NHTSA Complaint #11691391 — 2024 JEEP GLADIATOR

Date of Incident: [XXX] Time: [XXX] Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Vehicle: 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon X Mileage at Time of Incident: Approximately 11,000 miles System Involved: Adaptive Cruise Control / Braking System Speed at Time of Incident: 45 MPH in a 45 MPH zone Road & Weather Conditions: Dry, clear weather, good road conditions Description of Incident: While driving at approximately 45 MPH with the adaptive cruise control engaged, the traffic light ahead turned yellow. As I have done many times before in similar conditions, I applied the brakes firmly to slow and stop for the light. However, the vehicle did not slow down as normally expected. As the light turned red and cross traffic began entering the intersection, I pressed the brakes as hard as possible. The vehicle began to slow, and the tires felt like they were “hopping,” but the vehicle never came to a complete stop. Because I was now in the middle of the intersection with a red light and vehicles entering from other directions, I released the brake to avoid a collision. At that point, the vehicle lurched forward, and I realized the cruise control system was still engaged and was actively propelling the vehicle forward. A short time later, the cruise control system finally disengaged on its own. This malfunction nearly caused a serious accident. Under normal operation, pressing the brake pedal firmly at any speed should immediately disengage adaptive cruise control, but this did not occur. Dealer Response: Immediately after the incident, the vehicle was taken to the Mount Pleasant Jeep dealership, SC. The dealership’s technician connected a diagnostic code reader and stated there were no fault codes. They also checked for Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) and stated none existed for this issue. The technician told me there was nothing further they could do. The dealership did not perform a road test, did not escalate the issue to the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5