NHTSA Complaint #11193635 — 2017 JEEP RENEGADE

WHILLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND DESCENDING A SMALL HILL THE VEHICLE "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATES, CHIMES AND THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION LOCKS INTO A RANDOM GEAR (TYPICALLY 3 OR 5TH GEAR) AND REMAINS IN THIS GEAR. IT HAPPENS OVER HALF OF THE TIME AND RESULTS IN A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION AS THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED DEPENDING ON THE GEAR IN WHICH IT IS STUCK. THE VEHICLE HAS TO DODGE TRAFFIC AND PULL OVER IN A SAFE PLACE WHERE THE VEHICLE CAN BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, WHICH IN MOST CASES WILL RESET THE TRANSMISSION AND ALLOW IT TO FUNCTION CLOSER TO NORMAL. FCA IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEALER HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO REMEDY THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR 6 MONTHS. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, THE TRANSMISSION, THE EVAP CANISTER AND THE FUEL PUMP. FCA AND THE DEALER ARE STATING THIS IS "NORMAL" FUNCTION AND THAT THE TURN OR THE HILL MUST BE EXTREME OPERATION. THIS IS HAPPENING AT A SLOW SPEED TURN OF 10-15 MPH. I HAVE VIDEO RECORDINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH FCA AND THE DEALER AND I WOULD GLADLY SHARE WITH NHTSA. AS A FORMER VP AT A TIER ONE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS IS NOT EXTREME OPERATION AND IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WHICH THE MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO RECTIFY. IF THE MANUFACTURER IS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SOFTWARE RELATED SAFETY DEFECT IT COULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL JEEP RENEGADES OPERATING UNSAFELY ON PUBLIC ROADWAYS. PLEASE ADVISE WHERE I CAN SEND ALL THE VIDEO EVIDENCE.