A variety of new sources are reporting that DaimlerChrysler/Jeep has announced an official recall of 111,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees produced in 2003 and 2004 due to a potential risk of fires from faulty seat heaters.

If you own an 03 or 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee with seat heaters, contact Jeep:

http://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/jeep/index.jsp?screenName=recall

Alternately, call them at 800-853-1403.

In fact, it's a good idea to contact Jeep anyway with your VIN so they can see if your Jeep needs any recall work from the past.

It's pretty rare when a new OHV/ORV park opens in the southeast so when we hear about it happening, it's cause for celebration. Even though this new park is in South Carolina, it's reported to be within 3-4 hours of Tellico, which makes it game for a weekend or even a day trip for those who get up early enough.

I spoke with Skip, the owner of the new park, a long-time Jeep guy whose son has been bouncing around in a Jeep since he was a baby. Skip's dream was to someday open an OHV park so he and his 4x4 buddies didn't have to make the 3-4 hour trip to Tellico every time they wanted to go wheeling. There have been no OHV parks in South Carolina...until now. With the help of some local 4x4 clubs, Skip has pulled together the Gulches ORV Park and is adding trails, obstacles and amenities all the time.



Here's some information about the park from Skip:

The Gulches ORV (Off Road Vehicle) Park is located in Laurens County, South Carolina, about 30 minutes outside of Greenville. It's fairly remote so Google and Mapquest don't seem to be much help but you can check out their website for a map.There are lots of 4x4 shops and hotels within an hour's drive.

While the park offers 80 acres of private land on a river, it's loaded with lots of smaller obstacles like a tank trap, rock crawling area, etc. Runs are all clearly marked.

Onsite camping is available with notice and some electricity is available (call for info). Skip has provided lots of parking for trailers and some RV's. A portapotty is provided onsite.

Their Grand Opening is July 15, 2006 and will include a 4x4 Challenge, similar to the Top Truck Challenge; 7 events including a hillclimb, towing contest and more. Live music and BBQ will entertain and nourish everyone who shows up.

It's nice to have some variety. We should support our local 4x4 businesses and we could always use more OHV access in the southeast.

I'll put the grand opening on our calendar. How about we schedule an TNVJC trip to the Gulches? Don't wait for me to organize it. This is your club! Post up a date your free and let's see if we can get people to sign up. I might even sign up, depending on the date.

Check the website listed here for info on pricing and pics, etc.:

http://www.gulchesorvpark.com/

I keep meeting people who are prospective TNVJC members. They may not remember TNVJC but handing them a card helps them remember to check out the website. The more participants, the more valuable this site will be for everyone.

I've added some info about how you can print your own TNVJC business card. This is totally optional, of course, but some of you have asked for this. Here's version 1:



For more information including the link for the Photoshop file you'll need, visit this discussion:

TNVJC "Business" Cards discussion

Let me know if you have some suggestions for version 2 or feel free to design your own and post it!

JP Magazine reports that DaimlerChrysler will be recalling almost 500,000 Jeeps (some Dodge vehicles are affected also) for repairs to the onboard diagnostic system and possible repairs to the catalytic converter.

Affected Jeeps:

Grand Cherokee model year 1996 (4.0L engine)
Cherokee model year 1997 (2.5L engine)
Wrangler model year 1997 (2.5L engine, built after 7/97)
Wrangler model year 1998 (2.5L engine)
Cherokee model year 1998 (2.5L engine)

For more information, contact DaimlerChrysler or your Jeep dealer.

Now is a good time to update your info with DC.
DaimleyChrysler Jeep Recall Phone Number (have your VIN handy): 800-853-1403
- Find out if your Jeep needs any recall work
- Find out what warranty work your Jeep has had done (good tool if you bought your Jeep used)
- Update the record on file for that VIN - they need your new address.

A new feature has been added for members. The TNVJC website has a lot going on all the time - new forum posts, new classfied ads, trips, posted, people joining...even the ability for people to comment in areas all over the site. While that all that functionality is nice to have, it makes it difficult to figure out what's changes since the last time you visited. Members now have a "What's New" button on their menu. This new page is a snapshot of all recent activity on the site. Now you can start your regular visits with a snapshot and then drill down further on items you want to investigate more. Enjoy!