Congressman Want NHTSA Enquiry Into Wrangler Steering Wobble

2 Members Of US Congress have demanded the NHTSA hold an enquiry into Jeep Wrangler Steering Wobble Issue

March 19, 2012

The Honorable David Strickland, Administrator

NHTSA Headquarters

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.

West Building

Washington, D.C. 20590

Dear Administrator Strickland,

We are writing to bring your attention to troubling reports that continue to surface concerning a vehicle safety risk many Jeep Wrangler owners refer to as the "Jeep Death Wobble."

In complaints circulated on the Internet, reported in the news, and filed with NHTSA's consumer complaint database, Jeep owners have described a powerful shaking of the steering wheel and front wheels after a driver hits road bumps at speed. The Jeep complaints span many models and years, with a preponderance associated with model year 2005-2010 Jeep Wranglers.

Despite the availability of Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) from the manufacturer to assist dealerships in diagnosing and repairing the problem, we understand that most Jeep owners have not been notified of the safety risk or the remedy.

To help us understand NHTSA's assessment of this issue, we request that you respond to the following questions:

(1) How many consumer complaints has NHTSA received related to "death wobble,"or underlying steering, suspension and powertrain problems in Jeep vehicles? Please provide a breakdown by model and model years.

(2) Has NHTSA's review of Early Warning Reporting (EWR) data identified concerns regarding steering, suspension and powertrain problems in model year 2005-2010 Jeep vehicles? Please explain the review and the concerns identified.

(3) Has NHTSA analyzed NASS and FARS data on rollovers or other crashes

involving model year 2005-2010 Jeep vehicles to determine whether accidents, injuries and deaths may have been triggered by a sudden loss of vehicle control because of"death wobble" or underlying steering, suspension and powertrain problems? Please explain that analysis.

(4) On NHTSA's website there are swnmaries of four Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) issued by Chrysler Group LLC that recommend a repair for Jeep Wranglers to address steering and linkage problems. Please provide a complete copy of these four TSBs as well as any others that concern steering, suspension, powertrain or other problems in Jeep vehicles that are potentially related.

(a) Does the agency agree that the repairs recommended in these TSBs can

prevent Jeep Wrangler "death wobble?" If not, what repairs does NHST A

believe are needed?

(b) How does NHTSA ensure that TSBs are disseminated and used effectively?

(c) With many Jeep vehicles affected by "death wobble" no longer under

warranty or soon subject to expiring warranties, how can NHTSA help ensure

Jeep owners have access to necessary repairs?

(d) How does NHTSA determine which TSBs are published or swnmarized on

NHTSA's website and how detailed such summaries should be?

(e) Does NHTSA require, or is it common practice for, manufacturers to maintain indexes of TSBs organized by category of model, model year and vehicle component? If so, why are such indexes not available on manufacturer or NHTSA websites so that consumers can identify TSBs on their vehicle?

(5) We are aware of at least one draft consumer satisfaction notification issued by Chrysler LLC, Customer Satisfaction Notification 134, encouraging owners of certain model year 2007-2010 Jeep Wranglers with right hand steering to visit a local dealership to replace the steering damper and mounting bracket.

(a) How does NHTSA determine whether a consumer service campaign or

consumer notification is necessary, or whether one undertaken by a company

is sufficient?

(b) There are few right hand steering vehicles in the United States.

(i) Is NHTSA aware of any customer satisfaction notifications and/or owner

notification letters addressing steering problems in Jeep Wranglers with

left hand steering or other Jeep models? If so, please provide them.

(ii) Is NHTSA aware of similar Jeep steering problems identified or

addressed by safety authorities in countries where right hand steering is

standard? Please explain.

(c) The notice indicates that repairs will be paid for or reimbursed by the

manufacturer. How does NHTSA determine whether a manufacturer is

required to reimburse owners or pay for a repair? Please provide any

guidance NHTSA offers to manufacturers.

(d) How does NHTSA ensure notification and/or reimbursement is provided

when manufacturer ownership changes, such as the transition of Jeep brand

ownership from DaimlerChrysler Motors Company LLC to Chrysler LLC, to

Chrysler Group LLC after the company emerged from bankruptcy in 2009.

Please provide any guidance NHTSA offers to manufacturers.

(6) Has NHTSA conducted an Issues Evaluation of"death wobble" in Jeep vehicles or any other review to determine whether to open an investigation? Please provide copies of any such evaluation. Does the agency believe a safety recall or consumer service campaign for affected Jeep models is warranted?

The Jeep "death wobble" is a serious safety issue that must be evaluated by NHTSA. It is also representative of the problems involving lack of transparency and access to reliable repairs that are present in other safety and defect cases. We look forward to your response to the questions

we've raised and to working with you to better assist and protect impacted vehicle owners.

Please provide the information requested in writing no later than April 2, 2012. If you have any questions regarding this request, contact Blake Hutnick with Rep. Eshoo's Office at (202) 225-8104       or Michelle Ash with the Energy and Commerce Committee Staff at (202)226-3400      .

Sincerely,

Anna G Eshoo

Member of Congress

Henry A. Waxman

Ranking Member, Energy and Commerce Committee

Will Jeep Australia Bring The Wrangler Mountain?

We seem to miss out on many of the cool special edition Wranglers which all seem to be going to Europe or the US. The Arctic, The MW3 "Call of Duty" and many others have not made it here.
Isn't Australia supposed to be the largest Wrangler market outside North America?
Lets hope we see some of these cool Wranglers hit our shores. One that we hope will make it is the new "Mountain" edition.

The Mountain Edition in Geko - What a great colour!

Will Jeep Australia have the "balls" to bring this car to Australia?

WRANGLER SAHARA FOR AUSTRALIA SOON!

As we reported late last year Jeep Australia are now reported to be releasing a new "Sahara" variant in the first half of this year. 


Reported in mainstream media this week - In the coming months, Jeep will add a new top-shelf Sahara trim grade to the Wrangler range, with standard features including 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, six-CD audio system, body-coloured three-piece hardtop and wheel arch flares.


This new model will appeal to many wrangler buyers who like a few of life's luxuries. Although serious Wrangler enthusiasts will not go for the 18" alloys as there are not many options for AT and MT tyres for these wheels. Buyers will like the color coded body and leather seats and this should be a winner for Jeep. All Australia needs now is a Diesel CRD Rubicon model to meet popular demand.


Let's hope they can build enough for the Australian market, unlike the current supply issues with Rubicon production (shortage of transfer cases) and the Diesel engines (no supply of engines due to a factory fire) According to dealer sources there are lots of unhappy customers who have ordered Rubicons and diesel wranglers who do not know when their Jeep will be built.

Jeep Compass Fails New Euro NCAP Test

The newly re-launched Jeep Compass has only scored a low NCAP Rating of 2 Stars in Europe.

"Apparently unimpressed by a range of issues with the Jeep, Euro NCAP awarded the SUV just two stars for overall crash safety. Among a field of European and Asian compact SUVs tested by NCAP since 2009 — and under new guidelines — the Jeep scored lowest for adult protection by a significant margin, with a score of 61 per cent. The Dacia Duster, which is not sold in Australia, achieved 74 per cent in this test — the second lowest score."
The facelifted Jeep Compass, on the other hand, achieved only two stars against the 2012 criteria, with the European body stating that it "underachieved" in most areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment.
According to the results, the compact SUV showed poor protection levels for passengers, particularly in the side pole test, while in pedestrian protection, it scored a "disappointing" 23 percent.
"Compact SUVs are the most popular sport-utility segment in Europe, but the Jeep Compass did not demonstrate itself as strong contender on safety in comparison to other tested competitors in the same category," Euro NCAP said in a statement.

Lenore Fletcher, Chrysler Australia's Director of Corporate Affairs, spoke with motoring.com.au this morning about the Jeep's rating.
"First and foremost, we truly believe that... the vehicle here would be an equivalent four-star [rating] in Australia," Fletcher said, referring to "modelling" that Chrysler Australia holds for the Compass.
Asked how Chrysler would respond to the low NCAP rating and whether the company would request Euro NCAP reassess the vehicle — perhaps with all the necessary data required — Fletcher advised that it was not her place to speak on behalf of Chrysler's head office in Auburn Hills. However, it was her opinion that "there is some room for discussion there."
Since Chrysler Australia is so certain the Compass can achieve a better result in ANCAP testing than Euro NCAP, would the importer arrange with the local testing authority to test the Compass in Australia?
"It's something that we're actually looking at, at the moment," says Fletcher. "We do believe that that vehicle — particularly the way that it's specified here in Australia — the integrity of the passenger cell itself should be rated more highly than that."
But an ANCAP test of the Compass could be some way off in the future, according to Fletcher.
"It's not a quick process to implement and it's not an inexpensive process to implement."
While the crash test result has come out of the blue, and Chrysler has been caught on the hop, Fletcher says that the company is not resigned to the Compass languishing behind in the SUV safety stakes.
"We won't be leaving it at that; we will be looking further into it."

Source Zimbio & motoring.com.au

To be fair the Compass was first launched back in 2006 and was given a 4 star rating in USA Tests back then, It is due for a full replacement in 2013.