| Issue ID | 1556057 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 11197430 |
| Manufacurer | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) |
| Brand | JEEP |
| Model | GRAND CHEROKEE |
| Model Year | 2012 |
| File date | 29/04/18 |
| Component | STEERING |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | We loaded up to go to the desert (clear summer day with temperatures near 80 degrees fahrenheit), stopped to get gas and ice (jeep was running the entire time) and once we got on the way there, the battery light came on, then an odd sound was heard then whitish electrical smelling smoke started pouring out of the engine compartment, this happened within 8 - 10 seconds total). I grabbed my extinguisher and popped the hood and saw that the smoke appeared to be coming from around the alternator and steam was everywhere. I also noticed that the motor was overheated (but no temperature light and no fans were turning). We turned around and made it the 3 blocks back to the house when the jeep died and without power steering and brakes we almost collided with a parked car. We parked it in the middle of the street to cool off and to obtain assistance to push it into my garage. It was found that my alternator had a diode that shorted to ground. Please actually read the following: there are at least 38 other complaints concerning the same chain of events on nhtsa website. Alt shorts, destroys the battery, and tipm/pcm. Fca refuses to expand 1 of 3 open recalls to include my make/model and many others. Nhtsa refuses to actually hold jeep/fca accountable. Check p60-14v634 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground) expanded multiple times, t36-17v435 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground)expanded multiple times, t75-17v741 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground). The data in nhtsa data shows that from years 2007 to 2018, fca us, llc models badged 2012 had the highest percent of total recalls of any year owning 18% of the 24,053,941 total recalls fca family had. How does this not flag the nhtsa to fight for us? The nhtsa fined fca 120,000,000 for their addmitted unefectual recall process. I have so much more data. Sad. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 89130 |
| Number of Occurences | |
| Source of the issue | PORTABLE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM (PDF) |
| City and State | GRAND JUNCTION, CO |
| VIN pattern | 1C4RJFCT6CCXXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | N |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | 0 |
| No. of fatalities | 0 |
| Date of purchase | 07/08/26 |
| Was original owner? | N |
| Anti-lock brakes | N |
| Cruise control | N |
| Number of cylinders | |
| Drive train type | |
| Transmission type | |
| Vehicle speed | 40 |
| DoT tire identifier | |
| Tire size | |
| Location of tire code | |
| Type of tire failure code | |
| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | |
| Dealer's telephone number | |
| Dealer's city | |
| Dealer's state code | |
| Dealer's ZIP code |