NHTSA Complaint #10132241 — 2003 CHRYSLER SEBRING

I OWN A 2003 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH 4 CYLINDER ENGINE,AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND CRUISE CONTROL. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN MARCH OF 2005 WITH ABOUT 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT CURRENTLY HAS 39,000 MILES. ON A TRIP THROUGH MARYLAND AND WEST VIRGINIA ON AUGUST 4TH,2005, I EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65 MPH, I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE DOWN A 6 TO 8 % GRADE. THE CAR WOULD DOWN SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION AND ACCELERATE. WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER REACHED 75 MPH, I SHUT OFF THE CRUISE AND THE CAR WOULD UPSHIFT BACK TO HIGH GEAR AND WITH BRAKING I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE SPEED OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS ACTION WITH THE CAR UNTIL I TRAVELED ON INTERSTATE ROADS WITH 3% GRADES OR LESS,THEN THE CRUISE WORKS FINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO NORTH EAST DODGE ,MAIN STREET,NORTH EAST,PA. 16428 ON AUGUST 8TH,2005 AND EXPLAINED THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL. AFTER CONFERRING WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION,I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE READ THE OWNERS MANUAL WHICH( I AM PARAPHRASING HERE) STATES NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL UNLESS IT IS A SUNNY,DRY DAY AND THE HIGHWAY IS FLAT. IN OTHER WORDS,CHRYSLER SAYS I SHOULD HAVE READ THE OWNERS MANUAL BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND IF I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THE CAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL DOWN STEEP ROADS, THEN DON'T USE THE CRUISE CONTROL. BECAUSE CHRYSLER CORPORATION PUTS A DISCLAIMER IN THEIR OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT THEIR SELLING THE PUBLIC AN UNSAFE PRODUCT SHOULD NOT ABSOLVE THEM OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CORRECTING IT. *NM