POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH
WHILE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND LEAVING IT IN IDLE, VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACK AND ACCELERATE, RUNNING OVER SOME CURBS AND SMALL HILLS BEFORE HITTING A TREE. THEN, GOING FORWARD INTO A FENCE BEFORE STOPPING. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *JG
2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 JEEP WRANGLER ON OCTOBER 31, 2008 FROM WEST-HERR CHYSLER JEEP. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE MORNING OF 6/16/2010, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) LIGHT CAME ON JUST MOMENTS BEFORE I WAS TO ENTER HIGHWAY 219. (I WAS PASSING THROUGH THE TOWN OF ORCHARD PARK ON HIGHWAY 20A. I THOUGHT IT STRANGE BUT KNEW IT WAS VERY SENSITIVE TO EVEN A SLIGHT CHANGE IN PRESSURE.) I PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE 219, INCREASING SPEED TO 60 MPH, WHEN I SUDDENLY REALIZED I HAD LOST ALL PRESSURE IN MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. I MANAGED TO SAFELY EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND TO CALL MY HUSBAND TO CHANGE THE TIRE. WHILE DOING SO, HE NOTICED THE ENTIRE VALVE STEM WAS MISSING. THERE WAS JUST A HOLE WHERE IT HAD BEEN. HE ASSUMED THAT THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE TPMS HAD WORKED ITS WAY LOOSE AND THAT IT WAS INSIDE THE TIRE. HE TOOK THE TIRE TO WEST-HERR CHRYSLER JEEP AND THEY REINSERTED THE TPMS AND REPLACED THE MOUNTING NUT. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN - INSTANT DEFLATION - WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON I-190 (ABOUT 50 MILES/HOUR), ONLY THIS TIME IT WAS MY LEFT REAR TIRE. AGAIN, I MANAGED TO EXIT SAFELY AND TO AGAIN CALL MY HUSBAND. THIS TIME HE COULDN'T GET THE TIRE OFF THE HUB SO WE CALLED AAA. WHILE WAITING FOR THEM, A FELLOW JEEP OWNER STOPPED TO RENDER ASSISTANCE AND HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NUT HOLD THE TPMS ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. (MY HUSBAND WHO HAS A PH.D. IN CHEMISTRY FROM INDIANA U. NOTICED THAT MOST OF THE VALVE STEM IS ALUMINUM AND IT IS IN CONTACT WITH THE STEEL WHEEL. HE POSTULATED THAT THE TWO UNLIKE METALS ACTED AS A CELL AND WITH THE SALT THAT IS USED ON THE ROADS HERE THAT LED TO VERY RAPID CORROSION.) THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN MONDAY, 7/9/12, WITH MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHILE I WAS GOING 40 MPH. HOW CAN A VEHICLE BE MARKETED WITH SUCH AN OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW?
