NHTSA Complaint #768731 — 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE

FOR THE PAST MONTH, I WAS UNABLE TO GET MY HOOD TO OPEN TO GET AN OIL CHANGE. I DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO VAVOLINE TO SEE IF THE MECHANICS THERE COULD OPEN THE HOOD. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD. THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP, OR THE DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT EVENING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT 70 MPH, MY HOOD FLEW OPEN. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE IN FRONT OF ME. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VERY DISTURBED BY THIS INCIDENT, I RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED THAT DODGE RAMS HAD A RECALL FOR CORROSION OF THE RETURN SPRING ON THE HOOD SECONDARY LATCH THAT COULD CAUSE THE MECHANISM TO BIND IN THE RELEASE POSITION AND THE HOOD COULD OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYLSER REGARDING THE INCIDENT. DT