NHTSA complaint #11252955

Owner complaint summary

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HOME FROM DEALERSHIP AFTER PURCHASE I NOTED A DEAD SPOT IN THE STEERING OF ABOUT 3 TO 4 INCHES WHERE THERE IS NO STEERING RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VECHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IT IN MY LANE. I HAVE WORKED WITH JEEP CARES AND HAVE OPENED 2 CASES, 58775069, 59043175 AND HAVE BEEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TRYING TO GET THIS FIXED. THE 1ST 2 DEALERSHIPS DROVE THE VEHICLE ON AND STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, THIS IS HOW JEEPS ARE DESIGNED. THE 3RD DEALERSHIP DROVE IT WITH ME IN THE CAR ON THE SAME TYPE OF ROADS I DRIVE (2 LANE COUNTRY ROADS WITH NO SHOULDER. THEY NOTED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND RE-ALIGNED THE STEERING. THIS DID HELP WITH THE EXTEME SWING THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE ON ITS OWN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR TOWARD THE SHOULDER BUT DID NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE 3" TO 4" DEADSPOT IN THE STEERING. I WILL BE OPENING A 3RD JEEP CARES CASE THIS WEEK. THIS DEAD SPOT CAUSES WHAT I WOULD CALL "DRIVER INDUCED OSCILLATION" AS MINOR OF FINE STEERING CORRECTIONS ARE EXAGGERATED WITH THE 3" TO 4" DEADSPOT SO YOU INADVERTANTLY OVERCORRECT AND THEN HAVE TO RE-CORRECT THE OTHERWAY AGAIN THRU A 3" TO 4" DEADSPOT. THE VEHICLE IS A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. JEEP SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO AVOID THE BUYBACK OR LEMON LAW BY STATING THERE IS NO PROBLEM THE VEHCILE IS DESIGNED TO HAVE A 3" TO 4" DEAD SPOT IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICLUT TO KEEP IN ITS LANE WHILE DRIVING ON 2 LANE COUNTRY ROADS AT STANDARD ROAD SPEEDS OF 35 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR, WITH NO SHOULDER.