1999 Jeep Wrangler

I WAS FORCED TO GET A NEW EXHAUST MANIFOLD FOR MY JEEP AT 76,000 MILES. THE DEALER'S PRICE WAS $1,300 FOR THE REPAIR. I'VE SEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND ON THE NHTSA'S SITE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT THE JEEP'S MANIFOLD IS A LESSER QUALITY. I LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND, AFTER TALKING WITH THE SERVICE TECH, SAID THAT HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WASN'T A "DEFECT" BUT RATHER "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." I' CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE AFTER SEEING THIS COMMON PROBLEM!!! CHRYSLER -- WHY IS THIS NOT A FACTORY RECALL?

HEARD LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. THE AREA DEALERS HAPPEN TO HAVE THE NEWLY DESIGNED MANIFOLD IN STOCK DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WITH THE MANIFOLD CRACKING. HAVE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THEM. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE RECALLED. THE NEW MANIFOLD HAS SPRINGS BUILT IN TO MAKE ROOM FOR GIVE -- THE OLD ONE DID NOT, THEREFORE CAUSING THEM TO CRACK. IT IS VERY UNSAFE AND COSTS A LOT TO GET IT FIXED. *JB

52,000 ON MY 1999 WRANGLER (HAVE NEVER BEEN "OFF ROADING IN IT). I JUST REPLACED THE RADIATOR WITH AN AFTER MARKET BRAND - NOT JEEPS RADIATOR. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF ORDERING A NEW EXHAUST MANIFOLD (MINE IS CRACKED). ONCE AGAIN I WAS ADVISED TO BUY AN AFTER MARKET MANIFOLD BECAUSE THE JEEP'S MANIFOLD IS A LESSER QUALITY. IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS ARE FREQUENT ON THIS MODEL AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL.

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED IN TWO DIFFERENT SPOTS. AT 69000 MILES I HAD A MAJOR SERVICE (PAID $450 FOR IT) DONE ON MY VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM MY VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. I TRUSTED THEM NO BRINGING IT UP. AT 73000 MILES I TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, ASKED ABOUT THE SOUND. THEY SAID IT WAS A CRACKED MANIFOLD. I HAD TO CALL JEEP TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY, THE WARRANTY ENDED AT 70000 MILES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES FOR ESTIMATES AND INFORMTION. NONE SAID THAT THE CRACKS, TWO AT TWO DIFFERENT SPOTS, COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN 4000 MILES. ONE IS LOCATED ON A TIGHT BEND ON THE PIPE. I ASKED THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM, HE SAID THAT TEMPETURE CHANGES. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO NEVER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TWO CRACKS. JUST SAID THERE WAS ONE. THEY ALSO SAID THEY DID NOT DETECT IT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE MAYBE IT WAS NOT AS ABVIOUS. THE LOCATIONS OF ONE OF THE CRACKS CAN EASILY BE SEEN IF ONE CHANGES THE OIL, THE OTHER CAN BE SEEN BY LIGTING THE HOOD AND LOOKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEF THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT COMPLETE A MAJOR CHECK OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE MAJOR SERVICE. AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TELLING ME THAT TEMPERATURE CHANGES ARE THE CAUSE AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THESE CRACKS, LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE PART COULD EASILY BE A DEFECTED ONE. I'VE DONE ALL MAJOR AND MINOR SERVICES RECOMENDED BY THE VEHICLES MANUAL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS OFFERED A DISCOUNT FOR THE LABOR, BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A PART THAT WAS MADE TO HANDLE SO MUCH HEAT WOULD CRAK BECAUSE OF TEMPETURE CHANGES OR IN TWO SPOTS IN 3000 MILES. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND EFFORTS ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, LESTHER NUNEZ. *AK