I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 8/2012 FOR MY DAUGHTER TO GET TO COLLEGE. IT IS A 900 MILE TRIP AND WOULD BE USED FOR LOCAL CAMPUS DRIVING UNTIL HER RETURN IN 4/2013. WE BOUGHT THE CAR WITH THE HOPE OF GETTING 3 YEARS USE OUT OF IT. ON HER INITIAL TRIP DOWN ROUTE 95 SO. I RECEIVED A CALL AT 1 AM FROM HER IN SC TELLING ME THE CAR SHUT DOWN AT 70 MPH. THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND FORTUNATELY WITH THE HELP OF HER PASSENGER FORCED THE WHEEL TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER. THANK GOD A TRACTOR TRAILED WAS NOT BEHIND HER! I TOLD HER TO WAIT AND TRY TO START THE CAR. IT STARTED A HALF HOUR LATER. THIS EPISODE CONTINUED UNTIL SHE ARRIVED AT SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY. A 15 HOUR TRIP TOOK 21 HOURS. SHE WAS FRIGHTENED TO DEATH. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY TOLD US IT WAS THE VALVE BODY OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH WE REPLACED ($2100). AS IT TURNS OUT ON THE RETURN TRIP THE CAR TRANSMISSION WAS OVER HEATING AND THE SHUTTING DOWN SCENARIO CONTINUED. WE BROUGHT IT TO A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER HERE IN NJ AND THEY TOLD US THERE WAS PROBLEM IN THE ENGINE AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT APART IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I STOPPED RIGHT THERE. I FOUND OUT THROUGH MY LOCAL MECHANIC OF 20 YEARS THAT HE READ THE BULLETIN ON THE ENGINE PROBLEMS FROM CHRYSLER. IT SAID THE VALVES WERE NOT SHUTTING DOWN ALL THE WAY THUS CREATING CARBON IN THE HEADS AND STALLING THE ENGINES. I NEED ACTION FROM CHRYSLER AND IT SEEMS THE DEALERSHIPS DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. WE CAN'T USE THE CAR THAT WE PAID $10,000 (PLUS $2100) FOR AND NOW I HAVE TO GET MY DAUGHTER BACK TO COLLEGE AND DON'T HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE. HOW DO I GET CHRYSLER TO FIX THE PROBLEM? I CAN BE CONTACTED AT MY INFORMATION BELOW. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
2014
POWER TRAIN
THE DRIVER PULLED THE AUTOMOBILE INTO A DRIVEWAY ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE. THE DRIVER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF USING THE PUSH BUTTON START/STOP. THE DRIVER RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE 10 MINUTES LATER, WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE DRIVER STARTED THE VEHICLE (FOOT ON BRAKE AS REQUIRED) USING PUSH BUTTON START/STOP. THE DRIVER ENGAGED THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE USING THE SHIFTING LEVER (WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE AS IS REQUIRED BY THE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM). WHEN ENGAGED IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGH LEVEL, AND THE CAR TRAVELED IN REVERSE UP THE HILL (DRIVEWAY), THROUGH THE STREET, AND INTO A DITCH. SIDE AND FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER BELIEVES THEY NEVER TOOK FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, AND THE BRAKING WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME TORQUE OF THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE DAMAGE INCLUDES AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, CABIN ROOF LINER DETACHMENT, THREE BENT WHEELS, MINOR DAMAGE TO MUFFLER, MINOR BODY DAMAGE. DEALER CHECKED ELECTRONICS/INSTRUMENT RECORDINGS AND NOTED NOTHING UNUSUAL APPEARING, AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
