2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

I LEFT MY JOB SITE, EXITING AT A GATED DRIVEWAY. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK, OR SO I THOUGHT, AND OPERATED THE PARKING BRAKE. I THEN EXITED THE VEHICLE WITH THE MOTOR STILL RUNNING, IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE GATE BEHIND THE VEHICLE. AS I TURNED BACK TO THE VEHICLE, AFTER LOCKING THE GATE, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE "REVERSE BACK-UP LIGHTS" WERE ON. THAT WAS A POSITIVE INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WAS IN "REVERSE" NOT "PARK." LUCKILY, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE TOWARDS ME. I THEN RE-ENTERED THE VEHICLE VIA THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, AND OBSERVED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS ACTUALLY IN "REVERSE" CONFIRMING WHAT WAS INDICATED BY THE BACK UP LIGHTS BEING ON. PUZZLED THAT THIS HAPPENED, I ATTEMPTED ON SEVERAL TRIES OF SHIFTING THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER TO ASCERTAIN IF I COULD RECREATE THE SAME CONDITION (I.E., OF SHIFTING INTO "PARK" BY "FEEL" AND ACTUALLY STOPPING IN "REVERSE" ONE POSITION SHORT OF THE "PARK" POSITION). I WAS ABLE TO DO SO, THAT IS, INCORRECTLY STOPPING AT "REVERSE." SINCE I DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT MOST WEEKNIGHTS, I WOULD NORMALLY SHIFT THE CAR INTO "PARK" BY FEEL. PLEASE NOTE THAT I SPENT NEARLY SIX YEARS SERVICING JEEPS, TRUCKS AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD AS A RESERVIST, AND AS SUCH FEEL FULLY QUALIFIED TO OFFER THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. SUFFICE IT TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING WHILE FULLY OPERATIONAL IF THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN "REVERSE." THE "DEFECT" OR SHORTCOMING IN THIS CASE, APPEARS TO BE THE RESULT OF A FAULTY SAFETY BUTTON THAT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER MECHANISM. I NOTICED A DISTINCT PATTERN OF THE SHIFT LEVER STOPPING AT "REVERSE" AS IF IN "PARK" IF THE BUTTON IS NOT COMPLETELY PRESSED WHILE SHIFTING THE LEVER FORWARD TOWARDS "PARK." THE BUTTON MECHANISM HAS A RANGE OF MOTION THAT ALLOWS AN INCOMPLETE PROTECTIVE ACTION, STOPPING THE LEVER AT "REVERSE" ONE NOTCH SHORT OF "PARK."*AK

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES EXCESSIVELY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHEN GOING DOWN EVEN A SLIGHT GRADE. PRIVATE MECHANIC SAYS ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED, ALTHOUGH PADS ARE BARELY 1/4 GONE. NLM

WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPING THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

WHEN BRAKING THERE WAS VERY BAD VIBRATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THEY STATED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED.*AK.*YH

FRONT COLLISION AT 20-25 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUFFERED WHIPLASH, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 8000.00. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS REQUIRED MACHINING AFTER 18,000 MILES. ROTORS HAD WARPED. DEALER WILL NOT COVER REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. ROTOR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH ONLY HAS A 12,000 MILE, 12 MONTH WARRANTY.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKE AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. DEALER DETERMINED THE FRONT ROTORS ARE WARPED. *AK

I AM CONCERNED THAT THE GEN-3 SEAT BELTS IN MY VEHICLE ARE NOT SAFE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RELEASE BUTTON ON THE BELT, SITS HIGH IN THE HOUSING OF THE DEVICE, AND THE RELEASE COULD BE STRUCK DURING AN ACCIDENT, AND THE BUCKLE WILL RELEASE THE BELT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT RIGHTS DO I HAVE TO REQUEST THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THESE SEAT BELTS. *AK

DURING SLOW SPEED TURNS IN REVERSE OR FORWARD, STRANGE GRINDING AND HONKING NOISES COME FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE IN AXLE AND STEERING AREA. CAN ALSO FEEL THE GRINDING SENSATION. HAVE CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEVERAL TIMES AND AM TOLD THERE IS A PENDING RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT NOR HAVE THEY RECEIVED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. APPEARS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA TSB SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBERS 0300101A & 1900401 (NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS SB625612 & SB621896). WERE ASSURED BY SERVICE MANAGER THAT PROBLEM WILL NOT HARM VEHICLE IN LONG-RUN, AND THAT WE CAN DRIVE IT NORMALLY UNTIL RECALL ITEMS ARE RECEIVED AT SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE CONCERNED HOWEVER ABOUT SAFETY FACTORS AND POSSIBLE LONG-TERM DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY AS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN NO ETA ON WHEN WE CAN HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED.*AK