NHTSA Complaint #10376490 — 2010 DODGE JOURNEY

2010 DODGE JOURNEY, WHILE RETURNING THIS VEHICLE TO THE RENTAL OFFICE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. BOTH HAD BEEN GOING ABOUT 5 MPH AND WERE ABOUT 35 TO 40 FEET APART WHEN THE DODGE JOURNEY ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT WAS STRUCK, WOULD NOT STOP EVEN THOUGHT THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHILE THE FRONT SEAT PERSONS WERE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE ON BOTH VEHICLES THE DODGE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AGAIN WITH NO ONE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS SHUT OFF AT THIS POINT. AFTER NAMES AND SO FORTH WERE EXCHANGED [ BOTH VEHICLES WERE RENTALS] THE DODGE WAS RESTARTED AND RAN FINE INTO THE RETURN AREA. WHILE THEY WERE CHECKING IT IN AND THE VEHICLE RETURN AGENT WAS SHOWN THE DAMAGE HE WENT OVER TO CHECK THE GAS LEVEL. UNDERSTAND, AGAIN AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO ONE INSIDE THE RENTAL VEHICLE AT ALL. EVERYONE WAS OUTSIDE STANDING AROUND. AS THE CAR RENTAL AGENT STARTED TO LOOK INSIDE THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AGAIN, IN FACT HE ACTUALLY JUMPED BACK AND I REACHED IN AND SHUT IT DOWN. THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE INSURANCE PEOPLE AND AFTER SEVERAL CALLS THE FINALLY SAID THAT THE RENTAL COMPANY HAD INSPECTED THE CAR BY TAKING IT TO A DEALER WHO LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND TEST DROVE IT AND NOTHING HAPPENED SO THE VEHICLE WAS ALRIGHT. THE AGENT WHO CHECKED IT IN WAS NEVER CONTACTED AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE IN EITHER VEHICLE WERE ASKED ABOUT THE ENGINE RACING. I UNDERSTAND THAT FOR AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING 6 OR 7 THOUSAND DOLLARS THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE A CAR APART BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A BOX THAT CAN TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE INSPECTION WAS DONE BY A DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF $105.00 SO IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY WELL INSPECTED. *TR