NHTSA complaint: 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PARKED MY LANDROVER DISCOVERY IN THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, PULLED THE KEY OUT AND WALKED TOWARD THE STORE. AFTER A CRASHING NOISE I TURNED AROUND TO SEE MY CAR HAD ROLLED BACK INTO A VAN. MY TRANSMISSION WAS STILL IN "DRIVE" AND I HAD BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNIGTION. I CALLED MY LANDROVER DEALER. AFTER EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED I ASKED WHY THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED IN THE "DRIVE" POSITION, HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW AND WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT. HE THEN DIRECTED ME TO THE COLLISION CENTER FOR REPAIRS. THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OUT FROM A FRIEND WITH A DISCOVERY THAT HIS KEY CAN NOT BE REMOVED IN "DRIVE". WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN HE TOLD ME THE KEY SHOULDN'T HAVE COME OUT. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM AS TO WHY HE DIDN'T EXPLAIN THAT TO ME THE DAY BEFORE, HE TOLD ME I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD. HE WAS VERY EVASIVE WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD NOT TOLD ME TO BRING MY CAR IN TO BE CHECKED. BASICALLY HE BLEW ME OFF. FROM THERE I INVESTIGATED ON MY OWN BY CALLING THE NTSB ON SEPTEMBER 25TH. AFTER TALKING TO A SAFETY STANDARD ENGINEER I WAS DIRECTED TO A COMPLIENCE ENGINEER. I LEARNED THAT ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD #114 NO CAR SHOULD BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION UNLESS THE TRANSMISSION IS IN "PARK". I ALSO CALLED LANDROVER NORTH AMERICA. THEY HELPED EXPEDITE THE SITUATION. THE SERVICE MANAGER HERE FOUND THAT IT HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE "TRANSIT MODE" FROM DELIVERY OVERSEAS. HE SAID THE CARS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE CHEC
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation