NHTSA Complaint #10682629 — 2003 JEEP LIBERTY

TURNED LEFT OUT OF THE DOCTORS OFFICE, DROVE APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT THE STOP SIGN (MAKING A RIGHT). THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE, HOWEVER, BEGAN ACCELERATING AND DESPITE APPLYING EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE THE ENGINE ACCELERATED FASTER. I ULTIMATELY ENDED UP THROWING IT INTO PARK AND THEN TURNING OFF THE IGNITION TO KILL THE ACCELERATING ENGINE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE RPM WAS, BUT IT WAS LOUD! THIS ALSO HAPPENED 2 WEEKS AGO (FIRST TIME - VERY COLD MORNING) AND I ENDED UP THROWING IT INTO PARK AND TURNING OFF THE KEY LIKE TODAY. TODAYS TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 40 DEGREES. FYI - I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND HAD SLIGHTLY TURNED THE WHEEL. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, I BEGAN DOUBTING THAT THIS HAD EVEN HAPPENED. IN HINDSIGHT, DESPITE SEVERAL BLOGS ON THE INTERNET, I AM ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE THAT I DID NOT PUSH DOWN ON BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER TODAYS INCIDENT, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED OUR LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO RECREATE WHAT HAPPENED. UNDER VARIOUS SCENARIOS I BUMPED THE STEERING WHEEL CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS (WHILE STOPPED, WHILE STOPPING, WHILE ACCELERATING) BUT COULD NOT CAUSE THE RUNAWAY ACCELERATION TO REPEAT ITSELF. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP THIS FRIDAY, OR AS SOON AS WE CAN DROP IT OFF. CANDIDLY, I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT THIS POINT! *TR