NHTSA Complaint #10162539 — 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

WHILE I AM DRIVING AND IF MY AIR CONDITIONER IS ON THERE IS A DRAMATIC LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE, IF I AM AT A STOP LIGHT AND HAVE TO CLIMB A HILL FROM A COMPLETE STOP I IN MOST CASES HAVE TO TURN THE POWER TO MY AIR OFF SO THE ENGINE WILL INCREASE ITS POWER AND I CAN CLIMB THE HILL. IF I DO NOT TURN THE AIR OFF THE RPMS RACE UP REALLY HIGH AND I AM ONLY GOING MAYBE 20 MILES PER HOUR AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT AND THE ENGINE IS ROARING. SO ONCE TO THE TOP OF THE HILL IT FINALLY SHIFTS BUT EXTREMELY HARD AS THOUGH SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE JUST BROKE.. ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENS IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND HOW HARD IT HITS WHEN IT SHIFTS, IT HAS ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE IT WAS NOT FLUID AND EASY AS IT SHOULD BE. ALMOST AS THOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT FOR IT, ESPECIALLY COMING DOWN FROM ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR AND LOWER DOWN INTO THE SECOND TO 1ST GEARS. IT WORRIES ME THAT A VEHICLE IN ITS PRICE RANGE AND CONSIDERING WHAT I PAID FOR IT THAT IT SHOULD BE MORE OF A JOY AND COMFORT FOR ME TO OWN AND DRIVE THAN IT IS. I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO COMPLETELY STOP SHIFTING SINCE IT IS SUCH A STRUGGLE FOR IT TO DO SO... WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR A CONSUMER THAT BELIEVES THEY HAVE A VEHICLE WITH DEFAULTS OR A LEMON? IS THERE ANYTHING A CONSUMER CAN DO ? *JB