NHTSA Complaint #10127626 — 2002 DODGE STRATUS

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING DOWN IN A SMOOTH MANNER. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, EXPLAINED THE PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING AND ASKED FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT WITH THE COMPUTER OPERATED TRANSMISSION, THAT THE COMPUTER IS A LITTLE SLOW AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. RECENTLY HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INCREASING IN BOTH FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY. TO THE POINT WHEN I AM COMMING TO A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AS I COME TO A STOP AND IT SHIFTS TO THE LOWEST GEAR. IF THE TREND CONTINUES I CAN SEE THIS EITHER DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS THE SURGE PUSHES THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND CONTENDS THAT IT IS JUST A SLOW COMPUTER AND WILL NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS.