NHTSA Complaint #714457 — 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE

INITIAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FAILURE 5/98 OCCURRED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY OVERPASS 680/24 WALNUT CREEK, CA. VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH GAUGE INDICATED FUEL LEVEL ABOVE 1/8 TANK. CREATED HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC BACKUP FOR SEVERAL MILES ON SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE 680 REQUIRING POLICE ASSISTANCE. SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS WITH REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES 3/29/99 AND 8/30/99, CURRENTLY UNRESOLVED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFFECTED DRIVABILITY REQUIRING REPLACEMENT 8/30/99. BEGAN EXPERIENCING DANGEROUS ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING ABRUPT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PRECEDING ENGINE BUCKING, SEVERE ENGINE SURGING, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF POWER, NEAR STALL AT 35 MPH, RADIO AND POWER WINDOW FAILURE 8/23/99, CREATING HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER DRIVERS ON ROAD. THE FUEL ASSEMBLY FUSE FAILURE ON 11/1/99 OCCURRED AT FREEWAY SPEED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON EASTBOUND HIGHWAY 4 IN MARTINEZ NEAR PACHECO BLVD. OFF-RAMP WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. LOSS OF ENGINE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AT THIS SPEED AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS CREATED POTENTIAL FOR FATAL COLLISION INVOLVING MULTIPLE VEHICLES. VEHICLE AT LEHMER'S DEALERSHIP FROM 11/1/99-11/5/99. DEALERSHIP FAILED TO DUPLICATE, LOCATE, OR REPAIR FAILURE. VEHICLE RELEASED ON 11/5/99. THE SECOND FUEL SYSTEM FUSE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING ON 11/6/99, ON WESTBOUND YGNACIO VALLEY, A SECONDARY 4 LANE ROAD AT 45 MPH SPEED, AGAIN CREATING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. POLICE CALLED TO PREVENT POSSIBLE COLLISIONS WHILE WAITING FOR TOW. DUE TO THESE RECURRING AND UNRESOLVED SERVICE PROBLEMS WE HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. WE REFUSE TO PUT OUR FAMILY OR OTHER DRIVERS AT RISK AND WISH TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AND TO PURSUE RESOLUTION OF THIS MATTER UNDER THE LEMON LAW. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH, BUT CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL IT OR TRADE IT IN DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.