NHTSA Complaint #10325504 — 2005 DODGE NEON

2005 DODGE NEON SE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO CONSTANTLY ACCELERATE DESPITE THE GAS PEDAL NOT BEING PRESSED. BRAKING WOULD SLOW THE CAR BUT NOT EFFECTIVELY AND THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DISENGAGED. WHILE THIS WAS OCCURRING, NO SENSORS IN THE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER INDICATED ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 30 MORE MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE BEING REPEATEDLY TURNED OFF - IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR AT RED LIGHTS/STOP SIGNS - BUT PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL CAUSED THE ENGINE TO ATTEMPT TO RED LINE AND NECESSITATED IT BE TURNED OFF. IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TRAVELING, THE ENGINE HAD TO BE STARTED AND THE CAR RAPIDLY PUT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE BEFORE THE ENGINE RED LINED. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOTHING OF NOTE PRECEDED THE FAILURE AND THE ONLY WORK DONE ON THE CAR IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS WAS ROUTINE OIL CHANGES AND ONE ROTATION OF TIRES. ONCE THE DEALERSHIP EXAMINED THE CAR, THEY FOUND A FAULTY VACUUM LINE BUT WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE FOR 30 MINUTES OF THE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER IN DETERMINING THAT CONSTANT ACCELERATION (OR A FAILURE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM) WAS OUTSIDE THE NORMAL OPERATING PARAMETER OF THE ENGINE. DODGE WAS CONTACTED ON THE ISSUE AND CONTENDED THE REPAIR WAS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE EXISTING WARRANTY AND ALSO COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE FAILURE OF THE ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER IN DETECTING THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THEY SEEMED UNINTERESTED IN INVESTIGATING FURTHER. *TR