NHTSA Complaint #10462921 — 2009 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

WHILE DRIVING ON U.S. HIGHWAY 270 IN ARKANSAS THIS DATE, MY 2009 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS PRESSING SLIGHTLY ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE GOING UP A HILL WHEN THE ENGINE WENT INTO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE CONDITION. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND TURNED-OFF THE IGNITION, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO COAST DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION BACK TO "ON" THE VEHICLE AGAIN EXPERIENCED SUA AND ACCELERATED QUICKLY TO 60+ MPH. I AGAIN TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST BACK DOWN. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION BACK TO "ON", THE ENGINE WENT BACK INTO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE CONDITION AGAIN. AFTER FOUR TRIES (TURNING IGNITION "OFF", THEN "ON", THE ENGINE RPM RETURNED TO A NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH MY TRIP. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM WAS NOT ACTIVATED. I AM A PILOT WITH 500 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME AND RECENT ANNUAL CHECK RIDE QUALIFICATION/TRAINING TO HANDLE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. HAD MY WIFE OR THE AVERAGE DRIVER BEEN OPERATING THE CAR, THERE WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY WENT BERSERK. *TR