NHTSA Complaint #11114335 — 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

JULY 28, 2018 7:20PM: STOPPED THE CAR AT CROSSWALK FOR PEDESTRIANS. WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE WITH INCREASING FORCE. FEARING THAT I COULD NOT HOLD IT BACK WITH THE BRAKE, I REACHED OVER AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, WHICH REMEDIED THE SITUATION. NOTES: 1) THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED AT THE TIME. 2) THE AUTO STOP/START WAS NOT ENGAGED (I.E. THE BLUE LIGHT WAS ON). THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. JULY 13, 2018 12:15PM AT DISNEY WORLD: I WAS TRAVELING DOWN AN INCLINE TOWARD A STOP SIGN. AS I APPLIED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE WITH INCREASING FORCE, DESPITE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING, I SIMPLY TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THE SITUATION SEEMED TO REMEDY ITSELF. NOTES: 1) THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED AT THE TIME. 2) THE AUTO STOP/START WAS NOT ENGAGED (I.E. THE BLUE LIGHT WAS ON). NEITHER OF THESE EVENTS APPEAR TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH CHRYSLER'S U64 OR U50 RECALLS, AS NEITHER THE CRUISE CONTROL NOR MANUAL PARK RELEASE WERE ENGAGED. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE AUTO STOP/START WAS NOT ENGAGED IN BOTH SITUATIONS. ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS: ON NUMEROUS PAST OCCASIONS, WHEN THE CAR DID HAVE THE AUTO STOP/START FEATURE ENGAGED (I.E. BLUE LIGHT OFF), THE CAR WOULD "BUCK" WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION (I.E. IT WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR). THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE NOW DISABLE THE AUTO STOP/START. I AM AN ELECTRO/MECHANICAL ENGINEER WITH 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND FORMER GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT RELIABILITY, SAFETY & CONSUMER IMPACT FOR MOTOROLA.