2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE HEARD FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATING, AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE COOLING FAN HAD SEPARATED. THE RADIATOR FAN, THE SHROUD AND THE RADIATOR WERE ALL REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 06V199000, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE ENGINE COOLING FAN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

I BOUGHT MY 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE NEW. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REGULATOR IN THE WINDOW MECHANISM THREE TIMES. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT AFTER THREE YEARS AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT SIX MONTHS LATER. IN ALL CASES WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE WINDOW FALLS DOWN INTO THE DOOR AND WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS DURING A FREEZING RAIN STORM WITH MY 16-MONTH OLD IN THE BACK SEAT. NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP A WINDOW CLOSED IS A HAZARD IN MANY WAYS. THINGS CAN BLOW INTO THE VEHICLE, THINGS CAN BLOW OUT OF THE VEHICLE INTO THE ROADWAY, ETC. WHEN I MENTIONED TO THE DEALER THAT REPLACED THE MOST RECENT REGULATOR THAT THREE OF THE SAME COMPONENT GOING OUT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE, HE AGREED AND SAID THEIR SHOP HAD REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THOSE LATELY. I HAVE LITERALLY ROLLED DOWN THE BACK WINDOW LESS THAN 20 TIMES EVER SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE SO I KNOW IT IS NOT "WEAR AND TEAR." THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A COMPONENT DEFECT. *NM

2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. STEERING WHEEL BEGAN MAKING STRANGE SOUNDS. STEERING GEAR AND ASSOCIATED PARTS WERE REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTER, STRANGE SOUNDS RETURNED, THE STEERING BEGAN TO BECOME COMPLETELY UNASSISTED AT LOW SPEEDS FOR A BRIEF SECOND. THE PROBLEM CAUSES QUITE A SCARE AND CAUSES TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW SPEED IDLE. DAMAGE IS IMMINENT WITHOUT REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED AMONG JEEP CHAT ROOMS. SECOND WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM AMONG JEEP OWNERS. FAULTY POWER WINDOW UNITS THAT FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE WINDOW TO BE STUCK UP OR DOWN. THIS CAUSES DRIVER TO BE FORCED TO DRIVE WITH OPEN NON RESPONDING WINDOWS IN A VARIETY OF WEATHER CONDITIONS, OBVIOUS SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARD. THIRD CHRONIC HAZARD WELL KNOWN TO JEEP OWNERS AS WELL AS JEEP. THE BLEND DOORS ON A/C CONSISTENTLY FAIL RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS CAUSES A FAILURE OF THE DEFROSTER AND OBVIOUS DANGER, AS WELL AS DRIVERS ARE FORCED TO DRIVE WITH CONSTANT UNHEATED AIRFLOW UNTIL COSTLY REPAIR. JEEP IS WELL AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM AND OFFER CORRECTION FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. *NM

MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD A PULMONARY APPOINTMENT. WE WERE LEAVING THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, A LOT OF TRAFFIC, I DROVE ON THE ON RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY 285 WESTBOUND. WHILE DRIVING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, MY JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE '02, A BEEP SOUNDED, I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND THE "AIRBAG" LIGHT CAME ON AND WITHIN NOT EVEN A SECOND, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL IS DESTROYED, THE DASHBOARD AND THE FRONT GLASS. SMELL AND SMOKE FILLED THE SUV WHILE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE SUV OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY CHILD WAS CRYING FROM BEING SO SCARED. I CALLED THE DEALER THAT I ALWAYS USED TO SERVICE MY JEEP TO SEE IF I COULD DRIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS AFRAID BEING ON A BUSY ATLANTA HIGHWAY, A CRYING 8 YEAR OLD AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE SUV. THEY TOLD ME NO AND TO CALL CHRYSLER FOR TOW. I DID AND THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE ME TO THE NEAREST JEEP DEALER (ROSWELL, GA) BUT WOULD BE 50 MIN. WAIT. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WAS ON AN EXTREME BUSY HIGHWAY, AND 8 YEAR OLD AND HAD TO GET OFF THIS HIGHWAY NOW. WHILE TALKING, A TOW TRUCK PULLED OFF IN FRONT OF ME. HE SPOKE TO CHRYSLER AND ARRANGED FOR "PAYMENT DIRECTLY FROM CHRYSLER" AND DROVE US TO ROSWELL, GA. THE DEALER WOULD NOT GIVE ME A RENTAL CAR. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I GOT RENTAL WHICH THE DEALERSHIP CALLED HERTZ FOR ME AND THEY (HERTZ) PICKED MY CHILD UP AND MYSELF AND DROVE US TO THEIR SHOP TO GET A CAR. I AM NOW DRIVING A RENTAL AND HAVE NO IDEAL WHO IS PAYING FOR THIS. MY HUSBAND CALLED THE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT TOUCH THE SUV AND SOMEONE FROM CHRYLSER SAFETY LOOKED AT THE CAR. I JUST CALLED CHRYLSER'S 1-800 NUMBER AND TOLD THEM THE INCIDENT AND WANTED A PERSON'S NAME, NUMBER AND HOW IS THIS PROCEDURE HANDLED. I WAS TOLD BY "LACHINA" (SPELLING?) THAT IT WAS USUALLY 3 BUSINESS DAYS, NO PERSON CONTACT BUT YET "SOMEONE SHOULD CALL ME PRIOR TO VIEWING." I ASKED HOW MY RENTAL SITUATION WOULD BE HANDLED AND SHE DID NOT KNOW. *JB

MY 2002 JEEP CHEROKEE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SECURE LATCH FOR THE USE OF A SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PUT IT THERE. *JB

ANYTIME I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT CHANGING INTO ANOTHER GEAR, THE CAR STALLS AND WITH A VIOLENTLY PUSH FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I AM SPEEDING AND IT CHANGES GEARS. ALMOST EVERYONE WHO SITS IN MY CAR COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS ROCKING AND TELLS ME IT MAY INJURE ME SOMEDAY. *JB

AT APPROXIMATELY 9:20 AM ON 09/19/06 ONE OF MY CAR WASH EMPLOYEES WAS PULLING A CUSTOMERS CAR FORWARD OUT OF THE CAR WASH BAY AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL CROSSING BOTH THE WESTBOUND AND EASTBOUND LANES OF FULLERTON AVE AND CRASHING INTO A TREE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CAR WASH. THE CAR SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND MY EMPLOYEE WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO ILLINOIS MASONIC AND IS CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED FROM THE INJURIES HE SUSTAINED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. *NM

AT 26,164 MILES THE RIGHT STOP LIGHT BULB WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 54,538 MILES THE LEFT STOP LIGHT BULB WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THIS WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $191.40. THE ORIGINAL LAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE DEFECTIVE AND A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MFG. HAS EVEN REDESIGNED THE REPLACEMENT LAMP ASSEMBLY. ALL LAMP ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AND OWNERS THAT PAID TO HAVE THIS SAFETY HAZARD CORRECTED SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. *JB

FAILURE OF HEATING SYSTEM ON PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OF A BLEND DOOR CAUSED ONLY COLD AIR TO BE SENT TO ALL PASSENGER SIDE AIR DISCHARGES WHICH INCLUDE THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER. ON COOL MORNING THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT CLEAR COMPLETELY OF DEW, THIS PROBLEM COULD SEVERELY COMPROMISE SIGHT OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE IN THE WINTER MONTHS. SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT WERE VISITED WHILE RESEARCHING CAUSE INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PARTS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED, ALSO STATED THAT DUE TO LABOR INVOLVED THAT IT WAS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. SOME PEOPLE WRITING IN TO THESE SITES INDICATED THAT REPAIRS WOULD NO BE MADE. INDIVIDUAL DRIVING AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE ON THE ROADWAYS WITH THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND CRACKED THE RADIATOR DUE TO THE RADIATOR FAN HAVING FRACTURED INTO PIECES. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS CONTACTED FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HEARD OF A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE IN A NEWS REPORT, BUT WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL IN EFFECT. AT A LATER DATE THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF A NHTSA RECALL #06V199000; REGARDING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLER, COOLING SYSTEM FAN BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.