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
MY WIFE WAS GOING TO WORK ON 08/14/00. SHE WARMED THE JEEP UP, DROVE UP TO THE PORCH, LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND PLACED THE JEEP IN PARK. WHILE INSIDE THE HOUSE, SHE NOTICED THE JEEP SUDDENLY LURCHED AND STARTED MOVING BACKWARDS( THIS WAS ON A NONPAVED FLAT SURFACE). . SHE RAN OUT THE HOUSE TO TRY AND STOP IT, BUT TOO LATE. LUCKILY, IT DROVE THROUGH MY PUMP HOUSE IN THE BACK YARD. THE WHEELS ROLLED OVER A 4" HIGH CEMENT BASE WHICH LODGED THE WHEELS TO A STOP.. IT HAD SHOVED OUT THE DOOR AND SIDE OF A 10' X 10 ' SHED COVERING MY WATER PUMP. IT PUT A DENT IN MY REAR HATCH DOOR TOP AND BUSTED THE REAR LEFT TURN SIGNAL. I DID NOT REPORT IT TO POLICE BECAUSE IT WAS IN MY YARD AND IT DID NOT DAWN ON ME THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE JUMPED OUT OF PARK. HOWEVER, ON APPROXIMATELY APRIL 12,2001 I HAD PLACED IT IN PARK , WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, WHEN SUDDENLY IT JUMPED IN REVERSE WITH ME STILL SITTING IN THE SEAT. I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED AND AGAIN PLACED THE SHIFTER INTO PARK. NOTHING HAPPENED AGAIN, SO I JUST SHRUGGED IT OFF AS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. BUT THE OTHER DAY I WAS TALKING WITH ANOTHER JEEP OWNER WHO HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT IN CASE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT LEAVE MY JEEP RUNNING IN PARK AT ANY TIME NOW, I DO NOT TRUST IT. PLUS, WITH THE WARRANTY RUNOUT, I FIQURED NOTHING WOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT ANYWAY AND I WOULD JUST GO THROUGH A LOT OF EXPENSE CHECKING IT FOR NOTHING. BUT, I DO BELIEVE THERE IS SOME KIND OF INTERMITTENT PR