NHTSA Complaint #10552145 — 2005 DODGE MAGNUM

WENT OUT TO START THE CAR ON 11/7/13 AND COULD NOT GET THE SHIFT OUT OF PARK. CALLED THE DODGE DEALER AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG. CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THE OWNER SAID THAT HE ALSO KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG AND THAT HIS SMALL TOWING SERVICE HAD TOWED HUNDREDS OF CHRYSLER / DODGE CARS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MY PROBLEM - CANNOT GET OUT OF PARK. I ALSO CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED - ONLY CERTAIN VIN'S ARE COVERED. IF THERE ARE 100'S OF CARS JUST IN MY SMALL LOCATION, THERE MUST BE 1000'S, IF NOT TENS OF THOUSANDS AFFECTED VEHICLES NATION WIDE. I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT THE MANUAL OVERRIDE FOR THE SHIFTER DID NOT WORK, SO MY CAR HAD TO BE DRAGGED ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY A COSTLY PROBLEM FOR CAR OWNERS, BUT A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. WHAT IF YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK WHILE YOU WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND THEN COULD NOT MOVE? I COULD LIST OTHER SITUATIONS AS WELL - ALL SAFETY ISSUES. I WOULD ASK THAT A TOTAL RECALL OF ALL VEHICLES EFFECTED BE ISSUED. THANKS. *TR