1997 Jeep Wrangler

ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I ASKED IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WRANGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS. CONTACTED A FEW JEEP CLUBS VIA THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT THE CRACKING OF EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ON WRANGLERS IS VERY COMMON, TO THE POINT THAT YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOUR'S DOESN'T CRACK, AND THAT THE MANIFOLD HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED. I CONTACTED THE CRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER ON THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND IF IN FACT THE MANIFOLD WAS REDESIGNED AS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WASN'T JUST INSTALLING ANOTHER DEFECTIVE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THERE ARE AFTERMARKET EXHAUST MANIFOLDS THAT CARRY AN UNLIMITED WARRANTY AND ARE IN FACT LESS EXPENSIVE, UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A HEAVY DEMAND FOR THEM WITH A LONG WAIT. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION, JUST BOILER PLATE RESPONSES THANKING ME FOR CONTACTING THEM. I ORDERED A NEW REPLACEMENT EXHAUST MANIFOLD FROM THE DEALER, AND WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP, BOTH THE SERVICE AND PARTS MANAGERS INDICATED THAT THEY NEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WRANGLER EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKING. WHEN I ASKED IF THE MANIFOLD WAS REDESIGNED, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW. WHEN I GOT HOME AND OPENED THE BOX CONTAINING THE REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MANIFOLD WAS INDEED REDESIGNED! THEY ADDED BELLOWS THERMAL EXPANSION JOINTS IN THE FIRST AND SIXTH EXHAUST PIPES. APPARENTLY THE LENGTH OF THE MANIFOLD COUPLED WITH THERMAL EXPANSION, JUST RIPS APART THE MANIFOLD. WHILE I DID NOT HAVE A FIRE IN MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AS SOME HAVE HAD, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BLACK FROM THE LEAKING EXHAUST, AND WAS INDEED EVIDENT IN THE CAR WHEN DRIVING. REPEATED CONTACTS TO THE INTERNET CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ENDED WITH THEM CUTTING OFF COMMUNICATION. I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE OLD AND THE REDESIGNED MANFOLD. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED IN HOW CHRYSLER HAS HANDLED THIS ISSUE.*AK

NOTICED WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WITH 27K MILES ON IT. THEY HEARD NOTHING. IN MAY 2000 MY MECHANIC MENTIONED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. OCT. OF 2001 WITH 58K THE NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE AND THREE CRACKS VISABLE. DEALER SAID TOO BAD OUT OF WARRANTY. IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHY CAN'T SOMETHING BE DONE? BY THE WAY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER JEEP AGAIN.

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD.I ASKED IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS OF THIS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO WAS VERY RUDE TOLD ME NO.TODAY,FRIDAY MAY 25TH MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS BROKEN IN HALF IN TWO (2) SPOTS EACH NEXT TA A WELD.I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS A BOILERMAKER AND A UNION REP. AS WELL AS AN EXPERT IN ALL ASPECTS OF WELDING AND METALS, HAS TOLD ME THIS IS DEFECTIVE.THAT IT SHOULD STAND HIGH TEMPS.AND A LOT LONGER LIFE THAN THIS! WELL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I HAVE HAD SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES THROUGH OUT THE YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BREAK OR EVEN CRACK ON ME ,EVER! THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRENTY AND THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK..I HAVE EVEN LOOKED AT TE SPECS. ON THE EXHAUS MANIFOLD THAT JEEP ADVERTISES AND IT EVEN SAYS THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS A LONG LIFE. PLEASE HELP ME !*AK