NHTSA Complaint #735666 — 1988 JEEP CHEROKEE

WHEN I COME TO A STOP SIGN, AND AM STOPPED,AND I HAVE TO TURN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS SLIGHTLY TURNED AND I RELEASE THE FOOT BRAKE AND APPLY THE GAS, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETLEY STALL, UNLESS I MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL MORE AND THEN IT MAY CATCH AND START RUNNING AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION I ATTEMPT TO TURN AND THE STALLING MAY PUT ME A FEW FEET OUT INTO THE LINE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE TO QUICKLY PUT THE SHIFT GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN AND THE ENGINE WILL EIMMEDIATELY START. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THE ENGINE WILL EVER STALL, BUT IT PUTS ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH THE STALLING AND THE CERTAIN POSITION THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. I THINK I REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT FORD ALSO HAD SOMEWHAT SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR ENGINE STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING AND ACCIDENTS HAPPENING. HAS JEEP EVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS OR PROBLEMS SUCH AS WHAT I HAVE? AS IS, I CAN NOT DEPEND ON ENTERING A TRAFFIC PATTERN EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT IF I WILL NEED TO READILY GET INTO THE DESIRED LANE, FOR FEAR THAT THE ENGINE WILL STALL AND I'LL GET HIT BY SOMEONE WHO FAILS TO NOTICE THAT I HAVE STALLED OUT.*AK