NHTSA complaint: 2005 DODGE MAGNUM — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
I HAVE A NEW 2005 DODGE MAGNUM WHICH IS A NEW CAR. THE CAR HAS THE 5.7L HEMI MOTOR. ON 6-7-04, MY WIFE CRANKED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. SHE THEN DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WITH ANY RPM CHANGE UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSSED IN EXCESS OF 50%. WHEN THE ENGINE DID RESPOND, IT WAS VIOLENT, CAUSING THE CAR TO SPIN TIRES AND ACCELERATE BACKWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, HITTING ANOTHER CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES AND ACTUALLY HAPPENED WHILE THE INSURANCE APPRAISER WAS IN THE CAR. HIS REPORT SAYS THAT "THERE IS AN APPARANT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THAT NEEDS DEFINANT ATTENTION". I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND I HAVE NOTIFIED DODGE 4 TIMES, 3 OF WHICH ARE EMAILS WITH CONFIRMING RESPONSES. THE LAST EMAIL DATED 6/24 SAID THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLERS WITH A DECISION. I HAVE HAD NO OTHER RESPONSE AND I CANNOT GET ANYONE FROM CHRYLERS TO TALK TO ME. CHRYSLER SENT SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR 2 WEEKS AGO, BUT I HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THEM. THE DEALER COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS WITHOUT RECREATION OF THE INCIDENT. I WOULD THINK THAT CHRYSLER WOULD TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY SINCE IT IS A NEW MODEL CAR. I HAVE POSTED THIS PROBLEM ON A DODGE TALK FORUM AND AM FINDING ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WITH VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I HAD ASKED THE DEALER THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR DODGE TO REPLACE THE CAR WHICH WAS ONLY ABOUT A WEEK O
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation