2006 Jeep COMMANDER: complaints, problems and recalls

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2006 JEEP COMMANDER AND AFTER BRINGING IT HOME, I CAME ACROSS A DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS BECOME A FAIRLY HUGE PROBLEM FOR MY FAMILY. IT SEEMS AS IF THE HEAD RESTS ON THE SECOND ROW SEATS CANNOT BE REMOVED. THIS POSES A BIG PROBLEM FOR MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WHO MUST USE A BOOSTER SEAT. IN ORDER FOR THIS BOOSTER SEAT (OR ANY BOOSTER SEAT, FOR THAT MATTER) TO LAY FLAT AGAINST THE BACK OF THE CAR SEAT, THE HEAD REST MUST BE REMOVED. FRANKLY, IN EVERY ONE OF MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES, A HEAD REST COULD BE SELECTIVELY REMOVED BY…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10150004 at NHTSA ↗

WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY SMALL PEBBLES DRIVING UNDER 45 MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE. THE LATER WAS ON 3/12/2006. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 4,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10152538 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE JACK WAS SUPPORTING THE VEHICLE, THE METAL IN THE JACK BECAME DISTORTED. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED. *AK UPDATED 05/02/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154616 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE, JEEP COMMANDER, 2006 TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE HAD AN INSTANTANEOUS TOTAL LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE SHUT DOWN, ALL GAUGES WENT TO ZERO, LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER, LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL, AND POWER BRAKES, VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT ACROSS LANE OF TRAFFIC AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. THIS WAS A NEAR-MISS I DON'T KNOW WHICH COMPONENT FAILED. *JB UPDATED 05/04/06

Owner-reported narrative. 1,512 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156102 at NHTSA ↗

WELL ... ?YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE TO THIS? ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO I WAS DRIVING SHERI AND MYSELF BACK HOME FROM AN APPOINTMENT AND WENT TO PULL OUT OF A TEE JUNCTION-, ROSSWAY ROAD AND THE ROAD WAS WET, I DABBED THE THROTTLE AND PULLED OUT GENTLY, UNFORTUNATELY A CADILLAC CAME OVER THE BROW OF THE HILL TRAVELING FAST AND STAMPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE WAY- NOPE HE REFUSED TO MOVE, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS, FLAT TO THE FLOOR- ZERO JUST MIN POWER, AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE 1 SECONDS IT PICKED UP- FULL THROTTLE ? WENT SIDEWAYS SP…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156266 at NHTSA ↗

TURN SIGNALS HAVE 4 MODES RIGHT TURN OR LEFT TURN - MOVING SWITCH "FULLY-UP" OR "FULLY-DOWN" LOCKS IT INTO A "RIGHT" OR "LEFT" MODE UNTIL CANCELLED RIGHT LANE CHANGE OR LEFT LANE CHANGE - MOVING THE SWITCH "PARTIALLY-UP" OR "PARTIALLY-DOWN" AGAINST A DETENT SIGNALS A LANE CHANGE TO THE "RIGHT" OR "LEFT" THAT IS IMMEDIATELY CANCELLED UPON RELEASE CONDITIONS EXIST WHERE THE LEFT LANE CHANGE MODE DOES NOT ACTIVATE. THIS WAS REPORTED AND THE CONDITIONS TO DUPLICATE THE SITUATION WERE DEMONSTRATED. THE DEALER AGREED THAT THE SWITCH SHOULD NOT…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157148 at NHTSA ↗

TOOK NEW CAR IN FOR THE FIRST OIL CHANGE. DROVE 30+ MILES AND THE ENGINE DISINTEGRATED REQUIRING A TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. DEALER DENIES ANY WRONGDOING AND BLAMES IT ON A MANUFACTURING DEFECT FROM CHRYSLER. THIS IS A NEW JEEP COMMANDER 4.7L 2006 VEHICLE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158637 at NHTSA ↗

ON DECEMBER 2, 2005, MY MOTHER WAS KILLED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN STANTON, DELAWARE. SHE WAS OPERATING MY 2006 JEEP COMMANDER, AND THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE CONTACTED THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION AS PART OF THEIR INVESTIGATION. THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE HAVE RECENTLY ADVISED ME THAT THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION IS CLOSING THIS INQUIRY. FURTHER, THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE HAVE ADVISED ME TO CONTACT YOU BECAUSE I DISAGREE AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AND PETITION THAT THE OFFICE …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160703 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-02-09 (February 9, 2006)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED RETRACTOR BRACKET EDGE ON THE THIRD ROW SEAT MAY CONTACT THE SEAT BELT DURING CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BELT WEBBING.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE THIRD ROW OCCUPANT WHICH CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE THIRD ROW SEAT BELTS FOR DAMAGE AND REPLACE ANY DAMAGED BELTS. IN ADDITION, AN INJECTED MOLDED COVER WILL BE ADDED TO THE RETRACTOR BRACKET ON BOTH THIRD ROW SEATING POSITIONS TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE FROM BELT CONTACT WITH THE RETRACTOR BRACKET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 13, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2007-09-14 (September 14, 2007)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMMED INTO THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE MAY ALLOW A MOMENTARY DELAY IN BRAKING WHEN COASTING UP A HILL DURING CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH NEW SOFTWARE THAT PREVENTS THIS CONDITION FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 22, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 24,461 MY 2006 JEEP COMMANDER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.7L V8 ENGINES. THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WAS PROGRAMMED WITH SOFTWARE THAT MAY ALLOW THE ENGINE TO STALL UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM SOFTWARE IN ALL 4.7L ENGINE EQUIPPED MY 2006 JEEP COMMANDERS BUILT PRIOR TO JANUARY 11, 2006. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 19, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2013-05-07 (May 7, 2013)

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.

Consequence: If the vehicle shifts into neutral, it may roll away increasing the risk of a crash or personal injury.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the final drive controller which governs the transfer case, with new software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N23.

Reported: 2014-07-21 (July 21, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, drivers should adjust their seat to allow clearance between the driver's knee and the ignition key, and remove all items from their key ring, leaving only the vehicle key. Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to July 5, 2007, and 2006-2007 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, to July 5, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Chrysler sent interim notifications to owners in September 2014. The recall began on October 9, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P41.