NHTSA Complaint #746302 — 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE

REPEATED PASSENGER BALLJOINT FAILURE ON 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT. ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE SOURCES INCLUDING OWNERS AND JEEP DEALER REPAIR STAFF, THIS IS A REGULAR AND REPEATED PROBLEM IN 1999 AND 2000 MODEL YEAR CHEROKEES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.0L ENGINE AND PART TIME 4 WHEEL DRIVE. BALLJOINT ORIGINALLY REPLACED AT 10,950 MILES UNDER WARRANTY (REPLACING DEALER IRA JEEP, NO COST.). BALLJOINT HAS FAILED AGAIN. HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET A WEEKEND APPOINTMENT AT DEALER. SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE COINCIDE WITH REPORTS ON FILE WITH THE NHTSA - STEERING WHEEL AND/OR FRONT END 'SHIMMY' OR VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, PULLING OR PUSHING LEFT OR RIGHT UNDER ACCELERATION, DIFFICULTY IN MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS (LACK OF FEEDBACK FROM WHEELS, CAR ATTEMPTS TO PULL OPPOSITE DIRECTION). I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST ON THE BEHALF OF ALL JEEP OWNERS (THIS IS A 4 HOUR REPAIR, REQUIRING THE VEHICLE TO TYPICALLY REMAIN AT THE DEALER FOR ONE FULL DAY) THAT THE NHTSA FURTHER INVESTIGATE THESE FAILURES, AS I SUSPECT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THESE FAILURES ARE, IN MY OPINION, DANGEROUS AND CAN BECOME LIFE THREATENING SHOULD THE BALLJOINT(S) CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER/JEEP HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT IN REGUARDS TO REPAIRING THESE PROBLEMS, BUT THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT LEAVE CUSTOMERS WITHOUT THEIR CAR FOR A MINIMUM OF SEVERAL HOURS, AND ARE EASY TO IGNORE FOR MOST CONSUMERS. THANK YOU.*AK