NHTSA Complaint #10339790 — 2008 DODGE AVENGER

I WAS GETTING READY FOR WORK, HAD TO BE THERE BY 7AM. MY FIANCE' HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR WORK. I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. TRIED OVER AND OVER TO GET IT OUT OF PARK. AS A RESULT OF THIS HAPPENING I WAS LATE FOR WORK AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE LATE FOR WORK. WE ARE DOCKED POINTS WHEN WE ARE LATE OR MISS WORK AND I AM NEVER LATE AND NEVER MISS WORK. YOU CAN BE TERMINATED WITH JUST 4 POINTS. I DID RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET ABOUT MY CAR, TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH IT AND FOUND OUT ALOT MORE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWHERE. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY BUT I HAVE A SMALL CHILD THAT I'M OUT WITH ALOT BY MYSELF. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S A PLASTIC PIECE THAT BREAKS OFF AND CAUSES THE SPRING THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT TO LET THE CAR OUT OF PARK FLY OFF AND THEN YOU ARE JUST STUCK. THERE IS NO WAY TO OVER RIDE IT UNLESS YOU TAKE THE ENTIRE CONSOLE OUT AND MANUALLY PULL THE PINK LEVER BACK. I'M NOT A HELPLESS FEMALE BUT I CAN'T TAKE A COMPLETE CONSOLE OUT BY MYSELF. SO THEREFORE I FEEL THAT PUTS MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER IN A BAD SITUATION IF WE ARE OUT BY OURSELVES AND THIS HAPPENS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $300.00 PLUS TAX TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE JUST REPLACING IT WITH THE SAME PLASTIC MOLDINGS THAT WILL BREAK AGAIN AT SOME POINT AND TIME. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE WITH THIS CAR THE WAY IT IS. RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY 300.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE AGAIN IN A DAY ANOTHER WEEK OR WHO KNOWS WHEN. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED AT THE MOMENT..I'M DRIVING WITH MY CONSOLE COMPLETELY OFF AND MANUALLY PULLING UP ON THE PINK LATCH AND PUTTING IT IN GEAR. I THINK IT'S REALLY SAD THAT THE COMPANY CAN'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND LET THE CONSUMER KNOW THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND WILL FIX THE PROBLEM THE RIGHT WAY. *TR