NHTSA Complaint #755138 — 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE

I HAD PURCHASED A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE NEW FROM THE DEALER. SEVERAL TIMES I BROUGHT IT IN WHILE UNDER WARRANTY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD CUT OUT, STALL AND BECOME SLUGGISH. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM, OR IN SOME CASES THEY JUST STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. OF COURSE AFTER THE WARRANTEE RAN OUT BY TIME AND MILES THE CAR WENT DEAD ON ME AND I WAS ADVISED THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL TANK IS DESIGN SUCH THAT IT DETERIORATES AND PLUGS THE FUEL PUMP OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. I LEARNED THIS THROUGH PARTS SUPPLIERS WHO WERE UNWILLING TO GIVE A GUARRANTEE ON THEIR PUMPS KNOWING THE TANK WOULD CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AND PLUG THE PUMP. THE DEALER TOLD ME HE WANTED OVER ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE TANK BECAUSE OF THE DETERIORATION. HE REFUSED TO REPLACE ONLY THE FUEL PUMP AND TOLD ME THE TANK WAS DEFECTIVE. OF COURSE THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION REFUSED TO WARRANTEE THE PRODUCT AFTER THE TIME AND MILES WERE UP. MY QUESTION IS THIS: IF THE FUEL TANK IS DETERIORATING BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FAULT IS THAT A SAFETY PROBLEM. I MYSELF HAVING A LIMITED MECHANICAL BACKGROUD WOULD THINK SO. THESE TANKS ARE DETERIORATING IN THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES AND CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY DOUBT A FUEL TANK IS A CRITICAL PART OF A VEHICLE, AND I DON'T THINK JEEP IS GOING TO CON THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS INTO CHANGING THEIR FUEL TANKS. AT THIS TIME I NEED A VEHICLE TO DRIVE AND I AM GOING TO REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP NOT THE TANK. HOWEVER IF THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHY ISN'T JEEP VOLUNTARILY TAKING CARE OF IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE I STAND WITH THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. BRENDAN FINNERTY