NHTSA Complaint #10183225 — 2006 JEEP LIBERTY

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2006 JEEP LIBERTY. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS SAID TO BE REPAIRED. SINCE THAT FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY: THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEEM TO BE SHIFTING SMOOTHLY. FOR THE NEXT 8 MONTHS I TRIED TO HAVE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPAIR THE PROBLEM BUT THEY DID NOT, THE TOLD ME THE "PROBLEM" WAS NORMAL. IN JANUARY 2007, I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION WAS GETTING WORSE. I HAD TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR MORE THAN NORMAL TO GET THE CAR TO SHIFT AFTER MAKING A STOP. THE CAR WOULD THEN JERK INTO GEAR WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND I WOULD SPEED UP MORE THAN WAS SAFE. THE FINAL INCIDENT WAS WHEN I WAS ACCELERATING TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER A STOP AND THE CAR JERKED INTO GEAR ALONG WITH MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND. BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE, WHEN THE CAR JERKED INTO GEAR I WAS SENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANK GOODNESS THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS QUICKLY DIAGNOSED AS A TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIRS FOR 22 DAYS BEFORE I GOT IT BACK. PARTS WERE REPLACED IN THE TRANSMISSION BUT ONLY AFTER APPROVAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING A LITTLE BETTER BUT IT IS STILL NOT RUNNING LIKE IT WAS WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM CAN BE DEADLY AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *NM