1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Latches & Locks Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FRACTURED AND ALLOWED THE DOOR TO OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 315,977.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR ONLY STAYED CLOSED BY BEING TIED SHUT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

1996 GRAND CHEROKEE HOOD STRUCK WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE HOOD LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM

TAILGATE LATCH ON 1996 GRAND CHEROKEE HAS FAILED, WON'T UNLOCK. *NM

THIS COMPLAINT WAS SENT BY A WEB USER VIA E-MAIL. WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPENED AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BECAUSE CONSUME R WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LATCH INSIDE THE DRIVER'S DOOR BROKE OFF FROM DOOR FRAME BY ITSELF, WAS HANGING, AND NOT CONNECTED. WHEN TRYING TO SHUT THE DOOR IT WOULDN'T SHUT. CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP, AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $1636.75 TO REPLACE THE DOOR AND LATCH. *AK *TC

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR POPPED OPEN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AFTERMARKET BODY SHOP, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE WELD, WHICH WAS VERY THIN THAT CAUSED THE LATCHES TO POP OFF INSIDE THE DOOR. *AK *SC

DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AND DRIVERS DOOR POPS OPEN AND WON'T SHUT. HAVE TO PULL OVER IN A HURRY TO AVOID ACCIDENT. FOUND DOOR LATCH HANGING FROM DOOR FRAME. WEAK WELD OF LATCH HAD GIVEN WAY AND DOOR POPPED OPEN. VERY DANGEROUS. LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP COULDN'T HELP FINANCIALLY OR OTHERWISE AND SENT ME TO A BODY SHOP. BODY SHOP SAID THIS IS A REGULAR PROBLEM ON CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. THEY USE A CHEAP METAL AND WELDING TO ATTACH DOOR LATCH. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REFUNDED THE $1800 IT IS COSTING ME TO REPLAC THE ENTIRE DOOR. CAR IS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. I WOULD THINK THIS SHOULD LAST MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCHES ARE INOPERABLE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS RUSTED IN THE OPEN POSITON CAUSING THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM REMAINED PARTIALLY OPEN DUE TO RUST THAT HAD ENCRUSTED IT AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE UNDERSIDE AND EDGES OF THE HOOD. NLM

THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS RUSTED IN THE OPEN POSITON CAUSING THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM REMAINED PARTIALLY OPEN DUE TO RUST THAT HAD ENCRUSTED IT AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE UNDERSIDE AND EDGES OF THE HOOD. NLM

THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS RUSTED IN THE OPEN POSITON CAUSING THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM REMAINED PARTIALLY OPEN DUE TO RUST THAT HAD ENCRUSTED IT AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE UNDERSIDE AND EDGES OF THE HOOD. NLM *TT

TRAVELING AT 50MPH WHEN HOOD FLEW OPEN. UPON INVESTIGATION SAW THAT BOTH MAIN LATCH AND BACKUP SAFETY CATCH WERE RUSTED AND NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. LEX, KY DEALER STATED "NO RESTRICTIONS" TO REPLACE "HOOD, LATCH, AND SAFETY CATCH" BUT S.FLA DEALER WONT COOPERATE (RELOCATED TO S.FLA.) NOR WILL CHRYSLER.*AK

BOTH HOOD LATCHES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED LUBRICATION WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO FLY OPEN AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD, BOTH LATCHES WERE LUBRICATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS PRONOUNCED SAFE. NLM

WHILE DRIVING REAR DOOR FLEW OPEN. DOOR WAS STUCK/CLOSED. LATCH HAD BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BECAUSE OF RUSTING. DESIGN OF THE LATCH ALLOWED WATER TO JUST SIT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE LATCH ASSEMBLY FELL INTO THE DOOR INTERIOR AFTER THE METAL ON THE DOOR ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BODY SHOP AT DIRK WALTZ CHRYSLER-JEEP, MIDLAND, MI. THE ESTIMATOR ( MARIO?) SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN A RASH OF THESE FAILURE RECENTLY. THE SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT THERRYL (?), LOOKED AT THE DOOR. GREGORY TAYLOR, DAMLIER-CHRYSLER DISTRICT SER. MANAGER, WAS CONTACTED. THE RECURRING PROBLEM WAS DESCRIBED BY THE ESTIMATOR AS A FAILED WELD AT THE LOWER HINGE THAT CAUSES THE DOOR TO MIS-ALIGN. THE MIS-ALIGNMENT CAUSES THE LATCH ASSEMBLY ON THE FRAME TO STRIKE THE DOOR LATCH INCORRECTLY. THE REPEATED MIS-STRIKE CAUSES THE METAL TO FATIGUE, AND THE LATCH DETACHES FROM THE DOOR SUDDENLY. THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS PROBLEM UNTIL THE FAILURE OCCURED. THE DOOR COULD HAVE EASILY POPED OPEN IN A VERY LOW SPEED COLLISION. DAMLIER CHRYSLER HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO A POOR WELD DESIGN IN THE DOOR BOX.

LATCH ON TAILGATE DOOR FAILED. *YC

TAILGATE LOCK ASSEMBLY WILL NOT UNLOCK AT TIMES. THE MAIN POWER SWITCH MUST BE TOGGLED BACK AND FORTH BEFORE IT UNLOCKS. DEALER REPLACED LOCK ASSEMBLY ON 1/5/97. BECAUSE OF HIGH COST OF REPAIRS, I HAVE TO WAIT THIS LONG TO HAVE IT FIXED. *AK

HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CAUSING DAMAGES TO VEHICLE.

REAR LATCH FAILED.

TAILGATE LOCK INOPERATIVE.

PASSENAGER DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, DEALER CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. *AK