1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

ON OCTOBER 30, 2000, WHEN DRIVING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WITH '96 GRAND CHEROKEE JEEP, I STOPPED AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO GET OUT OF THE CAR TO RETRIEVE AN OBJECT ON THE GROUND. WHEN I LEFT THE VEHICLE I NOTICED IT STARTED TO ROLL BACK, INSTANTLY I ATTEMPTED TO JUMP BACK INTO THE JEEP AND SECURE IT. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN MY ATTEMPT AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, CRASHING INTO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOUSE, GARAGE AND PARKED VEHICLES. I WAS ALSO INJURED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE RUNAWAY VEHICLE, SUSTAINING A FRACTURED ANKLE AND SHOULDER INJURY. A LOCAL POLICE REPORT WAS FILED IN THE TOWN OF SHREWSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS AND A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT WAS FILED WITH MY AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY. I ASSUMED THAT I MAY NOT HAVE PUT THE CAR IN "PARK" SINCE I NEVER SUSPECTED A DEFECT WITH THE GRAND CHEROKEE. AFTER READING THE ARTICLE YESTERDAY IN THE NEWS, I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT WAS SO SIMILAR TO MY EXPERIENCE. IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ME. I WILL BE GLAD TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE VEHICLE ID NUMBER, MY DAUGHTER HAS THE CAR OUT OF STATE, BUT WHEN SHE RETURNS I WILL OBTAIN THE NUMBER AND SEND IT TO YOU.*AK