POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
I WAS GETTING MY KIDS OUT OF THE CAR AND MY SON GOT IN THE FRONT SEAT AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I AM ABLE TO MOVE THE SHIFT INTO ALL GEARS WITHOUT THE CAR RUNNIG OR A KEY IN THE IGNITION. MY CAR WITH MY SON ROLLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND ACROSS A STREET AND INTO A LAKE ON TOP OF A PARK BENCH.. I WAS NOT PARKED ON A HILL. I WAS IN FLAT GROUND. DODGE REPORTS I HAVE A INOPERATIVE SHIFT INTERLOCK AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT. 685,000 DODGE CIRRUS, STRATTUS, CHRYSLER SEBRING, AND PLYMOUTH BREEZE IN 1998 WERE ALL RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. CARS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANMISSIONS CAN HAVE A NONFUNCTIONAL INTERLOCK SYSTEM CAUSING THEM TO ROLL AWAY. AFTER THE MY CAR CAME TO A REST MY SON FELL OUT OF THE CAR INTO THE WATER. IT WAS LISTED AS NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 98V183. MY SON DID NOT HAVE TO DEPRESS ANY BRAKES TO CHANGE THE GEARS ON MY CAR AND HAVE IT ROLL AWAY . I MUST USE THE PARKING BRREAK AT ALL TIMES. IF ALL OTHER DODGE CARS HAD THIS PROBLEM WHY WOULD INTREPID BE THE EXCEPTION. IT SI ALL MADE BY THE SAME COMPANY AND PROABLY THE SAME PARTS.*AK