NHTSA Complaint #769251 — 1997 JEEP LAREDO

THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN BY MY TEENAGE SON AND DAUGHTER. IN TEACHING THEM ABOUT THE VEHICLE, I STRESSED THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE. JACK PLACEMENT CAN BE IMPORTANT FOR SAFELY CHANGING A TIRE AND PREVENTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. WHEN MY DAUGHTER DID HAVE A FLAT, NEITHER SHE NOR ADULT FRIENDS WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE USING THE JACK PLACEMENT DIAGRAMS PROVIDED IN THE MANUAL AND SEWN NEXT TO THE JACK ITSELF. THE JACK WOULD ONLY LIFT THE CAR AN INCH OR SO WHEN PLACED ON THE AXLE AS SHOWN. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE DIAGRAMS WERE INCORECT AND THAT THE JACK MUST BE PLACED UNDER THE LEAF SPRINGS. WHEN I CONTACTED THE MANFACTURER, THEY SAID THAT THE DEALER WAS WRONG AND THE DIAGRAMS WERE CORRECT. WHEN I SENT THEM A PICTURE OF THE JACK FULLY EXTENDED AND OF THE HEIGHT THIS WOULD LIFT THE AXLE ( WHICH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO LIFT THE TIRE OFF THE GROUND) AND REQUESTED A CORRECTED DIAGRAM TO PLACE IN THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD NOT RESPOND. MY CONTENTION IS THAT CHANGING A FLAT TIRE IS SUCH A RARE OCURRANCE FOR A TEENAGER OR ANYBODY ELSE, THEY CAN NOT REMEMBER WHAT IS THE PROPER JACKING METHOD WITHOUT A PROPER DIAGRAM TO LOOK AT. IN MY DAUGHTERS ORIGINAL FLAT THEY ATTEMPTED DANGEROUS METHODS TO RAISE THE VEHICLE WHEN FOLLOWING THE DIAGRAMS DID NOT WORK. I AM JUST ASKING FOR A CORRECTED PAGE FOR THE MANUAL AND A CORRECTED DIAGRAM FOR THE JACK AREA. I TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM WITHOUT CONTACTING THE NHTSA AND RECEIVED NO ANSWER. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. DT