NHTSA Complaint #10291353 — 2004 JEEP LIBERTY

MY HUSBAND IS A MECHANIC. HE AND HIS EMPLOYER WERE TRYING TO MANEUVER A 2004 JEEP LIBERTY INTO THE WORK STALL FROM THE PARKING LOT. THE JEEP HAD A BROKEN BALL JOINT (A CONDITION THAT THEY LATER FOUND WAS UNDER RECALL NOTICE) AND WOULD NOT STEER, SO MY HUSBAND WAS GUIDING IT WITH A FLOOR JACK WHILE HIS BOSS WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL, BRAKING WHEN NECESSARY TO HELP CONTROL FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING. THIS IS STANDARD PROCEDURE, ONE CARRIED OUT MANY TIMES BY BOTH MEN. BOTH MEN HAVE AT LEAST 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE EACH AS AUTO MECHANICS. THERE IS A LIP JUST AT THE DOOR OF THE SHOP TO PREVENT WATER FROM COMING IN, AND WHEN THE JEEP CAME TO THIS LIP, THE VEHICLE TIPPED SLIGHTLY, AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TOUCHED THE GROUND. INSTANTLY, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD AT FULL POWER. THE BOSS LITERALLY STOOD AS HARD AS HE COULD ON THE BRAKE BUT TO NO EFFECT. THE VEHICLE LEFT A LONG BLACK SKID LINE BEHIND IT WHERE THE BACK TIRES WERE TRYING TO BRAKE, BUT THE FRONT TIRES WERE CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE. MY HUSBAND WAS HIT AND DRAGGED FIFTEEN FEET THEN CRUSHED AGAINST AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT. ACCORDING TO BOTH MECHANICS, THE FRONT WHEELS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD POWER TO THEM, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE AND CANNOT PUT ITSELF INTO FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE: A LEVER MUST BE RAISED MANUALLY. MY HUSBAND HAD TO BE LIFE FLIGHTED TO EMMANUEL HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A COLLAPSED LUNG, BROKEN NOSE, BROKEN COLLARBONE, NINE BROKEN RIBS, AND A BROKEN ANKLE. HE ALSO SUFFERED GENERAL CRUSHING OF MOST OF HIS BODY. A BROKEN LEFT RIB WAS DIAGNOSED TWO WEEKS LATER. THE JEEP WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR OF THE BROKEN BALL JOINT AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN, DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TR