NHTSA Complaint #10178480 — 2007 JEEP COMMANDER

I PURCHASED A NEW 2006 JEEP COMMANDER LIMITED 4.7L 4WD. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON ONE OCCASION AND A RURAL ROAD ON ANOTHER OCCASION AT SEPARATE TIMES IN ON THE SAME DAY (TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING) AND WAS MOVING AT AROUND 70 MPH ON THE HWY AND 45 ON THE RURAL ROAD WHEN I SHIFTED IN MY SEAT. MY RIGHT KNEE MADE MINOR CONTACT WITH THE IGNITION KEY AND IT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF COMPLETELY, NO DASH LIGHTS NO MOTOR, NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR BESIDE ME EITHER TIME. I HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK THEN RESTART THE MOTOR AND GO FROM THERE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF A YOUNG DRIVER HAD BEEN AT THE WHEEL OR IF THERE WERE CARS AROUND ME AT THE TIME. I AM NOT A LARGE OR VERY TALL PERSON. I WENT TO EDMUNDS.COM AND WENT TO THE VEHICLE FORUM ON PROBLEMS AND ISSUES AND READ WHERE OTHERS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURE, WHEN I DID THEY SENT ME A PRESCRIPTED NOTE SAYING TO CONTACT THE DEALER. I TOLD THEM THAT THE DEALER TOLD ME TO CONTACT THEM AND THEY SENT ME ANOTHER EMAIL STATING TO GO THROUGH THE DEALER. AND THEY THANKED ME FOR MY INPUT. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A BROKEN PART ISSUE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE VEHICLE. THE IGNITION KEY IS LOCATED AT SUCH AN ANGLE AND CLOSE TO THE KNEE SO THAT WHEN IT GETS HIT FROM THE LEFT IT FORCES THE KEY TO TURN OUT OF RUN TO ACC OR OFF. IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH FORCE TO DO THIS AND THE DETENT IN THE RUN POSITION IS VERY WEEK AT BEST. THIS TO ME IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *JB