NHTSA Complaint #11054168 — 2012 DODGE DART

THIS IS A BREIF SUMMARY. THERE'S MORE DETAILS CONCERNING THIS CAR THAT ROOM HERE DOESN'T PROVIDE. THE DUAL DRY CLUTCH SHIFTING FAILURES AND HILL START ASSIST ARE ADDRESSED HERE: THE CAR DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY MOVE FORWARD WHEN YOU APPLY THE THROTTLE IT CAN TAKE FROM 2-4 SECONDS TO GO FORWARD WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS. NOT 'TURBO LAG'. THAT ADDS TO THE TIME TO GO FORWARD. PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC OR CHANGING LANES CAN GET YOU KILLED BECAUSE IT DELAYS THROTTLE RESPONSE UNTIL THE COMPUTER DECIDES TO GO. SOMETIMES TURBO, SOMETIMES NOT AT THE SAME THROTTLE POSITION. WHEN COMING OFF THE BRAKES THEN PRESSING THE THROTTLE, DELAY AND SOMETIMES INAPPROPRIATE GEAR SELECTION CAUSES ERRATIC DRIVING BEHAVIOR. IN TURNS THE CAR COMES OUT OF GEAR ON ITS OWN WITH NO INDICATION. STEP ON THE GAS AND THE ENGINE REVS HIGH IN NEUTRAL. NOW IT'S COASTING THROUGH THE TURN BEFORE IT WILL ENGAGE IN [A] GEAR. YOU CAN SELDOM 'DRIVE THROUGH A TURN'. THIS HAPPENS AROUND A NORMAL STREET CORNERS, AND IN SWEEPING TURNS WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH OUT OF GEAR. ENGAGING GEARS AT THIS POINT IS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHICH GEAR THE CAR WILL SELECT. THE 'HILL START ASSIST' (HSA) BRAKING PROGRAM; WHEN STOPPED POINTING UPHILL, THIS 'FEATURE' IS INTENDED TO HOLD THE BRAKES ON FOR 3 SECONDS PREVENTING THE CAR FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO THE GAS PEDDLE. IF THE HSA FAILS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHEN, OR IF, THE CLUTCH ENGAGES INTO GEAR. THE HSA PROGRAM IN THIS CAR RANDOMLY FAILS TO HOLD ON A HILL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DDC ALSO FAILS TO ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE CAR TOTALLY FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD AND ROLLS BACKWARDS REVVING IN NEUTRAL TOWARD THE CARS COMING UP BEHIND YOU. YOU HAVE PRESSED THE GAS TO GO FORWARD AND NOW YOU'RE GOING BACKWARD REVVING IN NEUTRAL. I NOW REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS CAR. IT WILL SIT UNUSED UNTIL RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE CRUSHED. *JS