NHTSA Complaint #11341119 — 2005 JEEP LIBERTY

THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF 1ST GEAR. IT'S DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, RED LIGHTS UPHILL. IT IS UNSAFE FOR THE CAR TO DROP OUT OF GEAR AND LOOSES POWER WHEN IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE LEADS TO A LOT OF 'NEAR MISSES' FROM DRIVERS BEHIND WHO EXPECT TO ROLL FORWARD AS NORMAL OR FLOWING TRAFFIC WHO DON'T EXPECT A CAR TO STOP IN FRONT OF THEM. MECHANICS SAY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED, AND WHILE THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIX IT UNDER THE WARRANTY (WHICH AT THE TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER). IN VARIOUS JEEP FORUMS, I'VE SEEN OTHER USERS COMPLAIN OF THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE. AT ONE POINT THERE WAS TALK OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT - BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE IS UNDOUBTEDLY DATA AROUND THIS. LOOK AT HOW MANY JEEP ACCIDENTS HAPPEN WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF STARTING (FROM A STOP SIGN, LIGHT, UP-HILL, ETC). I BET MOST ACCIDENTS HAPPEN FROM BEHIND, OR FROM THE SIDE (WHILE MERGING).