NHTSA Complaint #10955910 — 2015 DODGE DURANGO

REGARDING ODI PE 16-014 OPENED 16 DECEMBER 2016: ONE YEAR AGO (12/29/15) A NEIGHBOR ALERTED ME VIA TEXT TO THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE STREET OUTSIDE OUR HOME. I DISCOVERED MY 2015 DURANGO HAD ROLLED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 35 FEET COMING TO REST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT I HAD SOMEHOW FAILED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN "PARK". HOWEVER, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, I COULD SEE THE ROTARY DIAL CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION WAS CLEARLY INDICATED TO BE IN THE "P" POSITION. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED. OBVIOUSLY, HAVING THE VEHICLE ROLL AWAY WAS NO SMALL CONCERN. SO I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER IN MY COMMUNITY FOR INSPECTION. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THIS WAS THE SECOND RECENT COMPLAINT HE HAD RECEIVED ON THIS SAME ISSUE. ULTIMATELY, THE DEALER INSPECTION TURNED UP NO DISCERNABLE CAUSE. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED BY THE SM STATING THAT CHRYSLER WAS FLYING A COUPLE OF GUYS UP TO TAKE A LOOK AT BOTH VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE ROLL-AWAY COMPLAINT. THIS PROCESS ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN MY RECEIPT OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WORKING "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS" FOR FCA STATING, IN ESSENCE, THAT MY DURANGO IS "FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED". A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS: (1) THE SLOPE OF OUR DRIVEWAY IS STANDARD FOR HOMES BUILT ON FLATLAND. AN EYEBALL MEASUREMENT HAS THE RISE AT ABOUT 20" OVER A RUN OF 36'. (2) OUR DURANGO REPLACED A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE AVIATOR UTILIZED THE SAME POSITION IN OUR DRIVEWAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS (SANS ENGAGEMENT OF THE PB), YET WE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT ROLLING AWAY. MAYBE THIS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO DUMB-LUCK. OR, MAYBE IT WAS DESIGNED NOT TO. (3) FORTUNATELY, WE LIVE ON A QUIET STREET. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN REAL BAD.