NHTSA Complaint #716166 — 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

MULTIPLE REAR AXLE PROBLEMS, EACH DIAGNOSED BY OWNER PRIOR TO FAILURE. (THE DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM) THIS VEHICLE HAS AVERAGED ONE NEW REAR AXLE EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING THIS YEAR WHICH I AM WAITING ON PARTS. THE ENGINE'S FAULTY MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR QUIT OPERATION WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS ON SOME SWITCHBACK ROADS. THE ENGINE ABRUBTLY QUIT RUNNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE STEERING AND BRAKING CONTROL. ONLY QUICK THINKING BY USING THE PARKING BRAKE SAVED THE FOUR PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE FROM EMINENT DEATH. THE ENGINE RELUCTANTLY RESTARTED AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND WE CONTINUED DOWN THE MOUNTAINS. HOWEVER, A FEW MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE DIED WITHOUT WARNING FOR A SECOND TIME AND WE WERE FORCED TO HOLD THE JEEP ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. I CAN'T BELIEVE NO ONE HAS DIED FROM THIS VEHICLE! THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURED ON TWO SEPARATE TRIPS, APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR APART, AFTER REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER, AND REPLACING THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR AND REMAPPING THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT COMPUTER FOR A SECOND TIME. FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS I OWNED THIS VEHICLE, IT WAS IN THE SHOP OVER 36 TIMES FOR WARRANTY RELATED REPAIRS. WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/65R16 )