NHTSA Complaint #757944 — 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I PULLED MY JEEP CHEROKEE INTO THE MAIL CENTER IN MY HOMEOWNERS COMPLEX; I PUT THE JEEP IN PARK; OPENED MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR; GOT OUT OF THE CAR; RETREIVED MY MAILBOX KEY FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR(WHERE I STORE IT); TURNED AROUND AND PUT THE KEY INTO THE MAILBOX; OPENED MY MAILBOX AND AS I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE MAIL OUT OF THE BOX I HEAR D A NOISE; I TURN AROUND AND MY JEEP IS MOVING BACKWARDS; I INSTINCTIVELY LUNGE AT THE CAR; HIT MY HEAD ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE OPEN DOOR CAUSING A MAJOR CUT REQUIRING SUTURES; THEN THE OPEN DOOR AND MOVING CAR PIN ME AGAINST A POST; I MANAGE TO PUSH MY WAY FREE CAUSING MORE INJURIES TO MYSELF; SPIN AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE POLE; MANAGE TO GET INTO THEJEEP;---- IT JUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE; THE OPEN DOOR WAS CRUSHED BACKWARDS BY THE POLE CAUSING THE PROPERTY DAMAGE AND I WAS INJURED IN THE INCIDENT AS WELL. NOW I FIND OUT THAT GRAND CHEROKEES AND LAREDOS HAVE THESE REPORTED INCIDENTS OF JUMPING INTO REVERSE AND I THINK THESE PROBLEM AUTOS SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD; THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC SCENE BECAUSE THIS MAIL CENTER IS USUALLY BUSY AND IF THERE WAS A CHILD OR SOMEONE BEHIND MY CAR OR ANOTHER AUTO BEHIND ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL; FOR ME AS WELL--I'M LUCKY I WASN;T KNOCKED OUT.*AK