NHTSA Complaint #730755 — 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

FIRST DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE HAPPENED ON VACATION TRIP AFTER I INSTALLED TWO NEW TIRES. JEEP STARTED MAKING HIGH PITCHED WHINE & PASSENGERS & I COULD DETECT WHAT SMELLED LIKE HOT FLUIDS. STOPPED & NOTED LIQUID ON ENGINE, TIRES, AND FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. LIQUID WAS SMOKING! TOOK TO JEEP DEALER LISTED IN THIS REPORT & DEALER REBUILT FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. SAID ALL WAS OK. AFTER 200 MILES, FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AGAIN FAILED AND THIS TIME IT WAS A MAJOR JOLT! THIS TIME AT 75 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC! WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THRU TRAFFIC & GET TO SIDE OF ROAD. FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS "RED HOT!" & I WAS AFRAID OF A FIRE. CALLED JEEP ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE & THEY GOT ME A TOW. DEALER WHERE CAR WAS TOWED SAID FRONT DIFF GOT SO HOT THAT IT WARPED! ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS BECAUSE I PUT NEW TIRES ON FRONT & NOT BACK. SAID DIFFERENCE IN DIAMETERS ON TIRES (NEW VS. WORN) CAUSED THE QUADRA-TRAC DRIVE TO FAIL. LATER INQUIRY TO DAMLER-CHRYSLER RESULTED IN A "VERBAL" RESPONSE THAT, "IF THERE IS AS MUCH AS 1/2" DIFFERENCE IN CIRCUMFERENCE OF TIRES ON THE QUADRA-TRAC UNITS, A DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE CAN OCCUR." NOTE THAT JEEP HAD A RECALL ON THIS TYPE OF FULL-TIME 4 WHEEL DRIVES, BUT EXPLAINED THAT A FIRE COULD RESULT IF A SMALLER SPARE TIRE WAS USED. JEEP SHOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER AND EXPLAINED THAT FAILURE AND FIRE COULD RESULT FROM HAVING TIRES WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMFERENCES. JEEP HAS A FILE ON MY COMPLAINT, BUT WIL NOT DISCUSS OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBITLTY AND THE "WRITTEN RESPONSE" WAS, "I HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED YOUR MESSAGE AND THE ENTIRE FILE ON THIS MATTER. YOUR CONCERNS ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER THAT CAN BE DONE TO FULLY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES......" I NOW FEEL THAT JEEP IS WELL AWARE OF THE "POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD" ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SITUATION AND HAS DOWN PLAYED IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY "JUST ISSUEING A RECALL FOR SPARE TIRE USAGE". THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ADVISED!