I AM WRITING BECAUSE THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLE IN MY 2004 JEEP FAILED ON JANUARY 4, 2008 AFTER I PUT IT INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I HAD IT SERVICED THE DAY BEFORE AT A GOODYEAR STORE. ON JANUARY 10 THE REPAIR COMPANY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BECAUSE TWO NEW TIRES, PURCHASED FROM AND MOUNTED BY THE SAME GOODYEAR SERVICE COMPANY, HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE FRONT AND TWO OF THE EXISTING TIRES WITH TREAD HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE BACK PER GOODYEAR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE TWO EXISTING TIRES WERE LOWER IN TREAD THAN THE NEW TIRES BY ABOUT AN 1/2 TO 1 INCH AND THEY SAID THIS CAUSED THE FAILURE. I CHECKED THIS WITH A LOCAL JEEP DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN AND THAT THE TIRE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TIRE COMPANY THAT MOUNTED THE TIRES ON DECEMBER 1 AND ALSO DID THE SERVICE, THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED FOUR TIRES FROM THEM. THE TIRE PEOPLE HAD GIVEN A PRICE ON FOUR TIRES BUT SAID THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH TREAD ON THE TWO FRONT TIRES TO CONTINUE TO USE THEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. THEY DECIDED TO MOVE TWO FRONT TIRES TO BACK AND PUT THE TWO NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT. THE MECHANICS SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY USING THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITH THESE TIRES. THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT HIS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL; IT SAYS "PROPER OPERATION OF FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES DEPENDS ON TIRES OF EQUAL SIZE, TYPE AND CIRCUMFERENCE ON EACH WHEEL. ANY DIFFERENCE WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT SHIFTING AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFER CASE." ALL TIRES MEET THIS. JEEP/CHRYSLER SAID THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND EVEN THOUGHT JEEP NEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM; THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT OR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE GOODYEAR TIRE COMPANY IS STEVENSON TIRE SERVICES IN FREMONT. (510) 792-3363. I HAVE ALL OF THE RECEIPTS, REPAIR CHECK LIST AND OWNERS MANUAL. *TR
2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
I OWN A 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. ABOUT A WEEK AGO WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD POP COME FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN I STOPPED TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEM, I SAW A LARGE LEAK COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR. AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, I SAW THAT THE PLASTIC COOLING FAN IN MY ENGINE HAD SHATTERED AND THE PIECES PUNCTURED MY RADIATOR. THE SHROUD COVERING MY COOLING FAN HAD ALSO BEEN SHATTERED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE JEEP TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER (WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM). AFTER LOOKING AT IT THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS INCIDENT. IN ADDITION TO NEEDING A NEW COOLING FAN, SHROUD AND RADIATOR, I ALSO NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET BECAUSE THE CAR HAD OVERHEATED. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE PLASTIC FAN WHICH LED TO THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *JB
