NHTSA Complaint #10192611 — 2006 JEEP COMMANDER

FROM NEW, I HAVE NOTED AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION OF MY COMMANDER WHEN STOPPED ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE DRIFTS BACKWARD UNLESS YOU APPLY THE BRAKE. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE LEFT IT DRIFT A FOOT OR SO TO SEE IF IT WOULD STOP DRIFTING, BUT IT WAS USUALLY NOT SAFE TO LET IT CONTINUE. OBVIOUSLY APPLYING THE BRAKE IS THE NORMAL THING YOU WOULD DO WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT ANYWAY, SO I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A REAL PROBLEM. I REPORTED IT TO MY DEALERSHIP, AND THEY CHECKED THE TCM FOR ANY ERRORS OR PROBLEMS, CLAIMING THEY FOUND NONE. I ASKED IF THEY COULD PLEASE CHECK IT AGAIN, TEST DRIVE IT, ETC., AND THEY REPORTED THAT AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO SERVICE BULLETINS OR ISSUES THEY SAW A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON A NUMBER THEY FOUND ON THE TRANSMISSION OR TCM THAT A "FLASH" OF THE TCM SHOULD BE PERFORMED. THEY REPORT THAT THIS WAS DONE. TODAY, UPON RECEIVING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, I TESTED THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THIS CONDITION HAD BEEN FIXED. TODAY I FOUND A SAFE LOCATION TO TEST, AND THIS TIME I LET THE VEHICLE CONTINUE TO DRIFT BACKWARD. TO MY SURPRISE, IT CONTINUED TO DRIFT FOR ABOUT 15 FEET, AND THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY STALLED. I DID THIS TWICE WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE, BUT I DO FEEL THAT IT IS NOT CORRECT BEHAVIOR AND BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I CANNOT REALLY EVEN THINK OF ANY SITUATIONS WHERE THIS WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT UNLESS THERE WAS A BRAKE FAILURE OR SOMETHING, OR IF THE VEHICLE COULDN'T BE RESTARTED AFTER A STALL. I AM JUST REPORTING THIS VERY ODD BEHAVIOR FOR AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I CAN RE-CREATE THIS PROBLEM AT ANY TIME.