NHTSA Complaint #10240884 — 2005 CHRYSLER 300

GEAR SHIFT ON 2005 CHRYSLER 300 TOURING MALFUNCTIONED. COULDN'T REMOVE FROM PARK POSITION AND AT TIMES HAD DIFFICULTY PUTTING CAR IN PARK. TRIED TO USE THE MANUAL TO RELEASE. INFORMATION IN MANUAL STATED BY DEPRESSING PINK BUTTON NEXT TO GEAR SHIFT WOULD RELEASE GEAR FROM PARK POSITION; BUT DID NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND IS A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN AND STATED THAT THE PINK BUTTON WAS NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING; BUT HE WAS ABLE TO RELEASE IT BY TAKING APART THE CONSOLE TO EXPOSE THE MAIN RELEASE SO THAT WE WOULD NOT INCURR A $150 TOWING COST. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO GANLEY/DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALER AND THE ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT HAD TO BE REPLACED; BUT THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY IT WENT BAD NOR WHY THIS PINK BUTTON WAS NOT CONNECTED NOR ABLE TO RELEASE. DEALER ALSO SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS TYPE OF REPAIR AND THE COST WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILTY. COST OF REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $375 PLUS THE PART IS BACK ORDERED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) DAYS. I WILL TAKE VACATION DAYS FROM WORK IN ORDER TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED AND WILL BE WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. NEED TO KNOW IF THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFEAT SINCE THE INFOMATION IN THE MANUAL STATED PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN THE RELEASE BUT NOT EFFECTIVE AND WHETHER OR NOT I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS AND IF I CAN SEND THE ORIGINAL PART BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER SO THAT A TECHNICIAN CAN HONESTLY ANALYZE IF THE PART WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY AND/OR WHY IT DID NOT PERFORM AS INDICATED IN THE MANUAL. WILL MISS TIME OFF FROM WORK AND NO LOANER WAS PROVIDED OR OFFERED. I UNDERSTAND THAT REPAIRS MUST BE MADE BUT SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT DONE BY THE OWNER SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACUTURER IF THIS TYPE OF REPAIR IS DUE TO THE PRODUCTION OF THE VEHICLE. TO SOME, THIS MAY BE INEXPENSIVE; BUT TO OTHERS WITH TODAY'S ECONOMIC SITUATION; THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED FOR A CONSUMER TO ENDURE AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE "JUST BECAUSE" WITHOUT A JUSTIFIABLE EXPLANATION. YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.