NHTSA Complaint #10427790 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE HANDLE HAS FAILED AND HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST, 2005. THE MOST CURRENT FAILURE EVENT WAS ON OR ABOUT 9/15/11.THE INDICATED DATE OF FIRST INCIDENT IS AN APPROXIMATION OF WHEN THE HANDLE FIRST BROKE. SINCE THEN THE HANDLE SEEMS TO BRAKE EVERY 12-16 MONTHS. WHEN THE BRAKE RELEASE HANDLE FAILS THE ENTIRE EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSEMBLY FALLS TO THE FLOOR, THEREBY RENDERING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE/RELEASE INOPERABLE. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE HANDLE. ON EACH SIDE OF THE PART THERE IS A SMALL "EAR" WITH A HOLE IN IT. THE PART CONNECTS TO THE DASHBOARD BY 2 SMALL PINS THAT SLIDE INTO THE HOLES. TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE HANDLE IS PULLED OUTWARD THUS CAUSING THE HANDLE TO PIVOT ON THE PINS WHICH, IN TURN EXERTS ENOUGH STRESS ON THE TWO "EARS" THAT OVER TIME CAUSES THEM TO BREAK, RESULTING IN THE BRAKE RELEASE ASSEMBLY SEPARATING FROM THE DASHBOARD AND FALLING TO THE FLOOR. *TT