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Chrysler recalls Jeeps...Get your free trailer hitch

96K views 444 replies 140 participants last post by  AmishFury 
#1 ·
#161 ·
Why don't they just engineer a canister with a fire suppressant between the bumper and the gas tank with impact sensors that would deploy the chemical .

I got no plans or ideas to build it but there's gotta be a way . Think of the safety factor to sell a new vehicle with such a device installed , especially smaller cars .

It's hard to make fire prevention given the circumstances of some collisions , however , fire protection at least gives a person a chance via more time to escape/be rescued .

So there you go , a million dollar idea . Think I will attempt a design , if you beat me to it , don't forget my cut ;)

I would prefer a skid plate over a hitch . Statistically , young people have more accidents , also , drive mostly small cars . I think the skid would offer as much protection in those circumstances . Both is as much as your gonna get but nothing is 100% .
 
#162 ·
Why don't they just engineer a canister with a fire suppressant between the bumper and the gas tank with impact sensors that would deploy the chemical .

I got no plans or ideas to build it but there's gotta be a way . Think of the safety factor to sell a new vehicle with such a device installed , especially smaller cars .

It's hard to make fire prevention given the circumstances of some collisions , however , fire protection at least gives a person a chance via more time to escape/be rescued .

So there you go , a million dollar idea . Think I will attempt a design , if you beat me to it , don't forget my cut ;)

I would prefer a skid plate over a hitch . Statistically , young people have more accidents , also , drive mostly small cars . I think the skid would offer as much protection in those circumstances . Both is as much as your gonna get but nothing is 100% .
As cool as that sounds, I'm guessing a skid and hitch will be cheaper lol.
 
#166 ·
I used to have a 06 Crown Vic equipped with the fire suppression system (ex New York State Trooper bought at auction)...
The system is designed to deploy automatically, upon sensing an impact, but there is also a manual override switch, just in case the sensors fail and the operator is still alive and capable to deploy it...
The problem with the manual override was, that it was placed overhead, where a interior light switch would be positioned on most cars...
The switch was housed behind a plastic cover, but it was designed to be activated, even if someone has hit the plastic cover with enough force....needless to say, I was scared to even look at it the wrong way...:)

I was very nervous, when I let someone else drive this car, as I would call it "the $3000 dollar button".....once deployed, the recharging of the system would cost more than the car was worth.....and all it would take, was for someone to mistakenly assume, that it is the interior light switch.....
 
#168 ·
I was very nervous, when I let someone else drive this car, as I would call it "the $3000 dollar button".....once deployed, the recharging of the system would cost more than the car was worth.....and all it would take, was for someone to mistakenly assume, that it is the interior light switch.....
If it was mass produced and installed in every new vehicle , you'd soon pick it up for the same price as a AC recharge kit .

Thanks for that video , that works awesome . Impact sensor with a heat switch overide . I'd be game for whatever system is used in the vid .
 
#174 ·
98LIZJ said:
Just bought a jetski and neeed a hitch ASAP, would it be wise to wait or just suck it up and buy my own
I would just get one. You have no idea how long you'll be waiting for the hitch from Chrysler.
 
#179 ·
Just wondering if there has been any update on this yet?
As in any official word from Chrysler?

I will not be affected by this at this point my self as I bout a solid used factory hitch and skid plate from a junk yard in CA. And am installing them after a fresh coat of paint over the week end. (Needed a hitch and this was a good deal. Hitch and skid cost me $20 less then new hitch from U-haul.)

I do not intend to have Chrysler do any thing to my rig at this point. Unless they change what they want to do to something other then the hitch idea they have right now. (And I don't think a hitch would help in any thing other then low speed impacts where there is little to no risk in the first place.)

Just want to stay on top of this in the event they change the "fix".

Depending on what they decide to do I may take my Jeep in. As it stands even if I had no hitch I do not see adding a hitch as being any safer then not having one. So if they stick with there current plan I see no reason for any one to take there Jeep in for this "Token fix".

But hey that's just me. I'm sure there will be a lot of people that will get the "free" hitch.

I do have one question thou. Where is Jeep going to get these hitches from?
They don't make them any more. I know because I called the dealer last week to see if I could get a stock hitch when I was pricing hitches and was told there not longer in the system as able to order. And a dealer search showed none in stock at any dealer any where in the country.

So if they stick with this as there "fix" there going to have make them again from what I can tell.
That will likely delay the implementation of this "fix" at least 4-8 months.
 
#180 ·
Just wondering if there has been any update on this yet?
As in any official word from Chrysler?

I will not be affected by this at this point my self as I bout a solid used factory hitch and skid plate from a junk yard in CA. And am installing them after a fresh coat of paint over the week end. (Needed a hitch and this was a good deal. Hitch and skid cost me $20 less then new hitch from U-haul.)

I do not intend to have Chrysler do any thing to my rig at this point. Unless they change what they want to do to something other then the hitch idea they have right now. (And I don't think a hitch would help in any thing other then low speed impacts where there is little to no risk in the first place.)

Just want to stay on top of this in the event they change the "fix".

Depending on what they decide to do I may take my Jeep in. As it stands even if I had no hitch I do not see adding a hitch as being any safer then not having one. So if they stick with there current plan I see no reason for any one to take there Jeep in for this "Token fix".

But hey that's just me. I'm sure there will be a lot of people that will get the "free" hitch.

I do have one question thou. Where is Jeep going to get these hitches from?
They don't make them any more. I know because I called the dealer last week to see if I could get a stock hitch when I was pricing hitches and was told there not longer in the system as able to order. And a dealer search showed none in stock at any dealer any where in the country.

So if they stick with this as there "fix" there going to have make them again from what I can tell.
That will likely delay the implementation of this "fix" at least 4-8 months.
Did you consider the possibility that they pulled the hitches from their saleable inventory to prepare for the recall?
 
#181 ·
Back when I bought my 98 I added both the OE hitch and skidplate. Looking at the tank design, I do think that adding both, adds a lot of protection. For one, the skid would help you with low cars under-riding the bumper and hitting the tank. For another, the factory hitch for the later models fits right between the OE bumper and the tank and is much stronger than the bumper bar thats under the plastic. I would not expect it to make a big difference in a high speed crash (like over 50 mph) because that is also dependent on how the rear structure itself is designed. But for impacts up to 35-40 or so adding both would help. If you look at the combined thickness of the flanges for the skid and hitch, it adds about 3/8ths of steel on both sides of the tank which stiffens that area. If you are at all concerned about this that's what I'd do. If you can't get an OE Mopar hitch I'd look at a Hidden Hitch it probably installs about the same.

If you click on the links for these hitches you can see how they fit between the tank and the bumper. The Draw Tite, Curt and Hidden Hitch look like they fit just like the Mopar on my 98. Add the factory or aftermarket skid and its going to be as safe as you can make it.

http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1998_Jeep_Grand+Cherokee.htm
 
#183 ·
Well I was at the dealership today to get some service done...asked about our infamous recall. He ran my VIN and said my jeep didn't fall under the batch that got recalled...which seems very curious seeing as mine has no hitch or trailer equipment from the factory. So maybe it will be one of those luck things
 
#184 ·
That sucks. The dealer around here says that it'll be another couple months before we know IF our vehicle does or does not have this recall on it. Either way wait a couple months and have them recheck for ya.

Out Jeepin, usin the Mobile App
 
#185 ·
I got the following (among other things) from the Customer Assistance dept at Jeep when getting my build sheet info. Don't know about the first 3 items, nothing's broke and I replaced my own rotors a few years ago.

Also, I have a reciever hitch but don't know if it's a Chrysler unit or not. No name I can see, but the model #501001, I think. 5000Lb, 500Lb tongue wt. & 3500/350Lb. for something else. Looks pretty heavy duty, I think I'll keep it.

Our records indicate that the following recall campaign(s) have not been
performed by an authorized dealer:

B02 FLOOR SHIFTER SECONDARY DETENT SYSTEM
733 BRAKE PEDAL SHIFT INTERLOCK
747 DISC BRAKE ROTORS

Additionally, as of 08/06/2013 recall N45 TRAILER HITCH (ZJ) was added
to your vehicle. The parts required to complete this recall presently
are not available. As such we have forwarded your informtion to our
Parts Escaltion Team who will contact you every 30 days by email about
the status of the parts for this recall. Once the parts are avaible to
complete this recall you will be notified by the Parts Tracking Team and
recieve a recall notice in the mail.
 
#186 ·
well, i just got my build sheet from chrysler and also added the recalls that are incomplete on my zj. to my surprise the n45 recall that is the tow hitch is one of the 3 that i have to do. so i guess i get a new tow hitch wwuuujjjuuuuu :D:cool:
 
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