NHTSA Complaint #11320817 — 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

ONE MONDAY THE 6TH DRIVING NORTH. IT WAS RAINING. SO, I HAD FULL 4WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED. A CAR CUT ME OFF. I WAS ON THE TRANSITION FROM THE 5 N TO THE 55N. A CAR FROM THE LEFT LANE CUT INTO MY LANE TO TRY AND EXIT ONTO 4TH STREET. TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT I SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS AND VEERED RIGHT. BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I PUSHING DOWN ON THE BREAKS AS HARD AS I COULD. THE CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN. TRYING TO OBTAIN CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE I "FISHTAILED" FROM GOING RIGHT BACK TO LEFT AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE CAR AND THEN HIT THE CENTER DIVIDER. THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND I HIT THE CENTER DIVIDER AND FLIPPED AROUND. I WAS THEN FACING OPPOSITE TRAFFIC TOWARDS THE DIVIDER. I THREW THE CAR INTO PARK AND HELD THE BREAKS STRONG. THE BACK WHEELS WERE STILL SPINNING OUT. I LOOK DOWN AND THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION. LUCKILY, I HAD A SPARE KEY IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AND SHUT IT DOWN. I FOUND THE KEYS ON THE GROUND BUT NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THE PEDALS. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. THE ONLY THING THEY COULD VERIFY IS THAT THE KEY COULD COME OUT WILE THE CAR IS STILL ON. ACCORDING TO THEM THIS HAPPENS AS THE KEY WEARS DOWN OR GETS OLD.