1996 JEEP CHEROKEE Seats Problems

UNDERSIDE OF FRONT SEAT (METAL RAIL CONNECTING TO TRACKS) BROKE SUDDENLY NEAR RETAINING BOLTS ON BOTH FRONT CONNECTIONS. METAL WAS FLIMSY (1/8 IN OR SO) AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE REINFORCED AGAINST SHEAR (UP/DOWN) STRESS AT CONNECTION POINT TO ACCOMMODATE SEAT MOTION WHEN DRIVERS GOT INTO/OUT OF VEHICLE. I WAS JUST GETTING IN TO GO TO WORK WHEN IT FAILED, BUT IT COULD JUST HAVE EASILY HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC OR AT A TRAFFIC STOP. *TR

I OWN A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE AND THE SHEET METAL THAT CONNECTS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO THE ADJUSTABLE TRACK UNDER THE SEAT IS TEARING AND COMING LOSE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND FURTHER INCREASED INJURY DURING THAT ACCIDENT WHEN THE SEAT BECOMES DISENGAGED FROM ITS ANCHORING POINTS. WHILE THE JEEP IS 7.5 YEARS OLD, I AM ONLY 5FT 10IN 195LBS AND DO NOT THINK THAT THE METAL SHOULD BE TEARING. THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE I FELT I SHOULD CONTACT JEEP BEFORE TAKING ACTION MYSELF SO IF NECESSARY JEEP COULD HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND SEE IF THEY HAD ANY CONCERNS THAT NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH. I HAVE CONTACTED JEEP STAFF FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ALL THE WAY UP TO SUSAN AT CHRYSLER CORP CUSTOMER SERVICE (INCIDENT # 12175350) WITHOUT LUCK IN HAVING MY SAFETY RELATED ISSUE ADDRESSED....

GETTING INTO MY 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE THE NUT WHICH SECURES THE DRIVERS LOWER SEAT CUSHION FRAME TO THE SEAT ADJUSTER PULLED THROUGH THE CUSHION FRAME. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS 88932 MILES ON IT.*AK I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT THE FORCES WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE RESISTED WOULD FAR EXCEED THOSE A PERSON COULD APPLY GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, I FEEL THIS IS OBVIOUSLY EITHER A DESIGN PROBLEM OR A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. I CALLED 1-800-992-1997 AND TALKED TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WHO SAID THAT IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I.E. I HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED. FOR SAFETY REASONS THIS MUST BE FIXED, DO I USE THEIR PRODUCTS WHICH MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM? ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF...

1. ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDER LEFT SIDE DASH, MAIN WIRE BUNDLE GOING TO FUSE BOX RUBBED AGAINST BOLT AND WORE THROUGH WIRE CAUSING A SHORT. 2. NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH GONE BAD. 3. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RAIL BROKE SOMEWHERE AND SEAT ROCKS AROUND. 4. REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAVE A NEGATIVE ARCH IN THEM CAUSING REAR TO SAG AND WHEELS TO RUB WITH MINIMUM WEIGHT IN VEHICLE. DT

THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE DRIVERS SEAT HAS BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE ADJUSTMENT SLIDE. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT TO TILT BACK WHEN ACCELERATING. THE METAL IS TORN FROM AROUND THE BOLT. THE BOLT IS STILL INTACT. THE UPPER LEFT DOOR HINGE IS ALSO COMING LOOSE FROM THE BODY. THE WELD THAT SECURES THE HINGE TO THE BODY IS FAILING. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER (NOT THE ONE WHO I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM) AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE. SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY HE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP. THE FELLOW AT THE BODY SHOP INFORMED ME HE HAS SEEN QUITE A FEW DOOR HINGE FAILURES. HE EVEN HAD A CHEROKEE IN THE SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID THE SEAT FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON. I FEEL THESE ARE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE MANUFACTURER...

THE FRONT SEAT FRAMES ARE NOT MADE STRONG ENOUGH, FRAME WELDS BROKEN, BOLT PULLED THROUGH, OTHER FRAME CRACKS. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER SEAT FAILURES,IN JEEP XJS, TALKED ABOUT ON INTERNET JEEP LIST-SERVES. SEAT WAS HELD ON BY ONLY 2 POINTS. IF ONE MORE MOUNTING HAD BROKEN, THE SEAT WOULD HAVE FALLEN INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA.*AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT CUSHION FRAME BROKE AT THE WELDS. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT MOUNT OF THE CUSHION FRAME TO FRACTURE. THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THE WELDS HAD FRACTURED UNTIL THE LOWER MOUNT FINNALLY GAVE OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS HAPPENED WHEN I JUST GOT INTO THE JEEP. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, AND THE SEAT BROKE, I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. I WENT THE MY LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP, SHOWED THEM THE BROKEN SEAT. THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD, BUT WERE WILLING TO ORDER THE PART. OF WHICH THERE WERE ONLY THREE AVAILABLE IN THE NATION. I TRIED TO LOCATE THE PART USED ON THE NATIONAL WEB OF SALVAGE YARDS. ON EVERY JEEP OF THIS YEAR AT THE SALVAGE YARD, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ALREADY MISSING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I STILL HAVE THE BROKEN SEAT...

WELD BUSTED ON SEAT ON THE BACK PART AS WELL AS THE PIECE THAT CONNECTS TO FRONT LEFT SECTION OF THE SEAT. *AK

I PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE IN MARCH 1999 . I HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM 3-5 TIMES . I'VE EVEN COME OUT OF MY POCKET FOR THE EXPENSIVE OF A NEW SEAT BECAUSE THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SEAT WAS CONSIDERED COSMETIC AND NOT WARRANTY COVERED. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW ,THE DEALERSHIP IS SUPPOSEDLY WAITING ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHRYSLER ABOUT THE SPECS FOR MY SEAT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 5 MONTHS .THE SEAT IS LEANING DANGEROUSLY TO THE RIGHT AND IT FEELS AS IF IT IS CRACKED

FRONT DRIVER SEAT FRAME REPLACED.