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Honestly, it's gonna take a class action law-suit, death pertaining to the manufactur's defect, or government inquiry before these pin heads create a recall for this. Anyone heard any additional informatiopn about a class action? If so, I would be interested in hearing more about it.
Anyway, I developed a fix! If you have substantially all the little pieces of the shattering handle mold, super glue them into place. The glue will not hold the panel under regular use but is only to hold it together for a short time. Then, take fiberglass resin with hardener and spread a layer on the back side of the molded part (carful not to get it into the handle area), place some pieces of fiberglass sheet, then another layer of resin. Once it hardens, it will be stronger than a new one.
It saved me from spending $1,200. You see the cracks from the inside of the car, but it's just another way to bring up the crapy quality of Jeep/Chrysler. No surprise to me that they went bankrupt.
youtube.com
Oh and as for the NHTSA, I filed a complaint months ago and never even received a followup now three months later...
I also started a blog about it.
Their current advertising is a big joke! ooo their undercarriage is made of steel....but their doors are made of cheap plastic and you can't get out of your car!
I'll join in on any letter! email is jpalanjian@embarqmail.com
The plastic they used originally on these vehicle doors is obviously cheap and defective, but I'm wondering if the problem is worse in hotter climates. I know it can get 130 degrees inside a parked car during the summer time here in Florida. So I wonder if the heat is a contributing factor to the weakening of the plastic.
Hope this helps someone!
Cheers!
http://img32.imageshack.us/f/fotouk.jpg/
Mine came a perfect job
I've purchased a new rear seat cushion, driver's side door panel, rear window switch and an Infinity AM/FM CD head unit to replace the dead CD player in my '95 Laredo. I also bought a transmission and A/C compressor for my Mazda earlier this year using the site. It has saved me thousands already and it's the only way I'd be able to keep my '95 Jeep (over 200,000 miles) on the road!
UPDATE: After contacting Jeep at 1-800-521-9922 and filing a case (initially they declined my claim under my 100,000 mile 7 year maximum care upgrade extended warranty on my 80,000 mile 2005 5.7 hemi grand cherokee, stating that it was "wear and tear"). After I took 40 + complaints from the NHTSA website http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/index.cfm to the dealer, and the dealer called Jeep, they are paying for the repair with a $50.00 copay. Unfortunately, the driver's front door panel is on national back order.
If you have some suggestions, then please post or contact on the site. I'm always looking for a better solution to a problem!
I've also had a few other issues with my Jeeps. So if you have some of the same problems, hopefully it will help you with those also.
Good luck. We all need it.
Follow these 10 simple steps, & Chrysler WILL reimburse you for defective door panels:
You MUST take that stance that THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY issue, due to a supplier's defective plastic resin mix, not a warranty issue. In case of a crash or fire, a passenger or driver might not be able to get out of the vehicle and die from this defect. You don't want to get sued, and you don't want to have to go through the trouble of suing Chrysler for this; you just want to get it fixed!!!
Chrysler recovers the cost of this repair from their supplier via their Supplier Recovery Process, which is in every automotive supplier's contract. You or Chrysler don't pay for this; the supplier pays.
STEP # 1 - COMPLAIN TO National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
File an online complaint at: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/online.cfm
List it under "LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES" for your 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee...
65 complaints are currently under: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
29 are under: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
10 complaints are under: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
STEP # 2 - ARM YOURSELF WITH DATA
Print out all 104+ complaints under these 3 categories so you have this as ammunition. You did not cause this situation.
STEP # 3 - GET A CHRYSLER COMPLAINT REFERENCE # (CASE #)
Call the Toll Free Number for Chrysler (listed at http://www.chrysler.com/en/service_contracts/contact_information/?section=contac- t_information - I used the one for Warranty) and start a complaint case number (reference number). BE NICE and POLITE. Don't make a big ruckus a the start. State your case that you have defective plastic that is breaking, cracking, falling off, on all 4 of your door handle assemblies in your door panels. You've heard from other Jeep owners that Chrysler knows about their supplier's defective plastic that was used in the door panels.
STEP # 4 - GET A CASE MANAGER
Stick to your position. Your goal in your first 2 or 3 phone conversations is to get escalated to a Case Manager.
STEP # 5 - GET AN EVALUATION AND PICTURES
Tell your Case Manager that you'd like to email or send in some digital pictures to him/her to show the cracks and holes in your door panels where your door handles are connected. Your CM should tell you to go to a local Chrysler/Jeep dealer service center to have them (an independant 3rd party) "do an evaluation" and take pictures that they will send to the CM. Call and make a dealership service appointment. BE NICE & POLITE at the dealership, and give them your case number. They should testify that you did not break the door handles, and they look defective because of cracks but not impact dents, etc, and you were a nice loyal Jeep customer. You should have his direct extension by now, so notify your CM that the dealership saw the defective parts and took pictures.
STEP # 6 - NEGOTIATE
The CM will receive the pictures and server manager's comments about you, and the defects on your Jeep. Expect further escalation; the CM will talk with you and his manager for approvals for an offer to help you out. The first offer may be for 50% to 60% of the repair. If at least a 90% reimbursement of about $2,400 is not offerred, now is when you begin to up the stakes.
STEP # 7 - RAISE THE STAKES
Your position is: A) THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY issue, due to a supplier's defective plastic resin mix, not a warranty issue. In case of a crash or fire, a passenger or driver might not be able to get out of the vehicle and die from this defect. C) If something like this happens, you don't want to get sued, and you don't want to have to go through the trouble of suing Chrysler for this; you just want to get it fixed!!! D) Chrysler recovers the cost of this repair from their supplier via their Supplier Recovery Process, which is in every automotive supplier's contract. You or Chrysler don't pay for this; the supplier pays. You should get several offers for Chrysler to reimburse you (pay you back) for a portion of the replacement/repair.
STEP # 8 - AS A LAST RESORT THREATEN LEGAL ACTIONS
State your position again (above). E) Your concern is for the safety of people and possibility of deaths due to a vehicle defect. F) Offer to FAX in your list of 104+ complaints listed with the NHTSA, which are identical to your complaint. G) If you are sued, this case is a record of your similar complaint and the liability lies with Chrysler. You would like to avoid this. H) Tell the CM that you will be contacting your attorney (lawyer) and sending a copy of your complaint, this Chrysler case #, and a copy of the list of 104+ similar complaints. I) Your CM will have to discuss this with his Director for further approvals, so expect a few more days of phone tag.
STEP # 9 - FINALIZE THE OFFERS
You should only have to pay a max of $125, maybe zero ($0) to have this $2,400 replacement/repair done. This depends on how POLITE you have been, how diligent you are, how much PATIENCE you have, etc.
STEP # 10 - REPAIR AND FILE
Procedurally: Once your CM and his Director approves, he will give you specific instructions. You'll have to arrange the repair service and pay the dealership yourself. Then, per your CM's instructions, submit the case #, with a copy of the work order & receipts, to Chrysler and they will mail you a check back.
Enjoy your Jeep again! THE END!
The Ghost Sailor
The dealer
The junkyard
The handle kit
The only other temporary fix would be removing the panel and glueing the pieces of your handle back together. These are the options available to resolve this unfortunately very common problem.