NHTSA Complaint #10521034 — 2013 JEEP PATRIOT

AS MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND BRAKING TO PARK THE CAR, THE ENGINE SPED UP AND ALL 4 WHEELS WERE SPINNING EXTREMELY FAST CAUSING HER TO THRUST FORWARD. SHE WAS NOT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE MODE AT THE TIME. SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES HARDER TO SEE IF SHE COULD STOP THE VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO INCREASE SPEED AND LUNGED OUT OF CONTROL .THE ONLY WAY SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD STOP THE WHEELS FROM SPINNING WAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. EVEN THOUGH SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO SPIN AND THE ONLY REASON THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING FORWARD WAS BECAUSE SHE HIT A TREE. THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO SPIN AFTER SHE HIT THE TREE AND THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM FROM SPINNING WAS WHEN SHE SHUT DOWN THE IGNITION. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CONSOLE LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING ON AND OFF AS THIS WAS HAPPENING. MY WIFE HAD CONCERNS WITH THIS BEFORE AS SHE WENT TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE VEHICLE AT OTHER TIMES SHE FELT THE ENGINE SPEED SURGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *TR