NHTSA Complaint #10896337 — 2015 DODGE DURANGO

VEHICLE WILL DRIVE AWAY UNATTENDED IF YOU FORGET TO TURN THE "TRANSMISSION DIAL"..... WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND YOU STOP AND PRESS THE IGNITION BUTTON (THINKING YOU ARE PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK AND/OR TURNING IT OFF, AND THEN GET OUT OF THE CAR, THE CAR REMAINS IN DRIVE AND WILL DRIVE AWAY. WHEN YOU PRESS THE BUTTON, THE CAR MAKES A RINGING SOUND AND BOTH ME AND MY WIFE AND THOUGHT THE CAR WAS IN PARK. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, BECAUSE I FORGOT TO TURN THE TRANSMISSION DIAL TO PARK, THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN STILL IN THE VEHICLE. UNLIKE ALL OTHER CARS I HAVE HAD THAT HAD ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS WHICH PUT THE CAR IN PARK IF YOU TURN THEM OFF AND/OR OPEN THE DOOR WHEN THE CAR IS NOT MOVING, THE DURING WILL SIMPLY DRIVE OFF IN THE DIRECTION ITS IS AIMED. THIS CAR NEEDS TO PUT ITSELF INTO PARK IN THESE SITUATIONS. I HAVE A BMW THAT WILL NOT/CANNOT DRIVE AWAY LIKE THIS. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!! I ASKED THE DEALER IF THERE WAS A WAY TO STOP THIS AND I WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. HOWEVER, I AM TOLD THERE IS NO RE-PROGRAMMING FIX YET. SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED BY THIS DEFECT EVENTUALLY.