NHTSA Complaint #10991743 — 2011 CHRYSLER 200

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DURING STOP-AND-GO, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. AT THE MOMENT OF THE ENGINE STALLING, I WAS COASTING WITH MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, UP A SLIGHT INCLINE, ON AN OVERPASS AND INSIDE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE THAT WAS VOID OF A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ONTO. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO MAKE IT OVER THE UPHILL OVERPASS, THE PEDAL WAS LIMP AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE ELECTRICAL PANEL IN MY DASH WAS OFF, WITH THE VEHICLE STILL IN DRIVE AND NO PHYSICAL OR AUDIO SIGNS OF WARNING OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF. I QUICKLY HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID ROLLING IN REVERSE DOWN THE OVERPASS, SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO OFF. WHEN I ATTEMPTED THE RESTART THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE STARTED AS IF NOTHING HAD OCCURRED. AFTER DRIVING THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE, I EXITED THE FREEWAY. AFTER MAKING A SHARP, RIGHT-HANDED TURN FROM THE OFF-RAMP TO THE LOCAL ROAD, THE EMERGENCY "BRAKE" WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH TURNED ON AND WAS ACCOMPANIED WITH AN AUDIO WARNING. THE LIGHT REMAINED LIT FOR THE DURATION OF THE TURN AND FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AFTERWARD UNTIL IT TURNED OFF. NO OTHER ABNORMALITIES WERE OBSERVED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 120K MILES ON IT AND NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER OCCURRED IN THE PAST. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 200, ESPECIALLY WITH THE 2011 AND 2012 MODELS. MY ENGINE IS A 4-CYL, 2.4L. DESPITE THIS WIDESPREAD HAZARD, AND AN EARLY INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA, NO RECALL HAS BEEN MANDATED. THE RATIONALE? BECAUSE IT OCCURS AT A "LOW RATE IF SPEED". THIS IS ABSURD. I WAS ON A FREEWAY OVERPASS, INSIDE A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, DURING RUSH HOUR. IF THIS NOT A HAZARD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. PLEASE MANDATE A RECALL FOR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES ON A TRAIN TRACK OR INTERSECTION.