NHTSA Complaint #11048543 — 2017 JEEP RENEGADE

AFTER FILLING GAS TANK, I TRIED TO START CAR AND IT TOOK A COUPLE OF TRIES TO GET IT TO CRANK OVER. ONCE IT STARTED, THE CAR WAS MAKING AN INTENSE KNOCKING NOISE AND SPUTTERING SO VIOLENTLY IT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE WHOLE CAR TO ROCK. AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT SETTLED DOWN AND I PULLED ONTO THE STREET AND THE CAR JUST DIED... NO LIGHT INDICATORS AT ALL AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LOOKED AS IF THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. AGAIN IT TOOK A COUPLE OF TRIES, BUT THE CAR FINALLY STARTED AND BEGAN KNOCKING AND SPUTTERING ABOUT, THEN SETTLED DOWN. I ENTERED THE FREEWAY ONRAMP AND NOTICED WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WOULD ESSENTIALLY DIE WHILE GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR. I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND BY THE TIME I STOPPED ON THE OFFRAMP, THE CAR HAD DIED AGAIN. I HAD TO PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES UNTIL THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. I DROVE TO A PARKING LOT AND PRESSED THE ONBOARD BUTTON FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY CAME AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 67 DEGREES AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT RAIN SPRINKLE. BEFORE I GOT GAS, THE CAR WAS FINE. I HAD 1/4 OF A TANK AND THE GAS LIGHT HAD JUST COME ON. I HAD NEVER USED VALERO GAS BEFORE AND FOR SOME REASON IT TOOK 13.5 GALLONS TO FILL THE TANK THAT ALREADY HAD A 1/4 OF A TANK IN IT. IN THE PAST THE MOST I HAVE FUELED UP WHILE ON LESS THAN 1/8 OF A TANK WAS 11.8. I'M NOT SURE THE FUEL SITUATION MATTERS, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION IT JUST IN CASE. THIS ISSUE WAS REALLY SCARY AND UNNERVING. THE CAR HAS 4500 MILES ON IT.