NHTSA Complaint #10443598 — 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER

SKIP SHIFT. THIS FEATURE IS ALREADY THE CAUSE OF SEVERAL NEAR MISSES OF ME BEING REAR-ENDED BECAUSE FROM A STOP, I AM UNEXPECTEDLY PREVENTED FROM SHIFTING FROM FIRST INTO 2ND GEAR TO MAINTAIN EXPECTED ACCELERATION IN TRAFFIC. I REALIZE WHAT THE SKIP SHIFT IS INTENDED FOR BUT IN THE REAL WORLD OF TRAFFIC, THE SKIP SHIFT FEATURE IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN EVER ANYONE IS BEHIND ME AT A STOP OR AT A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, WHEN ITS TIME TO GO, THE SKIP SHIFT FEATURE PUTS ME AT RISK OF BEING REAR ENDED EVERY TIME IT ENGAGES. THERE IS A DISPLAY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN SKIP SHIFT IS ENGAGED BUT TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO REFOCUS AND LOOK FOR THIS DISPLAY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DRIVING IN TRAFFIC IS AS DANGEROUS AS THE SKIP SHIFT FEATURE ITSELF. ADDITIONALLY, AS A RESULT OF BEING FORCED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO FORTH IS DAMAGING TO THE CLUTCH, TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. THE ENGINE KNOCKS AND PINGS TERRIBLY IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE IN FORTH GEAR AT SUCH A LOW SPEED. OFTEN TIMES I AM FRANTICALLY DOUBLE CLUTCHING TRYING TO OVERRIDE THE FEATURE BY TRYING TO YANK AND JAM THE TRANSMISSION INTO SECOND GEAR ALL THE WHILE DECELERATING WITH FOLLOWING TRAFFIC HONKING OR YELLING VERBAL ABUSE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO DISABLE THE SKIP SHIFT FEATURE ON THESE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. *TR