NHTSA Complaint #10272993 — 2007 JEEP COMPASS 4X4

THE EVENT INVOLVED DRIVING AT MODERATE SPEEDS IN A SMALL CITY ENVIRONMENT 25-30 MPH. I HAD JUST TURNED FROM A BUSY STREET INVOLVED WITH CONSTRUCTION TO ANOTHER BUSY STREET AND NEEDED TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY, SO I FIRMLY PRESSED DOWN THE GAS PEDAL, BUT INSTEAD OF GOING FASTER, I HEARD A LOUD SNAP AND THE MAIN (DARK GRAY PLASTIC!) PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR, LEAVING ME VULNERABLE TO TRAFFIC--WHICH POLITELY BACKED OFF WHEN I UNEXPECTEDLY SLOWED DOWN IN FRONT OF THEM. AFTER TURNING ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A SAFE PLACE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. I WAS ABLE, AFTER SOME EXPERIMENTATION, TO FIND A ONE INCH STUB OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL OVER THE POTENTIOMETER, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO USE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE PEDAL, ON INSPECTION, HAS A FACTORY BUILT-IN CIRCULAR AND TWO TRIANGULAR HOLES THAT PENETRATE THE SHAFT--THE BREAK OCCURRED HERE--AND TWO GROOVES BESIDE THESE HOLES. I HAD TO PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY--SAME FLAWED DESIGN--WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THIS ITEM AND IT WAS INSTALLED 6/5/09 AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. AT MY REQUEST, I OBTAINED THE ENTIRE DAMAGED PART. I HAVE BOTH PIECES, AND CAN PHOTOGRAPH THEM IF REQUESTED, OR CAN MAIL THEM TO SOMEONE FOR INSPECTION. MY ISSUE IS THAT THIS ITEM'S FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION IF THE OTHER DRIVERS HADN'T POLITELY SLOWED TO ALLOW MY EMERGENCY PULL-OVER TO TAKE PLACE. IT ALSO IS A STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS THAT COULD RENDER THE VEHICLE NON-DRIVABLE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. THE ENTIRE PEDAL BROKE OFF COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE PARTIAL BREAKAGE TO WARN ME THIS WAS COMING. I BELIEVE THIS PEDAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED PEDAL WITHOUT THE STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS I DESCRIBED ABOVE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MANUFACTURER. I HOPE THEY USE SOMETHING A BIT BETTER THAN PLASTIC. *TR