NHTSA Complaint #10493046 — 2012 JEEP COMPASS

THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THE VEHICLE SLOWING RAPIDLY WHEN LETTING UP ON THE GAS OCCURRED DURING RUSH HOUR ON A LOCAL PARKWAY. WHILE TRAVELLING WITH THE TRAFFIC, AT ABOUT 67 MPH, THE TRAFFIC AHEAD STARTED TO SLOW. RATHER THAN STEP ON THE BRAKE, I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE CAR BEGAN TO QUICKLY DECELERATE. IT HAPPENED SO FAST THAT THE PERSON BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME. THEY PROCEDED TO GO AROUND ME AND PULLED ABRUPTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND BRAKED. HE MUST HAVE THOUGHT I DID IT INTENTIONALLY. THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR MORE MILES AS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ONE TECH EVEN SAID THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE CVT WORKS AND I'D HAVE TO GET USED TO IT. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE PARKWAY ABOUT A MONTH LATER. THIS TIME THE OUTCOME WASN'T AS SEVERE AS THE INITIAL OCCURRENCE. TRAFFIC WAS A LITTLE LIGHTER BUT MOVING JUST AS QUICKLY. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THAT IS WHERE THE CAR IS NOW. THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE OR FIND ANY FAILURE CODES FOR THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, A NEW SERVICE ASSISTANT TOLD ME THAT THAT IS HOW THE CVT WORKS. I INFORMED HIM AS I HAD INFORMED THE OTHERS THAT I HAVE DRIVEN VEHICLES WITH THE CVT AND IT IS NOT HOW THEY WORK. HAVING BEEN A MECHANIC FOR A GOOD PART OF MY LIFE, I DARE SAY THAT I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM RISKING MINE WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR