NHTSA Complaint #10662721 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXHIBITING ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH SIMILAR TO OTHERS SUCH AS THE GM CHEVROLET COBALT AND SATURN ION. WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ROTATED TO THE START/CRANK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTS AND THE KEY IS RELEASED IT SOMETIMES DOES NOT FULLY RETURN TO THE ON/RUN POSITION FROM THE START CRANK POSITION. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN SOME ELECTRICAL FUNCTION ARE OFFLINE DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCHES FAILURE TO REALLY RETURN TO THE ON/RUN POSITION. THE SITUATION IS NOT USUALLY NOTICED UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND ONE THE EFFECTED SYSTEMS IS USED (TURN SIGNAL, HVAC, RADIO) SYSTEMS THAT ARE EFFECTED AND NOT RECEIVING POWER ARE TURN SIGNALS, RADIO, AIRBAG, HVAC. THE SWITCH CAN BE MOVED INTO THE ON/RUN POSITION AND THESE SYSTEMS THEN COME ON-LINE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT (SIGNAL LAMPS NOT WORKING, HVAC DEFOGGER NOT WORKING) OR POSSIBLE AIRBAG NON-DEPLOYMENT IN A CRASH (POSSIBLE INJURY OR FATALITY). THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED BY AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN> THE VEHICLE HAS NO SIGNIFICANT ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE HISTORY. *TR