NHTSA Complaint #10172047 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

I JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN 30 DAYS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THE CAR WAS A NICE VEHICLE, UNTIL ONE DAY COMING HOME FROM HEIDELBERG, GERMANY. I WAS ON AUTOBAHN 656 BETWEEN HEIDELBERG AND MANNHEIM. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE DRIVING ABOUT 70 K/HR. I WENT TO TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS AND AS I DID THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD PANEL WENT BLANK. ALL METERS (ODOMETER, TACOMETER, AND SPEEDOMETER) DROPPED TO ZERO, BUT THEY QUICKLY CAME BACK ON. WHEN THEY RETURNED TO NORMAL, THE TRANSMISSION HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY GET REAR-ENDED BY A CAR TRAVELING BEHIND ME. I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. I CHANGED LANES AND GOT TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. WHEN I SHUT IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE. BUT WHEN I HAD STARTED THE CAR, THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT HAD TURNED ON AND WOULD NOT EXTINGUISH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO MY APARTMENT AND LET IT BE PARKED. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE HOUSE, I TRIED TO RESTART IT AND THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT HAD WENT OUT. MY WIFE THEN DROVE THE CAR BACK TO THE CAR LOT ON TUESDAY MORNING. I HAD TALKED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, A ONE [email protected], I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I FELT THE CAR IS AN UNSAFE CAR. YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DESERVE THE CHANCE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT WHO IS TO SAY THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED CORRECTLY AND THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WHAT IF MY WIFE AND MYSELF DON'T FIND OUT THAT IT WASN'T PERFECTLY FIXED UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE. IF I'M DRIVING AND I HAVE AN ACCIDENT, DO YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE TO EXPLAIN TO MY FAMILY WHY YOU WOULD NOT TAKE MY CAR ON A RETURN BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE? I HAVE ALWAYS PURCHASED DODGE VEHICLES. I DON'T LIKE DRIVING ANYTHING BUT A DODGE. I DON'T BLAME ANYONE AT MILIATARY CAR SALES OR EVEN DODGE. BUT I DO NOT WANT THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. OUR LIVES HANG IN YOUR HANDS MAKE US KEEP AN UNSAFE CAR OR LET US RETURN IT TODAY 13 OCT 2007 AT 1743. *NM