NHTSA Complaint #10226343 — 2008 DODGE NITRO

CHRYSLER DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND NO LAWYER WANTS TO FIGHT CHRYSLER. I AM NOT PUTTING MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN JEOPARDY WITH THAT CAR. ON 2/18/08 I LEASED A 2008 DODGE NITRO AT CRESTWOOD DODGE. ON 3/31/08 MY WIFE ROUTINELY STARTED THE NITRO, PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE (AND NOT THE GAS) AND ENGAGED THE GEAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE. WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND, THE CAR MADE AN UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR BURSTED BACKWARD TAKING OUT THE RIGHT SIDE OF OUR GATE AND A PORTION OF THE FENCE ADJACENT TO THE GATE. THIS TOOK HER BY SURPRISE. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE BUT THE BRAKE WAS NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE AS THE TRANSMISSION HAD TORQUED THE ENGINE SO HARD THAT IT FORCED HER INTO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND THE REAR BUMPER RAMMED INTO A BRICK PILLAR SUPPORTING THE ROOF OF THE FRONT PORCH AND DAMAGED THE CAR. THE IMPACT OF HITTING THE HOUSE AND THE PILLAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED THE MOMENTUM OF THE NITRO. I CALLED THE SERVICE MGR AT CRESTWOOD TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY KNOWN RECALLS ON THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING ON THE NITRO. HE TOLD ME NO. I ASKED HIM FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO. HE REFERRED ME TO THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CLAIMS RESOLUTION GROUP. (CCCRG) I FILED A CLAIM WITH THIS CCCRG. THEN WE RECEIVED A FORM LETTER FROM THEM STATING THAT THEY WILL SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO SEE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE NITRO. CCCRG INFORMED US THAT AN INVESTIGATION WAS PERFORMED AT DEARBORN COLLISION AND THAT WE WILL RECEIVE AN ANSWER. THEY REFERRED ME TO THE CASE MGR. ON 4/9/08 WE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT THE INSPECTOR FOUND NO INDICATION OF A MALFUNCTIONING DEFECT. I SPOKE BRIEFLY WITH DEARBORN COLLISION AND ASKED ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION. THEY STATED THAT THE INVESTIGATOR HARDLY LOOKED AT ANYTHING. NEVER EVEN STARTED THE CAR AND THAT HE WERE IN AND OUT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. ON 4/10/08 I SPOKE TO THE CASE MANAGER AND DISCUSSED HOW WE CAN JUST GET A NEW LEASE. HE ADVISED ME THAT IF I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ARRANGE A MEETING WITH THE DISTRICT MGR THAT GOVERNS CRESTWOOD DODGE. *TR