NHTSA Complaint #724238 — 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE

SINCE THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP OF NEW JEEP CHEROKEE 10/3/1999, THERE HAS BEEN A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE. SELLING DEALER REPLACED TRANSFER CASE LUBRICANT. MECHANIC SAID CHRYSLER USED "SUBSTANDARD" LUBRICANT. GRINDING CONTINUED. REPEATED ATTEMPTS FOR SELLING DEALER (BEGNAL MOTORS) TO FIX WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED AT 9585 MILES BY SAWYER MOTORS IN SAUGERTIES NEW YORK. METAL SHAVINGS FOUND IN TRANSFER CASE. WARPING IN GEAR BOLT HOLES. DEALER SAID TRANSFER CASE SHOULD BE "PRISTINE" AT 9,000 MILES. GRINDING RETURNED AT 13,000. WORSE ON DECELERATION AND DURING RAIN. JEEP ZONE REP. SAYS CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. EVEN SAID PROBLEM IS "NORMAL". THIS EXACT PROBLEM REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES BY NTSHA IN 1999 MODEL. ON 6/19/2000 CHRYSLER REP. WANTS TO REPLACE ENTIRE TRANSFER CASE. VALUE OF VEHICLE HAS BEEN REDUCED. WILL LOSE 5,000 IF I SELL NOW. UNSURE OF SAFETY ISSUES. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS SHAMEFUL. THEY HAVE LOST RECORDS OF MY CALLS. HOWEVER, CHRYSLER REP EXPLAINED IF 4-WHEEL DRIVE LEVER IS PLACED IN THE WRONG POSITION, DAMAGE CAN OCCUR. SAWYER MOTORS OWNER BOB SIRACASANO SAYS HE DROVE ANOTHER 2000 MODEL THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE SOUND. ZONE REP. PETER HEWITT SAYS HE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT ONCE THE TRANSFER CASE IS REPLACED, THE SOUND WILL NOT GO AWAY. THIS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A DEFECT. DO YOU AGREE? I HAVE HAD A LOANER CAR FOR 21 DAYS. I SPENT $24,000 AND NOW KNOW CHRYSLER HAS A TRACKRECORD OF USING POOR QUALITY PARTS, BAD CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND UNCOOPERATIVE DEALERSHIPS. CONSUMERS NEED THE NHTSA TO STAND UP FOR US! PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU.*AK