POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
I WAS AT A CHEVRON GAS STATION ABOUT TO PUMP GAS. MY GRAND JEEP CHEROKEE WAS PARKED ON A FLAT SURFACE AND IN THE PARK POSITION. MY SISTER WAS CONFINED BY HER SEAT BELT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHEN I GOT OUT AND WALKED AROUND THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO BEGIN PUMPING GAS, LEAVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPEN. AS I WAS ABOUT TO PULL THE GAS LEVER THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS TOWARDS ME AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE QUITE A RAPID SPEED ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT I HAD LEFT IT IN PARK. MIRACULOUSLY, THE CAR WAS STOPPED FROM HITTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON WESTWOOD BLVD. BY THE OPEN DRIVER'S DOOR WHICH ALMOST PULLED OFF UPON IMPACT WITH ONE OF THE GAS PUMPS AND PROBABLY AVERTED A REALLY HORRENDOUS COLLISION. I HAVE SPENT TIME RESEARCHING THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE "TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK" SYSTEMS OF GRAND JEEP CHEROKEES. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER GRAND JEEP CHEROKEES REPORTING THAT SAME, OR SIMILAR, INCIDENTS SOME OF WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN DEATHS. I HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS LETTERS TO DAIMLER/CHRYLSER SETTING FORTH THE PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT IN WHICH I WAS INVOLVED, BUT THEY HAVE TURNED A DEAF EAR. I AM PERSONALLY SO TERRIFIED OF GETTING BACK IN MY CAR THAT I CHOSE TO LEASE ANOTHER CAR (WHILE BROKE AND UNEMPLOYED AND PAYING THE LEASE OM THE GRAND JEEP CHEROKE), RATHER THAN RISK LIFE AND LIMB BY DRIVING THAT CAR AGAIN -- SOMETHING I REFUSE TO DO. I ASK YOU PLEASE TO TAKE THIS MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY AND DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO