NHTSA Complaint #10684075 — 2005 JEEP LIBERTY

AT APPROX 8:00 ON THE MORNING OF 2/16/15 MY 2005 JEEP LIBERTY, 3.8L V-6 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL WHILE BRAKING FOR A STOP SIGN. THE ENGINE WAS COLD, I HAD JUST STARTED IT AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 27 MPH, AND BEGAN TO SLOW FOR THE STOP. AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS NO LONGER SLOWING DOWN. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ENGINE BRIEFLY REVVED ON ITS OWN. THIS MADE THE CAR ACCELERATE. I COULD NOT STOP AT THE STOP SIGN AND THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO 50 MPH CROSS TRAFFIC. I MADE A HARD RIGHT TURN TO BRING THE CAR NEXT TO THE CURB, ALLOWING ROOM FOR TRAFFIC TO GO BY. AT THE SAME TIME, I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND THAT ALLOWED THE CAR TO STOP. I THEN PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND REVVED THE ENGINE. IT SEEMED TO RESPOND NORMALLY AT THAT POINT (ENGINE WOULD RETURN TO IDLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE GAS). AFTER SHIFTING BETWEEN PART TO DRIVE, THEN REVERSE, ETC. SEVERAL TIMES, IT STILL SEEMED TO WORK NORMALLY SO I CONTINUED TO WORK WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT DOWN SHIFT OR DISENGAGE. AS THE ENGINE RPMS WERE REDUCED BELOW IDLE DUE TO THE CAR SLOWING, THE COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM TRIED TO BRING THE ENGINE SPEED BACK UP, CAUSING IT TO ACCELERATE. A COUPLE OF FACTS - THE CAR HAS APPROX. 159,800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I PURCHASED IT USED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND HAVE PUT 13,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I PURCHASED IT I HAD IT EXAMINED BY A MECHANIC AND HAD ALL THE HOSES, BELTS, ETC. REPLACED. I'VE HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT ABOUT 5,000 MILE INTERVALS. I DRIVE WITH ONE FOOT ONLY, I DON'T USE SEPARATE FEET FOR THE GAS AND THE BRAKE. THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT MOVED BEFORE OR AFTER THIS INCIDENT, AND IS NOT CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. *TR