NHTSA Complaint #11120896 — 2016 JEEP WRANGLER

VEHICLE NOTIFIED IT HAD A FAULT IN THE ABS/ESC SYSTEM VIA THE YELLOW WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH. OCCURRED AFTER STARTING THE CAR AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY AT FIRST AND ASSUMED THIS INDICATED THE SYSTEMS HAD A FAULT AND WERE THUS DISABLED. HOWEVER, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER, STUMBLE, AND NOT ACCELERATE WHEN MOVING FROM DEAD STOP. INCLUDING STOP LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, CROSSING DIVIDED HIGHWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS--TURNING AND STRAIGHT TRAVEL. PAVEMENT CONDITIONS WERE DRY/LEVEL, NO WHEEL SPIN OCCURRED. 3 OCCASIONS OVER 2 DAYS RESULTED IN NEAR ACCIDENTS. ONCE AFTER TURNING RIGHT FROM A STOP SIGN, ACCELERATING THROUGH FIRST GEAR AND REAR BRAKES BEGIN TO CYCLE WHILE POWER IS CUT FROM ENGINE. CAR BEHIND HAD TO SWERVE AROUND SO AS NOT TO COLLIDE. NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. NEXT EVENT WAS CROSSING 2 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY FROM CENTER TURN LANE. AGAIN SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER AND BRAKING AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED TO REAR WHEELS. LESSER EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED AS WELL. VEHICLE THINKS IT NEEDS TO ENGAGE THE ESC SYSTEM. I ARGUE THAT THE ESC SYSTEM SHOULD GO INACTIVE WHEN A FAULT IS DETECTED, NOT CUT POWER AND AUTO APPLY BRAKES DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE UPDATED (QUALITY OF THE COMPONENTS NOT WITHSTANDING). THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AS THE CAR IS UN-DRIVEABLE, EVEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. MOREOVER, EVEN AFTER REPAIR THE FAULT STILL "LIVES" WITHIN THE CAR SHOULD IT HAVE A SIMILAR COMPONENT FAIL IN THE SYSTEM. CONTACTED DEALER TO ARRANGE REPAIR, VEHICLE HAS 40,600 MILES (NEVER OFF ROAD). DEALER STATED IT IS LIKELY A REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR, COMMON FAILURE, NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS COMMON BEHAVIOR FOR THIS TYPE FAILURE. CONTACTED FCA ON ISSUE AND LOGGED CASE, CLAIM THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS, COULD NOT EXPLAIN.