHNICIAN ALSO SAID IT LOOKED AS IF THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. IS THAT COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS MILAGE? ALSO, THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND WE HAD THEM FIXED A MONTH AGO AT LAFAYETTE MOTORS INC. COULD THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE WATER PUMP OR IS THAT IMPOSSIBLE? ALSO, WAS THERE SUPPOSED TO BE ANY WARNING AS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? WE GOT NO WARNING, BUT THE SMOKE POURING OUT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )