NHTSA Complaint #767530 — 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

VEHICLE WENT INTO FULL THROTTLE REVERSE AS IT WAS SHIFTED OUT OF "PARK". VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE INTERLOCK THAT PREVENTS SHIFTING OUT OF PARK WITHOUT BRAKE BEING APPLIED. VEHICLE LEFT RUBBER MARKS FROM ALL FOUR WHEELS FOR SEVERAL FEET BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO BEING IT UNDER CONTROL. APPLICATION OF BOTH FEET TO BRAKE PEDAL DIDN'T STOP THE ACCELERATION AND PROBLEM VANISHED AS QUICKLY AS IT APPEARED. ALL INDICATIONS NOMINAL AFTER THE EVENT, BUT AM NOW VERY CONCERNED OF PERSONAL LIABILITY IN THE EVENT OF AN INJURY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I CAN SAY WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT TOUCHED. ONE OTHER DETAIL I MIGHT MENTION IS THAT AS I WAS ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, SOMETHING REGISTERED THAT THE PEDAL "FELT FUNNY". I'VE ATTEMPTED TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM... USING THE BRAKE WITH THE ENGINE OFF TO REMOVE ANY VACUUM ASSIST, THEN STARTING... NORMAL SHIFTS FROM PARK TO REVERSE... NOTHING. MY PROFESSION AND TRAINING ALLOWS ME TO BE SOMEWHAT OBJECTIVE IN THIS MATTER. I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT SOMEHOW THE PEDAL "FEELING" FOR THE BRAKES AND THE INSTANT THROTTLE INCREASE ARE RELATED. SINCE THERE IS NO MECHANICAL CONNECTION, IT WOULD LEAD ME DOWN THE PATH OF AN ELECTRONICS MALFUNCTION. I WILL INFORM CHRYSLER AND THE DEALER AS SOON AS BUSINESS HOURS START ON MONDAY, BUT I WRITE THIS IN CASE I AM THE "VICTIM" OF A SIMILAR EVENT BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED.*AK