NHTSA Complaint #716025 — 1986 JEEP GRAND WAGONEER

THE WHOLE CRANKCASE EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE FAILED, CAUSING A COMPLETE MELTDOWN OF ALL ENGINE PARTS. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH. THERE WAS NO WARNING - THE VEHICLE JUST STARTED LOSING POWER WITH SMOKE AND FOWL ODOR COMING FROM UNDER HOOD AREA. THE JEEP DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DAMAGED ENGINE COMPONENTS FOR AROUND $1200. ALL VACUUM HOSES, ALL SPARK PLUG WIRES, THE BRAKE FLUID RESOVOUR, ALL HOSES AND BELTS, THE CATALITIC CONVERTER, TO NAME A FEW, WERE THE ITEMS REPLACED. NOW NEARLY 10 MONTHS LATER THERE IS STILL MAJOR CARBORATOR AND EMISSION PROBLEMS. IN JUNE, 1999, $500 WORK ON EMISSIONS SYSTEM TO CORRECT IT SO IT WOULD PAST THE SAFETY INSPECTION TESTS. IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, THE DRIVE TRAIN AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN LEAKING FLUID AND THE VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (60-70 MPH). I AM ABLE TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL WHILE STILL ROLLING, TURN THE KEY AND RESTART THE ENGINE MOST OF THE TIME. OTHER TIMES I MUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, WAIT FOR A MINUETE OR TWO AND THEN RESTART. I RUN A PREMIUM GASOLINE AND EVERY OTHER TANK USE OCTANE BOOSTER. THE ENGINE GAGUES ALWAYS HAVE A NORMAL READING - EVEN WHEN THE EMISSION DEVICE FAILED - THE ENGINE NEVER SHOWED TO BE HOT, OIL PRESSURE WAS NORMAL AND BATTERY CHARGE WAS NORMAL. THE DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE COMPLETLY BROKE OFF. I NOW MUST OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE OR EXIT THE PASSENGER DOOR. THE HOOD LATCH WILL NOT OPEN ALL THE TIME. SOMETIME IT IS NECESSARY TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE HOOD BEFORE THE RELEASE ENGAGES. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED IN 2-99 WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EACH OTHER. *AK