NHTSA Complaint #10348096 — 2008 DODGE CHARGER

AFTER RECEIVING RECALL 08V583000 INVOLVING POLICE VEHICLES WITH STEERING COLUMN MOUNTED SHIFTER ON 11/18/2008, VEHICLE REPEATEDLY HAS PROBLEMS ENGAGING GEARS. OFFICERS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO DRIVE AND LEARN THAT IT HAS NOT ENGAGED AND IS INSTEAD IN NEUTRAL. IT OFTEN STARTLES THE OFFICERS, WHO ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING RAPID SHIFT CHANGES IN ORDER TO PURSUE VIOLATORS OR NEGOTIATE TERRAIN. OFFICERS FIND THAT THEY OFTEN NEED TO PUSH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTER TOWARD THE DASH TO PROPERLY ENGAGE THE APPROPRIATE GEAR, CAUSING A LAPSE IN DRIVING SKILLS AND A LOSS OF FOCUS ON VEHICLE OPERATION. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURED IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWDED INTERSECTION AS THE PATROL OFFICER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PURSUE A VIOLATOR. VEHICLE SHOWED IT WAS IN REVERSE WHEN IT WAS BETWEEN REVERSE AND NEUTRAL. SHIFTING TO DRIVE, IT REMAINED BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND DRIVE UNTIL THE OFFICER COULD CORRECTLY ENGAGE THE APPROPRIATE GEAR. *TR