NHTSA Complaint #10278744 — 2006 DODGE DURANGO

2006 DODGE DURANGO SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT KEY INSTALLED IN IGNITION. MY THREE YEAR OLD SON CLIMBED UP INTO THE DRIVER SEAT AND SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT A KEY, AND ROLLED DOWN A HILL WITH JUST HIM IN THE CAR AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE BEEN ALOT WORSE. THERE IS A RECALL OUT THERE FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE , AND MODEL DURANGO BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED, THE RECALL IS FOR A "SHIFTER PAWL IMPROPERLY INSTALLED". THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP BEING REPAIRED AND PHOTOS OF THE ITEM WILL BE TAKEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TORN APART. FOR SOME REASON CHRYSLER DENIED MY CLAIM TO ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THEY STATED MY VEHICLE HAD 90,000 MILES AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, ALTHOUGH IT WAS THERE MISTAKE THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT TO BEGIN WITH. THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE VERY WELL HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 80,000 MILES, BUT KNOW ONE EVER TRIED TO SHIFT IT OUT OF PARK BEFORE WITHOUT THE KEYS. TOTAL DAMAGE TO CAR HAS NOT BEEN TOTALED YET, BUT IS ESTIMATED TO COST $5,000 TO $8,000 DOLLARS. *TR